Muslims living around us 'are not Mughals', got mostly converted to escape caste discrimination

By Himanshu Kumar*

Columbus was a Christian, but the occupation of America by him and the massacre of the Native Americans are not called a Christian attack or killings by Christians. The British, Dutch, Portuguese, and French came to India, but we never said that Christians ruled India. However, when the Mughals came to India and ruled, we call it a Muslim invasion of Hindus and say that Muslims imposed slavery on Hindus.

In fact, the Mughals in India gave patronage to the Bhakti movement. It was during their time that poets like Surdas, Tulsidas, Meera, Rahim, and Raidas thrived. Krishna's entire childhood stories developed during this period. Four hundred temples dedicated to Lord Rama were built during the Mughal period. The Ramcharitmanas was written during the Mughal era.

Nevertheless, today's point of reflection is: Was it really Muslim rule? Are today's Muslims Mughals? The Muslims living around us in India are mostly people who converted from the so-called lower castes of India. A large number of people adopted Islam in search of equality, escaping caste-based exploitation, discrimination, and untouchability.

In the 1857 rebellion, Muslims participated in large numbers and troubled the British. After 1857, a significant number of those hanged were Muslims. The British severely destroyed the Muslims. After that, many Muslim leaders assured the British that they wouldn't join Congress and would focus on education. The Muslim League was formed for this purpose, with the help of the British.

By then, Congress had begun to radicalize and embrace socialist and egalitarian ideas. The landlords and upper-caste people began to feel that their interests would not be protected in Congress. Traditional ruling class Hindus formed the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Hindu Mahasabha and distanced themselves from Congress, while Muslim landlords supported the Muslim League. It was decided that after independence, zamindari (landlordism) would not be abolished in Pakistan.

Remember, the first law passed in India after independence was the Zamindari Abolition Act. But in Pakistan, zamindari has not been abolished to this day. An article by Madhu Limaye explains that Guru Golwalkar of the RSS strongly opposed the abolition of zamindari in India.

At the ideological level, the Muslim League and the RSS are on the same plane. In fact, the Hindu Mahasabha and the Muslim League together formed governments in India, and Jan Sangh leader Syama Prasad Mukherjee served as a minister in a government supported by the Muslim League. Both were opposed to Congress. The RSS supported the British during the Quit India movement. The RSS even informed the British how they could crush the Quit India movement.

There is evidence for all these things. I can testify because many people in my family were involved in the freedom struggle of that time, and my father himself participated in the Quit India movement.

In Pakistan, zamindari has not been abolished to this day. In India, Guru Golwalkar of RSS strongly opposed zamindari abolition

The worrying thing is that over the past 100 years, the RSS has completely distorted our history. Hatred against Muslims has been spread, and lies have been propagated. As a result, today's young Hindus are filled with hatred and have become supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has now completely seized power.

The BJP's hold on power is not like that of other parties. The BJP's control is total. The BJP now controls the Indian army, the Supreme Court, the Election Commission, universities, the police, industrialists, and the Reserve Bank. Earlier, all these institutions operated independently, and the government had to manage with their input. Today, all these institutions work at the behest of the government.

The worrying thing is that the government is now run by just two people. The cabinet is now useless, and Parliament has become irrelevant. India is in great trouble. We have made enemies of the countries around us. China is intruding into our territory. Within the country, student leaders and intellectuals are being jailed. Industries are collapsing, unemployment is spreading, education is stagnant, and the economy is in disarray.

It is during such times that governments begin to brutally suppress any voices of dissent. This is indeed a concerning time, but it should be seen as a challenge. We should not be afraid of being arrested or killed. We need to fiercely resist these forces and increase efforts to restore truth and justice.

---

*Social activist working in Dantewada. Source: The author's Facebook timeline

Comments

Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan raises concerns over Jharkhand Adivasis' plight in Assam, BJP policies

By Our Representative The Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan (Save Democracy Campaign) has issued a pressing call to protect Adivasi rights in Jharkhand, highlighting serious concerns over the treatment of Jharkhandi Adivasis in Assam. During a press conference in Ranchi on November 9, representatives from Assam, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh criticized the current approach of BJP-led governments in these states, arguing it has exacerbated Adivasi struggles for rights, land, and cultural preservation.

Promoting love or instilling hate and fear: Why is RSS seeking a meeting with Rahul Gandhi?

By Ram Puniyani* India's anti-colonial struggle was marked by a diverse range of social movements, one of the most significant being Hindu-Muslim unity and the emergence of a unified Indian identity among people of all religions. The nationalist, anti-colonial movement championed this unity, best embodied by Mahatma Gandhi, who ultimately gave his life for this cause. Gandhi once wrote, “The union that we want is not a patched-up thing but a union of hearts... Swaraj (self-rule) for India must be an impossible dream without an indissoluble union between the Hindus and Muslims of India. It must not be a mere truce... It must be a partnership between equals, each respecting the religion of the other.”

Right-arm fast bowler who helped West Indies shape arguably greatest Test team in cricket history

By Harsh Thakor* Malcolm Marshall redefined what it meant to be a right-arm fast bowler, challenging the traditional laws of biomechanics with his unique skill. As we remember his 25th death anniversary on November 4th, we reflect on the legacy he left behind after his untimely death from colon cancer. For a significant part of his career, Marshall was considered one of the fastest and most formidable bowlers in the world, helping to shape the West Indies into arguably the greatest Test team in cricket history.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual.

Andhra team joins Gandhians to protest against 'bulldozer action' in Varanasi

By Rosamma Thomas* November 1 marked the 52nd day of the 100-day relay fast at the satyagraha site of Rajghat in Varanasi, seeking the restoration of the 12 acres of land to the Sarva Seva Sangh, the Gandhian organization that was evicted from the banks of the river. Twelve buildings were demolished as the site was abruptly taken over by the government after “bulldozer” action in August 2023, even as the matter was pending in court.

Will Bangladesh go Egypt way, where military ruler is in power for a decade?

By Vijay Prashad* The day after former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka, I was on the phone with a friend who had spent some time on the streets that day. He told me about the atmosphere in Dhaka, how people with little previous political experience had joined in the large protests alongside the students—who seemed to be leading the agitation. I asked him about the political infrastructure of the students and about their political orientation. He said that the protests seemed well-organized and that the students had escalated their demands from an end to certain quotas for government jobs to an end to the government of Sheikh Hasina. Even hours before she left the country, it did not seem that this would be the outcome.

Will Left victory in Sri Lanka deliver economic sovereignty plan, go beyond 'tired' IMF agenda?

By Atul Chandra, Vijay Prashad* On September 22, 2024, the Sri Lankan election authority announced that Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) alliance won the presidential election. Dissanayake, who has been the leader of the left-wing JVP since 2014, defeated 37 other candidates, including the incumbent president Ranil Wickremesinghe of the United National Party (UNP) and his closest challenger Sajith Premadasa of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya.

Green Revolution’s reliance on chemical fertilizers, pesticides contributing to Punjab's health crisis

By Bharat Dogra, Jagmohan Singh* Punjab was once synonymous with robust health, particularly in its rural areas, where farmers were known for their strength and vitality. However, in recent years, reports from these villages tell a different story, with rising cases of serious health issues, including cancer. What led to this decline? The answer lies largely in the erosion of good nutrition, once a hallmark of Punjabi village life. The health of a population is closely tied to its nutrition, and Punjab's reputation as a provider of high-quality nutrition has suffered greatly. The loss of biodiversity in agriculture has led to a decrease in the variety and quality of crops, resulting in poorer nutrition. Pulses, a key source of protein, have seen a steep decline in cultivation due to the disruption of traditional farming practices by the Green Revolution. This has had a detrimental effect on both soil and human health. Although pulses are still available in the market, they are exp

Tributes paid to pioneer of Naxalism in Punjab, who 'dodged' police for 60 yrs

By Harsh Thakor* Jagjit Singh Sohal, known as Comrade Sharma, a pioneer of Naxalism in Punjab, passed away on October 20 at the age of 96. Committed to the Naxalite cause and a prominent Maoist leader, Sohal, who succeeded Charu Majumdar, played hide and seek with the police for almost six decades. He was cremated in Patiala.

Search This Blog