India’s Kristallnacht

When Joseph Goebbels egged on the Nazi supporters to attack Jews and destroy Jewish infrastructure in 1938, hundreds of Jews were killed, and their homes, shops, synagogues, businesses, schools were razed down or burnt.  No police or administration came to the rescue of Jews or their property.  The “Night of Broken Glass” or the Kristallnacht was executed with impunity, brutality and active German state support.  Goebbels was the minister of “public enlightenment.”  It is not hard to see that what happened in Delhi, India from Feb 23 onwards, for 3 days, bears a stark resemblance to what happened in Nazi Germany eighty-two years ago.  The organized Hindutva mobs were let loose on Delhi’s Muslims in north-eastern part and for 3 days the mobs looted, burnt, destroyed homes, businesses, mosques, schools that Muslims owned.  During this mayhem, Muslims were killed, burnt, hacked, trampled, beaten in the worst ways possible.  The figures of death are increasing every day after the mobs were signaled to stop, and official count of the dead began.  Eventually, it may touch 100 or more.  The “home minister” of India, Amit Shah, whose primary responsibility is protection of Indian people, allowed the pogrom to happen, maintaining absolute silence.  The Delhi police under the home minister remained either mute spectator or actively encouraged the mobs in attacking Muslim neighborhoods.  Prime Minister Modi who runs the country was popularly elected in last general elections as Hitler was popularly elected during his time.  The genocide Hitler carried out after the Kristallnacht is recorded as one of the worst atrocities of mankind in history, what Modi will do after this Indian Kristallnacht is yet to be seen.  The trends seem to converge chillingly closely.

Modi and Shah, architects of Gujarat carnage of Muslims in 2002 are adept in instigating communal riots through their hate speeches.  Their key positions in running the country and national government have not toned them down.  This was evident in their speeches for Delhi elections that concluded in early February.  However, what happened in Delhi was not communal riot – it was an organized pogrom carried out with support and complicity of state to target and kill Muslims.  Mobs were brought in from outside Delhi and with collaboration of some locals, inhuman violence was unleashed on Muslims.  Their stories have been recorded by many conscientious media outlets, national and international, and will remain a permanent blot on Modi government.  Contrary to expectation, the carnage did not occur to the scale of Gujarat, as many locals cooperated with each other and many Hindu families sheltered their Muslim neighbors.  However, this was not universally true, and in many instances Hindu neighbors pointed to Muslim homes and properties to the frenzied Hindutva mob.  This has shattered the hopes and spirit of the Muslim population regarding brotherhood between two communities that have lived side by side since centuries.  The callous apathy shown by the state in preventing the violence against them has deepened the despair and hopelessness that will be hard to restore.  They feel orphaned by state with nowhere to go for justice.  Speaking of justice, the dismal record of the supreme court in recent past has more than revealed that the Indian judiciary stands now fully compromised and is now acting as a tool of Hindutva government.

The pogrom of Muslims in Delhi is a stab in the heart and soul of India.  It has amply shown that under Modi regime Muslims face an existential threat.  The brazenness in these attacks, especially during Trump visit was intentional The diabolical combination of CAA, NPR and NRC is a design which is aimed at disenfranchising Muslims, Dalits and other poor of the country.  The primary target however are Muslims that need to effaced for Hindu nation to establish.  The backdoor entry to citizenship through CAA is reserved only for Hindus.  This unconstitutional, draconian and anti-human law is hurling India towards a dystopian future.  Already 1.9 million people in Assam NRC have been rendered stateless, essentially stripped of all rights.  Citizenship right is a conduit to all other rights, and that has been taken away from a bulk of people in this inhumane experiment.  Some are thrown into detention centers in Assam – a concept that is so alien to Indian ethos and inclusive culture; one thought it only existed in European nations and was a thing of past.

Modi government’s Hindutva agenda is truly fascist; it resembles fascist Nazi Germany far more than any other dictatorship in past decades.  The world is slowly waking up to the fact that they truly have a monster at hand to deal with.  From universal acceptance in 2014, with international media praising Modi’s development promise, the tables have now turned.  The momentum of long democratic tradition of independent India that prevented the international community from recognizing the fascist and communal nature of Modi government has halted.  The façade of democracy is now gone and in an unprecedented move UNHRC filed a petition against CAA in the supreme court of India.  The international community has now seen the true face of fascist Modi and is relentlessly criticized by international media.  Modi’s foreign travels have stopped.  It is such pressure, along with extremely brave activists like that of Shaheen Bagh and other places, who have virtually revolted against this regime can stop this Hindutva juggernaut.  It is heartening to see that not only intellectuals, artists, journalists, students are coming out full force against Modi government, but also common people, who are pouring over in rallies all over the country.  Most cities in India are boiling in protest – inspired by the brave grandmothers of Shaheen Bagh, who will ultimately win.