CORONA JIHAD in INDIA; TRUTH or CONSPIRACY
By: Abdul Saboor Mubariz
Mahboob Ali, a resident of Harewali village in Northwest Delhi was beaten up with sticks and shoes by Hindu extremists until he bled from his nose and ears. Ali recently returned home from a Tablighi gathering. The Hindus were certain that he was gone to train for so the so-called corona Jihad. He has returned to carry out his Jihad by spreading the Coronavirus. Ali was dragged into a Hindu temple and was requested to accept Hinduism if he wanted to go to hospital.
Similar incidents increased after 4000 Tabhlighi participants of a gathering in Dehli tested positive for Covid-19. Hindus alleged that Tablighi participants consisted Pakistanis who wanted to kill hindus with Corona Jihad (Hindus believes that killing Hindus through coronavirus is called Corona Jihad).
Spread of Religious Extremism Via Media
After the incident, some religious extremist groups tried to spread hatred against Muslims in the country. Certain Social media users and TV channels commenced anti-Muslim propagandas and fake news. A few shared that their Muslim neighbors have the coronavirus, which consequently resulted cut of ties with the families. A religious group at Tamil Nadu, Western India falsely announced that 18 members of Tablighi Jamaat have the coronavirus and requested the police to arrest them. After the announcement, Hindus and the police behaved irrationally with the Tablighi members. However, it was discovered later that their tests for Covid-19 were negative.
The Hindu officials and religious groups utterly held Muslims for the coronavirus. The Uttar Pradesh state even announced 10,000 INR bounty for those who exposes the participants of the Tablighi gathering.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the current ruling party of India also blamed Tablighi Jamaat and stated that conducting Tablighi assemblies in present sensitive condition prove that the deliberately want to spread the virus among Hindus. The Party called such act “Coronaterrorism” and named its member “Human bombs”.
Deepak Chaurasia, an Indian Journalist who has above a hundred thousand followers on twitter, tweeted “ A man was killed by Tablighi Jammat members in Prayagraj of Uttar Pradesh because he used to criticize Tabligh Jamaat”. Later, Prayagraj Police reported that it was fake news. The man was killed due to his personal enmity.
Fake News, propagandas and its effects on Muslim Society
As result of such fake and inaccurate news, people started to avoid buying from Muslims sellers. Doctors refused to treat Muslim patients in hospitals. For so-called precaution, a cancer treatment hospital at Mirat city declined to admit any Muslim patient who has not been tested for the coronavirus.
The Guardian newspaper website has shared a video in which a leader of Phanchayat in Ankanahally village of Karnataka threatens the villagers if they maintain relations with Muslims or seen talking to one, will be fined 500-1000 INR.
Indian Muslims cannot leave home or use social media due to fear, embarrassment and humiliation. Government’s aids during the lockdown were not distributed to Muslims because the aids were either embezzled by officials or they distributors were prevented by the police from reaching out to Muslims’ houses. Because of deprivation of trade and inability to receive assistance, poverty level among Indian Muslims raised and their stomachs became empty. They had no any other choice except prayer to their creator. Some Muslims even committed suicides as they could not comprehend any other choice.
Why Dilshad Mahmood Committed Suicide?
Dilshad Mahmood was a resident of Ana Pur of Uttar Pradesh, India. He was presumed a member of Tablighi Jamaat party by people of the area. He was continuously insulted and disrespected until he committed suicide.
Dilshad’s mother in an interview with BBC Urdu said “My son was exceedingly insulted. The people even started to avoid buying milk from him. He became intolerant and consequently committed suicide”.
Dilshad’s wife expressed to the Tribune newspaper “People refused to come to our house because of my husband. To put end to the problem, my husband tested for the coronavirus which came out negative. However, people still continued to trouble him. In result, he committed suicide”.
Tablighi Gathering; An Excuse and a Conspiracy
Religious violence has a long history in India. Babrai masjid, incidents in June, 1984 and 31st October, 2002 in Gujarat are examples of many other incidents of religious violence. Considering the history of religious violence in India, we can realize that hindus have only made mare excuses for violence. Current atmosphere is similar to any other time, in which, hindus only hold coronavirus outbreak as an excuse to generate hatred and violence against Muslims.
Dr. Zafarul Islam, chairman of Delhi Minority Commission expressed to the Guardian newspaper “Why only Tablighi party to be blamed for gathering people and allegedly trying to spread the virus? Nonetheless we have dozens of other examples of big rallies conducted by the government, political and religious parties. Why they are not blamed for the spread? Why Muslims are the only ones to blame? This only shows that it is a religious war against Muslims.
In short, the coronavirus outbreak and censuring Tablighi Jamaat is only an excuse to produce hatred and violence against Muslims. The United Nations, Organization of Islamic cooperation and international authorities are expected to make effort for ending religious discrimination in India and request the Indian government for giving Muslims their human rights.
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References:
- https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/13/coronavirus-conspiracy-theories-targeting-muslims-spread-in-india
- https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/coronavirus-outbreak-india-blamed-muslims-200418143252362.html
- https://www.bbc.com/urdu/pakistan-52384101
- https://www.bbc.com/urdu/regional-52204098
- https://www.bbc.com/urdu/regional-52110141