Addressing 16th convocation of the University of Jammu on April 2, Ansari called for “complete separation of religion and politics”. Fadnavis asserted that “people who refuse to chant “Bharat Mata ki jai” have no place in India”. Addressing the RSS-backed Sadbhana rally at Rohtak next day Ramdev said “if not for the law, he would have beheaded lakhs of people opposing the chanting of Bharat Mata ki jai.” BJP hierarchy is not expected to take any action against its two high profile loyalists for their otherwise legally actionable inciting utterances.

In sharp contrast, its government promptly arrested JNU Students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar for his non-actionable speech made at a meeting held in the campus. The saffron rulers perhaps believe that the modern India is still a part of medieval era!
The controversy sparked by chanting Bharat Mata Ki Jai lent it religious tinge after the RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat proclaiming India as Hindu rashtra. Not unexpectedly, Bhagwat’s statement sparked dissenting reactions not only from some Muslim organizations but also from some eminent Hindus and intellectuals. They would perhaps have no objection against chanting of Hindustan Zindabad.

Take the Vice-President’s sane call for complete separation of religion and politics.

Ansari’s words of wisdom must be seen in the backdrop of how the religion-politics cocktail has divided nations, particularly India, and has now acquired alarming international dimensions.

India’s post-Independence years are replete with incidents of communal riots triggered by misuse of religion for political ends. Punjab was the phenomenon’s biggest victim in the 1980s. Taking advantage of the political instability created by the Akali agitations, the CIA masterminded and Pakistan executed their plan of sponsoring terrorists for promoting Khalistan movement. The US wanted to destabilize the “pro-Soviet” Indira Gandhi government and Pakistan to avenge India’s role in helping create Bangladesh.

The second biggest factor which played devastating role in communally polarizing the country was the saffron party’s Ram Janambhoomi movement followed by the demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992. The tragic events ignited communal riots in many states including in Mumbai. The situation thus created helped BJP fulfill its long cherished ambition of riding to power at the Centre and in a number of states.

Over the period, terrorism acquired world-wide dimensions which made not only USA and Pakistan as its targets but also created an environment conducive for the emergence of ISIS which has now gained notoriety for merciless worldwide killings of innocents. No doubt, the world leaders including Prime Minister Modi have been urging the international community to join hands to decimate the ISSI. But regrettably no concrete action has apparently been proposed to check the indoctrination of the youth, the essential prerequisite for containing and decimating ISIS.

As for the role of India’s political parties in misusing religion for politics, almost all the mainstream national parties, except the Left, find themselves in the dock. In this unholy plan, the BJP has played a leading role with some regional parties like Akali Dal and Shiv Sena also following suit. The Congress also occasionally uses religious plank as it did in Punjab in 2012 elections when it used the Akalis panthic agenda but failed to win elections.

These factors assume alarming proportions due to the provocative utterances of some unbridled Sangh Parivar activists like Sakshi Maharaj and Sadhvi Prachi. The hardline Muslim fringe also played a destructive role during the two years of the Modi-led government. The communal polarisation of plural India does not augur well for the country’s security and for bringing of achhe din promised by Modi.

In his interactions with the world leaders, Modi has persistently stressed the need of delinking terror from religion. But in his home country Modi’s party has been using religion-politics mix for climbing the power ladder.

Our bhagva class must realise that religion is a matter of individual faith which cannot be imposed on non-believers as everybody is free to follow any religion in a multi-faith country.

Now take the statements of Devender Fadnavis and Baba Ramdev. One is surprised at Fadnavis raking up the fading debate over chanting Bharat Mata Ki Jai. Has he started feeling insecure, which usually prompts rulers to kick up controversies? If not, then his statement is a sign of political immaturity, a development which does not take long for the incumbent ruler to start losing power. Whichever the case, his statement has lowered his image.

About Ramdev’s statement on “beheading lakhs of people opposing chanting Bharat Mata ki jai”, the less said the better. His yoga exercises, barring a few, are like actions of acrobats and circus jokers. He has gained prominence only because he knows how to keep himself in media headlines by making controversial statements and for gaining proximity to the powerful. His primary objective is commercial which has helped him build his business empire of several thousands crores. One hopes the people will stop getting hypnotized by his self-promoting acrobatics. (IPA Service)