October 2nd is observed as the International Day of Non-Violence, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian independence movement and pioneer of the philosophy and strategy of non-violence.
On 15 June 2007, a Resolution A/RES/61/271 of General Assembly which established the commemoration, the International Day is an occasion to “disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness”. The resolution reaffirms “the universal relevance of the principle of non-violence” and the desire “to secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence”.
Gandhi was an advocate of doctrine “ahimsa” (compassion and nonaggression). He applied it not only to anti-colonial struggle he led, but also in his aspirations for relations between various ethnic and religious groups living within the borders of post-colonial India.
Indian government banned RSS thrice post-independence, first in 1948, when Nathuram Godse assassinated Mahatma Gandhi, then during The Emergency (1975–1977) and for a third time after the demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992.
However, today’s India is led by RSS inspired Hindutva government as Narendra Modi’s BJP government is a political wing of the same RSS. Moreover, Modi is also a life-long member of the same RSS.
Moreover, suffering of Muslims of India has increased manifold during COVID-19 pandemic due to targeted disinformation and deliberate hate campaigns against them. Furthermore, Modi has often uttered Islamophobic comments during interviews and other addresses. This articulation functions as a narrative of Hindutva on Muslims; that Muslims are subordinate to Hindus and that there should be an erasure of Indian Muslim histories
Moreover, Hindutva government of India is hell bent on changing the status of IIOJK and committing gross Human Right Violations in the occupied territory. Hindutva doctrine and illegal Indian actions in IIOJK jeopardize regional peace.
Nazi inspired Hindutva government is not only committing HRVs in IIOJK but also creating instability for regional neighbors. South Asia has become a flashpoint due to Kashmir quagmire. The use of phrases like ‘qatal ki raat’ (the night of murder) and ‘mother of nuclear bombs’ in the aftermath of the Pulwama crisis by PM Modi are cognizant of the fascist, terrorist and extremist tendencies present in the current government of India.
As per an annual report, US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) said “India should join the ranks of ‘countries of particular concern” that “would be subject to sanctions if they do not improve their records.” Seeing what Modi did in Gujarat (2002), IIOJK (2019-present) and in Delhi (Feb 2020), the world is now feeling the reincarnation of Adolf Hitler; witnessing starking similarities between BJP’s Modi and Nazi Party’s Hitler.
The US Human Rights watch (HRW) in its latest report published in 2022 exposed India’s real face to the world by highlighting the Indian authority’s repressive laws in IIOJK. The report expressed concern over excessive use of force and torture in IIOJK during cordon and search operations, resulting in civilian deaths.
On 15 Aug 2022, Hindu nationalists committed an attack against Indian American protesters in Anaheim, California, who were raising awareness about the persecution of Muslims and Dalits in India. Hindu nationalists are legislating discriminatory laws, while encouraging violence in the streets to fulfill this objective in both India and abroad. American journalists, human rights activists and academics, who participated in the first ever major online conference on Hindutva in the US were targeted with rape and death threats, while universities, including Harvard and Stanford, were subjected to nearly one million emails and thousands of spam messages, driven by the Hindu American Foundation (HAF), an innocuous and misleading name for an organization that promotes and encourages Hindutva, the political ideology, not Hinduism, the religion.
In a recent episode RSS extremist were involved in attacks against the Popular Front India (PFI) Kerala that speaks for the rights of Muslim minority in India. Using their political lobby RSS has influenced a ban on PFI and a major crackdown on the party leaders and workers.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati on September 30 said the ban on the Popular Front of India ahead of elections in some States was an act of “political selfishness” aimed at appeasing the RSS. Mayawati also added, “After targeting PFI (Popular Front of India) in various ways across the country, the Centre has finally banned it along with eight of its affiliates before Assembly elections and considering it a policy of political selfishness and appeasement of the Sangh (BJP), there is less of satisfaction and more of restlessness.” The level of violence perpetrated by the Indian government on minorities and specially Muslims is unending. The silence of International community is just adding fuel to the fire. The advocates of Human Rights must speak against the brutality of Indian establishment as their utmost responsibility.
