Don’t let the fire of riots burn down India’s fast pace of progress
At this moment, I am deeply saddened and greatly shocked -- why did Nagpur, the second capital of Maharashtra, the hometown of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and my beloved city, get engulfed in the flames of riots? The Mahal area of Nagpur had witnessed riots in 1923, 1927 and again in 1991. However, in the years that followed, apart from minor instances of tension, Nagpur largely remained a peaceful city. So, what suddenly ignited this fire?
The Gond ruler Bakht Buland Shah and the Bhonsale royal family shaped this city in such a way that people from all communities have lived here with peace and harmony. During Ram Navami processions, Muslims and Sikhs offer their services and distribute sherbet. During Ramzan and Eid, Hindus actively participate in the festivities. People from all faiths embrace each other in celebration. This is the city of Tajuddin Baba, the city of devotees of Sai Baba, who taught us ‘Sabka Malik Ek’ (God is One). The Jain community organises a grand procession on Mahavir Jayanti and people from all backgrounds come together to welcome it. This city has always been hospitable and inclusive, leaving no space for hatred and animosity.
The violence in Nagpur was the result of a conspiracy by a handful of persons. They spread false rumours. The police have arrested the main conspirator, Fahim Khan, on charges of video morphing, rumour-mongering and unlawfully assembling people with the intention of inciting violence. Another rumour was spread that the police had not taken action against those who burned the chadar, even though cases had already been registered. Such rumours fuelled the fire. I firmly believe that those responsible for disturbing Nagpur’s peace -- regardless of their community -- must be identified and punished. The authorities must take strict action to ensure that such incidents never happen again. At the same time, the police must ensure that innocent people are not harassed, especially during the festive season. While I do not believe that the intelligence agencies completely failed, I do think that better inputs could have helped avert this violence. I commend the Nagpur city police, particularly commissioner of police Ravinder Singal and his team, for handling the situation with remarkable restraint and swiftly restoring normalcy. I also appreciate the peace-loving persons from both communities, who cooperated with the police and played a crucial role in preventing the unrest from spreading to other parts of the city.
I have always been very emotional about religious discord because I have seen firsthand how riots ruin the lives of common people. That is why, during the Covid-19 pandemic, I conducted indepth research for Harvard University on the topic of ‘Religion, Conflict and Peace’. The key conclusion of my research was that religion is a deeply personal aspect of life and it is entirely up to you whether it spreads love or fuels the fire of hatred. Every religion preaches peace and brotherhood, yet selfish motives often give rise to waves of hatred. If politicians and religious leaders make a conscious decision not to spark tension in the name of religion, then naturally, violence will not erupt.
It is unfortunate that petty politics and people who exploit religion for their own gains are constantly stirring up new controversies. The recent violence was allegedly triggered on the issue of Aurangzeb’s tomb. But the real question is: Why are we even concerned about his grave today? Should we go back to the medieval era where every sultan and king wrote new chapters of oppression? Should we revert to a tribal mentality? Even tribes that once lived by hatred have now embraced peace and coexistence. There was a time when certain groups in Nagaland would behead people from rival groups and display their skulls in their homes. But even they have moved on. We live in the modern era and our thinking should be progressive and broad-minded. I completely agree with the all India publicity chief of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sunil Ambekar that Aurangzeb is not relevant today, and any form of violence must be discouraged.
I won’t delve into statistics on how many riots have been rocking the country every year and what is the situation now. I will not discuss the Sambhal incident either. All I will say is that whenever a riot breaks out, its flames engulf society and the nation as well. So, stay patient.
This reminds me of Bashir Badr’s sher:
Log toot jaate hain ekghar banane mein,Tum taras nahi khaatebastiyan jalane mein!
The author is the chairman, Editorial Board of Lokmat Media and former member of Rajya Sabha.