The pulling down of ‘hijab’ of a newly recruited Muslim lady doctor by Chief Minister of Bihar while awarding appointment letter to her at a public ceremony was extremely offensive, demeaning and bereft of civility proving yet again how fast the space for dignity and religious freedom was dwindling in India. The unpardonable act of indiscretion by the CM stunned the lady so much that she stood silent and did not protest, probably aware of the fact that she could not.
Amnesty International India reacting to the incident was right on money to say” This act was an assault on this woman’s dignity, autonomy, and identity. When a public official forcibly pulls down a woman’s hijab, it sends a message to the general public that this behavior is acceptable. No one has the right to police a woman’s faith or clothing. Such actions deepen fear, normalize discrimination, and erode the very foundations of equality and freedom of religion. This violation demands unequivocal condemnation and accountability.” Now the question is whether Modi government will hold the CM accountable in the prevailing circumstances? The answer is absolutely not.
This is not an isolated incident. Last month, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom concluded in a report that India’s political system now facilitates a climate of discrimination against religious minorities. According to the report, since 2014, policies under Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP have aligned closely with Hindutva ideology, leading to the disenfranchisement of minority communities. In such an environment, there is little incentive for accountability.
The incident is a strong endorsement of the fact that India under Modi has become a majoritarian state by pursuing RSS ideology of ‘Hindutva’ which believes in India for Hindus only. The communal politics pursued by Modi government have tarnished secular face of India; a fact rued by believers in democracy and secularism in India.
It is also amply corroborated by legislative measures adopted by Modi regime since assuming power in India. To begin with it compiled National Register for Citizens in Asam and deprived nearly two million Muslim residents of Indian citizenship. The government claimed that the exercise had been undertaken to deport un-documented immigrants from neighbouring Bangladesh contrary to the fact that those people were living in Asam for decades. The critics rightly viewed it as an attempt to deport Muslims from the state.
In 2019 Citizens Amendment Act was promulgated. It was discriminatory against Muslims and consequently sparked violent clashes in which nearly fifty Muslims lost their lives. Former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh lamenting the violence in an article published in The Hindu said” Delhi has been subjected to extreme violence over the past few weeks. We have lost nearly 50 of our fellow Indians for no reason. Several hundred people have suffered injuries. Communal tensions have been stoked and flames of religious intolerance fanned by unruly sections of our society, including the political class. University campuses, public places and private homes are bearing the brunt of communal outbursts of violence, reminiscent of the dark periods in India’s history. Institutions of law and order have abandoned their dharma to protect citizens. Institutions of justice and the fourth pillar of democracy, the media, have also failed us. With no checks, the fire of social tensions is rapidly spreading across the nation and threatens to char the soul of our nation. It can only be extinguished by the same people that lit it. Every act of sectarian violence is a blemish on Mahatma Gandhi’s India. Just in a matter of few years, India has slid rapidly from being a global showcase of a model of economic development through liberal democratic methods to a strife ridden majoritarian state. Government should withdraw or amend the Citizenship Act, end the toxic social climate and foster national unity.”
In September 2024 the Modi government pushed through the parliament a law called ‘The Waqf Properties Amendment Bill’ to govern the management of properties and assets donated by Muslims to these bodies over the centuries as charitable giving. The proposed bill seeks to formalize these donations with documentation raising the specter of government interference. It is feared that it will empower the government to gain unprecedented control over these religious properties. The proposed inclusion of non-Muslims on waqf boards, judicial intervention in disputes previously handled by waqf tribunals, and the creation of a centralized registry within six months all suggest an intrusive role for the government. These changes threaten to alter the delicate balance that has allowed India’s diverse communities to manage their religious affairs with a measure of autonomy. It is pertinent to mention that Congress has expressed staunch opposition to this legislation and has also challenged it in the Supreme Court.
In 2019 Citizens Amendment Act was promulgated. It was discriminatory against Muslims and consequently sparked violent clashes in which nearly fifty Muslims lost their lives. Former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh lamenting the violence in an article published in The Hindu said” Delhi has been subjected to extreme violence over the past few weeks. We have lost nearly 50 of our fellow Indians for no reason. Several hundred people have suffered injuries. Communal tensions have been stoked and flames of religious intolerance fanned by unruly sections of our society, including the political class.
In the year 2024 alone, there has been alarming rise in anti-Muslim activities. Two mosques were demolished in both Uttarakhand state and the capital New Delhi within days of each other. The ensuing clashes and curfews killed at least 6 people as religious polarization continues to metastasize across India. Author Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay commenting on the situation in India said” This is the worst possible time to be a Muslim in India. It has become normal to demolish mosques. The stigmatization of Muslims is an old story, seen as a new normal. It no longer shocks the people.
Reportedly there have been myriad of incidents of lynching of Muslims by the Hindu extremists for alleged cow slaughter and other minor issues. Similar treatment has also been meted out to other minority communities, particularly Christians.
The issue needs to be taken up at the United Nations in the light of the foregoing facts and report of the US commission on International Religious Freedom. It should be discussed at the level of OIC first and then taken to the United Nations. It will also be advisable for all the Muslim nations to ask their ambassadors to sensitize respective governments on gravity of the situation.
