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| Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan with Tablighi chief |
In 1920s began the most fruitful phase of the freedom movement with Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs presenting a united challenge to the foreign rulers. The beginning was made at Jallianwala Bagh where on April 13, 1919, 220 Hindus, 94 Sikhs and 61 Muslims together laid down their lives (as per the official figures the actual deaths were three times).
It was the period when revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh, Chandershekhar Azad, Ashfaqullah Khan and Ram Prasad Bismil became symbols of the united freedom struggle. The communal unity was the danger the British rulers dread most. It was no coincidence that during the same phase India saw proliferation of religious organizations which took birth to work for Hinduization and Islamization of Indians.
TJ, RSS and Shuddhi Movement (founded by Swami Shraddhanand Arya Samaj as 'Bhartiya Hindu Shuddhi Mahasabha' or Indian Hindu Purification Council) appeared around 1925 with the aim to shape good Muslims and good Hindus. It is significant to know that neither RSS nor TJ was banned during the British rule; none of their leaders went to jail for the cause of freedom of India. Hedgewar went to jail twice but as a Congressman.
It was a ploy to sabotage the coming together of the people of the two largest religious communities of the country. An official biography of the founder of RSS, KB Hedgewar confessed that the reason for forming tha RSS was that the Gandhi led freedom movement was working to unite Hindus and Muslims as one nation whereas India was an exclusive Hindu nation.
RSS rejected the concept of an all-inclusive India. TJ was started to convince Muslims that Muslims first should become Shuddh (pure) Muslims and get rid of practices/habits which had crept into the community due to mingling with the Hindus. This politics of 'we' and 'others' went a long way in causing communal riots in different parts of the country.
How alarmed were revolutionaries by this communal divide and how earnestly they wanted to expose the real culprits is clear from the ‘Message to Countrymen’ by Ashfaqullah Khan, which was smuggled out hours before his martyrdom on 19 December 1927. This statement is regarded as a great exposure of the nefarious game which communal forces were playing in league with the British masters. Addressing the common people of the country, he said:
"Oh! How can we appreciate the present day life when our political leadership is going through internal strife? If one is fond of Tableegh [the propagation of Islam] the other believes that dying for Shuddhi only will lead to emancipation. ..Government secret service agents are spreading these religious propagandas. Their aim is not to defend religion or help it to flourish but to create obstacles in the path of the moving train [of the freedom struggle]. I do not have time and opportunity to expose the whole game-plan (of government) which I came to know during my days of my running away from police and later."
The history of freedom movement is witness to the fact that these organizations led to the aggressive currents of Hindu and Muslim separatism, finally, leading to the Partition of India. Though India chose to be a secular state after Independence but likes of RSS and TJ continue to dream of a pure Hindu and pure Muslim societies.
TJ remained religiously indifferent to the widespread killings, maiming, rapes of Muslims, burning and plunder of mosques and their properties. In the Hindutva ledger of favourite Muslims, TJ scored ten out of ten as it remained more than neutral in the face of recurring communal violence against the community, nation-wide massacre of Muslims during and after Advani's Rath Yatra (1990), demolition of Bari mosque (1992), and the Gujarat pogrom of 2002.
TJ did not fail the Hindutva rulers during the recent nation-wide protests against the religiously bigoted Citizenship Amendment Act. Since it was spearheaded by Muslim women, TJ was more scornful of the movement. When Hindutva organizations in collusion with the state carried out massacre of Muslims (starting February 23, 2020) TJ remained in silent mode.
Whereas different non-Muslim, secular, Dalit, Communist and civil rights organizations went to the area defending Muslims and providing relief, TJ remained indifferent, perhaps believing that Muslims were paying for their sins! However, it was observed that many Muslims having connections with the TJ participated in the relief work in their individual capacities.
"CM Chouhan Inspects Tablighi Ijtema Site, 22 Nov 2017
“Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan reached Eintkhedi and inspected the Tablighi Ijtema site today. He took stock of the arrangements related to the congregation.
"CM Chouhan said that better arrangements should be made for the congregation. Attention should be paid towards the needs of the people who are attending this congregation. Proper transport arrangements should be made and better arrangements for potable water, cleanliness, electricity and medical should be made. He further mentioned that tight security arrangements should be made.
"Congregation will be held from November 25 to 27. About 15 lakh persons are expected to take part in the congregation. The congregation will be held in about 352 acre land. Tents have been installed in 60 acre land to accommodate about 3 lakh persons.
“Total 32 tube wells, 400 water tanks and arrangement of 7 thousand 500 tap connections have been made. Moreover, 3 thousand 500 temporary toilets have been made and arrangement of 5 fire brigade vehicles, 5 ambulances and temporary hospital has been made. Two mobile towers have been installed and 35 parking places besides control room at the congregation site have been made."
It is interesting to note that Indian rulers connected with the RSS who openly express hatred towards 'topi wale Musalmaan', but here one of them, a top one, was personally supervising one of the largest gatherings of such Muslims. The patronage went beyond all this.
It was the period when revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh, Chandershekhar Azad, Ashfaqullah Khan and Ram Prasad Bismil became symbols of the united freedom struggle. The communal unity was the danger the British rulers dread most. It was no coincidence that during the same phase India saw proliferation of religious organizations which took birth to work for Hinduization and Islamization of Indians.
TJ, RSS and Shuddhi Movement (founded by Swami Shraddhanand Arya Samaj as 'Bhartiya Hindu Shuddhi Mahasabha' or Indian Hindu Purification Council) appeared around 1925 with the aim to shape good Muslims and good Hindus. It is significant to know that neither RSS nor TJ was banned during the British rule; none of their leaders went to jail for the cause of freedom of India. Hedgewar went to jail twice but as a Congressman.
It was a ploy to sabotage the coming together of the people of the two largest religious communities of the country. An official biography of the founder of RSS, KB Hedgewar confessed that the reason for forming tha RSS was that the Gandhi led freedom movement was working to unite Hindus and Muslims as one nation whereas India was an exclusive Hindu nation.
RSS rejected the concept of an all-inclusive India. TJ was started to convince Muslims that Muslims first should become Shuddh (pure) Muslims and get rid of practices/habits which had crept into the community due to mingling with the Hindus. This politics of 'we' and 'others' went a long way in causing communal riots in different parts of the country.
How alarmed were revolutionaries by this communal divide and how earnestly they wanted to expose the real culprits is clear from the ‘Message to Countrymen’ by Ashfaqullah Khan, which was smuggled out hours before his martyrdom on 19 December 1927. This statement is regarded as a great exposure of the nefarious game which communal forces were playing in league with the British masters. Addressing the common people of the country, he said:
"Oh! How can we appreciate the present day life when our political leadership is going through internal strife? If one is fond of Tableegh [the propagation of Islam] the other believes that dying for Shuddhi only will lead to emancipation. ..Government secret service agents are spreading these religious propagandas. Their aim is not to defend religion or help it to flourish but to create obstacles in the path of the moving train [of the freedom struggle]. I do not have time and opportunity to expose the whole game-plan (of government) which I came to know during my days of my running away from police and later."
The history of freedom movement is witness to the fact that these organizations led to the aggressive currents of Hindu and Muslim separatism, finally, leading to the Partition of India. Though India chose to be a secular state after Independence but likes of RSS and TJ continue to dream of a pure Hindu and pure Muslim societies.
TJ as good Muslims for RSS
TJ has always been on top of the list of 'good Muslims' (Rashtriya Muslims) of the RSS-BJP rulers. TJ earned this place for its long scrupulous silence over the countless attempts by the Hindutva leaders to "cleanse" India of Muslims; decreed by the most prominent ideologue of RSS, MS Golwalkar as 'Internal Threat' number one [Golwalkar, “Bunch of Thoughts”].TJ remained religiously indifferent to the widespread killings, maiming, rapes of Muslims, burning and plunder of mosques and their properties. In the Hindutva ledger of favourite Muslims, TJ scored ten out of ten as it remained more than neutral in the face of recurring communal violence against the community, nation-wide massacre of Muslims during and after Advani's Rath Yatra (1990), demolition of Bari mosque (1992), and the Gujarat pogrom of 2002.
TJ did not fail the Hindutva rulers during the recent nation-wide protests against the religiously bigoted Citizenship Amendment Act. Since it was spearheaded by Muslim women, TJ was more scornful of the movement. When Hindutva organizations in collusion with the state carried out massacre of Muslims (starting February 23, 2020) TJ remained in silent mode.
Whereas different non-Muslim, secular, Dalit, Communist and civil rights organizations went to the area defending Muslims and providing relief, TJ remained indifferent, perhaps believing that Muslims were paying for their sins! However, it was observed that many Muslims having connections with the TJ participated in the relief work in their individual capacities.
BJP-RSS rulers' close connections with TJ
There should be no doubt on this account. TJ held one of its largest global Ijtema (congregation) at Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) from November 25 to 27, 2017 in which more than fifteen lakh Muslims participated. What the then chief minister of MP, Shivraj Singh Chouhan wrote on his official portal with a photograph is reproduced here which is self-explanatory about the linkage between BJP-RSS and TJ."CM Chouhan Inspects Tablighi Ijtema Site, 22 Nov 2017
“Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan reached Eintkhedi and inspected the Tablighi Ijtema site today. He took stock of the arrangements related to the congregation.
"CM Chouhan said that better arrangements should be made for the congregation. Attention should be paid towards the needs of the people who are attending this congregation. Proper transport arrangements should be made and better arrangements for potable water, cleanliness, electricity and medical should be made. He further mentioned that tight security arrangements should be made.
"Congregation will be held from November 25 to 27. About 15 lakh persons are expected to take part in the congregation. The congregation will be held in about 352 acre land. Tents have been installed in 60 acre land to accommodate about 3 lakh persons.
“Total 32 tube wells, 400 water tanks and arrangement of 7 thousand 500 tap connections have been made. Moreover, 3 thousand 500 temporary toilets have been made and arrangement of 5 fire brigade vehicles, 5 ambulances and temporary hospital has been made. Two mobile towers have been installed and 35 parking places besides control room at the congregation site have been made."
It is interesting to note that Indian rulers connected with the RSS who openly express hatred towards 'topi wale Musalmaan', but here one of them, a top one, was personally supervising one of the largest gatherings of such Muslims. The patronage went beyond all this.
Tablighi Jamat, RSS and Shuddhi Movement took birth concurrently to help the British overcome the united freedom struggle
These were the demonetization times; the whole country was distressed, specially, those who were daily wage-earner, artisans, involved in cottage/handicraft business and small traders. Most of the Muslims belonged to these categories. It did not bother TJ because CM ordered the district magistrate to ask banks to open special counters for exchange of old notes at the site of the conference.
"The operation kicked up a controversy after a video footage purportedly showed a policeman pumping bullets into a man from close range. Some unidentified men were also seen in the video brandishing a knife that was neatly wrapped in a plastic cover".
These killings were described as murder by the State and it was exactly 12 months after it that MP chief minister was presiding over the above meeting with the TJ top brass.
The TJ leadership built up a situation which helped the Hindutva organizations to attack common Muslims holding them responsible for the Covid-19 spread. TJ's over-confidence about its being in the good books of RSS-BJP rulers led them to treat this pandemic as a minor issue. The chief of TJ, Maulana Saad is reported to have declared:
"Don’t pay heed if they ask us to lock down mosques…There is no better place to die than a mosque…Allah is punishing us for abandoning mosques…Won’t pay heed if even doctors advise to not pray in mosques”.
Even if TJ denies any such declaration, the reality is that Muslims who attended global meet (March 13-15) at its headquarters followed Saad's words a divine. They kept huddled in the mosques and refused to be counted as pandemic suspect. As late as April 11, administration is having hell of a time in tracing those who attended TJ international conference at its headquarters. The health and police teams trying to locate suspects have been attacked.
Thus this idiotic and irrational attitude towards one of the greatest calamity faced by the human civilization in its history made all Muslims not only laughing stock but invited brazen physical attacks from the Hindutva gang against the community. Renowned scientist Gauhar Raza made an interesting point that attacks did not occur on the idiotic belief that Covid-19 will not affect Tablighi Muslims but on all Muslims as carrier of this virus.
Whatever may be the illusion of TJ about its linkages with the RSS top brass but the latter did not budge from its core agenda of hatred for Muslims. The RSS smelt an opportunity in this March 13 to March 15, 2020 meeting at TJ headquarters to communalize the issue of Covid-19 pandemic. The rulers realized that it would not only keep its original anti-Muslim agenda on track but also divert the attention from mismanagement in controlling the virus.
In fact, fighting the virus became a secondary issue and targeting Muslims became the primary agenda. The Hindutva organizations, individuals and media joined the high pitch chorus of “CoronaJihad,” and “Markaz Conspiracy”.
BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya tweeted it as "Islamic insurrection", Union Minister and BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi described it as “Talibani Crime by Tablighi Jamaat". The social media posts demanded that Tablighi Muslims should not be treated but put in a gas chamber. It seemed as if TJ had had some secret conclave to spread the virus. In different localities notices were put up banning entry of Muslims.
The fact which became the first casualty was that this ill-conceived conference was held with the full concurrence of BJP-RSS ruled India. These were not Tablighi Muslims only who were attacked. Non-Tablighi Muslims were lynched, denied hospital treatment, denied entry to many areas. It continues to happen.
After demolition of the Babri mosque at Ayodhya on December 6, 1992, the first person butchered was a 'good Muslim' namely Husni Vilaiti Haider. The son of a big zamindar of Ayodhya, he had offered his services for kar seva, earlier he had donated a large chunk of land to the VHP trust for Ram Mandir. But these credentials did not apparently wash. [“The Sunday Times of India”, Delhi, January 17, 1993.]
During the recent anti-Muslims riots in Delhi, the home of Akhtar Raza, BJP minority cell vice-president, was completely burnt. According to him there were 19 houses of Muslims in his lane. All were identified then burnt.
If TJ had used its lakhs of cadres and abundant monetary-physical resources for strengthening democratic-secular polity instead of co-existing with fascists, the country would have been a better place.
He continues to be in self-quarantine at some place. It would be a foolish proposition, in fact, an insult to our intelligence agencies to say that his whereabouts are unknown. On the contrary, hundreds of his followers both foreign guests and Indian had and continue to face horrendous life and uncertain future.
He did not seek safe passage for all the participants to hospitals or state sponsored isolation centres. Large number of them was forced to take refuge in mosques from where they were and being arrested as carriers of Covid-19. It is most likely that many of them carried the virus but who sent them to mosques?
The Tablighi participants were booked under stringent National Security Act for sexual harassment and being nude. It is nobody's case that they might not have indulged in such heinous acts but TJ should have expelled them or made public their version.
The foreign guests have been arrested for different counts and are in custody. Where are the Amir and his team which kept on boasting of the divine guidance in all their actions? Is this the model of a true Muslim which TJ has been claiming to work for the last 95 years?
The truth is that if TJ instead of building only mosques and founding madrasaas in order to train Muslims only for the life of "zameen ke neeche aur aasman ke upar" (in the grave and in the Hereafter) had bothered to establish medical colleges, hospitals, and nursing schools not only Muslims would have benefitted but the whole of the Indian society.
---
*Former professor of political science, Delhi University, Prof Islam's writings and video interviews/debates can be accessed here. Twitter: @shamsforjustice. Blog: http://shamsforpeace.blogspot.com/
Chouhan 'presided over' extra-judicial killing of eight Muslim youth in 2016
It is the same RSS-BJP chief minister under whose rule the cold-blooded murder of eight under trial so called 'SIMI terrorists' was executed on the night of October 31-November 1, 2016. Shivraj Singh Chouhan's claim that 'terrorists' were killed was disputed by Congress and many civil rights organizations. The state home minister admitted that the 8 killed were not carrying any gun but armed with 'utensils'. According to leading English daily:"The operation kicked up a controversy after a video footage purportedly showed a policeman pumping bullets into a man from close range. Some unidentified men were also seen in the video brandishing a knife that was neatly wrapped in a plastic cover".
These killings were described as murder by the State and it was exactly 12 months after it that MP chief minister was presiding over the above meeting with the TJ top brass.
The TJ leadership built up a situation which helped the Hindutva organizations to attack common Muslims holding them responsible for the Covid-19 spread. TJ's over-confidence about its being in the good books of RSS-BJP rulers led them to treat this pandemic as a minor issue. The chief of TJ, Maulana Saad is reported to have declared:
"Don’t pay heed if they ask us to lock down mosques…There is no better place to die than a mosque…Allah is punishing us for abandoning mosques…Won’t pay heed if even doctors advise to not pray in mosques”.
Even if TJ denies any such declaration, the reality is that Muslims who attended global meet (March 13-15) at its headquarters followed Saad's words a divine. They kept huddled in the mosques and refused to be counted as pandemic suspect. As late as April 11, administration is having hell of a time in tracing those who attended TJ international conference at its headquarters. The health and police teams trying to locate suspects have been attacked.
Thus this idiotic and irrational attitude towards one of the greatest calamity faced by the human civilization in its history made all Muslims not only laughing stock but invited brazen physical attacks from the Hindutva gang against the community. Renowned scientist Gauhar Raza made an interesting point that attacks did not occur on the idiotic belief that Covid-19 will not affect Tablighi Muslims but on all Muslims as carrier of this virus.
Whatever may be the illusion of TJ about its linkages with the RSS top brass but the latter did not budge from its core agenda of hatred for Muslims. The RSS smelt an opportunity in this March 13 to March 15, 2020 meeting at TJ headquarters to communalize the issue of Covid-19 pandemic. The rulers realized that it would not only keep its original anti-Muslim agenda on track but also divert the attention from mismanagement in controlling the virus.
In fact, fighting the virus became a secondary issue and targeting Muslims became the primary agenda. The Hindutva organizations, individuals and media joined the high pitch chorus of “CoronaJihad,” and “Markaz Conspiracy”.
BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya tweeted it as "Islamic insurrection", Union Minister and BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi described it as “Talibani Crime by Tablighi Jamaat". The social media posts demanded that Tablighi Muslims should not be treated but put in a gas chamber. It seemed as if TJ had had some secret conclave to spread the virus. In different localities notices were put up banning entry of Muslims.
The fact which became the first casualty was that this ill-conceived conference was held with the full concurrence of BJP-RSS ruled India. These were not Tablighi Muslims only who were attacked. Non-Tablighi Muslims were lynched, denied hospital treatment, denied entry to many areas. It continues to happen.
RSS used 'good Muslims' for its agenda
The demonization of Indian Muslims using TJ congregation should not surprise anyone. RSS has long history of using 'good Muslims' for attacking common Muslims, and when the job is done they are ruthlessly discarded.After demolition of the Babri mosque at Ayodhya on December 6, 1992, the first person butchered was a 'good Muslim' namely Husni Vilaiti Haider. The son of a big zamindar of Ayodhya, he had offered his services for kar seva, earlier he had donated a large chunk of land to the VHP trust for Ram Mandir. But these credentials did not apparently wash. [“The Sunday Times of India”, Delhi, January 17, 1993.]
During the recent anti-Muslims riots in Delhi, the home of Akhtar Raza, BJP minority cell vice-president, was completely burnt. According to him there were 19 houses of Muslims in his lane. All were identified then burnt.
If TJ had used its lakhs of cadres and abundant monetary-physical resources for strengthening democratic-secular polity instead of co-existing with fascists, the country would have been a better place.
How TJ Amir (Supremo) Maulana Muhammad Saad Kandhalawi betrayed his followers
It is confirmed that National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval visited TJ headquarters 2.00 am (late night 28-29 March) and interacted with Maulana Muhammad Saad. That is the time for Tahajjud prayer (late night non-obligatory prayer) and sure he had not gone there for it. The outcome was that despite multiple warrants for his arrest he was able to secure safe passage for himself his family and coterie.He continues to be in self-quarantine at some place. It would be a foolish proposition, in fact, an insult to our intelligence agencies to say that his whereabouts are unknown. On the contrary, hundreds of his followers both foreign guests and Indian had and continue to face horrendous life and uncertain future.
He did not seek safe passage for all the participants to hospitals or state sponsored isolation centres. Large number of them was forced to take refuge in mosques from where they were and being arrested as carriers of Covid-19. It is most likely that many of them carried the virus but who sent them to mosques?
The Tablighi participants were booked under stringent National Security Act for sexual harassment and being nude. It is nobody's case that they might not have indulged in such heinous acts but TJ should have expelled them or made public their version.
The foreign guests have been arrested for different counts and are in custody. Where are the Amir and his team which kept on boasting of the divine guidance in all their actions? Is this the model of a true Muslim which TJ has been claiming to work for the last 95 years?
The truth is that if TJ instead of building only mosques and founding madrasaas in order to train Muslims only for the life of "zameen ke neeche aur aasman ke upar" (in the grave and in the Hereafter) had bothered to establish medical colleges, hospitals, and nursing schools not only Muslims would have benefitted but the whole of the Indian society.
---
*Former professor of political science, Delhi University, Prof Islam's writings and video interviews/debates can be accessed here. Twitter: @shamsforjustice. Blog: http://shamsforpeace.blogspot.com/
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