Radical Islamism poses a serious threat to India. This is not the time to score political points, but to take strict and pre-emptive action to prevent the recurrence of such killings in the future
One of the accused, Ghous Mohammad, who murdered the Udaipur tailor, was in touch with Dawat-e-Islami and even went to Karachi
This is the first part of a two-part essay that goes into the root causes of Kanhaiya Lal’s gruesome murder in Udaipur. It also offers some solutions on how to move forward from this horrific and repugnant crime against not just Hindus but humanity itself.
Like most people in the country, I was horrified and terribly saddened at the brutal and barbarous murder and beheading of Kanhaiya Lal on 28 January. I say “most people” advisedly because several people have been baying for former ruling party spokesperson Nurpur Sharma’s blood. They, and their ilk, are, without question, direct or indirect supporters of such grisly retaliation, which they justify in theological or political terms.
These same elements, some might call them mischievous bigots, are now trying to whitewash, if not deflect, from this heinous and dangerous crime by pointing fingers elsewhere and politicising the issue. But as long as they do not condemn or disown the history of conquest, conversion, and enslavement of non-believers, in addition to the systematic and centuries-long destruction and ruination of the latter’s religious places and objects of worship, their crocodile tears over an innocent man’s slaughter will convince no one of their seemingly pious protests.
Lal, who was a tailor, was stabbed twenty-six times, hacked to death, then decapitated. He leaves behind a wife, children, and four sisters, and other members of a family, whom he supported. His killers, identified as Mohammed Riyaz Attari and Ghaus Muhammad and arrested later on the same day, had posted a video of the killing, also threatening to kill others, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
***
Also Read
Udaipur killing: Prime accused has links with Pak-based Dawat-e-Islami, visited Karachi, says DGP
***
What was Lal’s fault? Reports say his eight-year-old son had forwarded a social media post supporting Sharma. To be executed for this “crime” in broad daylight in modern India is a slap on the face of our republic and the rule of law. Unfortunately, the Congress-ruled Rajasthan government and police failed to act in time even though Lal had sought help from the police, as early as 15 June, following the threats he had received. His own neighbour, Nazim, had complained against him and, reportedly, revealed his location, which must have endangered his life. This shows that the mindset behind the murder was not confined to two insane individuals, as some have argued, but is much more widely — and dangerously — prevalent in society.
Earlier, the BJP failed to provide an adequate response to the threats that Nupur Sharma received. The party could have clarified that even if they did not endorse what Sharma said, they do not condone the threats to her life. The government, moreover, fell into a trap by marshalling the diplomatic machinery of the state into a damage control mode, thus taking the onus of Sharma’s remarks onto itself. After all, the Indian government is not the same as a political party, even if it is the ruling party. In fact, this is a National Democratic Alliance government led by the BJP. The government could have distanced itself from what the spokesperson of its principal party said rather than being held answerable for her comments.
They could have directed the complainants to take up the matter with the concerned political party, conveying the concern of friendly foreign countries who objected to Sharma’s remarks. They could have also pointed to instances of hate speech, insult of Hindu deities, and the destruction of Hindu shrines in India and elsewhere as the broader context for Sharma’s reaction. The party, however, took the recourse of scapegoating Sharma, labelling her a “fringe element,” and removing her from the primary membership of BJP. This gave a signal to the bullies, who gloated on social media, that this was the way to make the Indian government and the BJP heel — after all, they too responded to pressure tactics and targeted attacks.
When it comes to Opposition parties, many have been silent or not vocal enough in their condemnation of the killing, let alone of the ideology that propelled it. The All India Majlis All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), while censuring the murder of Lal, continues to ask for Nupur Sharma’s arrest. Nor does it take action against members of its own party who openly asked for Sharma’s death. Similarly, bodies like the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind also want Sharma to be punished even if they do not endorse Lal’s killing. This shows that an entire alliance of the so-called secular and openly Islamist forces in India are unable, or unwilling, to go to the root cause of Lal’s killing — a murderous ideology backed by centuries-old theological pronouncements and practice.
Let us face facts. Radical Islamism poses a serious threat to India. This is not the time to score political points, but to take strict and pre-emptive action to prevent the recurrence of such killings in the future. We must act collectively, more than politically, to safeguard the republic. This is not the time for partisan brinkmanship, but of national resolve, where government and civil society make common cause against a dangerous enemy.
How to do this? The next part of this essay will address this topic.
[To be concluded]
The author is a professor of English at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Views expressed are personal.
Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,
India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.