Modulating minds, controlling global narrative: Is Elon Musk spreading prejudices, pushing a right-wing agenda to control masses' minds?

By Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

Billionaire and social media owner Elon Musk has come in for sharp criticism on internet. 

The man who didn't show much emotion when schools and hospitals were targeted in Gaza and tens of thousands were killed, but is now frantically pushing a divisive agenda.

As he owns an influential social media platform, X, [formerly Twitter], he is supposed to behave responsibly. But, he has lately been sharing controversial views, bordering on hate and having the potential to demonize entire communities. 

The racist and xenophobic overtones are clearly discernible. As he owns the platform, that can control a user's reach, his own tweets seem to have been exempt from any restriction and reach millions, giving him a disproportionate edge, over the rest. 

Not the Epstein island culprits, but brings other and old issues in other countries to raise fingers, intervene in other nations and subtly demonize entire groups, races and communities. 

Intervening in Germany, UK, hate against Africans, blacks, browns, Islamophobia, all is simple. Certain power block also helping him. Aim is to put pressure on the regimes and go for more and more control over the world?

One day, focus on an African in Europe, on the other day about England, not about the supremacist and school shooters or the skeletons in the cupboards of powerful people in own country. If the posts, tweets are seen carefully, it's mostly about race, religion and Asia-Africa, immigrants and 'otherizing' people. 

It becomes easy to control minds. It's possible to shift the people's focus off anything if you own media. If 10K whites are booked for offences in year, media has power to relegate to inside pages, but it can pick 10 offences by Black or Hispanic, immigrant or Muslim, splash on Page 1.

This will demonize, damage and devastate those communities, through negative portrayal. Misuse of a big social media platform, to term certain groups or communities as outsider or more prone to committing crimes, without giving data or mentioning statistics, is nothing less than brainwashing of the society. 

READ: Complete report on Elon Musk and his hateful posts, Islamophobia and racism

This is horrible. Many prominent personalities have noted how Musk has been going about, his posts going to the next level. If you have a billion or more audience on your platform and you post messages, endlessly, on a spree to push an agenda, it can create tremendous impact.    

"Am I detecting a continuous wave of Islamophobic comments and tweets from Elon the past few weeks or is it just me?", wrote Lady Velvet alias Hend F Q who uses the handle @LadyVelvet_HFQ. Just like her worry, many others have posted about the change in Musk's behaviour on X.

Will he realise. Can the world deal with it! Won't this lead to huge shift in public opinion and might pose grave thread to social ties, relations. Such careless demonizing can cause disturbance in societies on ethnic, racial and religious lines. It's not something that should be ignored. [The image is representative, AI generated]

WATCH THE SHORT VIDEO ON MUSK AND HIS ACTIONS

How fascism comes under the garb of nationalism: Inflaming passions through propaganda, claims about 'insecurity' among natives

By Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

A woman tells a story about her child in a class that has students from other backgrounds too. She made it sound emotional and even 'scary'.

Definitely, no kid should feel lonely or hurt. No one should feel offended by others' culture. Acceptance is needed. But I will explain how propaganda is used, lies are relayed, sentimental appeals are made and hateful propaganda is brought under the garb of 'patriotism' and the 'emotional' link is added to turn it more palatable.

Let me explain that how fascism comes wrapped in wild conspiracy theories. Even if a place is 95% white, they can claim to be 'turning into minority'. It's your right to accept or not accept others. But once anyone gets obsessed with the thought of looking at fellow humans as 'them' and 'outsiders', bigotry forces them to make any claim and sound so sweet and innocent but inner soul consumed by hate. Even if 1% outsiders come, you can believe that it is 18%. Yes, it happens, because of manic obsession. Then, there is another issue. Those 1% will come and stay in a part and that part will be labelled as 'ghetto' by your xenophobic media that always does it this way. Such fears and panic spread and no amount of data or clarity, will ever clean the minds that get dirtied or bitten by this 'us versus them' bug. It is natural that in a few schools and colleges, there would be more immigrants or outsiders. But everyone is always a minority in one sense or the other. Country, ethnicity, religion, race, gender and so many other things are involved here. You try to sound passionate and helpless but it's basically hatred that comes out in this form. Right-wing cleverly does it, specialists at it. We are all humans. If you guys want to take this route, be clear, just stay as an island. Discrimination with own species on own planet. How mean and petty! Out of 1,00,000 if 3,000 are 'different', they will be naturally stay somewhere. If you can't bear the sight of a person of different race or feel that there is an invasion, clearly say that you don't like humans who come to this land that you got registered from God and decided to drop here, with the decision to be here, forever. There is a difference between 'not wanting to hear' or 'getting irked because you don't want anyone else'. It's a cunning style and talk of 'my kid or family' not feeling comfortable, because 'other kids and families who have come here', is a crude way that is aimed more to gain sympathy and create scare This actually aims to rouse your feelings and fears. Any complaint must be redressed. There is bullying too, white kids bully whites, browns too do it to their own race and blacks too do it. It is human behaviour. Complaints are made, and there must be immediate action. But open discrimination, anger over presence of the 'other' and deep seated prejudices, the worldview that makes you feel superior and others as unworthy to be around you, is sickening. It happens again and again. Even within one country, it is possible on linguistic or ethnic, religious or regional basis. If you give a race or outsider angle, it is just a soft cushion you adjust behind your back, ready to shoot your inner biases at the other. You don't need to believe me, but fact is that world doesn't function in this way. People who burning with hatred, they and their societies disappear, very fast, because they feel they are entitled to not just own lives but also entire environment, city, sky, streets, world around them, as a CONSTANT, never changing and always remaining same as per their whims. A white serial killer becomes 'disturbed' and immediately after crime, reports appear that he suffered from childhood trauma due to 'parents separation' or any such issue, or even his 'loneliness', all attemps are made in media that he would be humanized and shown as 'just like us' and 'how could he be bad', as 'bad' is always the 'other'. If 'our' guy commits an act, then he is 'from our race', 'our own' and its like family, because if we consider him 'opponent', we'd have to accept that our people can be bad too. No, that would make us own up that our society too has bad apples. Now blame the rest and term them 'outsiders' and put all your own failings in life, all reasons, all blame on rest--issue solved. After all, it's easy to believe that we are angels and we never commit any crime & it's always the other who is at fault. In fact, all the countries engaged in war or colonizing or robbing or sending soldiers to committing massacres in other countries, was just aimed at 'civilizing' (sic) them, and World Wars were fought because you guys were all so simple, naive and civilized, and somewhere read that 'others' fight, so you learnt to fight and killed millions in process. Your eyes, heart and ears are hurt by 'others', you are full of yourself and sorry, there is no solution. In fact, I really like the way you people act. Keep walking this path and make your race safe, keep your land and yourself, amazing and extraordinary. Media loves it, politicians too know this system against 'them' helps as it turns out the worst and most passionate anger from 'locals' who get 'worried about own existence', buy these badly educated inhuman persons' theories, feel they are better than rest, turn hateful and this never stops. Everyone has a brain and they are entitled to nasty thoughts too. They have freedom to choose and world history tells us, what happens to people who have contempt for fellow humans, but present it so 'innocently' as you did. Completely insulating self is also an idea. The best way is to openly accept own prejudiced views, say that you are uncomfortable with 'others' and that there is no need to hide feelings.Tell people that you hate other humans and there won't be any need to work hard to sound noble even as being evil or circuitously reaching this point. 'Blame the vulnerable' and branding the real vulnerable or outsider as a threat, spreading rumours, demonizing them, terming the outsider as an enemy or alien (sic) as if they are coming to get your resources, is shameful. Conceal own petty thoughts and appear as custodian of all great humane values! All is crystal clear now. Racists can't fool everyone, all the time.

Rise in racism, anti-immigrant sentiment in the world: Native's claim on country on the basis of majority's race, religion and skin colour

[In view of the recent anti-immigration sentiment in United States and other countries, this article has been written. Ten points, an explanation in this form for easy understanding.

By Shams Ur Rehman Alavi 

1. People have no control over own birth and one can be born anywhere as it is not a baby's choice. Sadly, parents' race, religion, country or skin colour, faith, determines a lot. 

2. A White Christian in Europe or UK, too is born in his home, and he or she has no control over own birth either. But later in life, the person feels he or she owns entire country & casually tells 'other' that latter doesn't belong to them. 

3. Even a right-wing Hindu in India casually asks a Muslim whose ancestors lived here for 1,000 years, to 'go', 'leave', as if the former owns entire land in India and can even decide who should live here or be expelled.

3 (ii) This is a strange sense of entitlement! Humans are indeed weird species. I or you can decide who will enter our house but such megalomania that all land, entire nation is my or my community's property and anyone who is 'different' can be otherized and discriminated with?

4. The sickening audacity that 'I belong' here & a belief that I can decide, tell others to 'leave', judge others, issue diktat on the basis of my skin tone or faith is extremely difficult to understand. One must remember that Whites in US are also European immigrants' descendants, not the natives.

5, Interestingly, even if someone is a first generation immigrant, but due to complexion or ideology, faith or race, he can pass judgment on a local living for ages, and otherize him/her...!!! 

6. If the issue is analyzed, then we realize that Media has played a dirty role in dividing society, terming 'outsiders' for every issue, which in turn emboldens people to spread hate, racism, xenophobia. It influenced people the wrong way. 

7. It's shameful majoritarianism, everywhere. In Gulf region, many regions now have 75-85% outsiders and millions of Christians, Hindus live, without any such discrimination. There is no restriction or bias on the basis of culture, faith or food.

 8. In some cities and countries in West Asia, locals are less than 25% or just 15%, but they are not insecure or hateful. Compared to past, the immigration system is more relaxed and diverse communities live in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Oman, Doha, Kuwait, Sharjah etc.

9. But, in Europe and US, even 2-3% minorities are seen as 'others' and anger, jealousy, insecurity is visible. The psychological fear, hysteria and the anger over immigrants' arrival as if it's an 'invasion' is bizarre.

10. A serious discourse is needed. Western countries that have in the past, enslaved countries in the East, Asia and Africa, or took steps that caused migration and arrival of refugees, all these aspects can no longer be ignored.

Facing consequences for racist language in foreign countries: Indians must shun racism, avoid hate speech and learn to be sensitive

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

First, the two incidents--Rashmi Samant, the first Indian female president of Oxford students' union, had to apologize and quit.

Similarly, in New Zealand, Kantilal Patel had to leave his office due to objectionable comments about Muslims. 

Making 'casual comments' on races, bigotry, biases and strong beliefs or prejudices that lead to stereotyping, all this should not have a place in any civilized society. 

A few points:

1. Both Patel and Rashmi Samant had to apologize, leave their posts in other countries. In India, it may not have no serious repercussions, but it has consequences in other countries. 

2. There is so much racism, bias and discriminatory mindset, that it is 'normalised' in certain societies. Here, extreme hate speech, calls for violence lead to no punishment or public shaming, besides, there is hardly any conviction or long sentence. 

3. The bigotry is often deeply ingrained. Sometimes, people take these biases to other countries. The absence of clear and dedicates laws to check hate speech, is another major issue. Though existing laws have some provisions but on ground, there is hardly any impact. 

4. On social media, even in real life, casually, people make such comments.  If strong biases & certain 'acceptability' about casteist, communal or racist beliefs within households was not enough, celebrities and netas pushing hate & using discriminatory language that affects communities is so common that lot of 'desis' just don't find it bad or serious.

5. Point is that despite tall claims about values, morality, the society has major issues and there is so much lack of sensitivity in this regard. Apart from known issues, also on skin complexion, race. African citizens who come to India, too speak about the prejudices here.

6. Sadly, there is no punishment for this in India. Not even shame or fall in stature. Petty politicians emerge 'stronger' after spreading hate & use of dirty, racist language or causing riot. Get power, 'respect'.

READ: Rashmi Samant quits after race row, flies to India

READ: Indian terminated over Islamophobic posts in New Zealand

'You don't look like a Muslim': The oft-repeated line reveals prejudice, generalization and biases

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

What's wrong with the society that people look down upon anyone working hard to earn a living. Is dignity of labour, such an alien concept in our society!

Of late, the term 'puncture wala' is so often used to target an entire community in India. 

Why this contempt for hard work and labour? Just because people feel lot of Muslims mend tyres [wheels], they use the term for Muslims in conversations on social media. In my housing society alone, there are over 50 domestic helps, all of them are Hindu. So should on a limited experience...

....someone can feel that all Hindus are poor? In the several cities, I lived, in localities of all kinds--Hindu majority & Muslim majority, there were always very few Muslim domestic helps. So can on this basis Muslims make conclusion that Hindus are more poor? 

REASON THEY WANT TO BELIEVE THAT 'MUSLIMS ARE BACKWARD'

Some just wants to believe that 'Muslims are backward'. They even know dozens of educated Muslims but still remain so opinionated that when they have educated Muslim friends and acquaintances around but would still call them 'exception' & hence say, 'you don't look like Muslim' because for them others are always backward.

This is what is called as PREJUDICE. You want to believe it, as it gives cheap satisfaction about self worth, that at least, you have done better than someone and you don't want this belief shaken, because your life is only about such obsessions with Muslims. 

If this belief that, they are ahead of Muslims or better, gets shattered, then how will they live happily? Dil toot jayega! You either grew on propaganda, believed these stereotypes or didn't have adequate experience but still want to believe wild things like an ENTIRE community is backward & poor. 

SWEEPING GENERALIZATION ABOUT HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS

Though, you know that both communities are huge, hundreds of millions of poor in each those working hard, self-reliant. Everyone must respect hard work. Also a huge middle-class in each group, similarly rich and educated too. 

Check data or see who are the poorest of poor who die most of malnutrition, who live in countless villages of India, who die most of starvation. Are they Muslims? Just believe 'others are poor' & you feel rich. Convenient for your self-esteem, rather than appreciating hard work

More people who die of hunger or the poor & homeless who die because of natural factors--heat or cold in extreme seasons, while sleeping in the open, are Hindu. 'Not own'! They becomes another category--caste or tribe, not 'Hindus'. Biases are acquired too, from society...

...and in our times, TV & social media. Despite under representation in jobs, large number of Muslims worked really hard, stand on feet, become self-reliant. Perhaps, many get satisfaction to believe that 'I may not be doing great, but the other is doing really bad'.

It's easy to do well when you inherit property or have kin in jobs or parents owning business.The real heroes are those who start from the scratch or those battling all odds--Hindu or Muslim, puncture wallas or road side vendors, anyone who earns with hard work. Respect them.

It's very cheap when you make fun of a person who earns living with hard work. I didn't even like to give the example (at the beginning of this thread) but sometimes, you've to write certain things because 'entitlement' is such that people just grow on biases & 'generalize'

Slightly different but happens that lot of people in North form weird notions about people from certain regions, looks, habits. Can't broaden vision, stubbornly believe, then it's bias. If you haven't seen, met & from firm opinion based on your limited experience, it's your issue.

READ: Why not to judge a person by his name, appearance or shop

Now, if I come from a region, I, of course, may not have great knowledge about other part, but how can I always be so opinionated & generalized sweeping statements that 'entire particular group or section comprising crores are always backward....'.

A guy one day started conversation, said, 'I find many Muslims here having lot of books, personal libraries at homes...' & went on to say a lot. The village he belongs to, had few Muslims & based on this experience & hearsay he made up his mind & got surprised to see opposite.

Remember, another factor is social. That you have mostly met and seen more people from the section of society you come from--class, caste and religion. So you may not have seen lot of 'others'. Try to learn, interact with more people, explore the world before forming such opinions, crude and crass comments.

Photo: Mr Bhavesh Jain, Pexels

Open letter to Dainik Bhaskar: Stop publishing biased, inflammatory reports that divide society

It's shocking how journalism takes a backseat and propaganda, falsehoods and terms that are inflammatory, objectionable and divisive appear in news items of the paper.

It was a gory crime, a youth kills a girl (published on October 28, 2020) but the news was presented in Dainik Bhaskar as a case of Love Jihad. 

There was no 'alleged' as prefix or even the term in inverted commas though the reality is that there is no Love Jihad either in Indian Penal Code & Home Ministry has clearly said that this term has no legal basis.

Every day there are innumerable killings across the country but if in one case, if it is an inter-religious crime, the newspaper uses this term to strengthen this propaganda though Love Jihad was a term used by ultra right-wing groups and it is a figment of their imagination. 

However, they succeeded in repeating this charge and the term was brought in usage. But when a newspaper on its own starts using it, it not only makes a mockery of journalistic standards, but also divides society and tries to give the impression as if it is mouthpiece of a ultra-right wing group that feels there is a conspiracy and one community is targeting girls belonging to other community.

A crime is a crime and the accused must face action in accordance with law, that's all. There are no ifs and buts, stern action must be taken. But how the paper on its own decides to use this term, a usage which cleverly pushes forward a shameful narrative that demonizes one community, it is a dangerous thing. A newspaper is for public information, not to strengthen biases and create communalism or mistrust in society.

When you are fully aware that Home Ministry has said that there are no Love Jihad cases, the term has no legal basis and that no such cases have been reported by central agencies. This has been stated in the Parliament. So who uses this term? Did police tell the reporter that this was a case of Love Jihad? No. How, your editorial team on its own used this term?

That's not the first occasion. You need to be sensitive and practice journalism. Does your news organisation even have a basic diversity, representing the region's population or your editorial team doesn't have representation of all communities and sections. As, the reporting quite often shows deep biases and failure to adhere to high standards of fair journalism.

On the same day, another news from Indore came--a man killed his newly wed wife by strangulating her with dog leash (chain) and later stabbing her repeatedly. In this case it was not Hindu-Muslim issue, so it didn't get attention. Unfortunately, of thousands of cases if one case has an inter-religious angle, it is played up and people fall for the propaganda when newspapers too take such stand rather than reporting crimes as crimes.

Petition urging the newspaper to stop publishing biased reports and adhere to journalistic standards and media ethics

Indian politics: From blaming 'foreign hand' for troubles to 'inventing' enemies to for polarization, inflaming passions

Till 1980s, national politics was about blaming 'external hand' for any disaster, failure and to divert attention.

It was so common that at the slightest opportunity, leaders would either blame an outside agency for the troubles or it was believed that certain leaders were working at the instance of the 'foreign forces'. 

But now it's a totally different scenario in India. Our own people are branded, enemies are 'invented' within the country in order to inflame passions and for polarization.

Entire groups-communities are defamed, targeted and hate fuelled through IT cells, media & propaganda. 

The strategy now is to term a group 'anti-national' & hound it through TV and social media. It becomes a 'tamasha' and weeks, even months pass as channels and newspapers enter the fray, forcing people to discuss, while forgetting all other pressing issues. 

Effort is made to pit own people against each other, at least that way focus is away from failure on development, other issues. There is always more passion when there is hate & rivalry among groups. TV is playing a major role in this sinister campaign. 

New terms are coined, dissenters can be branded, one is Urban N, other is Tukde Tukde Gang or Love Jihad, et al. And above all this Hindu-Muslim issue. Anything from what one eats, what one sells or cooks, from Vande Matram to Cow, Madarsa, Jinnah, Burqa, Marriages, name a word, even one of them can be used to spread hate through 9 pm debates, FB pages that are for this reason & it just never stops.

It's not that people don't know. You have to live together, hundreds of millions of each community, no one is going anywhere. You know, this hate is manufactured, it serves a purpose but still people continue to fall for this. Distrust and hate keeps going up, people do not even get tired! 

Now it has hit the level of creating enemies from within, own people termed outsiders, students and activists branded, sometime it is religion, then regional from M'shtra Vs Bihar or anything that just pits one group against other, keeps minds occupied, grab eyeballs, inflames passion.

From Hinduism to Hindutva: How fundamentalism changed religion and society in India

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

In early 90s, right-wing leaders were addressing a public rally near my house. I was passing by and stopped.

There were fiery speeches, speakers were using terms like 'Babar ki aulaad' [Babar's descendants] for Muslims.

I met a 'friend' who was clapping, he saw and gave me smile but there was no awkwardness or shame in him.

I wondered how he is not uncomfortable. This was a 'friend'. I couldn't dare to imagine myself in a similar situation where my friend's religion is targeted or abused and I'm even listening, let alone clapping or feeling happy.

This was not the first such instance. It happened later too, a boy whom I'd taught when he was in sixth and I was many years senior. He respected me a lot. I'd never charged him a penny for the tuition but then the transformation was really surprising.

For me, it was not the normal human reaction. It bothered me for years. I tried hard to figure out what gets into these people. In my college life too, it happened. Remember, it was all much before Gujarat riots or the Islamophobia across the world.

This is all pre-2000. It was painful. It still happens and now people are even more audacious, don't at all care about basic manners or civility. Those who hate an entire religion or community, generalize, make sweeping remarks. It is too irrational but it is around us.

Trolls have made it worse. But over a period, we develop our own mechanism to deal with it. I've learnt to sever any such relation. Someone who can't take a stand, who knows your for years but still doesn't stand with you, rather, use racist terms, can't be a friend.

I understood more in years to come, the entire process--how it happens, not just this reaction, but the entire psychology. Apart from the cocktail that consists of victimhood, the competition and the grudges, there is a a lot more.

So much is drilled in them about invaders, kings and wrongs committed for centuries, that it changes the personality. Every generation grows up with own experiences. It happened in the 1980s and 1990s. It happened in 2010s and 2020.

Photo. Arti Agarwal

Media war against Muslims: How TV channels fuel Islamophobia that is affecting, endangering lives of Muslims in India

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

Imagine, it's the month of fasting that is all set to begin and the things Muslims are most worried about.

'30 days, 3 lakh mosques, anything at even one place, real, exaggerated or cooked up and the madmen on TV can give a twist, almost hold each Muslim accountable for an incident in which a Muslim has been accused, and make every person in India, believe that it is 'they' who are responsible.

World is not perfect, one or two mistakes bound to happen. But when there are dozens of attacks on doctors but one incident where a Muslim gets in conflict with health workers, is run 24/7 and shown as 'Muslims attack...', with a focus on religious identity while the others are either ignored or generalized with headlines like 'Villagers attack' or 'People attack' in brief in paper, what's the result?

It seems that giving religious twist is the sole agenda now. If there is a case of minor girls' rape, the ticker merely says it but if a man killed an animal [real news] and he is Muslim, then his name is instantly flashed and its lead story, also in headline in print.

It is sometimes deliberate, due to existing biases, growing indoctrination, because of newsroom composition (fewer Muslims) and also because of the prevailing trend. When dozen-odd channels scream nonstop, papers too carry it on front pages and put everyone of you responsible for someone's act, make you guilty, unlike other scenario when person alone responsible for his act

It is this sort of coverage, this extreme bigotry and communalism that leads to persecution. One man has brush with law and is booked under NSA, others merely booked under bailable section 323 of IPC. And every such incident used to fuel Islamophobia even in the times of Coronavirus.

This is the way the entire community is 'otherised', made a target of hate and social discrimination. In rural areas or small towns with fewer Muslim population it becomes even more difficult. There are 'boycott' calls on social media, Muslims vendors or sellers told to leave in different cities like Mumbai, Mahoba and Delhi, and even handcarts selling vegetables recently get Saffron flags attached for identification, and a lot more.

The affects are devastating. Imagine, a young man, Dilshad, who had not even tested positive, but was ridiculed (just because he was associated with Tablighi Jamat), so much that he committed suicide. Financial dependence, emotional issues, not everyone can bear it. Case of Muslim Gujjars, people not buying milk..

The recent incident of 35 Muslims belonging to six families converting to Hinduism, in Jind in Haryana, should be seen as a manifestation of this entire 'hate industry' that demonises Muslims, makes it difficult for small communities living in far-flung areas to survive.

It is a complete industry that has been created, the infrastructure where even the mainstream TV channels and papers now playing role of Rwanda Radio, then imagine what the others do, those websites and the parties' IT cell.

The strategy is to create such pressure, demonize so much, that the community is perpetually under psychological pressure, always defensive, even guilty for things you have no connection, and under scrutiny for any incident remotely connected to a Muslim.

Sickness has reached a stage that even video of a vendor using a bottle to wash his hand, is given a twist and false claims are made that he was sprinkling urine (sic), and shared on social media, the community constantly bears the brunt of this demonizing campaign.

A day or two later officers clear the air or fact-check websites debunk the video and reject the false claims, but by then the fake news reaches millions. And it keeps happening on a daily basis. You keep explaining but there is a limit to it.

And, when this is consumed by viewers along side mainstream TV channels, newspapers' propaganda, it goes to a scale that is almost impossible to fight. It's time to understand the enormity of this fake news industry and its Islamophobia. Tackle it before it's too late.

READ: World must Wake up, Indian media involved in Nazi-style propaganda against Muslims

READ: Hate spread through TV channels: Is media's right-wing shift irreversible?

Twitter faces backlash for allowing 'hate' on its platform in India, users ask it to act against hate, Islamophobia

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

Social media giant Twitter is facing a huge backlash in India.

It is because of the company's perceived failure to stop hateful messages and even allowing users who give 'calls for boycott and open discrimination' to remain on Twitter.

The accounts that trended in support of boycott of an entire community [Indian Muslims] were not blocked & even the objectionable trend was not removed, though trends inconvenient for Twitter are removed suddenly.

On the other hand, several accounts were suspended or blocked on flimsy grounds--like posting a phone number seeking help or for seeking blood for a patient. Senior lawyer Sanjay Hedge's account was suspended for reasons best known to Twitter.

But those abusing people freely, issuing threats or posting fake news remain active and there is no one stopping them from carrying on misinformation. Many of them even have 'verified' status. Already, Twitter is facing flak for its strange social media policy.

Bahujan activists have demanded transparency in its verification process. Today, Bhim Army members reached Twitter office to seek clarification over its policies and that why Backward, Tribal and Dalit leaders don't get 'verified'.

The reality is that over a period of two years, Twitter has said that its 'verification' process is on hold. However, people with little or no following and even those who have tweeted fake news repeatedly, keep getting the blue tick (verified), though there is no contact or email on Twitter's website.

No criterion or parameter is known. Mostly, the PR agencies or middle-men are engaged in the job to get people verified. However, allowing hate and fake news is a much more serious issue. Users who have repeatedly shared fake news that had the potential to disrupt communal harmony are not suspended or blocked.

Instead, if a person who is not aware of Twitter's policy that someone's phone number can't be shared, gets suspended even for trying to help someone who needs blood in emergency. Twitter hasn't said it openly and clearly about it and most users aren't aware.

STOP HATE: Citizens' statement against Twitter for failing to stop offensive content, hate

This has been a long-standing problem with Twitter in India. Users who have been sending messages that disrupt social harmony or abuse religious figures or go to the extent of call for complete boycott of an entire community, are not punished.

Isn't it shocking that people who say that Muslims ought to be economically insulated in India--clear incitement (that is against the law of the land too), and violates constitutional provisions, face no action on Twitter.

READ: How Twitter gives free run to fake news, serial hate peddlers on its platform

In the past, such propaganda, demonizing minorities and hate has led to Rwanda genocide. In recent years, we saw killings in Myanmar. Yet, Twitter fails to even act despite hundreds of people reporting these tweets.

Independent fact-checkers have repeatedly exposed the people who are misusing the platform. These tweets make way to people's phones through screenshots, in WhatsApp, and go to rural areas where there is no system to debunk them or find their veracity.

PETITION: Twitter must stop hate, Nazi style propaganda on its platform in India

Communal reporting, Islamophobia in Hindi newspapers: Nav Dunia peddles propaganda, brands Muslims as infiltrators

This is just a reflection of how Islamophobia and branding Muslims, goes on in Hindi newspapers in Northern India.

This report tells that all 'ghuspaithia' [infiltrators] are Muslim--totally one sided view and peddling the BJP-RSS propaganda.

The illustration shows a man who has to 'appear a Muslim'. So this man is shown here wearing a skullcap. He is a Muslim, so he must have a beard and also because the 'Islamic colour' had to be brought, the kurta was painted green.

The man shown is poor but still his footwear has nails--for hurting our land! Everything has been done to create perception of an 'enemy'.  It is clear cut case of Islamophobia and showing Muslims in a negative manner.

Such hate is causing attacks on Muslims. It is high time communal reporting is contained and there is check on it. It is this image of a 'Muslim' that is being persistently pushed into the minds of the people.

The paper also goes on to support NRC, though it is not an editorial. The entire page doesn't at all tells why people migrate and why Hindus from other countries are being given preferential treatment in citizenship.

For these papers, it is not an issue why people come from Nepal or from other countries. And if at all they come from Bangladesh, what's the reason. For the paper, it's just nothing but taking the RSS line without using any brains.

This is horrific level of one-sided propaganda and gutter-level journalism. Further, this is being published just when India goes to polls. Unless people object, raise voice, speak to media house owners, drag them to panels, this won't stop.

In fact, his is the biggest threat to Indian democracy. The newspaper owned by Dainik Jagran group. In most cities of MP-Chhattisgarh, it sells as 'Nai Dunia' but due to a 'title issue', in Bhopal, it is called 'Nav Dunia.

Eight-year-old Muslim boy murdered outside a Delhi madarsa: Hate crimes in India, rising Islamophobia in India

The murder of an eight-year-old boy, Azeem, who studied in a madarsa in Delhi, has again brought to fore the level of hate in the society.

The boy was murdered in a row with boys of the adjoining locality but this happened after series of incidents--throwing of beer bottles in Madarsa, attempts to disrupt Namaz, locals trying to get Ravana effigy burnt on the premises, amongst others.

The boys who attacked Azeem, caught him by his neck while others caught his hands. "On e of them threw him to ground. Others started to kcik and punch him. Some of them jumped on his chest and we all ran away looking for the Maulana", an eyewitness told Indian Express.

The cleric said that crackers were thrown and the madarsa students were abused. A woman, Saroj, had the temerity to threaten them even after killing the boy. Azeem's father works as a labourer in Mewat.

He wanted his son to become a translator working for a hospital, as his Arabic was good and people from Middle East arrive for treatment in Delhi. Azeem's two brothers also work as labourers, Indian Express reports.

The paper further mentions that 'Two men from the mosque insisted that he join them for a protest march. But Khalil Ahmad folded his hands and replied: A tree can not face a storm. I must bend or I will break. I want to leave with my son's body. I don't want to play politics over his death.

Rising Islamophobia, TV channels injected hatred in society

TV channels have been attacking madarsas and demonizing them for long.

This has resulted in changing social attitudes and hatred towards madarsas.

It is common for TV channels to term madarsas as regressive and even 'anti-national'.

It is this direct hate, which has worsened the situation. Madarsa students face abuse, hatred and barbs in public spaces.

READ: World must Wake up: TV channels involved in Nazi-style propaganda against Muslims 

Growing radicalization in Indian society: Shocking level of hate towards Rohingyas, other victims of violence

Indian govt doesn't want Rohingya refugees, that's the official stand.

It is government view, fine.

You don't like Rohingyas, it's your personal view, fine.

But if you hate them, call them 'criminals', enjoy demonising them, keep posting sick views, unable to suppress your feelings of hate towards humans in distress, shows the level of dehumanizing.

Lot of my 'friends' doing it, they even include women who seem to like (sic) pictures of suffering, fleeing men and women, children.

They are not moved by the images, stories of horror, in fact, there is an element of glee. If human sufferings--of women, kids don't move you, it shows  level of radicalization in sections of society, which was known to be TOLERANT.

Even during Syrian refugee crisis, there was to an extent this attitude that was visible on internet. But after Rohingya exodus, it manifests itself more clearly.

All very normal people, friends, Hindi journalists, who demonize the victims, can't conceal glee, when women-children suffer.

This hate overcomes everything and dehumanizes. It is a dangerous signal for Hinduism and Hindu society. A society that was once known for certain values, degrading. There are levels of sickness.

It's a symptom. Now we know what many people around us, 'friends', believe in--their real dark feelings--once they perhaps felt shy about expressing publicly. But now they can.

No leaders--social, political, spiritual or any reformer-statesmen in real sense. With minnows (as far as leaders are concerned) and bigots around, little hope for society.

When you are on the brink of getting de-humanised, it is really serious and strangely you don't realise what it can do to your society. Treat if you realise it. 

Election Commission urged to ban Tarek Fatah's programme on Zee News: 'Inflammatory statements aimed at polarizing voters ahead of UP polls'

TV channel Zee News is facing flak from Muslim groups for regularly inviting Tarek Fatah, a Pakistani-Canadian who is critical of Islam and Muslims.

Rashtriya Ulama Council (RUC), a UP-based political outfit has now made a formal complaint to the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Terming him as an instrument of agencies who want to sow seeds of communal discord in the society and spreading hate among religious communities, the RUC has urged ECI to ban 'Fatah Ka Fatwa' programme.

"Just when five states are going to polls, the programme where Fatah insults Islamic figures, consistently targets Islam, tries to provoke people and uses inflammatory language, is being aired".

"The programme Fateh Ka Fatwa should be stopped in national interest", says RUC.

"It seems a conspiracy that Fatah would be allowed to air his inflammatory comments on a regular basis. These comments hurt crores of people, also poison the minds of rest of the society and lead to communal disharmony", the representation reads.

"Freedom of expression doesn't mean freedom to hurt sentiments and such statements that intend to divide the society on communal lines. It is a clear attempt to polarize voters on the eve of the crucial state assembly elections", the RUC has said.

What makes Tarek Fatah a favourite for right-wing in India? Though a Pakistani, Fateh has been living in Canada. He has earlier said that he wished to see India divided. Yet, right-wing seems to be in love with him.

The reason is apparently his diatribe against Islam and Muslims. Of late, a campaign has also begun on social media--to unsubscribe Zee News and write to Asian Paints that sponsors the 'Fatah Ka Fatwa' programme.

For example, see this petition addressed to KBS Anand, the managing director and CEO of Asian Paints, urging him to stop sponsoring the programme. There are several other campaigns on social media, against Zee News and Tarek Fatah, these days. 

Firing in Quebec city mosque in Canada leaves 5 Muslims dead: Growing Islamophobia

In an extremely sad news, gunmen have reportedly fired at a mosque in North America.

The incident occurred in Quebec in Canada.

Five persons have been feared dead in the attack.

Two persons have been arrested for the shooting, reports said.

The killings have taken place just after Donald Trump ordered ban on Muslims from several countries.

It suggests that racists have got emboldened after the US elections.

Later reports suggested that six persons were killed in the attack. News reports said that two suspects were held for the shootings.

UPDATE

The killer was identified as Alexandre Bissonnette, a youth with far-right views. Now he has been charged with six murders.

But will it be called Terrorism. Isn't it White Terrorism or Racist Terrorism or White supremacist Terror?

Till now, when a man even commits massacre in the West and is White, he is termed as either 'lone wolf', 'gunman', 'shooter' et al.

Media never calls him terrorist. When identity is known--that the killer is White, even media reports say, 'his motive is not killer yet' though his racist or anti-Muslim views are known by then.

READ: QUEBEC MOSQUE KILLER IDENTIFIED AS ALEXANDRE  BISSONETTE 


Alexandre studied Political science and anthropology.

He is a fan of French far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who is known for her anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim stand in France.

On his Facebook page, he declared his admiration for her.

Ironically, such a tragic incident --the firing at mosque, took place in adjoining Canada that has opened its gates to immigrants.


READ: MOSQUE SHOOTER A FAN OF FRENCH RIGHT WING LEADER

Abusive messages, anti-Muslim comments & An Indian Muslim Blog: How to deal with Islamophobia, communalism and hate messages

It's tough to deal with abusive comments that keep coming every day. There are regular such emails and comments on the posts. Most of these guys don't even bother to read the posts and it appears they are full of hate towards Islam and Muslims.

 

I was forced to start moderating comments sometime back when I felt that almost every day I was getting such comments that used to hurt and unsettle me. Often, they are full of so much hatred that you shudder and think, is this real? How much percent of people in this country hate Muslim and do they really hate us so much?

Then I would always console myself that cyberspace is different from normal world. Here people who don't have the cheek to say or do anything openly, can make anonymous comments or send emails, and they are a handful of people who keep doing that regularly and makes you feel that there are so many Islamophobes.

You write a post on harmony, the ganga-jumni culture and then you get an email that starts with 'Saale Kat*&*' and keeps on telling you every atrocity which he believes Muslims have committed on him and his ancestors interspersed with English and Hindutani gaalis.

I feel bad, very bad.

No matter how much you think that you won't give a damn to them, the fact is that everytime you get such a mail or comment, it hurts. Sometimes when it is terribly abusive, you feel why not get this guy tracked and booked for his action.

After all, if someone abuses you openly on the street, it is tough to act against him legally but if someone sends you an email or writes an abusive post, it is possible to teach him a lesson that he will not forget.

The evidence is strong, the IT [Information Technology] Act makes any such crime punishable and the sentence is much more but nobody bothers. Sometime you feel you should take the lead and get a few guys caught. At least, this will send the message across. Racism and hatespeak aren't taken seriously in India yet and people often forget, but it's a serious crime.

If you hate me just for being a Muslim and will keep calling me names, it is irrational. You can write in proper and decent language. Anonymity gives you freedom to abuse. You don't fear that a friend of you, who is a Muslim, may come to know that you have such deep biases. But if you are courageous enough, why don't you stop every passing Muslim on the street and abuse him.

I still want to believe that such guys don't form more than 1% of the populace.

Write your full name, address and also post your photo, if you dare, in forums, sites and blogs. Else talk in a civilised way. Blame me, be critical but enough of abuses. Don't wear the mask of anonymity to spread hate on internet.

Sometimes I really wonder, what could be the cause of such deep hate?

Today there are bombs exploding and Islam is linked to terrorism. But why was such a similar hatred, 16 years ago or even before that, when Babri Masjid was destroyed and when Muslims were openly abused.

Tab Tushtikaran thaa...the so-called appeasement of Muslims by politicians. And people had suddenly become such experts in history that they could tell you how many atrocities Aurangzeb and Babur had done on Hindus in this country. Even then, it was not easy for Muslim to get a house on rent (I am not talking about jobs or any other thing).

Simple hatred. Why?

Photo: Knelstrom Ltd, Pexels

Bangla migrant Vs Nepali migrant: Bangladeshi is foreigner, Nepali immigrant is welcome in India?

No to Bangladesh (Left), Yes to Nepal (Right)

A recent Delhi-based English newspapers editorial on the issue of migrants' influx is thought-provoking.

The entire nation and politicians cutting across the party lines have made the issue of Bangladeshis' influx as the biggest threat to India.

Strangely, the Marxists are also crying hoarse like the right-wing groups and the BJP that always did it in the past over this issue.

The communalization of Indian politics is so intense that on one hand the country has open border with Nepal, the entry of Bangladeshi migrant who is culturally more closer to India is a strict no-no.

Lakhs of Nepalese citizens enter India every year just because Nepal is a Hindu country? Though culturally, it was not a part of India. It was a separate kingdom. 

But Bangladesh [that was just 57 years ago part of India], is a Muslim country and is it the reason that the migrants from this country are unwelcome.

What the Bangla migrant does? He mingles easily and lives peacefully. On the other hand, even if a man from Nepal is involved in an offence, there is no anger against the entire group. But in case of Bangladesh, if a man is even termed 'Bangladeshi', is is used as a derogatory term in media.

Had there been even a couple of incidents of crime by Bangla migrants, the national media would have made a great hue and cry. The Bangladeshis and the West Bengal residents share same language, culture and traditions. 

They were a unified race that was divided. It was the British administration that once tried to divide Bengal in 1905. Barely 42 years later, the British again chose to cut Bengal, with the assent of the leaders of Congress as well as other parties.

Of course, that's history. But, as long as Hindus came to India from Bangladesh, it was not made an issue. The settlements of Bangladeshi Hindus through out the India are reminder to the fact but now the Bangladeshi has been labelled as troublemaker.

The difference between figures of immigrants, is huge. In fact, there is a clear exaggeration about claims regarding figures of Muslims from Bangladesh, and the constant rhetoric that Muslim immigrants are arriving purposely to affect religious demography of West Bengal.

These claims have been repeated so many times on a regular basis for years, that it has got into the minds of citizens. Certain people at the top positions, made wild guesses in order to create panic among Hindu population, that the arrival of Bangladeshis...

...would increase the proportion of Muslims, so dramatically, that it would affect the population balance. Actually, it's a form of hate. Demonizing a country and people is not fair. Besides, rather than taking it up seriously and at bilateral level, the chest thumping and hatred on display, affects our image & relations.

In Assam, we have similar issue that keeps raging perennially. Read an exhaustive post on the same issue that was written later on this blog. The article, 'Branding the Bangladeshi migrant as terrorist: Illegal immigration or a humanitarian crisis', is related.