An Ode to Unrestricted Quality Education for Indian Muslim Women

I came across this news today. It is comforting to know that there are members of the Muslim community in India who are fighting for unrestricted women’s education.

Samastha earlier had conveyed that a Muslim woman’s education should be encouraged but within religious restrictions. This became a point of debate across the state of Kerala, with many progressives calling it problematic. However, the most striking response came from a group within the community – the KNM. The organization is demanding that Samastha apologize for its take. KNM is not without its faults, but the stand they took on this particular issue is noteworthy.

Samastha and KNM

To the uninitiated, the “Samastha” group in Kerala refers to “Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama,” an influential Sunni Muslim scholarly body in the state. Samastha plays a significant role in managing religious and educational institutions, including madrasas and mosques, and often issues guidelines on religious matters.

The term “Mujahids” in the context of Kerala typically refers to the Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen (KNM), a prominent Islamic reformist organization in the state. The KNM often contrasts with traditionalist groups like Samastha, promoting a more modern interpretation of Islam, such as advocating the opening of the doors of mosques for Muslim women to enable them to offer Friday juma prayers.

Restricting Women’s Education on Religious Lines

If we connect religion with education, the progress of women in our country will be hindered. Afghanistan is a live example of this. Currently, girls in Afghanistan are generally allowed to attend school only up to the sixth grade. The Taliban, who regained control of the country in August 2021, have imposed severe restrictions on girls’ education beyond this level. Secondary education for girls (grades 7-12) has been largely suspended, and there have also been significant restrictions on female university students, including the closure of universities to women in late 2022. These measures have been widely condemned by international organizations and human rights groups. The global campaign #LetHerLearn, which advocates for Afghan women’s right to education, is gaining traction.

India is no Afghanistan. Here, women are allowed to study without restrictions regardless of religion. Women who are limited to religious studies may face challenges in the corporate world. It would severely restrict their job opportunities in a secular country like India, where well-paid corporate jobs often require you to engage with a global audience and follow strict academic and professional protocols that might not always adhere to religious lines.

Jobs cannot be built around religion in a democracy. Corporate jobs often require specific skills such as critical thinking, teamwork, leadership, and digital literacy. Religious studies may not always focus on developing these skills, which can impact the ability to perform effectively in a corporate setting.

Unfortunate Consequences

What happens when there are limited job opportunities for women due to religious restrictions? They will end up staying at home. Marriage becomes the only option. Financial independence becomes a distant dream.

It is ultimately up to the Indian Muslim woman to decide. If she wishes to pursue further studies, she should not be shamed.

Indian Muslim women deserve quality education, just like anyone else in India. We should have more Indian Muslim women in top positions in the corporate world. Currently, they are practically non-existent outside of Muslim countries. However, to make this happen, there need to be some reforms within the community that will help the women integrate more seamlessly into the existing corporate structure.

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Picture Courtesy: The New Indian Express (July 2^nd 2024, Kerala Edition)

An Ode to Lok Sabha Elections 2024 (Part 4): Four things the new coalition government should focus on

The recent election in India was proof that the BJP is not invincible. Despite the party’s considerable efforts in improving the economy, it failed to connect with the people at the grassroots level. Voters ultimately prioritized free benefits and voted based on caste and religion in rural areas, where the BJP performed poorly. These are the exact issues the government had been working to avoid because they do not contribute to India’s growth in any way.

The election outcome cannot be blamed on the voters, as it is understandable why promises of freebies and jobs with guaranteed 1 lakh salaries were more alluring than infrastructure or development, no matter how burdensome such things might prove for the exchequer. Saying no to such promises is a luxury reserved for the privileged.

It needs to be acknowledged that all political parties, not just the BJP, have played a role in fueling discontent, animosity, and disharmony among communities. It is a collective failure that we, as a society, allowed ourselves to be divided along religious lines. The INDI alliance, too, resorted to fear tactics and misinformation in the name of secularism to further their agendas. As the opposition parties relentlessly worked on propagating their “savior” image, people were quick to believe that the answer to all their solutions, like poverty and joblessness, was the INDI alliance.

I have always been of the belief that one should judge a party/politician by the work they do, not the words they utter. But unfortunately, we are quick to believe hate narratives and forget that in this big bad world of politics, there is no savior, only megalomaniacs greedy for power.

To gain back confidence, the coalition NDA government needs to pull up its socks. Things are far from gloomy for the BJP, as they still are the party with the most seats (240) in India. Congress comes a distant second with their 99 seats. However, BJP’s performance was still a big disappointment to its supporters who expected their party to get more support, especially in Uttar Pradesh, where the sacred Ayodhya temple was built after a long period of wait.

Some changes are in need of the hour. What can the Indian coalition government do to improve its performance? Here are my takes.

Don’t take success for granted

Undoubtedly, this has been the biggest lesson for the ruling party that you should never take your success for granted. The BJP became overconfident with their “400 paar” declarations, which resulted in them not doing enough groundwork.

Many reasons are mentioned for voter dissatisfaction in places like Uttar Pradesh, but the parties would have more accurate insights than us, the speculators. RSS workers allegedly did not campaign extensively or help voters reach the booth, there is also an allegation of missing votes, not enough compensation for people who lost their homes to make way for the temple, etc. Regardless of the issue, the fact remains that the BJP and RSS did not make an effort to connect with voters in rural areas and understand their issues. Instead of providing justifications, the BJP should regroup and focus on the areas where it faltered.

Outreach programs for minorities

Most Christians and Muslims I know are frightened of the BJP. This is where the opposition party made a resounding impact, albeit in a negative/divisive manner. The local politicians went around, scaring people into thinking they would be evicted if the BJP came into power. Elderly, economically disadvantaged Muslims who were approached by news channels were seen pleading to the general public with teary eyes, “Please don’t vote for the BJP. If they come into power, they will kill us.”

Who is responsible for this fearmongering? The “Hindu vs other religions” narrative has gained such solid ground that it seems next to impossible to convince minorities that Hindus mean no harm to anyone. Media, too, has a huge role to play in spreading this fear. Due to their irresponsible journalism, done solely to put Modi in a poor light, they ended up creating irreparable damage.

It became easier for the opposition to spread hatred after the emergence of the Ayodhya Temple. No one from the ruling party made an effort to explain to the minorities that these sites are as important to religious Hindus as Mecca or Medina for Muslims or the Vatican for Christians. Justice was denied to the Hindu community since the Mughal era when temples were brutally demolished to make way for mosques. A few Muslims realized this, such as the archaeologist KK Muhammed (the one who studied the site and came to the conclusion that the mosque was brazenly built over a temple) and the BJP Malappuram candidate Dr. Abdul Salam. Both of them have openly said on news channels how other communities should show empathy to “our Hindu brothers and sisters” as the community was subjected to extreme unfairness in the past, so much so that even their most sacred sites were denied to them. It takes a great deal of empathy to acknowledge someone else’s turbulent past, and you can’t help but feel gratitude for such people.

As no effort was made by the ruling party to bridge misunderstandings, political parties milked the opportunity for what its worth. Rest assured, they will continue to use the sacred temple as a tool for playing politics, further increasing the divide between Hindus and other communities. BJP should realize communication is key and work towards improving the skill to effectively clear misunderstandings.

The BJP team in Thrissur (Kerala) appeared to have been effective in their communication, which may explain why the party received Christian votes despite the opposition’s efforts to portray the Manipur issue as a communal clash. Interestingly, it was only after the elections did priests and bishops in Kerala clarified that the Manipur issue is not communal but rather ethnic. However, by that time some individuals on the ground had already done enough research to discover this on their own.

BJP often lags in countering allegations or taking strict action against the hatemongers. They never communicate their side of the story or a simple “you are safe with us,” the absence of which leads to speculations and uncertainty. They need to interact more with minorities at the ground level and induce confidence in them by clearing their misconceptions. This can come only with proper effort.

Offer financial relief to citizens

In rural areas or for those with low income, freebies are highly valued. However, it’s important to note that these freebies are often funded by taxing the middle class. The government should find a way to carefully balance the two – providing assistance to the poor without burdening the middle class. While investing in infrastructure and development projects is beneficial for the economy, it’s crucial to also provide some relief to ordinary citizens.

Avoid polarizing language

In order to gain the trust of more people, the BJP needs to use more restrained language. While Modi’s “ghuspetiyas” comment was aimed at illegal immigrants, it was twisted by the opposition for their own benefit, leading to fear-mongering.

Many people now understand that words uttered by politicians often mean nothing and are solely used as a tool to sway voters. They understand it’s a game. However, others may take it more seriously. To prevent this, simple language should be used, and the intention should be clearly specified.

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Picture Courtesy: Getty Images

An Ode to Lok Sabha Elections 2024 (Part 3): Did YouTube’s political commentators impact votes?

We have observed the significant rise of left-leaning political commentators on social media, particularly YouTubers, during this election. Dhruv Rathee and Ravish have amassed massive views, surpassing even mainstream news channels. It was believed that they would have a significant impact on the Lok Sabha Elections.

Dhruv, who typically maintains a neutral tone, noticeably shifted his approach in the months leading up to the election, embracing a more polarized political viewpoint. I use the term “polarized” because he blatantly overlooked several important issues during this time, such as the Sandeshkhali rapes in West Bengal and the Sidharthan case in Kerala, primarily because these cases put the opposition in a poor light. Personally, I felt his demeanor change from that of a regular YouTuber to that of a politician.

After months of running intense social media campaigns, were these left-leaning YouTubers successful? In a previous post, I mentioned how Dhruv Rathee is unlikely to have a significant impact on the Lok Sabha elections. The echo chamber angle aside, the answer lies in the data collected from the CSDS-Lokniti Post Poll Survey. It shows how the BJP performed well in urban areas while lagging in rural areas.

How much influence do YouTubers have in rural areas? Unless a proper survey is conducted that asks people living in villages, “Did Dhruv Rathee or any other YouTuber influence you to change your voting pattern this time?” we will never know for sure. Another way to analyze the impact is by examining video statistics. Content creators can share their video statistics, including the regions where their videos were most viewed. Did they receive significant viewership from rural areas?

Huge rallies were conducted in villages where Dhruv’s videos were played. However, it’s safe to say that people in rural areas do not vote based on social media activism. Instead, they vote based on their personal experiences, caste-based politics, and the help they receive. They are unlikely to resort to the Internet to research the pros and cons of political parties.

To summarize, any success resulting from YouTube videos should have primarily been reflected in urban areas, but that was not the case. BJP performed considerably well in cities.

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Main Picture Courtesy: Instagram/akashbanerjee.in

An Ode to Lok Sabha Elections 2024 (Part 2): Congress taking credit for the alliance’s victory

The Congress party’s performance in the Lok Sabha Elections 2024, with a win of 99 seats, is a notable improvement from 2019. However, it still pales in comparison to the BJP’s reduced 240 seats. The alliance, as a whole, played a pivotal role in forming a strong opposition. Yet, it is evident that no single party can claim sole credit for the alliance’s success.

Samajwadi Party (SP) – The Unsung Hero

In Uttar Pradesh, it was the Samajwadi Party (SP) that was the game-changer with its 37 seats. BJP came a close second with 33 seats. Congress managed 6. In the end, it is not how many seats you gained or lost that matters, but whether you won. I have my grievances with the SP, but if credit is to be given to any party, it should go to the SP. It was Akhilesh Yadav who turned things around.

Despite Congress’ lackluster performance (this was its third-worst performance overall), you often hear the party nowadays boasting about its “achievements” and how Rahul Gandhi single-handedly saved democracy. Ironically, this narrative has also been picked up by the West.

It seems that the party is trying to present this as a Congress victory as a way to save Rahul Gandhi. This may have been his final opportunity to get things right, and by insinuating that Rahul was the driving force behind the alliance’s success, Congress managed to secure his leadership position.

Nyay Yatra Results

If you look at the route of Rahul’s Nyay Yatra, you will see that BJP won most of the areas where Rahul Gandhi campaigned. This map was shared by Moneycontrol.

The white line was the route taken by Rahul Gandhi. It went well in Manipur, but as his journey progressed, his yatra seemed to have had less impact on the common man.

This is BJP’s performance in the same areas for comparison purposes:

As you can see, most of the areas were dominated by the BJP.

Questioning Congress’ Performance

The irony is that no journalist has questioned his performance and is projecting him as a hero. I am pointing this out because Congress prefers to believe that Rahul Gandhi is the best Prime Ministerial candidate. However, if you replace him with someone much more competent, votes will flow from the BJP to Congress naturally without much work or unending yatras. Many I know only opt for the BJP because they dislike the Gandhis, a sentiment that could be leveraged by a stronger Congress leader.

In India, there is a lack of a strong opposition party (not an alliance) with consistent and solid ideologies that do not vary among party members. Consistency brings confidence. Personally, I was not sure if I was voting for the left’s or Congress’ ideologies in the INDI alliance. The manifesto of CPI(M), one of the members of the INDI alliance, is one of the most dangerous I have ever seen. It does not inspire confidence. If I support the Congress but not the CPI(M), should I still vote for the INDI alliance? This is the skepticism I feel.

The question remains whether Congress is planning to continue working with an alliance and take credit for the alliance’s victories. We should question the party and demand improvements. Celebrating the current situation as a victory could prevent the emergence of a much more competent opposition party. The citizens of India deserve more.

An Ode to Lok Sabha Elections 2024 (Part 1): Democracy is alive, but not in the way you think

Before I begin talking about this year’s elections, I would like to make my political leanings clear. I started as a staunch leftist, someone who observed politics from the surface level, never digging into details or paying much attention to the nuances. Currently, even though several “know your political leaning” quizzes position me as a centrist, I would describe myself as more center-right. I support infrastructure projects, national development, and improving defense strategies. However, I am not fond of communal politics, nor do I agree with the opposition’s appeasement/fearmongering politics. This puts me in a confusing political space where I am not completely satisfied with any one party.

Now that’s done, let’s get to the main story. As I have a lot to say about the elections, I will be dividing the post into several parts.

Observation #1: Democracy is alive. But not in the way you think.

This election proved that no one is invincible and politicians shouldn’t take the voters for granted.

The alliance performed exceptionally well. However, I would have to disagree with the narrative that “people voted against divisive, communal politics.” This is misleading. If you look at the CSDS-Lokniti Post-Poll data, the BJP got the most votes in urban areas, whereas it lagged in rural areas. People in villages are less influenced by communal politics. Their votes are based on their immediate environment and needs. Are they receiving basic essentials like ration, jobs, housing, and respect? These factors, along with caste-based politics, significantly influence their voting decisions.

A guarantee card was distributed by Congress that promised a 1 lakh salary, guaranteed jobs for freshers, 1 lakh rupees annually for women in economically backward families, etc.

It was never stated that these benefits would only be available if Congress won. If I were not financially well-off, my first choice would have been Congress solely because of these freebies. I wouldn’t care about roads or development. Refusing freebies is a luxury only the privileged can afford. This is where the BJP faltered. They did not offer any freebies for low-income people. While this might be good for the economy, it is detrimental for securing votes.

An interesting thing about this card is that it asks the recipient to jot down the number of voters in the family, booth number, constituency, etc. Was it a way to count the number of confirmed votes for their party? Is this how they knew a significant shift is to be expected in Uttar Pradesh?

BJP, on the other hand, has been accused of taking away land and destroying the houses of families settled around the Ayodhya temple. This may have significantly contributed to their loss of votes. The discontent with the BJP in this context is not rooted in communal politics but rather in the failure to meet basic needs.

Observation #2: EVMs are working

It is amusing that the parties who were hyper-worried about EVMs are now perfectly fine with the machines. No malfunctions were reported whatsoever.

This is one area where both Congress and BJP are happy. Or did the BJP secretly end up firing their EVM hacking unit, as mentioned in this satire post by The Fauxy? We will never know.

*End of Part 1*

Why the Far-Right is Gaining Support in India

It’s the election season again in India, the largest democracy in the world. Politicians are tirelessly running hither and thither promoting their campaigns, often resorting to divisive tactics to seal their votes. As a layman, you find yourself wondering during these times whether the political parties’ agenda is to divide citizens rather than win elections.

Over the past ten years, there’s been a steady rise in discomfort over the rising popularity of the right wing. Most minorities and leftists want the BJP to be voted out this year. There’s a sense of dread about what would happen if the BJP takes control for the third consecutive term. You see and read incidents of Christians and Muslims in rural areas crying, “Hindus will kill us if they come into power. Please don’t vote for the BJP.” This cry for help is alarming. Minorities do face discrimination in India, but to make it sound like a genocide is far-fetched. Most people live in harmony with each other, while some tyrants across communities try to create problems. However, the negative stories are most prominently highlighted making it look like the norm. It is not a systematic persecution, as seen in neighboring countries.

Who is spreading this hate narrative? Who is inflicting this unfound fear on everyone? Politicians and the media are to blame—both the right and left. One makes controversial statements, and the other spreads hate and discord by amplifying them out of context. The reasons are purely agenda-driven. I say this with confidence because of the ease with which they seem to overlook their own preferred party’s faults, irrespective of the severity. The bias is crystal clear.

Someone like me, who is engrossed in reading both left and right narratives day in and out, can now finally figure out when a party/media/journalist is playing games to drive their agenda. I have acquired a sense of indifference to polarizing or pseudo-secularist words. But an apolitical person, which many are, might not understand the game and fall prey to the hate narrative set by both sides. Ultimately, the narrative with the most media outreach wins: the right-wing within India and the left wing globally.

The opposition parties in India are going all out to convince everyone why democracy is in trouble in the country, resorting to fearmongering tactics, such as drilling down the point that there won’t be an election next time if BJP wins. The Western media is also trying to help the opposition by pushing the narratives of the leftist ecosystem to the world at large. An outsider might have already read several articles slamming the situation in India on popular portals like the BBC, Al Jazeera, and CNN. Rarely do you see a right-wing viewpoint, probably because the right wing is, by default, considered problematic. So, you never know precisely why the right wing has gained popularity in any country. You only get to see the uncomfortable outcomes of it.

Narendra Modi and Kim Jong Un — A satire post from @the_fauxy

Is BJP a Far-Right Party?

Let’s get this straight: BJP being a “far-right” party is highly debated and contradicted by the actual far-right in India. They feel Modi is “soft,” so they label him “center-right.” According to them, he hasn’t yet reclaimed all the lost temple properties or got the temples out of government control; his party suspended Nupur Sharma when she made blasphemous comments in response to an equally blasphemous comment by a guest panelist, and the party hasn’t restricted welfare benefits to Muslims. For the hardliners, a legit far-right politician is someone like Geert Wilders.

You often see Modi making problematic statements to woo his far-right fan base and keep them happy. But his words don’t usually translate into actions. Muslims remain the biggest beneficiaries of welfare schemes under the BJP rule, Muslim businesses in Gujarat have prospered, Shias are now able to practice their religious rituals in Kashmir openly, and oppressive rules like the Triple Talaq have been banned, earning him a small but dedicated Muslim fan following in the country who have started to realize that Modi isn’t all that bad as he’s made out to be. In Kashmir, a Muslim-majority state, the Ayushman Bharat scheme is available to all citizens irrespective of social and economic status, a privilege not extended to other states in the country.

Narendra Modi and Bohra Muslims — Narendra Modi with Bohra Muslims

These examples defy the popular notion that Modi is anti-Muslim. Some rightists jokingly call him “Moulana Modi” for the help he has extended to Muslims, especially the Pasmanda community, who had been ignored by other political parties to date in favor of the more prosperous Muslim elites.

Yes, Modi is serious about reclaiming revered temple properties lost during the Mughal rule, the ones that are highly deemed by the Hindu community, but he is offering an alternative, more spacious land for the construction of a new mosque as compensation to the Muslims. This is a trait characteristic of a practicing religious Hindu but not an Islamophobe who would not have offered, without doubt, any land as compensation.

However, the party doesn’t do much to contradict such claims of it being an anti-Muslim party. They don’t openly highlight the good they have done for the Muslim community. It appears as if they want this “anti-Islam” label to prevail. Probably because it pleases their far-right voters. A large number of individuals vote for Modi with the belief that he prioritizes Hinduism. Why would he want to tarnish that image? This is a primary con of democracy – you support narratives, even misleading ones, to consolidate a win by hook or crook. The focus is on power, not the people. The result is this: you end up winning by dividing the people further. The essence of “One India” becomes fainter as each election campaign ends.

Reasons for Rising Support

The reasons why the majority in India prefer Modi are multifold. It is not as straightforward as outsiders like to believe. There are primarily three types of BJP supporters:

Centrists: They dislike BJP’s communal politics but admire the party’s pro-development approach, solid implementation of social schemes, zero tolerance for terrorist activities/groups, no appeasement politics, increase in FDI, improved relationships with foreign countries that can prove beneficial to India, improved economic rankings, etc.
Anti-Opposition: They support the BJP primarily because they think the opposition is incompetent and not strong enough to take the country forward. They vehemently dislike the opposition’s weakness when it comes to tackling radical groups (something we are increasingly seeing in Western countries nowadays). The opposition was unable to control Kashmir’s terrorist activities or ban anti-national groups like PFI while they were in power. If given a better choice, the “Anti-Opposition” clan would gladly opt out of BJP. Currently, there are none.
Far Right: They like BJP’s communal politics and their pro-Hindu, capitalistic approach. They were highly unsatisfied with the opposition’s appeasement politics in the previous years. They felt their needs were unmet or unanswered when the opposition was in power, such as getting the temples out of government control. BJP gives them hope.

BJP rose to fame because of these three main target groups whose grievances were left unresolved by the opposition parties. For them, BJP is the only viable option. To defeat the BJP, the opposition parties should first seriously address the concerns of these groups. As long as they keep denying their negatives and gaslighting the concerns of voters, the right-wing will continue to reign supreme.

Conclusion

It is a trend we are seeing worldwide. Far-right parties are winning in Europe and are finding support in the US. This could be attributed mainly to the incompetency of the leftist ecosystems to curb extremism and violence, pushing people to support the right. When the issues are addressed and resolved, voters will likely shift their support towards a centrist political party. Till then, we await more concrete actions from the left to prove they can protect the country and its social fabric as reliably as the right.