Skip to main content

To Swami Vivekananda, Mohammedan conquest of India was 'salvation of downtrodden'

By Ram Puniyani* 

In July 2024, England experienced widespread riots and civil unrest across several cities, primarily driven by misinformation and anti-immigration sentiments. Muslims were predominantly targeted during these disturbances, leading to attacks on mosques and communities housing immigrants. In response, the UK’s All-Party Parliamentary Group released a report aimed at preventing future violence, which included a ban on the phrasing “Muslims spread Islam by the sword,” acknowledging its role in perpetuating Islamophobia. 
This initiative serves as a powerful example for India, where similar misconceptions and biases are rampant. The narrative that Islam expanded through violence, reinforced by historical accounts of Hindu kings being defeated by Muslim rulers for political reasons, is a pervasive myth. In reality, the spread of Islam in India is far more nuanced. 
Historically, Arab traders frequently visited the Malabar Coast of Kerala, where many locals adopted Islam through social interaction. This phenomenon is exemplified by the Cheraman Jumma Mosque, constructed in the seventh century. Swami Vivekananda remarked on this issue, stating that “The Mohammedan conquest of India came as a salvation of the downtrodden, to the poor,” emphasizing that it was not merely the sword that led to conversions but rather a means for the oppressed to seek liberation from landlords and priests. As he points out, very few rulers, excluding Emperor Ashoka, actively sought to propagate their religions. 
In contemporary India, misconceptions targeting Muslims and Christians continue to proliferate, laying the groundwork for violence. These false beliefs have gradually become entrenched in societal attitudes, often portrayed as common sense. The damaging narrative that Muslim rulers destroyed Hindu temples intensified after the Babri Mosque's demolition on December 6, 1992, a tragedy for which accountability remains elusive. 
Today, issues surrounding the Babri Mosque have expanded to the Kashi and Mathura sites, with even the Taj Mahal being labeled a converted Hindu temple. Recently, the misconception that "the cow is a sacred animal and Muslims kill cows" has gained traction, fueling a dual narrative of promoting vegetarianism while justifying acts of lynching. 
According to a report by IndiaSpend, Muslims constituted 51% of violence related to bovine issues between 2010 and 2017, with 86% of the 28 fatalities in these incidents being Muslim individuals. Notably, 96% of these attacks occurred after Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office in May 2014, predominantly in states governed by the BJP. 
Human rights activist Harsh Mander, founder of Karwan-e-Mohabbat, has dedicated himself to supporting families affected by lynching, recognizing the deep and terrifying impact of such violence. This reality was starkly highlighted when cow vigilantes killed Hindu student Aryan Mishra, mistakenly believing he was Muslim. Aryan's mother lamented, questioning the rationale for such violence against Muslims and pointing out that all humans deserve compassion. 
The targeting of non-vegetarian food has also become a painful issue for Muslim students, as highlighted by an incident in Amroha where a third-grade Muslim boy was punished for bringing biryani to school. The principal, Amrish Kumar Sharma, locked him in a storage room, asserting he would not teach students who might grow up to "demolish temples." 
One of the significant challenges facing India today is hate speech, an issue for which we already have mechanisms for control and punishment. However, those perpetuating hate often operate with impunity and are sometimes even rewarded within political circles. Assam's Chief Minister frequently deploys dehumanizing rhetoric against Muslims, describing terms like "flood jihad" and "electricity jihad," aimed at polarizing the community along religious lines. Similarly, Yogi Adityanath, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, has been known to sanction the demolition of properties belonging to Muslims using bulldozers. 
Justice B.R. Gavai has raised concerns about the legality and morality of such actions, questioning how the properties of individuals accused of offenses can be targeted without due process. Given the prevailing misconceptions in Indian society and the lack of impactful measures to address them, it is time for the government to follow the UK’s example by establishing a similar committee in India. 
The time for action is overdue, as civil society and political factions committed to a harmonious and inclusive society must come together to counter these toxic narratives and work towards preventing communal violence. 
--- 
*Political commentator

Comments

TRENDING

Defeat of martial law: Has the decisive moment for change come in South Korea?

By Steven Lee  Late at night on December 3, soldiers stormed into South Korea’s National Assembly in armored vehicles and combat helicopters. Assembly staff desperately blocked their assault with fire extinguishers and barricades. South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol had just declared martial law to “ eliminate ‘anti-state’ forces .”

EVMs: Govt must prove beyond reasonable doubt it's upholding mandate for free, fair polls

By Jerald D’souza  With the growth of India’s population, concerns about electoral fraud associated with ballot papers, also began to escalate. In 1989, the People’s Representation Act was amended to enable EVMs to prevent electoral fraud. In 1998, EVMs made their debut during legislative assembly elections and for the first time for general elections in 2004. However, criticisms against the EVMs and questions about their integrity have been raised by political parties, civil society and the general population. On 2 February 2024, there was a noteworthy demonstration of dissent where numerous individuals, including Ambedkarite advocates, legal professionals, and other members of civil society  convened at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar demanding the prohibition of EVMs. In 2024, the Supreme court had slapped down a petition to return to paper ballots on the basis that machines give “absolutely accurate results” unless human bias maligns them. The court stated that it was open to testi...

70,000 migrants, sold on Canadian dream, face uncertain future: Canada reinvents the xenophobic wheel

By Saurav Sarkar*  Bikram Singh is running out of time on his post-study work visa in Canada. Singh is one of about 70,000 migrants who were sold on the Canadian dream of eventually making the country their home but now face an uncertain future with their work permits set to expire by December 2024. They came from places like India, China, and the Philippines, and sold their land and belongings in their home countries, took out loans, or made other enormous commitments to get themselves to Canada.

This Indian British Marxist blamed USSR's collapse in 1991 on Khrushchev's 'revisionism'

By Harsh Thakor*  Harpal Singh Brar, British Indian Marxist scholar and communist leader, has passed away in Chandigarh. He was 85. He was a lifelong supporter of socialism, Marxism, and the working class. He will be remembered among British Communists.

Chalapathi's death in encounter suggests Maoists' inability to establish broader mass support

By Harsh Thakor* The Maoist movement experienced a significant loss during the Ramagudem encounter on January 21, with the death of Chalapathi (Pratap), a Central Committee member of the CPI (Maoist). His death, along with 15 others, marks a major setback for the movement. Reports suggest that his location was revealed to security forces through a selfie with his wife.

Operation Kagar represents Indian state's intensified attempt to extinguish Maoism: Resistance continues

By Harsh Thakor Operation Kagar represents the Indian state's intensified attempt to extinguish Maoism, which claims to embody the struggles and aspirations of Adivasis. Criminalized by the state, the Maoists have been portrayed as a threat, with Operation Kagar deploying strategies that jeopardize their activities. This operation weaves together economic, cultural, and political motives, allegedly with drone attacks on Adivasi homes.

Chhattisgarh's CFR management plan implementation under PM-DA JGUA: A promising start

By Dr. Manohar Chauhan*  Chhattisgarh is poised to benefit significantly from the Pradhan Mantri Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Uttkarsh Abhiyan (PM-DA JGUA) Mission, launched by the Prime Minister on October 2, 2024.  This mission aims to support 400 gram sabhas in the state in developing and implementing Community Forest Resource (CFR) Management Plans.

A groundbreaking non-violent approach: Maharishi’s invincible defense technology

By MajGen (R) Kulwant Singh, Col (R) SP Bakshi, Col (R) Jitendra Jung Karki, LtCol (R) Gunter Chassé & Dr David Leffler*  In today’s turbulent world, achieving lasting peace and ensuring national security are more urgent than ever. Traditional defense methods focus on advanced weapons, military strategies, and tactics, but a groundbreaking approach offers a new non-violent and holistic solution: Maharishi’s Invincible Defense Technology (IDT). 

Why do we mostly resist and refrain from communicating on sanitation topic?

By Nikhil Kumar, Mansee Bal Bhargava* According to UN SDG Progress report (2022), at the present moment no targets for SDG 6 are expected to be met by 2030. In 2022, 2.2 billion people had no access to safe drinking water and 3.5 million lacked safe sanitation. Approximately 50% of the world’s population was reported to have been under resourced in enough water for part of the year and a quarter of that population was living under “extremely high” water stress. Add to it, droughts have affected over 1.4 billion people between 2002 and 2021.

CCG raises concerns over Indian State of Forest Report 2023 in open letter to environment minister

By A Representative  The Constitutional Conduct Group (CCG), a collective of former civil servants, has expressed serious concerns over the Indian State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023 in an open letter to the Union Minister for Environment, Forests & Climate Change. The group has criticized the report's delayed release, flawed methodology, and misleading claims regarding the state of India's forests.