Someone has to call it the way it is. Let me do it. As a doctor. As a lover of India. As one who has great Muslim friends to whom I am loyal and indebted. I risk annoying them. But if I do not, I will be doing them a great disservice. Every country has a TJ moment. Which defines its future for the next few centuries.
America had the Civil War. Russia had the revolution. Germany had WWII. India has its covid moment. When she should realize who she really is. But, first things first. Let us stop sweeping things under the rug. Let us face things upfront no matter how painful they are.
Let us agree to call a tablighi a tablighi.
This is not about being secular. Or diplomatic. Or walking on left-liberal egg-shells. Or being an alt-right reactionary.
This is about humans. And health care. And the law. And basic sense and concern for others. This is about protecting each other and being my neighbor’s keeper.
Let us agree that this is unconscionable. And condemn it unequivocally. We do not need a Nasiruddin Shah or Owaisi or Ramchandra Guha to save our conscience. We do not even need a Dattatreya Brahmin doing Shiva Bhakti with a janeu on. Nor do we need an LK Advani to take us on a rath yatra to build a temple. Or a Bhagavat katha.
The temple this time is here. It is our ground. It is our people. And we have allowed it to be desecrated.
Where are the officials who allowed it? Why are they not suspended? Why is the leader of the Jamaatis not being tried for attempted murder and sedition? Why is TJ not proscribed and banned as an organization? This is one time I would advocate for the Old Testament proscriptions to be applied against them. The Sharia for Sharia!
Where are the Muslim leaders? To stand up to this disgusting congregation of virulent carriers of God-knows what kind of denomination.
I think we have created a group of entitled people who have been coddled, appeased, sucked-up-to for the sake of politics and special interests. They are rude, crude, arrogant, uncivilized, an abomination.
It is time for India to reject them and their untruth. No matter what religion you belong to, we will not tolerate this desecration.
Whether it be Nizamuddin Markaz or Shirdi temple assembling against the law and, more importantly, common sense and decency.
Whether it be in the name of religion or some political hack with his cronies sloganeering Corona to go back.
Who will enforce these standards? As always, it is something that moves silently among people, as a wave, as a will. When collectively we choose to reject what is false and distorted or disharmonious. It is time for India to awaken. And realize its soul.
And discard what is munaafiqat and fitna. What is tamasik. What is asat.
Tablighi or not tablighi - that is the question.
Recommended for further reading: https://www.opindia.com/2020/04/tablighi-jamaat-ambedkar-jayanti-islam-coronavirus-pandemic/
