Daily Times

Every blood drop which touches the soil in way of freedom makes it fertile for the rest of the nation. Sikhs in India have always been on the muzzle end. From Dyer to Indra Gandhi and now Modi the suppressed populous of India needs freedom for their own self. Secular India has now been vanished and its been veiled with vile costume of religious extremism.

Whenever the history of subcontinent is conferred or written, word Jallianwala holds special worth. A chapter of agony began when Rowlatt Act of 1919was anguished upon sub-continent.. It aroused sentiments for justice. On 13th of April 1919, number of Punjab populous gathered in Jallianwala Bagh located in Amritsar. What appeared to be a peaceful procession later was converted into the blood rage by a man named Gen. Dyer. Witnesses account for more than thousand causalities but hunter report which later was commissioned by the British raj concluded on 379 death toll. Gen. Dyer ordered to open a direct fire on the population merely 300ft away. The blood lust continued for approx. 10 mins and around 1650 rounds of fire were shot on the souls that called for justice.

After a span of 65 years, atrocious memories of butcher of Amritsar were revived when then Indian prime minister, Indra Gandhi, executed another operation again in Amritsar named as Operation Blue Star. Ironic as it should have been named Red star because of the blood bath that was spilled there. Since 1984, 3rd of Junemarks as one of the darkest days in minds of Sikhs. Morning of June 3, 1984 tanks stormed the golden temple (holy shrine for Sikhs) and savagery begun. Harmandir Sahib complex was desecrated in every aspect as the army was on loose.

February 2002, the day which put another blot on Indian society. Gujrat communal outbreak made its path to one of the deadliest riots in history of India. More than 1000 Muslims were murdered by Hindu fanatics, females were raped and disgraced houses were burned but “India stood strong” where its minorities were desolated. Ironically current prime minister of India, Narendra Modi was chief minister of Gujrat during riots.

World needs to anticipate that the man behind Gujrat riots who orchestrated mass murder and mass rape of Muslims will never have any soft corner for minorities. Now when he has gained enormous power he will fully execute his demonic intentions in Kashmir too.

Without any doubt that, the modern India is undergoing extreme heights on competing the global economic race while it simultaneously is enhancing its security mechanism to sub-due its neighbor Pakistan. However, the fault which lies within India is still unaddressed. Secular vision of India has been overturned into Hindustan. Minorities in India still face a reign of fascism and terror. Secularism is now a far reaching vision for Indian society. It is difficult for minorities to even practice their own belief system. Violence from armed Hindu extremist mobs, lynching and killing is common in new modernized yet dark “‘secular” India. Whether it is Kashmir or any other place in India screams of innocence haunts the Indian society.

Current ambitions of Delhi in command of Modi are no different from Dyer or Indra when they sieged on Sikhs of India. However, this time Muslims are accompanying in this surge of freedom. Kashmir is bleeding and the butcher of Gujrat has once again emerged as butcher of Kashmir. The only difference, which makes this un-holy quest of Modi unique, is along with the physical violence they are inflicting mental one too. Morals of Indian society have eroded to worst, as it is now blood ridden and morally corrupt society with abuses in their minds.

Sikh has always been a major stakeholder in the state and valiant history of Sikhs shows that they are always ready to sacrifice for their community. Extreme heights of violence both physical and mental have been inflicted upon the Muslims and Sikhs. The analogy between these three is quite relevant as their fascist ideas to sub-due minorities through engaging in direct violence are recurring. From Dyer to Indra and now Modi one thing remained persistent targets i.e. the voices of minorities.

World needs to anticipate that the man behind Gujrat riots who orchestrated mass murder and mass rape of Muslims will never have any soft corner for minorities. Now when he has gained enormous power he will fully execute his demonic intentions in Kashmir too.

Revoking freedom of Kashmiri people is one of such act which shows pure intentions of Delhi towards minorities. Today, in Kashmir, systematic violence has now clearly turned into communal violence or even state sponsored violence with blessed hands of those in government. Lynching of Muslims, cow protection squad, killing on the name of god have now become common theme of Indian society, yet there is no one to hear the screams.

The writer is a research associate at the Islamabad Institute of Conflict Resolution