Muslims collect money to build Ram Temple, Hindu offers land for construction of mosque: Communal harmony project-28

1. Muslim families donate land, collect money to build Ram temple in MP
2. Hindu donating land for mosque and the local priest laying the foundation stone for it

These are just two of the many such incidents that keep happening all over India.

Why I am posting these two stories today?

It is because of lot of negative news, the acrimony, the hate speeches, the amount of religious intolerance around us, especially, on social media, which prompts me to share these stories.

The first report is from Madhya Pradesh. The temple was to be constructed in Khedakalan in Morena.

All the Muslim families supported local villages.

They offered land and also collected money to ensure that the temple is constructed.

The Sarpanch says that Muslim families facilitated the work and collected Rs 50,000, helping with the temple construction. The story can be read in Hindi and also be seen in a video link [See at the bottom of the post].

The second report is from Haryana. The mosque was too small. Hence, a local resident Deepak Tyagi donated his land for expansion and further construction of the mosque. This happened in Dadasia village in the State.

All Hindus of the area supported him. Muslims were overwhelmed with the gesture. Further, the temple priest was the first to lay foundation stone for the construction-expansion work of the mosque.

Qari Usman and Pujari Satyanarayan Mishra stood side by side. Doesn't it gladden our hearts? It must and it is this legacy and heritage we are proud of, surely. This is the same country where we hear about extremists and radicals killing over choice of food.

The truth is that there are innumerable examples of communal harmony in our day to day live and we all are aware.

But negative truth travels faster and makes greater impact. We must not let the bad stories overshadow the good and positive aspects of our society.

LINKS to the two stories mentioned above: LINK 1, LINK 1 & LINK 2 LINK 2

[Harmony exists all around us but is often ignored. Instead, stories of hate, discord and communalism get spread easily.

There are a million examples in our daily lives across India but they don't get promoted, hence, news of hate and discord gets heard more. Let's change it, now. This is a small attempt to change it through Communal Harmony Project]

For reading similar reports on this blog, Click HERE

#communalharmony #communalharmonyproject #india

If Bajrang Dal creates fear, instills insecurity among people in Mangalore, what Congress government in Karnataka is doing?

In Mangalore, the Bajrang Dal's politics of fear is ultimately about good business sense, says a report published in Scroll.

It tells us that Bajrang Dal is feared by people including mall owners, shop owners and common citizens.

Hence, there is a huge demand for private security. The Bajrang Dal runs its own security service to meet this demand.

So, if you need 'protection' from Bajrang Dal, you have no option but to again go to Bajrang Dal and hire their security personnel, who are obviously from the Bajrang Dal.

This business model is based on fear. You want to avoid extortion [paying hafta] or escape undue attention of those who don't need to fear the law, the best way is to pay them officially, through their agency.

Dhirendra K Jha's report that appeared in the Scroll, reveals how the the outfit has "managed to breed a sense of insecurity...(that) generates a demand for security guards, which are then supplied by a company run by the Bajrang Dal's top leader in Karnataka".

It quotes the leader, Saran Kumar. “All the supervisors and most of the security guards who work for the company are Bajrang Dal workers,” Sharan told Scroll.in. “As a Bajrang Dal leader, it is my duty to secure the livelihood of karyakartas [workers]", he says.

Ruling party ignores extortion, politics of fear: Congress' responsibility!

Once again, you end up criticising the Bajrang Dal for its strong-arm tactics. But who is responsible? After all, Bajrang Dal is just an outfit and if it is responsible for creating a 'climate of fear', there should be action against it.

It is Congress that rules Karnataka. Coastal Karnataka has been notorious for right-wing outfits' moral policing. Bajrang Dal, Ram Sene and other similar groups have been active here for long, still, Congress never took stern action against them.

The outfits that should have been banned, function openly and without fear of the law. Instead, they run a parallel government on the ground. How is it that Congress always allows such groups to be active in states that it has ruled for decade?

Shiv Sena is just another example. Congress ruled for most part of the last four decades or so, [from the beginning when Shiv Sena gained strength]. Its workers and leaders remained outside the purview of law. These groups also spread hatred and end up hurting Congress too.

Still, the party either fails to realise it or its leaders have sympathy for the Sangh's ideology. What else explains the manner in which the party has always been soft on Bajrang Dal--the militant arm of Sangh Parivar. Screenshot: Scroll.in

Responsibility of RSS: Does Sangh approve of VHP leader Sadhvi Prachi's hate speeches?

Hate speeches have become the sure-shot way to get publicity in India.

They serve many other purposes like communal polarization.

With UP elections getting nearer, inflammatory speeches are more in vogue.

Sadhvi Prachi, who is known for her controversial statements, said:

"It is time to make India free of Muslims". That's a call for Genocide, isn't it?

The video went viral and is available online. [IE link]

Unlike many other countries in Europe where such comments can lead to imprisonment and tough penal action Indian 'system' is quite tolerant of them.

Sadhvi Prachi is not alone. There are many others like her. But enough has been written about them.
This post deals with another aspect:

Who should be blamed for her hate-speeches and which organisation should be held accountable?

Sadhvi Prachi is NOT a BJP leader. She is a VHP leader and VHP is linked to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Hence, it is RSS leadership that should be held accountable for her utterances.

1. RSS leaders say that they are 'nationalists'. RSS leaders talk about 'shuchita', morality in public life. So do they approve of such speeches? If they don't, shouldn't they clarify or give a dressing down to those who use such language.

2. Whenever there are such speeches, section of media doesn't go to the reserved or 'incommunicado' RSS leadership for comments, rather, ask BJP leaders. The relationship between all the arms of umbrella Sangh Parivar is known....

3. ...But Sadhvi Prachi is not in BJP, it's a fact. The speeches may help the party politically. However, the BJP conveniently says, "we have nothing to do with her", and it's right too. The speeches stoke communal hatred.

4. If RSS is conscious about its image and claims that it practices what it preaches, it should strongly denounce Sadhvi Prachi's language. Does RSS leadership, especially, its Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat, approve of such speeches? He must be asked and should make it clear.

5. There are legal provisions and, of course, police can take action. But mostly it doesn't happen. If ever an FIR is registered in such a case, charge-sheets take years and often case is withdrawn by the same or other government.

Raebareli man writes to President, complaining that Zee TV is spreading communal hatred in country, demands ban on channel

A man from Raibareli has written a letter to President Dr Pranab Mukherjee, demanding action on Zee TV.

The man--Mahdi Hasan Aini Qasmi, has written that Zee TV has been spreading hatred through its news stories, which is affecting communal harmony.

Qasmi has mentioned that some TV channels are indulging in vicious propaganda that is affecting the country.

But he has mentioned Zee TV specifically in the complaint. The letter in Hindi is attached with his email that has been sent to several media houses and journalists.

In India's democratic setup, the President may not order such an action, but Qasmi, who is pained with the coverage of TV channel, has written to the head of the state and the highest constitutional post in the country.

Zee TV has been facing flak for its coverage for quite sometime. Thousands have already signed the petition to ban Zee TV for airing 'biased and misleading journalism'.

READ: Petition demanding a ban on ZEE TV for 'biased and misleading journalism'

Qasmi's letter and its loose translation is here:

LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT

Honourable,

I am an Indian Muslim, my ancestors sacrificed their lives for freedom of the country.

 I belong to Nasirabad village in Raibareli, where people from each house participated in independence movement.

We tell the whole world with great pride that we are Indian Muslims. Whenever there is a threat to nation's integrity, we are ready to give our lives for the security of the nation.

Right now, attempts are being made to stoke communal passions in the country. Media has a role in vitiating the communal atmosphere and Zee TV is leading the pack, having taken up the task to spread falsehoods and hatred.

Such TV channels are weakening the foundation of our country, with their anti-national acts and their aim is to break the secular fabric of the country, by targeting the Ganja-Jamuni culture of the country.

These channels bring a bad name to the fourth estate. I urge  you to take cognisance of this complaint and order a ban on Zee News. Such a channel that spreads lies and wants to throw the nation into fires of communal hatred has no place in our country.

Mahdi Hasan Aini Qasmi,
Nasirabad, Raebareli (UP)

Samajwadi Party, RJD-JDU failure to create own media unlike third front parties in South Indian states

The Samajwadis [socialists] have been a political force in North India for decades.

In Uttar Pradesh, Mulayam Singh Yadav's SP has been the main party.

But, they continue to get bad press, compared to other parties.

Dozens are killed in BJP-ruled Haryana and violence of such scale that hadn't been seen anywhere in India  but media would never call it 'Jungle Raj'.

Similar was the situation during the Patidar agitation in Gujarat. There were attacks on police stations, houses of ministers, firing led to deaths, and there was complete breakdown of law-and-order, but it was NOT TERMED JUNGLE-RAJ.

The reason is North India's Hindi press [also Hindi channels] is pro-BJP and is biased towards third parties. From mid-80s, Mulayam Singh has faced a hostile Dainik Jagran, Aaj, Amar Ujala and Swatantra Bharat.

However, he always used 'largesse', 'freebies' and other ways to keep owners and journalists of these groups in good humour. But time and again, the same groups have been uncharitable and excessively critical of his party.

These were the media groups that were soft on BJP and even supported it during the Rath Yatra. These groups created communalism and divided Indian society. Yet, Mulayam Singh Yadav and his SP never probably gave a thought to setting up their own media.

The situation is not too different in Bihar. As long as Nitish Kumar was with BJP, he was 'Sushasan Babu', but if BJP is not in the power, it will always be 'Jungle Raj', either it's Lalu or Nitish at the helm. But 'third parties' still fail to understand this?

Are they fools? Or they have no vision? How can, such 'ghaagh' politicians be so vision-less?

They support Zee TV or India TV, despite knowing that these channels will always bite the hand that feeds them, and will defame their governments.

In South India, every party has its channel. Either its DMK or AIADMK, TDP or TRS.

Even AIMIM has a big Urdu paper and a local cable TV channel. What stops the 'third parties' from doing it in North India.

They don't lack funds. The third parties haven't been able to create their internet wings either. We will talk of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) later, though it has also failed to set up its media arm.

PHOTO  COURTESY: INDIA TODAY website www.indiatoday.in