By AW Siddiqui
Three days of absolute carnage in North Delhi was not just shameful - it was a blot on the tolerant Indian society.
There were rioters running amok, whose acts were of the same level as of wild animals - if not worst. It’s their acts – though no fault of average Indians – that make some of us feel ashamed to be an Indian.
Stories coming out are that most of the rioters were outsiders, and paid to do what they did – Rs 1,000 + a bottle of liquor to participate, and Rs 5,000 to burn a shop/house.
Some of the locals did participate in the riots, but their role seem to have been limited to pointing out the houses and businesses of the ‘other’ community members for the rioters to attack.
And they did the job they were paid for. About 50 lives are lost, hundreds are missing and thousands injured. Those who escaped are living like refugees within their own country – not too far away from their home.
That was three days and nights of absolute terror – and the basis was faith. Hindus killing Muslims, and to a smaller scale, Muslims pelting Hindus and killing a few.
But.
Now, with fire extinguished, there are also stories coming out, both from the Hindus' and Muslims' quarters, of individuals who risked their own lives to save the ‘other’.
There is this Hindu brother who sheltered his Muslim neighbour when the rioters were looking for their blood. He took neighbour’s pregnant wife to the hospital while riots were on. He then organised their safe passage out of the affected area. Now most of his neighbours hate him for being a human, while his daughter can be seen crying, and wants her Muslim neighbours back, because she loves them so much.
Then there is a story of the wedding of a Hindu girl living in Muslim dominated area. Her parents were afraid and thinking of postponing the wedding. But her Muslim neighbours insisted that the marriage goes as per schedule. They made sure that things go smoothly and stood guard throughout the process, ensuring no harm is done.
A mosque that was damaged by Hindutva goons is being repaired by Hindus of the neighbourhood.
These are few of many told and untold stories which makes India a unique country, and a special place in the world.
I am a Muslim but all except one of my best friends are Hindus. I grew up with them, went to school and college with them, played with them, joked with them, mucked around with them and lived with them.
How can I not protect them? How can they not protect me - in a situation like North Delhi?
That is my India. With all its deficiencies and problems, it’s the land my emotions are connected to – even when I live thousands of kilometres away.
Every now and then; there will be situations like North Delhi. That is how it has been in the past too. But it’s the nature of that country, and its ability to pull itself out of those situations, which makes it unique, and special.
Kings came and gone. Regimes will come and go. But India will stay there. That is how it has been – that is how it will remain.
If a fascist regime thinks that it can break that resilient fabric of India, and mould it the way they see fit, all I will say is that Hitler, and others like him, have tried that - and failed.
Hinduism was (and is) far better than what has been presented in last six years, and nothing had shamed Hinduism the way Hindutva has.
As a nation - we have always celebrated diversity. That has changed because of the dominant narrative of intolerance in our main stream media and social media, sponsored by Hindutva. I am confident that Indians will change that narrative and reclaim our time honoured traditions of tolerance and inclusiveness. Then the ‘bhakts’ will fade away, or subscribe to our values – the Indian values of tolerance and inclusiveness.
And the fascist regime would have spent its short shelf-life.
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