I cannot dare describe the poisonous propaganda unleashed by the Hindutva lobbies, the myths, misconceptions and twisted lies that are in circulation, writes Humra Quraishi

It’s surprising that in this day and age when the truth travels in seconds, the Right-Wing government is making attempts to project that it treats the largest minority community of the country well, whereas in these recent years the Muslim community in the country has been living a nightmare.

Today when I’m asked what the difference between the Muslim poor and Hindu poor is, my answer is, ‘there is no difference except that the Muslim is living in fear. Not from his fellow countrymen but from the terror unleashed by goons, political mafias and, what is popularly called, WhatsApp University. Today Muslims cannot voice their dissent as they will be branded militants, anti-nationals if they dare to.

Gone are the days of equality. The anti-Muslim propaganda is widespread and is affecting psyches in several ways. Muslims, largely, are viewed with suspicion, and the hatred towards them and the distrust is palpable. If one were to delve deep to the disparities between the Hindus and Muslims, whether it comes to housing, education, jobs or healthcare, one would know the persistent biases well. Muslims are disadvantaged, they are second class citizens now. Elements of insecurity are bound to creep in, paving the way for the connected aftermath.

Suggestions made by committees and commissions set up to look into important minority issues are ignored by the government in policy making and planning. The images of the Babri Masjid demolition and Gujarat pogrom of 2002 are already impossible to erase from the mind, and further humiliation and distancing of Muslims from the mainstream is compounding the anguish of the common people. Forced into ghettos, there’s little chance of repair in the near future, of reconciliation between the Hindus and Muslims. It makes a dark picture that the gullible are being fed on an anti-Muslim diet every day, while the political mafia flourishes on the lethal hatred.

Here I reproduce WhatsApp messages contributed by my editor who is a Hindu and receives such frightening messages from her Hindu counterparts, blinded by this bombardment. These are designed to spread fear among the Hindus so that they hate Muslims and liberal forces and support Hindutva. And, they are doing the rounds like there is no tomorrow.

1. Taliban won’t allow women anymore to show their both eyes. Women entire body must be covered black, except for eyes. Now, even the two eyes should be reduced to one! This Taliban member says that women should only have one eye open to see the road and not fall. Nothing more!
2. WHAT A TERRIBLE CONSPIRACY!!! Pakistan was formed, under Congress rule! Bangladesh became, under Congress rule! 370 came into force, in Congress rule! Minorities Bill came, in Congress rule! Muslim Personal Law Board was formed under Congress rule! Minorities Ministry was formed in Congress rule! Minority University became in Congress rule! All these works were done by 'Congress', only for 'Muslims', that too, when the "partition" of the country happened on the basis of 'religion'! So, wasn't this preparation of Congress for "Gajwa-e-Hind"?? There was a preparation to make the country an Islamic country “quietly”. Congress gave only "reservation" for "Hindus", so that the "Hindu society" always fights with each other and never understands "Gajwa-e-Hind". Former Prime Minister Morarji Desai, in his book "My Life Account" has written at p.456, that: don't know why Nehru's "Hinduism" has a prejudice? Nehru had tried hard to bring "Hindu Code Bill" to make Hindus Second Class Citizens". But Sardar Patel had warned Nehru that: If during my lifetime, you bring "Hindu Code Bill" or thought about it, then I shall resign from Congress and against this bill will come down on the streets. Due to Patel's threat, Nehru was scared. After Sardar Patel's death, the "Hindu Code Bill" was passed in the Parliament! During the discussion on this bill, Acharya J B Kripalani had called Nehru a Communist and Muslim supporter! He said: You wear "Janeu" just to cheat the Hindus. Otherwise, Hindus have 'no matter' in you. If you really were "secular," then instead of "Hindu Code Bill", you would have brought "Common Code" Bill for all religions. Sometimes, I feel like not posting at all! Then the thought comes that India will read. [Released in the interest of the country.]
3. BBC's famous journalist Mark Tully has given a statement, that "Modi is uprooting that big banyan of this country, which has been infested with poisonous insects for years! For this, he will have to fight continuously!" Modi has put his hands together in the bills of all the poisonous snakes hidden in the country; that's why these snakes are hissing. Congress had hidden all kinds of snakes including Congress, Leftist, Jihadi, Naxalite, Missionary to ruin the land. It is good that Modi came to power and made the country aware of these poisonous snakes and exposed them. Otherwise, these poisonous snakes would have swallowed this Indian land and Hindus in the coming times. Our future generations would have nothing left except to cry and wail. Modi will have to struggle a lot, and Modi will also struggle, but the people of this country, especially the Hindus, will have to stand firm with Modi. Modi did not take this war for himself, but it is a war waged for the children of our countrymen, for the coming generations and for the bright future of India. Please do the work of awakening our countrymen by forwarding this post in the public interest.
4. No BJP. No RSS. No Bajrang dal. Still France is burning #FranceRiots. Ed mubarak from France
5. First, they made their own homes Sharia-compliant hell. Then they fled to the land of kafirs to save themselves. France gave them refuge. Now they have made a fresh hell out of beautiful, liberal France. They are burning it down. #FranceRiots
6. "A refusal to stop doesn't give you a licence to kill," said French Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure. As always, it's the 'liberals' and leftists who provoke the Islamists with dog whistles. They don't care if their country burns down. The French riots prove democracy cannot function when you have such a turbulent minority.

And, it is with this in the backdrop, that the Right-Wing government is talking of the Uniform Civil Code! It seems, obviously, like a well-planned strategy to polarise and gain the majority Hindu vote. Just like before the 2017 elections in Uttar Pradesh, discussions on Triple Talaq were hyped on mainstream media, this time it is the UCC.

I’ll be ending this week’s column with a verse. by  SHANTA  SHARAN - Marigolds In An Urn - from the volume Amity Peace Poems (Hawakal Publishers):

Marigolds In An Urn/Plucked heads bob gallantly/Russet red ochre gold tangerine/In the  brass urn decorating the space/Uncomplaining/In their death of dance/Before the final dump/Unmindful/Of the few/That pay scant heed/To the silent  passage/From life to another.