Pakistan not giving me visa; I am very sad and disappointed: Anupam Kher

Words Jihad and Jihadi have been in abundant use for the negative purposes from last two decades in particular. They have been closleyl linked to the word terrorism and violence, done by section of Muslims here and there. This global use of word is particularly a post 9/11 phenomenon. Just to recapitulate after the WTC was hit by two aeroplanes; the building sunk leading the death of nearly three thousand innocent people. The victims belonged to most countries and religions. In the aftermath; Osama bin Laden called it Jihad. American media coined the word Islamic terrorism since then. Most of the acts indulged in by Muslim terror groups have been labelled under this title. This; irrespective of the fact that many an Islamic Scholars, many a Muslim clerics like Maulanas of Deoband and Barelvi, stating that Islam does not approve of violence against innocent people. The words have stuck.

This has also beoame one more weapon in the hands of communal sectarian elements. Apart from the mainstream media social media has been delving this with gay abandon using these words in a derogatory way. The lap media also called Godi media, which is an important part of the opinion making against Muslims has been using it day in and day out.

Recently (March 11, 2020), Mr. Sudhir Chaudhary, the Editor-in-Chief of Zee channel in a show went on to the limits of this misrepresentation by showing a chart and classifying Jihad into various categories, Love, Jihad, Land Jihad and latest in series being Corona Jihad in the wake of Tablighi Jamaat event. Mr Chowdhary concluded that all these types of Jihad are being done to weaken India. Surely, these types of programs have been increasing and intensifying Hate against Muslims and Jihad.

Unlike most of the times, this time around a complaint was filed against the said editor, a FIR was filed and lo and behold the editor’s tune changed.  In the next program he talked respectfully about the word Jihad! The tone and tenor changed. Was it a late realization or the fear of facing criminal action which made him change the tune, he alone should know, but that’s another chapter to the story?

As such jihad is by and large used as synonym for violence, terrorism. This is very much contrary to the its use in Koran.. Islamic scholar Asghar Ali Engineer argues that its use in Koran is multilayered. It stands for ‘utmost striving’ and has nothing to do with violence against innocents. As per him the concept of Jihad is far above violence. Those indulging in power games have used it as a cover for expanding power and called it as Holy War. This is very similar to the use of word Crusade by Christian Kings and Dharm Yudh by Hindu kings.

A deeper and more rational study of Koran and Hadith bring forth the real meaning of the term. Sufi’s who were away from the power struggle and focussed on spiritual aspects of religion like Bhakti Saints or liberation theologians, unfolded the deeper meaning of the term. Engineer points out that “it is for this reason that they describe war as jihad-e-Asghar and jihad to control one’s greed and selfish desires as jihad-e-Akbar (Great jihad)” (On Multi Layered Concept of Jihad, in A Modern Approach to Islam, Dharmaram , Page 26, 2003, Bangalore)

The reference to Jihad comes in Koran over 40 times, mostly referring to Jihad-e-Akbar, striving to overcome personal greed and selfishness. The real transformation of the word Jihad in popular perceptions and Chaudhary is the extreme example of that, takes place during the training of Mujahideen in the few specially set up Madarssas in Pakistan. This was initiated and coordinated by America in the decade of 1980s, when the Russian Army occupied Afghanistan. That was the time American forces were totally demoralised due to their humiliating defeat in Vietnam, at the hands of Vietnamese people.

To confront the Russian army, US planned to join the anti Russian forces. For this with the help of extremist Salafi version of Islam, they promoted the radical tendencies within a section of Muslims. The brain washing of the Asian Muslim youth as Mujahedeen to Taliban took place in few Pakistani Madrassas, totally funded by America. For this funding opium trade was also put into operation. The brainwashing module designed in Washington incorporated many components which also distorted the concept of Kafir, and created Hate against communists. Communists were labelled as Kafirs (Non believers) and so killing them was presented as Jihad. Getting killed while doing such an act was to be rewarded with entry pass to Jannat with 72 virgins waiting for those embracing this path.

America further went on to promote Taliban and Al Qaeda, which joined anti Russian forces, leading to defeat of Russian forces. Mahmood Mamdani in his book ‘Good Muslim Bad Muslim’ makes an inference based on CIA documents that America invested 8 thousand million dollars and also supplied seven tonnes of armaments, including the most sophisticate missiles to these forces. One also recalls the Al Qaeda leaders’ visit to US, White house. In the Press meet the then US President Ronald Regan, introduced them as being the equivalents of founding fathers of United States as they are fighting against the evil of communism.

Now of course the situation has taken its own turn and nearly three decades after their inception the same elements, later followed by ISIS and IS acted like Frankenstein’s monsters, killing Muslims in large numbers. It is estimated that over 70000 Pakistanis have been killed due to the action of these groups, who were propped up and nurtured by US to enhance its control over the oil wells of West Asia.

The likes Sudhir Choudhary can merrily propagate the Hate using the term Jihad. That such elements can also be partly controlled through the process of law is a part of great learning after the FIR filed against him. One hopes that such hate filled programs will come to a halt once we combat them ideologically and after resorting to the provisions of Indian Constitution. 

Bengaluru, Apr 21: Hardline BJP leader and Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya, who had deleted some of his old sexist tweets while contesting for Lok Sabha polls, yesterday deleted deleted his ugly remarks against Arab woman after it went viral and triggered sharp response from  many quarters, including from the Arab world.

In 2015, before Surya became an MP, he had said in a tweet, "95% of Arab women have never had an orgasm in the last few hundred years! Every mother has produced kids as an act of sex and not love. @Tarek Fatah."

The old tweet was picked up some influential members in the Arab community. Many intellectuals and various members of the royal families too have over the past few days condemned the attacks on Muslims in India and called out instances on Islamophobia. They have been highlighting derogatory comments about the Arab community purportedly made by supporters of the ruling BJP. It was then that a few found that even present day recognised leaders like Tejasvi had made similar comments in the past.

As the outrage grew, Tejasvi deleted the old tweet. A lot of BJP supporters on Twitter then started pointing out that Tejasvi Surya had merely quoted Canadian journalist Tareh Fatah, known for his anti-Islam comments. But by then someone had archived the tweet and Tejasvi's response to it in 2015.

Dear @Twitter , this Indian politicians @Tejasvi_Surya has racially slurred Arab women, I wonder how is his account still active? Is it not against Twitter's official policy? Please act as Arab sentiment has been badly wounded. pic.twitter.com/JAM3hnDEjN

— المحامي⚖مجبل الشريكة (@MJALSHRIKA) April 19, 2020

Pity Ur upbringing @Tejasvi_Surya that respect for women couldn’t be instilled in U despite India having some great female leaders .Please note if someday the govt bestows a foreign ministry to you, avoid travelling to Arab lands. You are not welcome here. This will be remembered pic.twitter.com/KJJlqJL5tR

— Noora AlGhurair (@AlGhurair98) April 19, 2020

In a thread to the same tweet, responding to criticism, Surya had said that these were not his opinion but attributed to Tarek Fatah. He also said that he agrees with Fateh's position that 'Islamofascism was a threat to all civilsations'.

Prime Minister ..
An Indian Member of Parliament accuses Arab women, and we Arabs are asking for his membership to be dropped !!@narendramodi@PMOIndia pic.twitter.com/aQl4XayWZU

— عبدالرحمن النصار (@alnassar_kw) April 19, 2020

Surya could not be reached for a comment.

However, a source close to Surya, said, "This is a 2015 tweet where Tejasvi Surya was quoting Tarek Fatah from an interview. It is being wrongly attributed to him with malicious intent. The main issue being addressed in the interview was about the barbaric and inhuman practice of genital mutilation of women. If there's any person to comment on it, it has to be Tarek Fatah."

Tejasvi Surya had landed in a similar controversy soon after his nomination as a candidate just ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

His deleted Tweet recorded a video

تغريدته المحذوفة تم رصدها بالفيديو @narendramodi@PMOIndia pic.twitter.com/cTrIkaGosf

— عبدالرحمن النصار (@alnassar_kw) April 19, 2020

Surya could not be reached for a comment.

However, a source close to Surya, said, "This is a 2015 tweet where Tejasvi Surya was quoting Tarek Fatah from an interview. It is being wrongly attributed to him with malicious intent. The main issue being addressed in the interview was about the barbaric and inhuman practice of genital mutilation of women. If there's any person to comment on it, it has to be Tarek Fatah."

Tejasvi Surya had landed in a similar controversy soon after his nomination as a candidate just ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

More islamophobic gems from @Tejasvi_Surya : @alnassar_kw @MJALSHRIKA @AlGhurair98 https://t.co/wktXi8fzhM pic.twitter.com/Rk2cEyRqWl

— شخص (@falana_shakhs) April 20, 2020

The Congress also stepped in to criticise Surya and the BJP, national spokesperson Sanjay Jha said in a tweet, “The BJP gives tickets to Pragya Singh Thakur and #TejasviSurya etc because it helps popularise their hardline bigoted political profile. But the chickens usually come home to roost. Today, India stands embarrassed, humiliated.”

Bengaluru, Apr 4: Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Friday asked Primary and Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar to be the government's spokesperson on the Novel Coronavirus crisis management effort, a move that is being seen as keeping too many cooks from spoiling the broth.

At a high-level meeting to review measures on COVID-19 containment, Mr Yediyurappa is said to have taken exception to his Cabinet colleagues making multiple, and often contradictory statements, leading to confusion.

''The CM has directed Mr Kumar to be the only one to brief the media on COVID-19,'' a source from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) confirmed.