Earlier we have pointed out the mess which Narendra Modi the PM of Secular Democratic India and also an admirer of Hindutva (India-a Hindu Nation) ideology finds himself in. Hindutva tattooed all over his torso goes deeper into his soul, whereas India’s constitution expects him to stay secular.

Hopes of growth and development on which he won federal polls stand belied as also various foreign trips holding ‘make in India’ logo in his hands failed to bring foreign manufacturing units here on India’s soil. Foreign Direct Investors as also the Multi National Corporations require India to enact tax laws suitable for them as also to ensure peaceful environment in India for security of their investments and Industrial infrastructure. Such guarantees under present disturbed environs in India aren’t easy for any one to offer, Modi included!

A Hope that soon died out  

Soon after Modi took over in 2014, he promised to make “India First” as his religion and to venerate its Constitution as the only holy book. Also Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” (Together with all, Development for all) was the road he assured to tread for peace and growth of country. Such assurances emanating from Modi lent people and the minorities in particular some hope for their better security because his record as BJP Chief Minister of Gujarat remained blemished one in this respect. Modi in his new Avatar (Prime minister) might be a changed man, they thought.

But peace was shaken soon and badly by activists of RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) an extreme Hindu right organization and its affiliates who took BJP’s electoral victory 2014 as the golden opportunity to make India a Hindu Nation.

Violent mobs stormed streets against ‘Love Jihad’ a name given by RSS to inter religious marriages as also to harass, beat, punish and even kill men women in their homes, on the roads in fact anywhere mere on the suspicion of their eating or carrying beef.  Minorities felt beleaguered but PM kept quiet. Many opine that he either acquiesces or is unable to discipline the rowdies that include many law makers of his party, his cabinet colleagues some in Saintly robes spewed venom against opponents and incited followers to impose Hindu way of life on all including the ethnic minorities. Higher education centres were cleared off from secular scholars and administrators, those who refused to fall in line were maimed. Many writers and authors were killed by Hindutva elements.  Now they target Dalits!

Modi’s dilemma however, won’t let him speak out unequivocally and immediately against law breakers as with many of them he shared his vision of India as a “Hindu Nation”.

Gujarat a Hindutva Laboratory  

Decades before Modi took over as its chief minister, Gujarat province was made a laboratory by BJP for its political growth. Religion was blended with politics that formed the base over which BJP’s edifice of Hindutva stands today.

Rath Yatra (Chariot Journey) from Somnath in Gujarat to Ajodhya in Uttar Pradesh undertaken by LK Advani in 1990 to mobilize Hindus for building Ram Temple at birth place of deity Rama by dismantling Babri Mosque standing over there proved success. But it left a trail of blood behind. Hindu-Muslim riots broke out. Tens of thousands of activists reached Ajodhya where Kar Sewaks (Volunteers) stormed the mosque, a pitched battle with security forces ensued that left many dead. BJP game plan to bring Hindutva to centre stage of India polity succeeded. Soon Polls followed and BJP made significant gains in those elections, both at the national and the state level even when India’s traditional communal harmony bled profusely!

A decade later Modi became Gujarat Chief Minister and Gujarat witnessed a Muslim pogrom in which thousands of Muslims lost their lives, many got injured and myriad became homeless. Moving fast forward, Gujarat in 2016 is in the news, again not for some good reasons. Now Dalits there have been attacked there by Cow Protectors just for skinning a dead cow, the job they have been doing since time long past.

Dalits under attack

It may be recalled that disposal of dead animals, skinning them or carrying night soil etc are the vocations assigned to Dalits by Brahminical Hinduism since times immemorial. But the online image of a hefty cow protector thrashing half naked Dalits tied to a car mercilessly with his cane for skinning a dead cow is soul stirring in Twenty first century. Myriad of horrible images of Dalits and Muslims victims lying dead or reeling under feet of Cow protectors have also appeared in mainstream media too. As per media’s reports, murder, flogging, humiliation of Muslims and Dalits in the name of cow protection has increased manifold in India while law enforcing agencies look the other way around.

Under such a tragic backdrop Dalits in Modi’s Gujarat have vowed not to skin cows henceforth and have asked for land and funds from BJP government to change their vocation. But there has been little attempt made to ensure protection to Dalits and Muslims from cow protection mobs.

Cattle traders, Dairy farmers and Soap manufactures otherwise allowed to use animal (buffalo) tallow in production processor find difficult to go ahead with their business that is exposed to hazards unknown before BJP came to power at federal level. Transporters whose trucks carrying live stock are often torched too feel harasses at the hands of self appointed Cow protectors.

 

In the end

Breaking his silence over incidents of violence against Dalits and Muslims, PM Modi has come up with his melodramatically statement, “Shoot me’, but stop attacking Dalits. It is how he tries to divert people’s attention from the real issue of Dalit and Muslim protection from cow vigilante.

Whatever theatrics he may parade, Modi and his BJP stand exposed before the world for their misdeeds. Recently in Gujarat More than 10,000 Dalits from all over the state attended a protest rally where they took a pledge not to lift carcasses of animals from public places and asked the state government to provide them licensed firearms to protect themselves against alleged atrocities by the upper caste Hindus.

How much love Modi, who call himself poor Chai Wala has for destitute Dalits is clear from his statement as CM of Gujarat when he said, “Dalits were like mentally retarded children”. Again in his book ‘ Karmayog’ published in 2007, Modi wrote about Dalits, “the work of cleaning toilets has been a spiritual experience for the Valmiki community”.

Mainstream media has questioned Modi, “Would the PM care to explain to the country what he means by manual scavenging being a “spiritual” experience?