By Md Asif Khan, TwoCircles.net
Finally, the year 2020 is over and the world is now welcoming the new year – and hoping the new year will bring a sigh of relief for the people of the world. The year 2020 will be remembered for the coronavirus pandemic, which impacted the whole world. Covid-19 pandemic broke out in the early part of 2020 and quickly spread across the world.
India recorded its first case of Covid-19 on 30 January in Kerala. Like the rest of the world, India also got affected by this deadly virus. While 1.3 billion people of India were facing the virus, however, the Indian Muslims were facing much more than just the coronavirus – they were facing the ordeal of a communal virus as well.
In the early part of 2020, when the entire world was celebrating the new year, Indian Muslims were protesting against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) across the country and were mourning the death of more than 25 Muslims who were killed during the riots and violence against the anti-CAA protesters.
At that time some parts of the world were facing a virus, which possibly came from bats, but Indian Muslims were facing a more deadly virus which was unleashed by the elite mainstream Indian media and right-wingers. That virus was the communal virus. The section of elite Indian Media and BJP leaders were constantly targeting Indian Muslim protesters, accusing them of being anti-national, they were being called traitors and pro-Pakistan for exercising their democratic rights.
In February, when American President Donald Trump was visiting India, the capital city of Delhi was burning. Muslims, who were protesting against CAA, were attacked in North East Delhi.
New Delhi was burning for 4 days and Muslims were facing carnage, their houses and properties were attacked by rioters. More than 50 people lost their lives, and several mosques were attacked in anti-Muslim violence. Following this violence, the elite Indian Media and right-wing groups started blaming Muslim protesters for the violence.
Delhi Police and BJP govt started targeting Muslim students, activists and many Muslim were framed and incarcerated by Delhi Police. They are still languishing in jail. The elite Indian media made them villains through extensive propaganda.
In March 2020, the deadly coronavirus started spreading in India. The Modi government failed to take appropriate steps to control the virus. Prime Minister Modi announced a nation-wide lockdown on 24th March to tackle the spread of the virus. Due to the lockdown, everyone got stuck at whichever place they were at. Soon, news surfaced that out 1000 people were trapped in Nizamuddin Markaz, Delhi. Nizamuddin Markaz is the headquarters of Tablighi Jamat, a Muslim missionary group.
As this episode unfolded, the sections of elite India Media started injecting a communal virus into peoples’ mind. They blamed Muslims for the pandemic and accused Muslims of deliberately spreading the virus in the country to demean Modi government.
The elite Indian Media declared it an international conspiracy against India, dangerously naming it Corona Jihad. Muslims were called Corona Bomb by sections of this elite Indian Media.
It was a difficult time for the Indian Muslims and the entire community was systematically targeted and blamed for the pandemic. Common Muslims were attacked on the streets, they faced abuses and physical violence. One member of Tablighi Jamaat committed suicide because of taunts and harassment he had faced. People refused to buy anything from Muslims. Hospitals refused to admit Muslim patients because of the media’s propaganda.
The elite Indian Media was trying their best to blame Muslims for every problem in the country – for example, when migrant labourers gathered outside Bandra Railway Station in Mumbai and started demanding transportation for their native places, this elite media blamed Muslims and falsely accused them of deliberately creating chaos and violating physical distancing norms.
Police filed cases against many Muslims including foreigners who came to India to attend a congregation of Tablighi Jamaat. Later on, all of them were acquitted by High Courts in India. But no action was taken against journalists who were spreading the communal virus in the country.
Indian Govt started the unlock process after May and soon people started forgetting about the pandemic and Tablighi Jamaat episode. But after a few months, a new strain of communal virus attacked Indian Muslims in the form of Love Jihad Law. BJP ruled states passed an anti-conversion law to target interfaith marriage and couples. This was another tool to target Muslim men as within just one month after passing of this law, 51 people were arrested in Uttar Pradesh alone.
By the end of the year 2020, Muslims faced yet another episode of violence from Hindutva groups as mosques were attacked, Muslims’ properties were damaged in Madhya Pradesh.
The year 2020 started with violence and ended with violence against Indian Muslims. By the end of 2020, many countries had come up with a vaccine against coronavirus but Indian Muslims are still waiting for a vaccine which will protect them from the deadly communal virus.