by Abu Saif Shaikh
Are we merely an excuse to divert attention from election rigging? Are we not human beings like others? Why can’t Akhilesh Yadav clearly state that what is happening in Sambhal is a deliberate attempt to kill and terrorize Muslims and that election rigging has taken place? There should be a proper investigation into these issues. It’s as straightforward as that. Why can’t Akhilesh Yadav openly call this state-sponsored terrorism against Muslims?
Rahul Gandhi’s recent remarks on the violence in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, raise serious concerns about the handling of the situation by the state government. He criticized the BJP-led administration for acting hastily and with bias, which he believes worsened the tensions and led to unnecessary loss of lives. Gandhi condemned the government’s role in using state power to deepen divides between Hindu and Muslim communities, suggesting that such actions harm not just the state but the entire nation. He called for the Supreme Court’s intervention to ensure justice is served swiftly. While his appeal for peace and unity is important, it’s to be noted that he refrained from directly naming the community most affected by the violence—Muslims.
Are you ashamed to write the word ‘Muslims’? What does ‘many people’ even mean? Muslims were shot in the chest and the head. Five Muslims were martyred, and yet you are afraid to explicitly write ‘Muslims’?
Furthermore, Rahul Gandhi was stopped by the police from entering Sambhal today, and he complied. In other instances, he has fought with the police and the state to meet victims—be it Dalits, Tribals, Hindu OBCs, or even Upper Castes. But when it comes to Muslims, he simply states, “The police are not allowing me to go, and this is an attack on the Constitution.”
No, Rahul Sir! you are the leader of the opposition. You have the freedom to act, and this is not merely an attack on the Constitution—it is state-sponsored violence targeting Muslims. Seven young Muslims have been killed at point-blank range, spreading fear throughout the local Muslim community. If you cannot address this directly and unambiguously, then what is the purpose of visiting the victims at all?
Akhilesh Yadav is saying that this is a deliberate attempt to disturb the environment, destroy communal harmony (bhaichaara), and undermine Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb. No, sir! say it directly: this is an attack on Muslims for simply being Muslims. Why the hesitation?
We are not an excuse for election rigging. We are not an excuse for the Adani scam. We are not an excuse for rising unemployment. We are as human as you are, as dignified as you are. Our lives matter!
There is no ‘they are our children, we will handle them’ approach for Muslims. Instead, it’s the direct implementation of the National Security Act (NSA). The bulldozer is on hold for now. Despite defying Supreme Court rules, there has already been the bulldozing of houses. Officers driven by vengeance would have already taken to the streets with bulldozers to exact ‘revenge.’
Violence occurred in Bahraich. In the presence of the police, there were incidents of looting and arson in houses and shops. A senior officer in Uttar Pradesh was seen waving a pistol on the street. During this violence, rioters brutally attacked Rambaran Chaudhary, a journalist from India Today, beating him savagely and breaking his hand. Yet, the Uttar Pradesh police did not shoot even a single rioter, let alone inflict any scratches. In one video, the CO couldn’t even operate a tear gas gun. However, the same ‘brave police’ in Sambhal use lathis, tear gas, firearms, and pistols. Why? Because in Sambhal, there were ‘the others,’ while in Bahraich, they were ‘our own children.’ Isn’t this what impartiality looks like?
A few days ago, there was a massive protest in Prayagraj, but it was treated differently because it was not led by Muslims. It seems like there are special orders in place for Muslim protests, such as the Sambhal Jama Masjid protests.
Muslims were blatantly denied their right to vote, with police preventing them from casting their ballots and threatening them at gunpoint. Yet, did civil society respond significantly? No. This silence is not only disheartening but deeply alarming. It forces one to question whether hope is even worth holding onto anymore.
“What can Muslims do? Rioters enter their homes and kill them, while outside, the police come and kill them too. What state have they reduced us to?” said Imran Masood, an MP from UP, Samajwadi Party and rightly so!
Imagine a scenario where Bangladeshi police killed six Hindu protesters. The reaction would likely be swift and intense, with not just nationalist voices but even liberal commentators labelling the entire country as extremist, Islamist, or deeply intolerant. Such an event would spark a global outcry, leading to debates about minority rights and the secular fabric of governance.
I never imagined that people of the same country would celebrate the suffering and deaths of their fellow citizens from the minority community, with appalling silence from civil society. India is the only nation where the majority community seems to revel in the killings and oppression of Muslims. In other countries, tyrants at least have the decency to deny their crimes. But in India, they openly boast, mock, and take pride in it.
But according to some Lutyens’ narratives, there is a Hindu-Muslim conflict in India. Let me clarify: Muslims are not fighting anyone. They are struggling for their survival, while certain elements of the Hindu community pursue domination. This is not a Hindu-Muslim conflict; it is a Hindu-Hindu dynamic where Hindus are targeting Muslims under the pretext of cow protection, beef consumption, and other fabricated justifications. The recent Beharaich violence and actions by the police in Sambhal exemplify this reality. If you still believe the violence is mutual, it should be evident who the perpetrators truly are. Vegetarians in India don’t slaughter animals; rather, they slaughter humans.
How can the opposition and the entire nation allow the point-blank killing of Muslims to pass without protest or action? Is this our fate? Why does the opposition fear even mentioning Muslims by name? Is this what they call strategic silence? What kind of silence is this? Remaining silent in the face of targeted killings based solely on a person’s identity isn’t just silence—it’s complicity.
Why would Hindus feel offended if the opposition or civil society raises its voice for Muslims? Aren’t Muslims being killed purely because of their identity? Elderly Muslim men, women, youth, and even children are being targeted. What more needs to happen before someone speaks out?
Muslims are enduring a dual burden: the struggles of unemployment, rising inflation, and lack of access to quality education are compounded by daily experiences of hate and humiliation simply for being Muslim. This humiliation extends from university campuses to markets. The worst part is the inability to openly discuss these issues—even with professors or friends—out of fear that it might harm relationships or escalate into greater conflict.
But why? Why can’t we talk about the reality that we are being targeted because of our identity? If children are not spared, how can anyone feel safe? The next victim could be me—who knows?
I will rest my case with a couplet I heard from the late Barq MP of Sambhal, for self-introspection for all justice-loving people to reflect and rise in solidarity for their fellow citizens:
“Hamari Barbadiyon pe muskaurao na, chaman walon!
Guzarni ek din tumhare bhi sir se qayamat hai!”
“Smile at our devastation, O inhabitants of the garden!
One day, a doomsday will pass over your heads too!”
The information presented in this article represents the personal viewpoints of the author and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Observer Post.
