Hindu-Muslim divide is more than political opium in world's largest democracy ::: 5,457 people from civil war-hit Myanmar earmarked to be deported, claims Manipur Chief Minister

Hindu-Muslim divide is more than political opium in world's largest democracy

New Delhi 

Should we adhere to a growing BJP refrain that the biggest flaw in Indian 'secularism' is that it's anti-majority? And the perception is adhered to by the self-styled practitioners of that secularism.

Many decades back, religion was described as the opium of people. This was a truism for all, it was a global phenomenon. But when it comes to linking the God and the manner one prays and worships and the venues -- that is the templesand churches and masjids, South Asians and especially Indians can easily outdo others. 

India is in the election season. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third consecutive term. This itself is a unique achievement as only India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had attained such a feat. 

Modi, according to poll pundits and analysts, is long expected to triumph against an opposition alliance of Congress more than 24 other parties.But the opposition has not yet named their candidate for prime minister.

But it is considered that in terms of pan-India presence it is the Congress which is the principal opposition and hence Rahul Gandhi as Congress stalwart is Modi's chief rival in more ways than one.

Between Modi and Rahul; there are many dissimilarities.  But there can be one common factor. Both these leaders over zealously turned the ongoing election into an affair of religion and religious divides. 

As predicted Narendra Modi is banking heavily on his strong Hindutva (Hindu-first) card. Well that has been his image even in earlier elections right from 2002 when anti-Muslim mayhem had endeared him Indian voters.

But Rahul Gandhi on his part has knowingly or otherwise dragged his party's and that way entire opposition's line of campaign as -- 'pro-Muslim'. "More than election, we are into religious wars. We are behaving funny and immature. Prime Minister Modi likes to call India the 'mother of democracy', but he misses the point that sheer communalism is actually a strict anti-thesis to religion," says analyst Ramakanto Shanyal in West Bengal.

"As the Prime Minister Modi should be held more guilty on this than others as he also has a big picture responsibility. Even in eastern states such as West Bengal and Assam, essentially the polls are being seen with religion prism," he adds.

In more and more constituencies as the polls are progressing, Modi's BJP candidates are relying largely on the party’s familiar tactics of drawing on religious divisions.  On the other hand, in the name of 'secularism, freedom of speech and protecting the rights of minorities', the Congress has turned pro-Muslim in more ways than one.

The can of worms was actually opened by Modi himself when he dubbed the Congress party's Manifesto as the footprint of Muslim League.

In 1947 when India attained Independence from the British raj; the Muslim League was held responsible for the Partition of the vast India sub continent and thus Pakistan was created. As many as 25 years later, even Pakistan was split and thus Bangladesh came into being on the eastern front.

The 'bitterness' persists and hence most often in normal times when Pakistan is referred to, it is essentially the  'Muslim angle' for many Indians especially for die-hard BJP workers and the radical leaders.

In subsequent periods, Modi claimed the Congress is planning to re-distribute the wealth of rich and upper middle class Hindus to Muslims. To make it worse, Modi addressed Muslims as 'infiltrators' and those who have 'many children'.

But Congress also walked into a trap. 

Of course  the Muslim-majority Pakistan is seen as India's arch-rival. "Pakistan is not perceived as a neighbour. To many, Pakistan is seen as anti-Hindus and anti-Hinduism," says Guwahati-based Ashutosh Talukdar. Thus, he says, "When Rahul Gandhi told an election rally that his party will do an X-ray  of the country and the lower backward classes, Dalits and tribals, the poor general caste people and minorities will come to know their participation in this country; many linked it to straightway pandering to Muslim interest".

Thus, the Indian election is polarised today till the peak. The Pakistan angle and repeated references to this has also created further ground of enhancing the religious divides.

To top these came two unwarranted statements from Congress leaders. Former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi sparked off a controversy after he said that the recent terror attack in Pooch area ofJammu and Kashmir was allegedly the handiwork of BJP only to influence poll outcome in the crucial third day polling on May 7th.  

Congress leader of the opposition in Maharashtra assembly, Vijay Wadettiwar claimed that a top anti-terrorism chief Hemant Karkare was killed on Nov 26, 2008  by an "RSS-linked cop", and not by terrorist Ajmal Kasab, during the 26/11 terror attack.

  

These will only help the BJP. In fact, things got further complicated when a Pakistani leader and a former minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain applauded Rahul Gandhi saying the Congress leader is like his great-grandfather Jawaharlal (Nehru) has a socialist in him. Problems of India and Pakistan are so same even after 75 years of Partition.

 Rahul sahib, in his last night speech, said 30 or 50 families own 70  per cent of India's wealth".

"Same goes for Pakistan where only a business club called Pakistan Business Council and few real estate Seth’s own 75 per cent of Pakistan's wealth. Fair distribution of wealth is the biggest challenge of capitalism," he said.

The BJP has latched onto this and federal minister Kiren Rijiju said there was "non-stop praise in Pakistan! Rahul Gandhi has such a big fan following".

 

Even India's Defence Minister Rajnath SIngh joined the debate and said, "There must be a reason behind this deep love (for Rahul) from a country that has been trying to destabilise India. It is a matter of grave concern and India wants to know the reason behind this love".

Politically too, the Congress, the other opposition parties including provincial outfits such as Trinamool Congress, socialist Samajwadi Party and RJD are seen as tilting towards Muslim voters.

Rahul Gandhi himself contested from Wayanad in Kerala which has 29 per cent of Muslims. He also filed for another seat Rae Bareli in north -- which has 12 per cent Muslims. So, the allegation is Rahul is linking the mission of Congress revival to votes from Muslims.

On the other Modi's biggest electoral strength is his pro-Hindutva support base. The inauguration of grand Ram temple on the same spot where Babri Masjid was demolished in 1992 tells the story clearly.

On Sunday, May 5th, Modi offered prayers at Ram Mandir and also held a two-km roadshow alongside hardliner Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

In February this year, Modi had told Rahul Gandhi in Parliament:

“It is in your character that the division of India happened.....The country was broken into pieces and you sowed the poison. After 70 years of independence, not a day passed when the 125 crore Indians do not get punished for your sins.”

Well, Modi has the image of  the "staunchest Hindu nationalist" ever to occupy the office of Prime Minister in a country that has 80 per cent Hindus and that also cherished pluralism and secularism.

But on-ground politics is something where votes matter. Modi's campaign styles, the spins and narratives easily appeal to a large section of voters. His support base also gets excited and emotional when they are told about 'Muslim appeasement'by Congress and its associates such as Trinamool.

Even Indian communists try to garner votes in the name of religion or communities.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinyari Vijayan has in the past tried to win the support of Hindus and Christians, notwithstanding their ideological indifference to the politics of religion.

Observers say Vijayan has in the past tinted the red flag of the communists with the hues of saffron, the color associated with Hindus. 

One example was his government dropping the idea of pressing for the entry of women of reproductive age into a popular Sabarimala temple against its tradition. Vijayan’s government pushed for the entry of all women to the temple but later diluted its stance.

ends 

Manipur begins crackdown on 'illegal immigrants' ::: 5,457 people from civil war-hit Myanmar have been earmarked to be deported, claims Chief Minister

 Indian state begins crackdown on 'illegal immigrants'

Nearly 5,457 people from civil war-hit Myanmar have been earmarked to be deported, claims Manipur’s chief minister

Sectarian strife-torn Manipur in northeastern India has identified thousands of “illegal immigrants" from civil war-hit neighboring Myanmar, according to its chief minister.

Nearly 5,457 illegal immigrants were detected and biometric data of 5,173 of them recorded. The deportation process is underway, Manipur state Chief Minister N Biren Singh said on May 8.

Deporting “illegal immigrants” from military-ruled Myanmar, a leading producer of opium in the world, started earlier this month in Manipur, where tribal Christians and the majority Hindus have been engaged in communal unrest since May 3, 2023.   

Kuki tribal Christians, who form more than 40 percent of the state’s 2.6 million population, are against the move to confer tribal status on the Meitei Hindus.

This status helps them avail themselves of government social welfare benefits meant for tribal people, such as reservations of seats in government jobs and educational institutions.

Singh has always maintained that the unrest in the state has its roots in the war against drugs by the state administration over the past few years. Christians have accused Singh of supporting the Meiteis, who form more than 50 percent of the population.

India’s home ministry informed Rajya Sabha (upper house) in August 2023 that the nexus between the illegal trade in narcotics and terrorist activities is active in Manipur, where the sectarian conflict has claimed more than 220 lives, mostly Christians, so far.

UCA News Link

People carrying goods from Myanmar enter India through the Indo-Myanmar Friendship Gate in Manipur. (Photo: AFP) (UCAN) 

In the last state assembly session, Singh informed the house that 6,746 illegal immigrants from Myanmar were detected from May 3 last year till Feb. 27 this year.

"A total of 77 illegal immigrants were deported in the first phase," the chief minister from the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on May 2.

Human rights activists have, however, questioned why the government is labeling as "illegal immigrants" thousands of people, including children, who fled as refugees from Myanmar, where armed ethnic rebels have been giving the junta a tough time over the last year.

Modi’s federal government accepted the nexus between the narcotics trade and violence in the state in response to a question by an opposition lawmaker. The home ministry substantiated its claim by informing the Rajya Sabha that 1,897 narcotics-related cases were registered and 2,622 people were arrested in Manipur from 2018 to May 31, 2023.

On May 8, Singh condemned activities of "homegrown groups” in Western countries" for giving a "communal tone" to the efforts to identify and deport illegal immigrants.

Though Singh did not name any group, he was referring to a meeting organized by the North American Manipur Tribal Association (NAMTA).

The NAMTA in a congressional hearing strongly condemned what it said was the state government's complicity in the violence.

"Ironically, this lobby is quiet about the Western countries' stance against illegal immigration,” Singh said.

This is a situation where the survival of “indigenous people is at stake and we will not allow it to continue.” Singh added.