Noam Chomsky is one of the leading peace workers in the world. In the wake of America’s attack on Vietnam, he brought out his classic formulation, ‘manufacturing consent’. The phrase explains the state manipulating public opinion to have the public approve of it policies—in this case, the attack of the American state on Vietnam, which was then struggling to free itself from French colonial rule.
In India, we are witness to manufactured hate against religious minorities. This hatred serves to enhance polarisation in society, which undermines India’s democracy and Constitution and promotes support for a Hindu nation. Hate is being manufactured through multiple mechanisms. For example, it manifests in violence against religious minorities. Some recent ghastly expressions of this manufactured hate was the massive communal violence witnessed in Mumbai (1992-93), Gujarat (2002), Kandhamal (2008) and Muzaffarnagar (2013). Its other manifestation was in the form of lynching of those accused of having killed a cow or consumed beef. A parallel phenomenon is the brutal flogging, often to death, of Dalits who deal with animal carcasses or leather.
Yet another form of this was seen when Shambhulal Regar, indoctrinated by the propaganda of Hindu nationalists, burned alive Afrazul Khan and shot the video of the heinous act. For his brutality, he was praised by many. Regar was incited into the act by the propaganda around love jihad. Lately, we have the same phenomenon of manufactured hate taking on even more dastardly proportions as youth related to Hindu nationalist organisations have been caught using pistols, while police authorities look on.
Anurag Thakur, a BJP minster in the central government recently incited a crowd in Delhi to complete his chant of what should happen to ‘traitors of the country...” with a “they should be shot”. Just two days later, a youth brought a pistol to the site of a protest at Jamia Millia Islamia university and shouted “take Azaadi!” and fired it. One bullet hit a student of Jamia. This happened on 30 January, the day Nathuram Godse had shot Mahatma Gandhi in 1948. A few days later, another youth fired near the site of protests against the CAA and NRC at Shaheen Bagh. Soon after, he said that in India, “only Hindus will rule”.
What is very obvious is that the shootings by those associated with Hindu nationalist organisations are the culmination of a long campaign of spreading hate against religious minorities in India in general and against Muslims in particular. The present phase is the outcome of a long and sustained hate campaign, the beginning of which lies in nationalism in the name of religion; Muslim nationalism and Hindu nationalism. This sectarian nationalism picked up the communal view of history and the communal historiography which the British introduced in order to pursue their ‘divide and rule’ policy.
In India what became part of “social common sense” was that Muslim kings had destroyed Hindu temples, that Islam was spread by force, and that it is a foreign religion, and so on. Campaigns, such as the one for a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Rama to be built at the site where the Babri masjid once stood, further deepened the idea of a Muslim as a “temple-destroyer”. Aurangzeb, Tipu Sultan and other Muslim kings were tarnished as the ones who spread Islam by force in the subcontinent. The tragic Partition, which was primarily due to British policies, and was well-supported by communal streams also, was entirely attributed to Muslims. The Kashmir conflict, which is the outcome of regional, ethnic and other historical issues, coupled with the American policy of supporting Pakistan’s ambitions of regional hegemony, (which also fostered the birth of Al-Qaeda), was also attributed to the Muslims.
With recurring incidents of communal violence, these falsehoods went on going deeper into the social thinking. Violence itself led to ghettoisation of Muslims and further broke inter-community social bonds. On the one hand, a ghettoised community is cut off from others and on the other hand the victims come to be presented as culprits. The percolation of this hate through word-of-mouth propaganda, media and re-writing of school curricula, had a strong impact on social attitudes towards the minorities.
In the last couple of decades, the process of manufacturing hate has been intensified by the social media platforms which are being cleverly used by the communal forces. Swati Chaturvedi’s book, I Am a Troll: Inside the Secret World of the BJP’s Digital Army, tells us how the BJP used social media to spread hate. Whatapp University became the source of understanding for large sections of society and hate for the ‘Other’, went up by leaps and bounds. To add on to this process, the phenomenon of fake news was shrewdly deployed to intensify divisiveness.
Currently, the Shaheen Bagh movement is a big uniting force for the country; but it is being demonised as a gathering of ‘anti-nationals’. Another BJP leader has said that these protesters will indulge in crimes like rape. This has intensified the prevalent hate.
While there is a general dominance of hate, the likes of Shambhulal Regar and the Jamia shooter do get taken in by the incitement and act out the violence that is constantly hinted at. The deeper issue involved is the prevalence of hate, misconceptions and biases, which have become the part of social thinking.
These misconceptions are undoing the amity between different religious communities which was built during the freedom movement. They are undoing the fraternity which emerged with the process of India as a nation in the making. The processes which brought these communities together broadly drew from Gandhi, Bhagat Singh and Ambedkar. It is these values which need to be rooted again in the society. The communal forces have resorted to false propaganda against the minorities, and that needs to be undone with sincerity.
Combating those foundational misconceptions which create hatred is a massive task which needs to be taken up by the social organisations and political parties which have faith in the Indian Constitution and values of freedom movement. It needs to be done right away as a priority issue in with a focus on cultivating Indian fraternity yet again.
Comments
Real face of India
Hats of to Bahrain PM. Thanks for helping poor. Our PM is busy with Foriegn Trips. Once he is back he will start Mann Ki Bath. No time.
@ Real Indian - Tired of hearing such jokes.. Please kuch aur sunao bhakt :D Why we cant blame praveen cowgadiya?
Dont blame Modi, he has given crores of rupees of Indian tax payers money to Orissa, blame the despot naveen patnaik, pseudo communist, who has failed his people
And bhainchod suar ka pilla has no time for the poor ! Must b preparing for another selfie with his g@nd towards a big black mamba ! Saaala suar busy in monkey baat !
If anyone had watched the \Ekees thopon ki saalami\" movie, this is what should be done to the Politicians and government officials when they pass away. Human nature seems to be disappearing from the Indian psyche. And should I feel proud to be an Indian?"
PM will say what can I do, it's CM work.
CM will say what can I do, it's hospital responsibility.
Hospital will say what can they do, no one asked them for vehicle.
When those sitting in responsible chairs cannot do anything, obviously someone somewhere may act. This time its Bahrain PM.
Our PM is very busy man....
I think Sushma Madam would be a better choice for PM than Moddi sir... heard she is very active in responding.... She is responding to all tweets... keep it up madam...
Slap on CMs face, still he is showing his arrogance, his response in bangalore was \i will look into it\" doest know that as the leader of his state, he carries great responsibility, even the prince of the royal family of bahrain responded, now the whole world sees what a despotic place Orissa is and how degraded it has become, inspite of crores of rupees of central assistance, hope he resigns in disgrace"
People dont help when someone is alive, what can you expect from us to do, once a person dies.
All the people feeling bad about this situation, would have passed by this poor person, without helping him. Words and Action dont rhyme in this nation.
The poor/under privileged are living a life of death and the dead have no place to go.
This incident is no ones mistake, its the fate of poor people.
No one is responsible. No one.
These people are considered Dalits & OBC so not a priority for any political party until elections....Forget PM , his hands are messy with Kashmiri pulao on his plate , ...why is the Odisha CM and even Home ministry silent ?
Talking of \HELL\" ......to this family, hell ...is here at home !! sad
If RSS gets involved with helping the communities here......they'll surely get their Conversions quota too...."
Dead people won't vote. Why should politicians care for dead people !
Ask Modiji about his mann ki baat about this incident. Acche Din are only for Ambanis, Adanis etc. For people like Dana Majhi acche din is only in dreams.
This is what Islam Teaches. Muslims do not judge people by their CASTE or COLOUR. Try to learn about Islam before its too late. Because a day will come where you have to bit your own finger for not realizing mistakes and for not accepting the the TRUE religion.
tax will be charged for the donation by Indian govt.. That's for sure.. Shame, a big shame..
all issues and problems in odisha is due to present cm navin patnaik never questioned.un opposed and un married like feku smooth operator. if his close friend wants to help his friend all his unquestioned support in lok sabha by his obedient mps. since neaeen problems are personnel. only aasaram bapu can help him with his resources and bapus self deep knowledge, feku should go out of the way and help naveen. may be he can send bapu with his full team on parole to kalinga emperor patnaik.
bharath mata ki jai
lower caste, Muslim and tribal are continued to be oppressed and suffer in a country where seventh richest people live. Exploitation of lower caste is divine and is authorised in the holy books too. Kind gesture by a muslim ruler explains how 500 years back most of the low caste got converted to islam to live and die in dignity.
Thank you his highness.
Is the Collector of Kalahandi is not a family man? How did he ask such question when the poor man was carrying the dead body of his wife along with her minor daughter from the bed of Medical. Thanks to His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa,Bahraini for his generosity. In our country, no one is looking after the interest of poor.
If Modi has paid 15 laks as promised, then Dana Majhi, would not have seen this situation ....
Prime Minister from a Tiny muslim country feels the humanity.PM of our billion people & other rich tycoons of country never bothers for humanity.
But , Islam show always the humanity.
Dear Naren may he is from bangladesh ?
In reality it is the responsibility of the authorities to look every citizens of that country... But as the news spread in social media, all the political party who should have been working prior to the incident are now becoming active and taking the lead in misguiding the people....
People should understand the reality and elect the leaders who are working in your area... its time that WE people should unite and work for the betterment of our society and reject those who try to disrupt the society... Recognise the leaders who work in your area and prepare for it.
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