The Indian Express has started off the new year with its anti-Hindutva propaganda in its latest report where it coined the term “anti-namaz brigade” and linked it to peaceful protests underway against the controversial arrest of Hindu seer Kalicharan Maharaj in Gurgram.
The report highlights that the protest march was led by Kulbhushan Bharwa, who is the legal adviser of the Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti that has been opposing namaz being held in public places. The Hindus of Gurgram have only been demonstrating against usurping of public places for namaz – viewed more as an assertion of political Islam, not piety.
Bharwa, a former president of the Gurgram bar association who had defended the teenager who had fired a gun at anti-CAA protesters near Jamia Millia Islamia in 2019 — backed Kalicharan Maharaj’s outburst against Gandhi and condemned the manner in which the Chhattisgarh police arrested him from Madhya Pradhesh, violating inter-state protocol.
“We vigorously support the remarks made by Sant Kalicharan against Gandhi and condemn how the Chhattisgarh government has arrested him,” said Bharwa. “When the country was partitioned on the basis of religion, why did Gandhi not oppose it? This country will never forgive Gandhi for his role in accepting the division of the country.”
Narender Singh Pahari, a former BJP leader who had lost the 2019 assembly elections as an independent candidate, alleged that Kalicharan Maharaj’s arrest was a case of selective targeting. “When someone talks of a Hindu nation and Hindu interests, immediately there is an FIR and arrest, while others go scot-free,” he said.
Parveen Yadav, who was reportedly part of a group that “disrupted namaz” in Gurugram echoed similar views. “The authorities have not taken any action against Owaisi, who has been threatening and inciting Hindus in his speeches,” he said.
The case in point was AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi’s open threat to the police. “Remember this. Yogi will not be the chief minister forever. Modi will not remain the prime minister forever,” he had said in a recent speech that went viral.
“We Muslims are silent because of the times but remember we will not forget the injustice. We will remember your injustice. Allah, by his powers, will destroy you, Inshallah. We will remember. Times will change. Then who will come to save you? When Yogi will go back to his mutt, when Modi will go to the mountains, then who will come to save you. Remember, we will not forget.”
Forget arrest, the speech was not even condemned by the pseudo-secularists who were quick to slam Kalicharan Maharaj, now in judicial custody till January 13 by the Raipur magistrate court.
During his speech at the recent Dharma Sansad in Uttarakhand, Kalicharan Maharaj had said, “India was cut into two parts in front of our eyes. Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan were already separated. Bangladesh and Pakistan got separated in front of our eyes by them. They used politics to separate these parts from India. That Har*mi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi destroyed India. I bow down to Nathuram Godse Ji, who assassinated the Har*mi.”
He also went on to lambast Gandhi for paving the way for the Nehru dynasty’s misrule in India.
While the law takes its own course over whether Kalicharan Maharaj should be punished or not, the case throws up the question of how much veneration does Gandhi deserve. And, how do we set the yardsticks for freedom of expression?
In 2015, the Supreme Court had wondered whether was it not the “collective responsibility of society to protect” historical figures such as Gandhi. Since there is no official declaration or title as “Father of the Nation”, technically he remains, yes, a historical figure who was part of the Indian freedom struggle. So, shouldn’t other historical figures such as, say, the much-abused Veer Savarkar, too, get such swift ‘protection’?
It is also pertinent to note that the media, especially Indian Express, have been on a tirade against Hindutva using every opportunity they get. While Hindus of Gurgaon were opposing the observance of Namaz in public places, causing severe nuisance, media is painting it as an “anti Namaz” protest, insinuating that Hindus who were protesting were against Namaz itself. However, that is untrue.
