By Dr Shahnoor Rahman,
India, being the largest democracy in the world, the identification and special care of the poor and deprived of the society — mostly the Dalits and minorities by the government is the most important thing for social justice. This is the most important thing as well so that everyone can contribute towards the progress of the country.
For that reason, department of minority affairs was made as independent ministry of central government in the year 1992. With the objective of taking care of minority communities, Prime Minister’s 15-point programme was launched in year 2006. It is essential to mention here that all minority welfare schemes of UPA government are least productive and benefiting mainly to corrupt politicians and dishonest middle men. Besides, most of the funds allocated returned back to the centre unutilized.
In our country anybody who is not a Hindu is regarded as minority. Here various lower caste people enjoy reservation in various aspects including in education and employment up to 50 percent. These are being availed by a section of people who are born to lower caste Hindu families irrespective of their socioeconomic statuses. So it is purely a religion based reservation system where a section of people have been enjoying from generation to generation.
Muslims, on the other hand, who happen to be largest among the religious minorities of the country, are most backward socio-economically. They are neither given any religious based reservations nor any special care for upgrading their socioeconomic positions.
When the Congress government started to declare fake promises for the minorities with wide circulation for the vote bank politics, the Hindus started to look over the issue with a sense of jealousy. So, the communal tension brewed up in their minds thinking that Congress government has been offering Muslims everything for they are Muslims.
Groups of Hindu fundamentalist organizations like RSS, BHP, Yoga camps under Baba Ramdev etc whose ideology is Hindutwa and Hindu nationalism started to work day and night over past 3 years and became grossly successful in uniting Hindus by igniting their minds for cause of supporting BJP with similar ideologies.
These Hindu organizations began to reach everywhere including educational institutions and commercial centres even for the collection of funds from corporate sectors and acquiring of almost all national media. They left no stone unturned in managing all corporate sectors, media, NGOs, organizations within short span of time with agenda of freeing India from corruption, price rise, misrule of Congress party with communal flavours and Muslim demographic invasion through high birth rate and illegal immigrations.
On the other hand, wide advertisements of Congress party regarding minority welfare schemes to play vote bank politics of minorities which partially divided the country on communal line, where BJP dumped its seedlings through various diplomatic policies and tricks by projection of Modi as PM.
This made majority Hindus to decide for voting in favour of BJP only which promised for development, security and freeing country from corruption, price rise and make returned back all black money. Also, repeated telecast of Modi’s rally in all media changed mindsets of majority Hindus to vote for only BJP.
So, it is very much clear that had the Congress not divided the country on the basis of religion, BJP strategy would not have worked to make them come out with such an absolute majority. But it is very clear that BJP has already understood Muslims as their enemy due to minority card games of Congress party and most of Muslims have not voted for BJP contrary to its reality. So, there arises every possibility for BJP party to have indifferent attitude towards the Muslims.
The Muslims have become scapegoats in the country. Since none of the BJP MPs are Muslim, none to represent in ruling party in floor of parliament to speak up their own problems. So, Muslims have to wait for obtaining sympathy of upcoming government rather than playing any active roles.
This time the Muslim representation in parliament is only 22. For the first time in Indian politics, Muslims are sharing no seats in upcoming government. Moreover Muslims are likely to suffer from obvious polarization of the country on communal lines which is really unfortunate for secular and democratic country like India.
So, it’s the time for us to think wisely over the matter on how Muslims have been fooled by a particular party by playing minority card games over them and take appropriate steps in future to prevent from becoming victims through playing inactive role as mere voters in vote bank politics. Also, it’s the duty of upcoming BJP party to offer best governance to India holding tightly democratic, secular and socialist fabrics of India. It is necessary for BJP to win hearts of people who are being alleged to hate them, so that they also contribute best for their victory from next elections onwards.
(Dr Shahnoor Rahman recently graduated in MBBS from the Guwahati Medical College Hospital, Assam.)