Islamophobia 'being fuelled' in India amidst move to curtail violence against Bangladesh Hindus

By Ram Puniyani*

The recent turmoil in Bangladesh has significantly impacted the nation and contributed to a surge in fake news and Islamophobia in India. For the past fifteen years, Shaikh Hasina has governed Bangladesh with an iron fist, quelling opposition through imprisonment and house arrest of key opposition figures.

Protests erupted among students regarding “reservations for freedom fighters’ children,” a contentious issue that has persisted nearly 50 years after Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan. The government’s harsh response to this agitation triggered widespread unrest.

Following Hasina's departure from the country, chaos ensued. Supporters of the Awami League, her political party, faced violent attacks, and party offices were set ablaze. According to the Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council and the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, there have been 205 reported incidents of violence against minority communities across 52 districts since Hasina's government fell on August 5.

Students rallied behind Prof. Mohammad Yunus, a favored candidate for the interim government, advocating for the protection of all minority communities. He implored the protesters, “Are they not the people of this country? You have saved the nation. Can't you save some families?” This stirring call led to a halt in violence against Hindus, as noted by Mahfouz Anam, editor of Bangladesh's "The Daily Star". He pointed out that right-wing groups, such as Jamaat-e-Islami, began to form protective teams around temples.

Anam highlighted the symbiotic relationship between right-wing factions in both Bangladesh and India. He reported that attacks on minorities ceased after several days.

Many, including various content creators on YouTube, have noted the rampant spread of rumors and misinformation in India without proper verification. One significant instance involved the burning of cricketer Leepan Das’s house. A BBC fact check revealed it belonged to a different cricketer affiliated with the Awami League. Similarly, imagery of a burning temple in Chittagong was clarified as depicting an Awami League office next to the temple.

These examples showcase a trend of reported violence against Hindus while overlooking positive actions, such as students forming groups to safeguard temples. As Shohanur Rahman, a fact checker, indicated, both Hindus and Muslims suffer, yet narratives often selectively emphasize attacks that further communal tensions, bolstering anti-Muslim sentiment in India.

Currently, the primary players in Bangladesh's political landscape are Prof. Yunus and the student-led protests, both advocating for an inclusive society and the protection of minorities.

While Jamaat-e-Islami seeks an Islamic state and Khaleda Zia of the BNP aligns with similar sentiments, the momentum appears to favor the pluralistic approaches championed by Yunus and the students. On August 13, 2024, Yunus visited Dhakeshri temple and engaged with Hindu leaders, providing reassurance during a tense time.

In India, however, the spread of hate and inflammatory rhetoric is rampant among proponents of Hindu nationalism. BJP MP Kangana Ranaut tweeted provocatively, stating that peace requires struggle and calling for readiness for conflict. Others propagate the narrative of Bangladesh as an “Islamic Republic,” reflecting a backward-looking agenda.

This troubling climate underscores the pressing need for solidarity with the rights of religious minorities in Bangladesh. The interim government's call for minority protection and the successful demonstrations advocating for their rights reveal a glimmer of hope for democratic and secular values.

Upholding minority rights cannot be selective; we must champion these values at home to set an example for neighboring countries. South Asia is grappling with a wave of sectarian nationalism, as evidenced by recent turmoil in Sri Lanka and significant violations of minority rights in Pakistan and Myanmar.

Individuals inciting violence and intolerance face little consequence for their hateful messages, perpetuating societal divisions. The challenge to those committed to pluralism and democracy is considerable. Hate mongers have established extensive frameworks to disseminate their divisive ideologies. More advocates for peace and understanding must arise to counteract this wave of hatred through comprehensive fact-checking and community outreach.

Hasina's rule was marked by a duality—dictatorial tendencies alongside a weakened pluralism. The pressing need today is for a genuine commitment to both pluralism and democracy. The Bangladesh government must navigate this challenge effectively. Prof. Yunus's recent visit to a temple offers hopeful prospects for secularism in Bangladesh.

It is crucial to promote intercommunity relations, ensure affirmative action for minorities, and uphold human rights for all while rejecting hate directed at any community.

---

*Political commentator

Comments

Anonymous said…

Ram puniani himself a hindu phobic

August 21, 2024

Anonymous said…

Unfortunately, religious cleansing has been done in Pakistan (14% pre-independence to about 2% now) and continuous to happen in Bangladesh(28% pre-independence to 8% now). Islam does not believe in equal rights for all communities, and I wish the Left would recognize the dangers and would stop pandering to an unsavory medieval ideology.

August 25, 2024

Grueling summer ahead: Cuttack’s alarming health trends and what they mean for Odisha

By Sudhansu R Das The preparation to face the summer should begin early in Odisha. People in the state endure long, grueling summer months starting from mid-February and extending until the end of October. This prolonged heat adversely affects productivity, causes deaths and diseases, and impacts agriculture, tourism and the unorganized sector. The social, economic and cultural life of the state remains severely disrupted during the peak heat months.

Concerns raised over move to rename MGNREGA, critics call it politically motivated

By A Representative Concerns have been raised over the Union government’s reported move to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), with critics describing it as a politically motivated step rather than an administrative reform. They argue that the proposed change undermines the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and seeks to appropriate credit for a programme whose relevance has been repeatedly demonstrated, particularly during times of crisis.

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Why India must urgently strengthen its policies for an ageing population

By Bharat Dogra A quiet but far-reaching demographic transformation is reshaping much of the world. As life expectancy rises and birth rates fall, societies are witnessing a rapid increase in the proportion of older people. This shift has profound implications for public policy, and the need to strengthen frameworks for healthy and secure ageing has never been more urgent. India is among the countries where these pressures will intensify most sharply in the coming decades.

MG-NREGA: A global model still waiting to be fully implemented

By Bharat Dogra When the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MG-NREGA) was introduced in India nearly two decades ago, it drew worldwide attention. The reason was evident. At a time when states across much of the world were retreating from responsibility for livelihoods and welfare, the world’s second most populous country—with nearly two-thirds of its people living in rural or semi-rural areas—committed itself to guaranteeing 100 days of employment a year to its rural population.

School job scam and the future of university degree holders in West Bengal

By Harasankar Adhikari The school recruitment controversy in West Bengal has emerged as one of the most serious governance challenges in recent years, raising concerns about transparency, institutional accountability, and the broader impact on society. Allegations that school jobs were obtained through irregular means have led to prolonged legal scrutiny, involving both the Calcutta High Court and the Supreme Court of India. In one instance, a panel for high school teacher recruitment was ultimately cancelled after several years of service, following extended judicial proceedings and debate.

India’s Halal economy 'faces an uncertain future' under the new food Bill

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The proposed Food Safety and Standards (Amendment) Bill, 2025 marks a decisive shift in India’s food regulation landscape by seeking to place Halal certification exclusively under government control while criminalising all private Halal certification bodies. Although the Bill claims to promote “transparency” and “standardisation,” its structure and implications raise serious concerns about religious freedom, economic marginalisation, and the systematic dismantling of a long-established, Muslim-led Halal ecosystem in India.

Women’s rights alliance seeks NCW action against Nitish Kumar over public veil incident

By A Representative An alliance of women’s rights activists has urged the National Commission for Women (NCW) to initiate legal action against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over an incident at a public function in Patna that they allege amounted to a grave violation of a Muslim woman’s dignity and constitutional rights. In a detailed complaint dated December 18, the All India Feminist Alliance (ALIFA), part of the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), sought the NCW’s immediate intervention following an episode on December 15 during the distribution of appointment letters to newly recruited AYUSH doctors in Patna.

Search This Blog