The Urdu Press: After Dadri
The barbarity of Dadri, in which Mohammad Akhlaq was lynched on suspicion that his family had “consumed beef”, continues to dominate the press.
The barbarity of Dadri, in which Mohammad Akhlaq was lynched on suspicion that his family had “consumed beef”, continues to dominate the press. Inquilab, in its editorial on October 8, writes: “The tragedy of Dadri has shaken the foundation of the government, because this regrettable and shocking incident has not only been the cause of anxiety in the country, its echo has been heard in foreign countries as well… The Sangh Parivar, which includes the BJP, has never cared for communal harmony and has always acted against it. The latest example is Dadri…”
Eminent litterateur and journalist, Hasan Kamal, in his column in Rashtriya Sahara (October 10), draws attention to what he terms Dadri’s “planned, conspiratorial” incident: “The Western media has looked at Dadri, linking it with the killings of Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare and M.M. Kalburgi, and described the growing trend of Hindu extremism as a bad omen for the development of India. Foreign investors do not step into an area where there is tension or apprehension of tension… The son of a BJP leader has been held with very serious charges in connection with Akhlaq’s lynching… The BJP is completely on the defensive and, therefore, the Modi government too is seen as being compelled to take a defensive position.”
Sena’s Black Mischief
The smearing of black paint on Sudheendra Kulkarni’s face, allegedly by a group of Shiv Sainiks, has attracted sharp comments. Inquilab, in its October 13 editorial, writes: “The release of former Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri’s book in Mumbai… is a step towards accelerating diplomatic action between India and Pakistan, for creating an environment of mutual understanding. But the Shiv Sena leaders and its workers can’t appreciate this… We don’t know how much the Shiv Sena will gain from such negative politics, but we do know that by sabotaging positive, peaceful and democratic activities, it wants to convey to the BJP that politics cannot be done in Maharashtra by undermining its interests. It was not the face of Kulkarni but that of Maharashtra that was blackened.”
Sahafat, in its special frontpage report on the same day highlights the strong statement of veteran BJP leader, L.K Advani: “The Shiv Sena’s act has demonstrated the growing environment of intolerance in the country, something that is a cause for anxiety…”
Writers’ Revolt
Commenting on the decision of eminent writers like Nayantara Sahgal, Ashok Vajpayee, Sarah Joseph, Rajesh Joshi, Rahman Abbas and others to return the awards given to them by Sahitya Akademi and other bodies, Hamara Samaj, in an editorial on October 13, writes: “These writers say that the tradition of mutual tolerance and understanding is dying in the country. Writers are being targeted and killed for their views. An innocent person was killed in Dadri but the government kept silent. In such a situation, it’s difficult to live with the awards presented by official agencies… Our government should respect the sentiments of intellectuals and it should be accepted that the present conditions in the country are not right. Certain groups of communalists are bent on destroying the secular and democratic fabric of the country. If the Central government is really concerned about the development of the country, it should reach out to intellectuals and give weight to their views, as they are not ordinary people.”
Compiled by Seema Chishti
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