No dearth of motormouths in BJP

Udhampur's Zahid Rasool Bhat is the third victim of violence over beef in last 3 weeks after Dadri's 52-year-old Mohammad Akhlaq and Sharanpur's 20 year old over rumours of beef eating/smuggling .No wonder, a US Congressional report on religious freedom says, among some sharp observations, that the Muslim community faces “significant hate campaigns by Hindu nationalist groups and local and state politicians.” Telling the Ministry of External Affairs to issue a stern response is the easy part.

But causing gratuitous offence to a large section of the people seems to have become second nature to these frogs-in-the-well leaders. Like all politicians whose mischief has been detected, Manohar Lal Khattar first insisted he had been misquoted, and finally came with a qualified apology. Ditto for Union Minister of State Gen. V K Singh. They have now earned the dubious distinction of being bracketed with Yogi Adityanath, Giriraj Singh, and a couple of “Sadhvis”.

Given that Muslims are here with us and will remain here, come what may, a clever leadership will try and break the barriers of suspicion and distrust and enlist their support in the wider task of nation-building. By trying to ostracise them, nothing can be achieved.

Jayatheertha S A,
Hyderabad