Page 54 - English Tehelka Issue 6 - March 31, 2018

OpiniOn
dilemmas
HumrA
QurAISHI
The Delhi-based writer
and columnist’s books
include kashmir: the
Untold story. She co-
authored a series of
writings with the late
Khushwant Singh and
her short stories are
part of anthologies.
The views expressed
are her own
54-55 Opinion Humra.indd 2-3
sOciety
Stop the ‘private brigades’
from wrecking havoc!
A spurt in the anti-humanitarian activities of private right-wing
armies promoting pseudo-nationalism is a grave threat to the
nation and we must not turn a blind eye to their spread across India
hy should political told it yields total and absolute control
characters in a de- in the area. A sense of fear prevails
mocracy raise and amongst the local population, who dare
nurture their own not veto dictates and commands of this
private brigades? Vahini.
W For the last few Needless to add, the worst affected
years the who’s who in the Right –wing are the Dalits, Christians and Muslims
political parties are seen pampering of the region. It would be naïve to expect
their little armies, their ‘private senas’. the disadvantaged communities of
And nobody dares to ask why they are Uttar Pradesh rebelling against the
raising these brigades, when the police Hindutva agenda unleashed on them.
and the paramilitary and, of course, the They told me that they have learnt to sit • Arms up many of these encounters are based democratic norms. Fascism here,
RSS cadres are at their beck and call! quiet and subdued at the build-ups, un- Cases of goon on personal and political rivalries, The Hindu Yuva yet we prefer to look the other way;
Who gives them the sanction to provoked by the provocative Hindutva brigades to settle old disputes, to unsettle the Vahini yields total bypassing and overlooking the
maintain these brigades? Who pays for slogans raised in their neighborhood. attacking ‘other’? and absolute eerie build ups.
their upkeep? Who controls them? Who Several even recounted the aftermath of individuals Reported cases of these goon
directs them? Who trains them to target the Kasganj riots and the Hindutva bri- who dare to brigades attacking individuals who control in the • • •
the ‘enemy’? Who all are fitted into gades’ role in those riots. In fact, a large criticise them dare to criticize or even question
these brigades and what for? What’s number of Muslims in Uttar Pradesh are on the rise the political rulers are coming up, area; a sense Weeks before Khushwant Singh
the difference between them and the seem to have already accepted their but who can help out. None! Even of fear prevails passed away, I had asked if he car-
political mafia? Are these brigades an second or third-class positioning for the before the police force can act or ried any regrets. “I wish I had taken
extension if not an integral part of the sake of the so many sakes! And with this not act, these brigades go about amongst the local on these fundoos/ sanghis much
mafia causing havoc in the states of Ut- backgrounder, its downright silly for unleashing violence on just about population, who more aggressively, as they are hell
tar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana political commentators to come up with anyone, on any given alibi or pre- bent on destroying this land. All
and Rajasthan? Aren’t they responsible those typical utterances — ‘See, how text. After all, mafia gangs need little dare not veto these years I’ve been critical of them
for the overnight displacements and Muslims are okay with Yogi Adityanath sanction to attack. its dictates and but should have exposed them
sudden shifts of entire clans of the dis- as chief minister. No revolt, no outcry, It is becoming increasingly dan- much more in my columns and
advantaged communities? no rebellion!’ gerous as these brigades or vahinis commands written more, much more on their
It is essential to know the role played Do the hapless citizens have a or senas are spreading out, spread- activities …on the destructions they
by private brigades during rioting and choice? Wouldn’t they get gunned down ing violence in the different regions are wrecking.” He was also more
pogroms and also during extortion and and their children attacked if they dare of our country. Why do we overlook than vocal about the Right-wing
kidnapping bids. But who would dare snub Yogi Adityanath and his men. Fear the fact that they are also holding pictures were enough to show that nurturing their private senas. “What
raise questions, in the backdrop of the of the political brigades is writ large to training camps for recruits to attack young men and women were get- I find very disturbing and danger-
fact that they seem to be functioning such an extent that even the who’s who the ‘enemies’ who are ultimately ting training to attack the ‘enemy’ – ous is that the communal parties
under the control of the rulers of the avoid stepping out after sunset. And as their own vulnerable countrymen. dummies of skull capped men! have launched their own private
day. the number of encounters are going In fact, in 2016, even when news No, it was no overnight develop- armies. Any government which
Last week, as the chief minister of up in Uttar Pradesh — as many as 1,142 reports and photographs were ment. It is spreading out right now allows private armies affiliated to
Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath cam- encounters were recorded between splashed in national dailies focused in a blatantly stark and unstop- political parties is doing nothing
paigned in his constituency, Gorakhpur, March 2017 and January 2018, and 38 on the VHP and Bajrang Dal holding pable manner. I wonder why we short of making inroads for fascism!
I got in touch with local activists to alleged criminals were killed. The vital arms training camps in and around are sitting so very subdued and Fascism is here!”
know the role played by his own bri- question doing the rounds in the towns Greater Noida, Varanasi, Ayodhya , quiet on this when it seems nothing
gade — Hindu Yuva Vahini (HYV). I was and cities of Uttar Pradesh is this: How there was no outcry. This, when the short of political mafia overtaking letters@tehelka.com
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