Imran Rahman
I am a poor journalist and an infamous writer. In terms of power and wealth I have nothing to boast of. I am too insignificant to influence world affairs. Indeed I am not a person worth reckoning. Yet I feel content because I am a proud and lucky holder of an identity that left overlong saga of glory and pomp with its footmark on the highway of time, at every landmark turning of civilization that set out from Mount Hera and tumultuous footsteps of those mighty stallions that one day trampled Khyber, Panipat, HinduKush, Samarkand, Bukhara and the bank of Sindh; an elated bearer of a legacy survived by enviable chivalry in the history.
Openly I feel it a matter of great honor to introduce myself as ‘Muslim’ about whom our prophet Muhammad (PBUH) stated that Muslims are brother each other and entire Muslim community in the world is like a single person who falls all in pain if any single part of his body gets attacked like an injury in eye or head gives a sense of groaning pain throughout the body. This means any attack physical or mental anywhere in the world is an attack on entire Muslim community, i.e. entire Muslim population will feel his pain and try utmost to help him pull through his pain. Are we characterized by any of these signs to honestly claim ourselves such Muslim today? Are we committing due justice to the charge devolved on us as Muslims? Are we saving the honor of those names going down the history as great architects of civilization? Though these questions are haunting for decades these have lately become pertinent again on the backdrop of what is going on in Kashmir; what is happening in entire India in the name of cow vigilance.
From the killing of Junaid, Alimuddin, Akhlaq and Tabrez Ansari to arbitrary abrogation of India occupied Jammu& Kashmir’s special statusin breach of every modern ritual by fascist and racist Indian government unveils how the Muslims, once the ruler of almost entire world and vigilant warden of glory of India against many external forces are being treated as expatriates in their own homeland in an attempt to turn the country into a chunk of Gujarat.
The way the government and political high ups of India make anti-Muslim statement and the Muslims are being subjected to regular physical and mental torture calls forth my doubt if any strong judicial system is in function there. Reports of people being mercilessly beaten for not chanting Jai Sree Ram and deterring god fearing innocent Muslims from saying prayer in mosques are regularly going viral on social media network.
Although Indian authority is repeatedly claiming that Kashmir is their internal matter, there is no denying on analysis that Kashmir movement is characteristically in tune with every rightful movement of Muslims in other parts of the world. There is no scope of separating Kasmir from Palestine and Rohingya crises. Kashmir, Palestine or Myanmar whatever place you refer to, the victim is same and that is the Muslim. Increasing statelessness, displacement and isolation are the grim realities of Muslims today. The number of Muslim refugees along the borders of Syria, Sudan and Libya and Darfur are alarmingly on the rise with ICC’s role in question.
That the stripping of Kashmiris of their special status was moved by BJP government’s communal mentality is clear from Vikram Sinai and ManoharLalKhattar’srecent taunting statements. BJP’S design to bring about a major demographic change in the region by bringing in moreHindus to settle and marrying white-skinned Kashmiri woman has already triggered huge sentimental outcry in the entire sub-continent.These bellicose attitude of BJP manifests that Kashmir, a time bomb plantednearly seven decades ago may anytime explode to cross its fallout beyond Indo-Pak region. Possible chance of third world war surrounding Kashmir cannot be ruled out as it is located between the two most vulnerable face to face nuclear threats. Reports of regular trading of firing between India and Pakistan army costing lives are striking headlines.War of words between Modi and Imran Khan, the Prime Minister of Pakistan with whom India has many historical shared moments of cricket, and whom a significant number of Indians irrespective of belief are fans are going on in full swing. Many observers were hopeful that Imran’s rise to Pakistan’s power might impact positively the bilateral ties of these two neighboring nations. Unfortunately India has utterly failed to capitalize his sportive spirit and dynamic personality for its apartheid attitude.
The more the BJP government will resort to policy of communal discrimination more the risks of separatist movement will mount not only in Kashmir but also in other parts of India. Time will say whether NarendraModi by scrapping article 370 pursued the most risky political decision in his career or not.
The writer is a poet.