Myths, facts and Schizophrenic, Hallucinating, and Hypocritical anti-Modi “Activists”
Steven Wilkinson of the Duke University has authored a detailed paper on Violence and Riots in India. The raw data has been published in the paper titled: Varshney-Wilkinson Dataset on Hindu-Muslim Violence in India, 1950-1995, Version 2.
Here is an interesting insight from this data:
During Nehru’s rule – from 1950 to 1964, 263 riots in 16 states occurred.
During Indira Gandhi’s rule (1966 through to 1977 and then 1980 through to 1984) 337 riots in 15 states have been recorded. And, this is apart from the Khalistani violence and then Sikh Youth cleansing in rural Punjab – a chapter of violence by Congress led Police rule (led by KPS Gill), that no one ever talks about!
During Rajiv Gandhi’s time 291 riots in 15 states have been documented including the Sikh massacres of 1984.
Given the rhetoric against Narendra Modi for having “blood on his hand” because of his error of omission in Gujarat just 3 months after assuming his first leadership post, and the subsequent vilification that has happened, one needs to look at the Governance as a whole and compare all the politicians together.
Modi has ruled Gujarat for 11 years now. In that 11 years, there has been ONLY one riot. 2002. And, for that he is being made to pay. Ostensibly by people, whose heart beats for Secularism (and against Communalism) and that high road concept of Human Rights.
So, one is sure that when so many riots and killings were going on in Nehru’s, Indira’s and Rajiv Gandhi’s rules, they must have been at the receiving end as well. Right?
WRONG!!
All THREE of them received BHARAT RATNA for exemplary Governance.
Here is what Steven Wilkinson has to say about the role of Congress in another of his essay:
“[…] one can think of not one or two, but many instances when the ruling party was not the anti-Muslim BJP, or its analytic equivalent, the Shiv Sena, but deadly Hindu-Muslim riots nonetheless took place. […] at one time or another, Congress politicians have both fomented and prevented communal violence for political advantage. Congress governments have failed, for example, to prevent some of India’s worst riots (e. g., the Ahmedabad riots of 1969, the Moradabad riots of 1980, and the Meerut riots of 1987) and in some cases Congress ministers have reportedly instigated riots and have blocked riot enforcement. […] in the post-independence era Congress has at times benefited electorally from Hindu-Muslim violence and I find that we can identify no robust statistical relationship between Congress rule and the level of riots, a result I attribute to the widely varying communal character of the party and its leadership across time and place.” (Wilkinson, Steven I, 2005, Communal Riots in India, Communalism Watch, November 11, 2005, (reproduced from The Economic and Political Weekly, October 29, 2005)
So, if you – whoever the heck you are – did NOT Write an OPED or express your concern when Nehru, Indira or Rajiv Gandhi were getting Bharat Ratna or when the Sikh massacres were happening or when Dr. Singh installed Tytler as the Union Minister.. …. then please SHUT THE F*** UP on Modi. Because your concern is NAUSEATINGLY shallow and hypocritical.
It is so hypocritical that I am offended by someone mouthing the word “Secularism”. Because for me, Secularism in India is synonymous with Hypocrisy and Shallowness. And, the people responsible for bastardizing this word are those who have paraded it naked after gang raping it everywhere.
That is why when those Wharton Professors and their backers petition to stop Modi from speaking, one must ask them… where the heck were their voices earlier? How did they let Rajiv Gandhi into US, after what he and his ministers had done?
How did they let Dr. Manmohan Singh into the country after he had installed Jagdish Tytler – who personally led the Sikh massacres in Delhi – as a Union Minister in his first cabinet?
Where were the voices then??
This clueless idiot has the most interesting circular logic – that what makes Modi “unacceptable” is … well his unacceptability to Muslims. Well, who has made Modi unacceptable in the eyes of most, when the real damage to India’s secular and religious harmony has been done by others.. Many many others.. who have received Bharat Ratnas to boot? The media. These same ideologues, who write, without any regard, sense or knowledge of history! For, if one was to look at facts, then it would be difficult to point to Modi with a straight face as being the bane of Secular Harmony!
As the actual records say, between between 1950 and 1995, 245 riots were documented in the state of Gujarat, killing thousands! So who was ruling there then? Yes, Congress. Thank you very much!
For a matter of record, let us look a little more clearly at the worst riots in Indian independent history (thanks to Kiran Kumar for culling out this data from the studies):
WORST riot: 1947 Communal riots in Bengal | 5000-10000 Killed | Ruling party happened to be Congress
Riot 2: 1969 | Communal riots in Ahmedabad | More than 512 Killed in the city. 3000 to 15000 range in the entire state | Riots for 6 months | Ruling party happened to be Congress
Riot 3: Oct 1984 | Communal riots in Delhi | 2733 Killed | Ruling party Congress | Almost 100% casualty were Sikhs, which makes this a Rajiv Gandhi led genocide on India’s minorities | Followed by “Big Tree falls” justification too from the Prime Minister!
Riot 4: Feb 1983 | Communal violence in Nellie, Assam | 2000-5000 killed | PM – Indira Gandhi (Congress party) – India’s worst slaughter of Muslims in any single riot (just 6 HOURS)
Riot 5: 1964 Communal riots in Rourkela & Jamshedpur | 2000 Killed | Ruling party Congress
Riot 6: August 1980 | Moradabad Communal riots | Approx 2000 Killed | Ruling Party Congress
Riot 7: October 1989 | Bhagalpur, Bihar riots | 800 to 2000 killed | Ruling party Congress
Riot 8: Dec 1992 – Jan 1993 | Mumbai, Maharashtra riots | 800 to 2000 killed | Ruling party Congress
Riot 9: April 1985 | Communal riots in Ahmedabad, Gujarat | At least 300 Killed | Ruling party Congress
Riot 10: Dec 1992 | Aligarh, UP | At least 176 killed | Ruling party Congress (President’s rule)
Riot 11: December 1992 | Surat, Gujarat | At least 175 killed | Ruling party Congress
Riot 12: December 1990 | Hyderabad, AP | At least 132 killed | Ruling party Congress
Riot 13: August 1967 | 200 Killed | Communal riots in Ranchi | Party ruling again Congress
Riot 14: April 1979 | Communal riots in Jamshedpur, West Bengal | More than 125 killed | Ruling party CPIM (Communist Party)
Riot 15: 1970 | Bhiwandi communal riots in Maharashtra | Around 80 killed | Ruling party Congress
Riot 16: May 1984 | Communal riots in Bhiwandi | 146 Killed, 611 Inj | Ruling party Congress | CM – Vasandada Patil
Riot 17: Apr-May 1987 | Communal violence in Meerut, UP | 81 killed | Ruling party Congress
Riot 18: July 1986 | Communal violence in Ahmedabad, Gujarat | 59 Killed | Ruling party Congress
Reality Check
Let us get a reality check here. Who are we? The Schizophrenic, hypocritical ideologues, who are trying to jump on to a band-wagon to showcase our “pure and good heart”? Why would the educated, the learned just repeat charges ad nauseum without looking at how history and indeed our present been dealt with by our conscience?
Let me tell you why Drishtikone came into existence. I grew up in Delhi. I was well aware during the Sikh Massacres of what was going on, I was in my high school by then. I knew for a fact that it were the Congress goons, those hired from the slums, who massacred and looted. I personally saw the new Color TVs etc in slums (inside their tents!) after those violent days in Karol Bagh.
Yet, later the phrase that was being used to describe the events was – Hindu-Sikh riots. I was appalled. First, it wasn’t a riot. It was a massacre. Second, NO ONE stepped out to kill or loot a Sikh, because he was a Hindu! Those who killed and looted did so because either they were Congress supporters or were paid by Congress. Period!
So, as I got a better sense of history later in life, I was wondering that if something as recent as 1984 massacres, that happened right in front of me could be twisted to a Machiavellian end by the absolutely hypocritical and spineless media and politicos, then what about the history BEFORE I was born??? So, I started Drishtikone as a chronicle of MY TIMES in MY WORDS!
I want to make sure that at least my off-springs can have a take which is direct and clear.. based on facts… for them to see. They need to know that what happened in 1984 was NOT “Anti-Sikh” or “Hindu-Sikh” riots. IT was a massacre by one political party, the head of which received Bharat Ratna for his rule. Sponsored and cheered by the same lot whose conscience awakens selectively.
They need to learn that emotions and outrage – as one shown by Teesta and her buddies is manufactured. They need to learn that education and knowledge does NOT ensure a free mind. They need to realize that ultimately, world is not totally Good or Evil… but hues of everything in everyone. And most often, you have to choose the best of what you have at hand.