On Wednesday, actor Naseeruddin Shah had released a video criticising Indian Muslims who seemed elated at the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. Terming the celebration by Indian Muslims over the Taliban’s victory as dangerous, Shah stated that every Indian Muslim should ask himself whether he wants a “reformed, modern Islam” or the “barbaric values” of past centuries.
Shah even went on to say that his ‘Islam’ is inspired by Mirza Ghalib, which is non-political and ‘Hindustani Islam’ has always been different from the Islam that is practised elsewhere and prayed that the Indian version of Islam doesn’t change so much that it is no longer recognisable’
A message for the Talibani cheerleader in India. pic.twitter.com/J0pVWZmwQI
— Tejinder Singh Sodhi 🇮🇳 (@TejinderSsodhi) September 1, 2021
‘Naseeruddin not Muslim enough’
However, Shah, who is usually a favourite of Indian Islamists and so-called ‘secular-liberals’ for his anti-Modi stand, suddenly was ‘cancelled‘. Islamists of all hues and range started condemning Shah’s condemnation, asking him not to preach what Islam should or should not be. Apparently, talking about reforms within the religion is not Islamist enough for Islamists. Here are some samples:
Rifat Jawaid of the pro-AAP blog Janta Ka Reporter even went a step ahead and declared Shah as ‘not Muslim enough’ to speak about Islam, “because he is not a practising Muslim and he has no knowledge about some topics.”
Jawaid then went ahead and clarified what “knowledge” he was talking about. As per him, putting geographical tags on Islam is haram. Islam apparently knows no separate kingdoms or regions. Islam remains the same regardless of region. The Caliphate junkies of ISIS would be really proud of him.
The very idea of a Caliphate or global Islamic brotherhood is based upon the idea that Islam itself is the supreme identity and its adherents need not oblige to any other ethnic, regional or cultural identities. ISIS believes in it. The terrorism sponsors of Pakistan believe in it and every other radical who has blown himself up for the sake of ‘Jannah’ or ‘Ummah’ believes in it too. Jawaid just explained it in simpler terms.
Jawaid and Naqvi are just two examples from the so-called ‘elite’, there are dozens of others who are spewing venom on Naseeruddin Shah, declaring him unfit to issue advice and suggestions, even accusing him of trying to appease the Hindus. Just regular ‘Ummah’ things on Indian social media.
‘Swara Bhaskar not woke enough’
Swara Bhaskar was cancelled recently too. She was cancelled because she was seen following the Hindu rituals of Grih Pravesh. For a section of ‘secular-liberals’, following the rituals of one’s own religion, if that religion is Hinduism, is haram. On the contrary, Hindus who openly deride Hinduism, make Gaumutra jokes, eat beef and abuse Hindu Gods, are celebrated instantly.
Any Hindu who praises Islamic values and lifestyle is praised too. No matter how many high-fives Swara had given to Islamists and ‘wokes’, no matter how many Gaumutra jokes she had cracked, she was mercilessly cancelled the moment she was seen following Hindu rituals of Grih Pravesh, under the guidance a Hindu priest.
The comments got so heavy that the actress had to compensate her previous post with an explainer, that being Hindus does not necessarily mean being hateful, such is the power of narrative setting.
Praying to my Hindu Gods & still don’t want to kill or lynch Dalits or Muslims, still don’t believe in or practice discrimination, still believe in social justice, Liberty & equality. Still can raise my voice against injustice, hate & bigotry.
— Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) August 27, 2021
Shockingly, it’s possible! 🤓💜✨ pic.twitter.com/IYf9HsIvps
Anyone that deviates from the directive is ‘cancelled’
It is not just Swara and Naseeruddin. Not very long ago, Naseeruddin Shah was seen spewing venom against the government of India in anti-CAA protests, instigating Muslims against a law that had nothing to do with them and did not affect them in any way. He had been peddling the ‘Dara Hua Musalman’ narrative for years now. And yet, the moment he speaks about reforms, and warns against barbarism spread in the name of Islam, he gets cancelled. It is a mandate, it is an omerta. You follow the strict directive, or you will be cancelled.
Indian, and for that matter even the global Left-liberal intelligentsia is a slave at the feet of Islamists. The very same ‘feminists’ who cry hoarse over women rights in liberal democracies promptly affirm that ‘Hijab is a choice’, the same ‘liberals’ who proclaim themselves as champions of diversity and inclusion, never dare to speak against homophobic laws in Muslim countries.
For Indian Islamists, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam was ‘not Muslim enough’. Sagarika Ghose had called him ‘bomb daddy’, ‘scholars’ had written articles about how the former President and scientist was ‘too-Hindu-friendly’, Arfa Khanum Sherwani had asked why is he eulogised and so on.
The same Naseeruddin Shah was hailed and praised when he harped on how the Indian Muslim is the victim of injustice, hatred. He was celebrated when he asked anti-CAA protestors to agitate against the government. But the moment he talks about reforms, he gets promptly cancelled. Despite being a successful, celebrated actor, loved all over the country, Shah had peddled the fake ‘I am afraid for my children” narrative and was hailed for it by the same Islamists and ‘liberals’ who today cancelled him for speaking about reforms.
Recently, IPS officer Najmul Hoda in an article in The Print, explained how the Indian Muslims and ‘liberals’ are trapped in a toxic relationship. He discusses how the so-called ‘liberals’ kept Muslims confined to a certain mindset of denial, whitewashing over historical instances and making them believe that they are perpetual victims, thus binding the entire population in a mental state where they actively denounce reforms.
The cancellation of Shah is just an example of the larger reality that is the ugly underbelly of the Global Left. It is “my way or the highway”. ‘Liberalism’ in India is about perpetual victimhood peddling, whitewashing and smokescreens.
It was evident when the ‘liberals’, interestingly Swara included, were enthusiastically equating the Taliban with India’s democratically elected government. Imran Khan the terrorism sponsor becomes a star for them, Sharjeel Imam and his separatist buddies are painted as victims but just because he is Hindu, Yogi Adityanath is always a villain. In the case of Indian ‘liberals’, all their intellect, their thought process, and talks of progressive ideologies lie firmly at the feet of Islamist radicals.
