The Indian subcontinent is an area of tremendous diversity, with numerous religions, castes, languages, and ethnic groups. Therefore, the only correct policy for us is the policy of suleh-e-kul (giving equal respect to all religions and communities) propagated by the great Mughal Emperor Akbar, whom I regard as the Father of the Indian Nation. Source
In the epic Mahabharat, at the end of the war, the elderly Bheshma Pitamah advises Yudhishthir, who is soon about to be anointed king:
“भेदे गणाः विनश्यन्ति भिन्नास्तु सजाया: पराः तस्मात् संघातयेंन प्रयतरेण गणाः सदा”
i.e., “Republics are destroyed only because of internal strife among the people. Therefore, the authorities in a republic should always strive to maintain good relations among the people.” (Bheeshma Pitamah’s upadesh to Yudhishthir in the Shantiparva of Mahabharat, chapter 107/108, shloka 14).
India’s present population is about 1.4 billion, of which about 80% are Hindu. Muslims in India are about 200 million, i.e., about 15%. There are also several million Sikhs, Christians, Jains, and other communities. The only correct policy, therefore, to keep India united and progressing, is for the Indian Government to give equal respect to all religions.
Narendra Modi’s policy throughout his life, particularly after he joined politics in 2001 to become Chief Minister of Gujarat state, has been just the reverse. Modi joined an organization called the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) when very young. This organization had been created by the British rulers of India in 1925 as part of their nefarious divide and rule policy, and its ideology was hatred of Muslims, as articulated in the book ‘A Bunch of Thoughts’ by its then leader M.S. Golwalkar, which is compulsory reading for all RSS members. A whole chapter therein spouts venom against Muslims, calling them gundas (hooligans), terrorists, foreign invaders, rapists, and looters, etc. Modi would certainly have read it and imbibed its philosophy, as it is the Bible for all RSS members. Modi had been an RSS ‘Pracharak’ (active propagandist) for many years until he was brought into politics and sent as Chief Minister of Gujarat state by the BJP, the political wing of the RSS, which is really controlled by the RSS. Source
One of the first things he did there was to organize the massacre of 2,000–3,000 Muslims in the state, in what I called ‘Kristallnacht’ in an article I wrote then. Source
Later, in 2014, he became the Prime Minister of India, which he has remained for the last 10 years. These 10 years have been a nightmare for Indian Muslims. Many have been lynched by cow vigilantes who falsely accused them of eating and selling beef. Many were brutally beaten for not saying ‘’Jai Shri Ram,’’ with the police looking on as spectators. The houses of many were bulldozed. Thousands of innocent Muslims were arrested by the police on fabricated charges and false evidence alleging they were terrorists and gangsters, and most are still languishing in jail in inhuman conditions. All this was done under Modi’s watchful eye and to his full knowledge. And why not? It is what he aimed at all his life and is his creed.
Throughout these 10 years, in all his public utterances, Modi has spouted venom against Muslims, particularly in election speeches (there are 28 states and 8 union territories in India, so elections or their preparations are going on all year round, keeping the country perpetually in an election mode). In all such occasions, Modi has demonized Muslims. Modi tried to ‘saffronise’ all state and educational institutions in India. Source
His recent speech in Banswara, Rajasthan, in which he called Indian Muslims ‘ghuspethiyas’ or foreign infiltrators (though 95% of Indian Muslims are descendants of local converts and were never foreigners), crossed all limits of decency. Source Source
He later claimed in an interview with journalist Rubika Liaqua (who is his die-hard fan) that one who talks of Hindu-Muslim is unfit for public life. This shows he is a congenital liar because Hindu-Muslim is what he has done all his life, as I said in these interviews: Source Source
Modi’s mindset is feudal and thoroughly reactionary. He once claimed that in ancient India we could do head transplant surgery (proof of which, according to him, was that the Hindu god had an elephant’s head), knew genetic engineering, stem cell therapy, and other such mumbo jumbo. Source Source
But about the real issues facing India — its massive poverty, record and growing unemployment, appalling level of child malnourishment (every second Indian child is malnourished, according to the Global Hunger Index), skyrocketing prices of food, fuel, and other essential commodities, and almost total lack of proper healthcare and good education for the masses — he has no inkling how to resolve. Source
Frankly, there is nothing in the man’s head except his hatred of Muslims. He has no scientific understanding of anything. If he loses in India’s present parliamentary elections, it will be good riddance of bad rubbish, not just for Indian Muslims, but also for all Indians.
Justice Markandey Katju is a retired Judge of the Supreme Court of India
