National identity matters. Taking control of the Waqf properties is a strategic design of the saffron ecosystem to deny the national identity of Muslims of being Indian. Like the national identity, community identity nurtures a sense of belonging, mutual understanding and also strengthens social bonds. It revolves around cultural traditions, social values, which help shape future generations. Ironically, the ideas of the national and community identities are major deterrents in the path of the rightist fascist forces to accomplish their mission of completely polarizing the Hindu community and turning India into a de facto Hindu Rashtra.
Saffron ecosystem abhors the blending of the national and community identities. A narrow and exclusive identity leads to inevitable marginalization and/or exclusion of Muslims and other minorities or groups. This suits the rightist and fascist narratives of the politics of Hindutva. The divisive fascist forces hate the idea of community identity as it motivates people to develop a strong sense of camaraderie, participate in decision-making processes, and shape the future of the nation. Community identities based on divisive factors like ethnicity, religion, or social class instead propagate conflict and tension, which in turn the help saffron ecosystem prosper.
While nation’s identity influences everything, from social cohesion and political stability to economic development and cultural expression, ultra-nationalism is fascist design and simply suits the interest of the divisive and communal forces. While RSS and BJP have been using ultranationalism to communalise the Hindus, they have been targeting the national identity of other communities with the objective of alienating them from the mainstream and weakening their sense of belonging, debilitating social and cultural cohesion and attempting to prove them unfaithful to the nation’s interest and cause.
After succeeding in its mission to denigrate and alienate Muslim and virtually turning them rootless, the saffron ecosystem is now seriously contemplating taking on the Christians. Apprehensions were already making rounds in the social and political circles that RSS and BJP would mount an attack on them. The conspiracy got exposed in an article appearing in the RSS mouthpiece Organiser. In the article, the RSS claimed that the “Catholic Church in India owned approximately 7 crore hectares of land, making it the largest landowner in the country”. The article, titled “Who has more land in India? The Catholic Church vs Waqf Board debate,” suggests that the Catholic Church’s land holdings surpass those of the Waqf Board, which manages Muslim endowments for religious, educational, and charitable purposes. According to the Government Land Information website, the Indian government owns approximately 15,531 square kilometres of land, while the Waqf Board’s holdings, are significant but do not exceed those of the Catholic Church.”
According to the article, the Catholic Church’s own properties in India worth Rs 20,000 crore. Applying their devious minds, the saffron ecosystem tries to convey the message that church is the substantial player in the country’s real estate landscape. Instead of acknowledging the fact that the Churches have been providing and promoting education and health services across the country to the poor and lower middle classes, these Hindu zealots have been questioning their ownership of the lands. The article pointed out that majority of the land acquired by the Catholic Church was obtained during the British period, with some allegations suggesting that these acquisitions were made through “questionable means”.
The primary reason for the RSS and BJP targeting the Christians has been to force them to return to the Hindu fold. It is a known fact that most of the Christians are converts. It was their exploitation and oppression by the upper caste people and feudal lords that forced many of the poor Hindus and Adivasis to switch over to Christianity. The Christians are a major stumbling block in the path of saffron brigade in accomplishing their mission. RSS has been operating for decades in the Adivasi belts across India to foil the Church’s efforts to serve the poor Adivasis. The saffrons have been accusing the Church of converting people to Christianity.
While the RSS withdrew the article from the website of Organiser, it’s the intensification of the peoples’ protest against the hurriedly passed Waqf Act across the country that forced the saffron brigade to retreat and not target Christians for the time being. But it continues to be at the top of its agenda. Interestingly, on the lines of Waqf Act, the RSS promises to make use of the Church property for the betterment of the poor Christians. The BJP meanwhile claims that around 50 Kerala Christians joined BJP after Waqf bill passage. Moreover, RSS and BJP recoiled after tension escalated in Kerala on the allegation of right-wing attack on Catholic priests from Kerala in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh, casting a shadow over the party’s outreach efforts.
For quite some time, the saffron ecosystem has been courting bishops and priests in Kerala in a bid to build a political alternative to both the Congress-led UDF and the CPI(M)-led LDF. In fact, the Christian magazines have raised their voices against this move of the RSS-BJP. Responding to the article in Organiser, the Deepika, a Church-run daily, in its editorial said no one here is afraid of the RSS article questioning who owns more land. It also pointed out that the land is used for public welfare. The editorial stated that, according to the RSS article, if its claims were true, more than one-fifth (21 per cent) of India’s total land area would belong to the Catholic Church. It said: “This is clearly exaggeration, as India’s total land area is only 3,287,263 square kilometres. The article claims that the Church owns 700,000 square kilometres (172.9 million acres) of land, 83 times more than the 940,000 acres held by the Waqf Board”. It sought to know where these figures came from.
Though the Commission constituted by Congress led UPA-1 government on October 29, 2004 had outlined: “To suggest criteria for identification of socially and economically backward sections among religious and linguistic minorities; To recommend measures for welfare of socially and economically backward sections among religious and linguistic minorities, including reservation in education and government employment; and To suggest the constitutional, legal and administrative modalities required for the implementation of its recommendations”, the Modi government did not make any efforts to implement these recommendations. Instead it has been conspiring to grab the lands owned by Muslims and Christians.
It is feared that Sikhs would be the next target. Sikhs have Gurudwaras across the country and spend huge amount of money on social works, especially feeding the poor and needy people. RSS and BJP already have a strained relation with the Sikh political outfit Akali Dal. The Commission also recommended 10 per cent quotas for Muslims and 5 per cent for other minorities in government jobs and in seats in all the higher educational institutions.
Kerala CM and CPI(M) leader Pinarayi Vijayan, in a statement, said, “The Organiser article indicated that after passing the Waqf Bill in Parliament, the Sangh Parivar is moving ahead with targeting the Catholic Church. The untimely, unnecessary reference to the wealth of the Church gives certain ominous indications. Although the article was withdrawn, it exposed the mind of the Sangh Parivar. This article exhibits the Sangh Parivar’s extreme hatred towards other religions. It should be seen as part of a larger plan to target minorities and destroy one after another.”
Meanwhile, it is being alleged by some experts and academics that RSS and Modi ruined TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu and Bihar JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar by making them support his Waqf Bill. It is entirely wrong a narrative. The leaders of five so-called secular parties are not naïve to understand the implications of supporting the Bill. They supported the Bill for preserving their own vested interests. Naidu and Nitish have been in politics for decades. They are aware of the implications of such moves; the potential to loose Muslim support. But it is indeed a matter of shame that they rallied behind Modi, even after knowing the fallout of their action. They have been once again extending silent support to Modi and RSS by not opposing saffron move to grab the land of Churches and turn the Indian Christians into second-class citizens. (IPA Service)
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