No more tolerance of intolerance

The Sangh Pariwar army has now gone to the extent of demanding that this secular country be called a "Hindu State." But they are conveniently forgetting that Hindus, Muslims, Christians and persons belonging to various religions have fought for the Indian independence. Is it not a fact that the national flag is not hoisted in the office of RSS headquarters on the Republic Day?

Since BJP has come to power under the leadership of Narendra Modi, the hidden agenda of Sangh Pariwar is being implemented seriously. Communal hatred is being instigated. Academic and cultural institutions are being filled with RSS and former ABVP cadres. Retrograde ideas are being propagated and communal venom is being spread through their puppet multinational media.

Every small issue is being magnified and given communal and anti-national color. The so-called "national" leader Narendra Modi is unable to find some time to tour his own country. The number of days he spent on tours is more abroad than in our own country.

The Sangh Pariwar army has now gone to the extent of demanding that this secular country be called a "Hindu State." But they are conveniently forgetting that Hindus, Muslims, Christians and persons belonging to various religions have fought for the Indian independence.

How will Punjab with a majority of Sikhs, north-eastern states with Christians, and Kashmir with Muslims agree to "Hindu Rashtra"? A BJP MP has gone to the extent of saying that Modi should talk not only on development but also on "Hindutwa" as well. If this is not implemented, even Modi will be dethroned, he warns.

Regarding patriotism, they are raising the bogey of ‘Vandemataram.’ They say that whoever does not sing this song, whoever does not raise the slogan of ‘Bharat Matha ki Jai,’ and whoever eats beef do not have any right to stay in India and that they should be chased to Pakistan. Sangh Pariwar should know a fact. Around 27,000 Muslims laid down their lives in freedom struggle.

Hundreds of Communists and Congressmen and women are getting freedom fighter pensions for their sacrifices in the struggle for the Indian independence. But our so-called patriots and nationalists, where were they at that time? Is it not a fact that the national flag is not hoisted in the office of RSS headquarters on the Republic Day? This is the way the so-called national patriots honour our Constitution.

Is it not a fact that the same Sangh Pariwar has floated Swadeshi Jagaran Manch and preach about to purchase only Swadeshi goods and boycott foreign goods. But practically are they not opening the doors to multinationals and agricultural produce of abroad, while Indian farmers are resorting to suicides as they are not getting remunerative price? Is it not a fact that several foreign clothes and garments are being dumped in Indian market where thousands of handloom weavers are suffering starvation deaths?

Valentine’s Day is celebrated throughout the world. Isolated from entire modern society, they may not believe love and Valentine’s Day, but why should they attack lovers and teenagers? The same Sangh Pariwar may not be rationalists, let them be conservatives and retrogrades. But, why should they kill professors like Narendra Dhabolkar, a rationalist?

What right do they have to kill Govind Pansare, Secretary, Central Control Commission of CPI? Why couldn’t the central government nab the culprits in this daylight murder? Who has given authority to these so-called nationalists to kill Prof Kalburgi, vice-chancellor, Hampi University of Karnataka?

Is it not a fact that they are killing whoever is opposing them? Sin of Govind Pansare was that he had proved that Shivaji was a secular personality. He proved that Shivaji had a chief commander who was a Muslim.

He gave several such examples. Sangh Pariwar can argue with their examples and contradict it, but how can they go to the extent of killing those who oppose them? Is it not a fact that they killed George Reddy, the leader of PDSU who was busy campaigning in students union elections in support of left candidates? Is this the "nationalism?"

Then what is the episode of JNU? Kanhaiya of AISF defeated ABVP candidate recently in students union elections. The present entire conspiracy is result of this victory of progressive and left group. They could not digest this victory and tolerate it. Hence, criminal cases of sedition under Section 124-A and conspiracy case under Section 120-B were slapped on the AISF leader.

The allegation was that he had given anti-national slogans. Even if we assume he gave anti-national slogans, it will not attract sedition charges, according to a Supreme Court judgement. How can a highly educated student leader give anti-national slogans?

Vajpayee was also once the leader of AISF; he knows better the credentials of AISF which played a heroic role in the freedom struggle. Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose, Tilak etc were in communist organisations which fought gloriously in the independence movement.

A section of media has fabricated a cock and bull story, but so far the same media has not shown Kanhaiya raising anti-national slogans. Video pictures sometimes show broad daylight and sometimes night. How can this be possible in a video of seven minutes duration?

The law of sedition is colonial law which ought to go. This law curbs very fundamental right like freedom of expression. Mayavati, the head of BSP, has said that the BJP government is misusing it against its opponents, K C Tyagi of JD(U) has said that sedition means mere sloganeering will not become sedition but it should follow anti-national activity.

A leader of Congress, Anand Sharma, has pointed out that the law of sedition is being misused by the Sangh Pariwar. It is not out of context to mention and remind readers about CN Annadurai. He pleaded for separation of Tamil Nadu from the Indian nation. But Jawaharlal Nehru took it easy by saying that it was his opinion.

Nitish Kumar has given a clean chit to the AISF student leader. Why aren’t the police arresting BJP leaders who have alliance with PDP whose leaders worship terrorists in Kashmir? Leaders of left parties, Suravaram Sudhakara Reddy, the CPI General Secretary, Seetharam Yechury, the CPI-M General Secretary, D Raja, MP, Prakash Karat (CPI-M), Rahul Gandhi, the vice-president of Congress, visited JNU campus and expressed their solidarity with the striking student community.

Another case was instituted against Aparajitha, another student leader and daughter of D Raja. Killers of Mahatma Gandhi, with the legacy of Nathuram Godse, have attacked students, teachers and journalists even in court hall, that too, in front of the seat of justice. The Delhi BJP MLA has gone to the extent of beating up an AISF leader, while the police looked on as spectators.

Now the students of other universities are also coming onto streets. Professors of JNU and journalists in the capital of our nation are holding protest demonstrations. Swamy Agnivesh has also come out in support of the JNU students community.

Against this background, cases of sedition and conspiracy cases should be withdrawn immediately, and peace and tranquility on the JNU campus should be maintained. Hence, no more tolerance should be shown to intolerance. (The writer is National Secretary, Communist Party of India)