SOUTH Asia is a sub-region of Asia that includes countries such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. It is bordered by East Asia, Central Asia, West Asia and Southeast Asia. The region is characterized by the Indian subcontinent and is surrounded by the Indian Ocean in the south and the Himalayas, Karakoram and Pamir Mountains in the north. India is a country with a population of about 80% Hindus, 15% Muslims and 5% other religions, which claims to be the world’s largest democracy and secular state. The daily “Hindu” has claimed that “Tolerance and Diversity” are the common values of UAE and India. Recently, extremist Hindus in West Bengal have gone to court just because a tigress and a lion cannot live together in a zoo. The name of the lion is Akbar, the name of the lioness is Sita, after a Hindu goddess. Akbar, meaning Emperor Akbar, was a Muslim even though he was liberal and kind to Hindus! So how it is possible that a tiger named Akbar can live with a tigress named Sita!! This is a small glimpse of Indian “tolerance”!!
This mindset is brought by Modi. This is the real face of Prime Minister Modi which the outside world is unable to see or deliberately does not want to see. What cruelty is there in the BJP government that is not being done to Muslims! Two close associates of Modi are at the fore in this matter. Amit Shah and Adityanath! Amit Shah is the Home Minister. He is one of Modi’s old associates. He has also been the President of BJP in the past. Amit Shah is equally responsible for all the atrocities that Modi inflicted on Muslims in Gujarat. Adityanath is a biased Pandit. He is the Chief Minister of the Indian State of UP with a population of 24 crores. This is responsible for changing the names of cities. All those cities with Muslim names have been changed. Allahabad, Aligarh, Agra and many other cities have been renamed! It is a sign of Adityanath’s Muslim hostility that he regularly incited Hindu youths to rape Muslim women! He is also called Modi’s successor.
Since the BJP government, led by Modi, came into power, every possible effort is being made to make the life of Muslims hell. Hundreds of Muslims have been killed in the name of cow! Muslims are robbed and killed in their homes. If a Muslim goes to sell a cow, he is killed. Anti-Muslim sentiment is rampant in Assam. Proof of citizenship is being sought from Muslims living there for centuries. Muslims are being stripped of citizenship and evicted from agricultural land! Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma is a BJP member. He has made a long and wide plan to expel the Muslims from the land. He has also said that people had become Muslims due to the oppression of the Mughals.
This inhuman behaviour of India is a clear reflection of the cruel policy of the Modi government. India should follow the rules and treat the prisoners fairly. The international community and human rights organizations should also urge India to immediately release innocent citizens of other countries. The Indian government and its intelligence agencies are also involved in attacks on Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails. In view of the current situation and events, it is very important to expose the terrible face of India to the whole world.
—The writer is contributing columnist.
