In a country where cultural diversity has long been celebrated for over centuries, the shadows of discrimination have cast a dark shadow over the lives of many people. Renowned journalist and author Ziya Us Salam has analysed these shadows in his captivating book “Being Muslim in Hindu India: A Critical View“.
Advocate and former journalist Deepak Bandhila’s encounter with police brutality in the city of Betul in Madhya Pradesh is a poignant reminder of the challenges faced by those, who are perceived as Muslims in India.
In March 2020, as the shadows of the coronavirus pandemic began to emerge, the wearing of masks was not yet considered necessary, Bandhila, a resident of the town of Betul in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, was on his way to the local hospital early in the morning to get diabetes medication.
Because of his beard, Bandhila was mistaken for a Muslim. At the crossroads in the city, he was stopped by police officers and severely beaten.
When Bandhila complained to senior officers and then filed a complaint in court, the police officers queued up at his home, apologising and asking him to withdraw his complaint.
The police officers repeatedly tried to explain that they were mistaken because of his long beard, which is commonly associated with Muslims, and thought they were beating a Muslim. They also mentioned that Kapil Savarshtri, the police officer, who used batons on his body mercilessly, inexplicably gets itching in his palm at the sight of Muslims and finds comfort in beating them.
Bandhila asks, if this is the treatment of a Hindu, who is mistaken for a Muslim, what must be happening to actual Muslims?
The 174-page book is full of incidents about how the identity of Muslims is weaponised against them. It reflects the conditions faced by Muslims in India since 2014.
Salam’s enquiry also extends to the political sphere where the voice of the Muslim minority is getting weaker. With the rise of Hindu nationalism, Muslim representation in key decision-making bodies is dwindling, signalling a worrying trend in Indian democracy. A successful democracy must be inclusive, not exclusive.
“With the rise of Hindu nationalism, Muslim representation in key decision-making bodies is dwindling, signalling a worrying trend in Indian democracy. A successful democracy must be inclusive, not exclusive.”
Electoral disempowerment
The author unravels the intricate web of electoral strategies and political manoeuvres that are marginalising an entire community.
In Indian elections, Hindu nationalists typically deploy three issues to appeal to Hindu voters: Cows, Pakistan and Muslims. The cow issue was used in the 2014 elections and in the 2019 elections, the nation was galvanised with issues around Pakistan to win votes. It now appears that Muslims are the direct target for the 2024 elections.
Recent events such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating the unfinished Ram temple on the site of the demolished Babri Masjid, allowing Hindu worship in the basement of the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi, bulldozing an 800-year-old mosque near Qutb Minar in Delhi’s Mehrauli neighbourhood, the handover of the shrine of Sheikh Badruddin and the 100 hectares of land in the Barnawa district of Baghpat to Hindus and the passing of a Uniform Civil Code by the state governments under the leadership of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party are signs that an open declaration of India as a Hindu nation is just a matter of announcement.
In the recent budget presented in Parliament, funds for several programmes related to minorities were either cancelled or substantially reduced.
Ziya Us Salam has divided his book into eight sections to discuss thirty different issues in depth. The first chapter deals with the political insignificance of Muslims. The book reveals that it is estimated that 120 million names are missing from the electoral rolls, most of whom are Muslims. Outlook magazine reported that nine thousand Muslim voters were declared dead in the southern state of Karnataka.
From the silver screen to the streets, Salam shows the pervasive influence of Hindutva ideology on India’s cultural landscape. Through cinematic narratives and historical revisionism, Muslims are portrayed as eternal villains, who perpetuate an atmosphere of fear and mistrust. Renaming of cities and landmarks further erases the rich Muslim heritage and reinforces the sense of alienation and otherness.
Through poignant narratives and incisive analyses, Salam sheds light on the struggles and injustices faced by the Muslim community in India and offers a critical perspective on the socio-political landscape of the country.
During the era of Jawaharlal Nehru, when secularism was selling, filmmakers produced masterpieces like Naya Daur, Mother India, Anarkali and Mughal-e-Azam. However, after 2014, filmmakers started producing films that promote Hindutva and portray Muslims as villains to suit the political narrative of the present day rulers.
Many directors are happy to support the government’s policy as they feel the relationship is mutually beneficial. History is distorted to such an extent that it is appalling to watch these films.
For example, in the film Samrat Prithviraj, it is claimed that Prithviraj killed Muhammad Ghori, whereas Ghori lived till 1206 and Prithviraj died in 1192. These films ignore the fact that the Muslim kings, portrayed as villains, had Hindu ministers and generals in their courts. The Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, who is often targeted and demonised, granted land to temples and employed more non-Muslims than his predecessors.
The thousand-year Muslim era is portrayed as a dark age, with even the prime minister leading the charge.
By changing the names of towns and villages, this history is erased, and Muslims are alienated. Allahabad has been renamed as Prayagraj, Mughal Sarai as Deen Dayal Upadhyaya and Faizabad as Ayodhya, among others.
There are plans to rename Agra as Agravan and Bareilly as Maharishi Valmiki Nagar. It is an irony of fate that the Sultan Tipu Express, named after Sultan Tipu, who fought against the British, has been renamed the Wodeyar Express in honour of a king, who betrayed his people to the British.
Author Ziya Us Salam says these are not isolated incidents but part of a deliberate plan to create the impression that non-Hindus are outsiders, who have harmed the country and are hateful. He questions, even if Muslim rulers have committed excesses, how can it be justified to target the entire Muslim community in the 21st century?
The thousand-year Muslim era is portrayed as a dark age, with even the prime minister leading the charge.
Bulldozer Justice
A new tactic, “bulldozer justice’,” has come to symbolise an aggressive state in today’s India and instils fear in Muslims. For example, Mohammad Javed’s house in Allahabad was bulldozed just because he had participated in a protest. During processions for Hindu festivals such as Ram Navami or Hanuman Jayanti, especially in the vicinity of mosques, arson attacks are frequent.
These processions with swords and loud music exert a psychological dominance over Muslims and try to suppress them. In Madhya Pradesh, 49 Muslim homes and shops were destroyed in a crackdown on those accused of throwing stones at a Ram Navami procession.
The author has illustrated his example by comparing the situation at the time of the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992 and today. In Noida, a suburb of Delhi, Hindutva activists went door-to-door shouting provocative slogans in connection with the Ram temple movement. But author’s neighbours used to comfort and encourage him. They stood with him during the storm.
“From the silver screen to the streets, Salam shows the pervasive influence of Hindutva ideology on India’s cultural landscape. Through cinematic narratives and historical revisionism, Muslims are portrayed as eternal villains who perpetuate an atmosphere of fear and mistrust.”
But now the situation is completely different. There was not a single family from the majority community in his neighbourhood to express pain for the Muslims during the Delhi riots in 2020.
“No one came to my house to put their arm on my shoulder, no one comforted me. Instead, every house had a saffron-coloured flag, some had pictures of Hanuman hanging from their balconies. I locked the doors of my house and asked my children and wife to stay inside and switch off the lights. How far we have come since 1992,” writes the author.
In the midst of darkness, Salam finds a glimmer of hope in the resilience of the human spirit. Despite the injustices suffered, the Muslim community remains steadfast, challenging oppressive narratives and claiming its rightful place in the fabric of Indian society. The author’s message urges readers to confront prejudice and work towards inclusion.
The book deals with various issues such as ‘love jihad’, mob violence, attacks on mosques, the hijab issue and Hindutva.
In the course of reading ‘Being Muslim in Hindu India’, a poignant story emerges – a story of struggle, resilience and the constant pursuit of justice. Through Salam’s penetrating gaze, readers are invited to confront uncomfortable truths and embark on a journey towards empathy and understanding. In a nation at a crossroads of identity, this book serves as a beacon of hope that points the way to a more inclusive and compassionate future.
Reading the book can lead to despair, but the author suggests that these situations could herald the dawn of a new day. The world thrives on hope.
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