The barbaric Islamist attack in France has invited condemnation from across the world. Sadly, many such hate crimes are carried out with far greater frequency in Bharat against Hindus, but are blithely ignored by our elites, large sections of political class and intelligentsia.

PM Modi was one of several world leaders who condemned the terror attack and expressed solidarity with people of France.

I strongly condemn the recent terrorist attacks in France, including today's heinous attack in Nice inside a church. Our deepest and heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and the people of France. India stands with France in the fight against terrorism.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 29, 2020

As one of the countries that has suffered the most from Islamic terror, Bharat definitely needs to lead the coalition against this Islamic extremism which has wreaked havoc across the world. But two things stood out in PM Modi’s tweet.

One – he refused to call the attack what it was: an act of Islamic terror. This political correctness might have its uses, but if Bharat wants to take leadership on this issue, it needs to shed any diffidence in calling things as they are. If nothing else, we owe it those amongst the 200 million Indian Muslims who know that ordinary Muslims are the ones who suffer the most when Islamist radicals wield power – one need look no further than the state of our neighbouring Islamic nations.

But even more telling is PM Modi’s marked reluctance to condemn such everyday Islamic acts of terror against Hindus and others in Bharat itself. Europe is now seeing what we in Bharat have known for long – that Islamic terrorism doesn’t always come in the form of organized attacks by armed terrorist groups using guns and bombs. It manifests far more often in the form of religiously indoctrinated Muslims armed with knifes, or other improvised weapons, who can suddenly launch an attack over real or imagined slights to their religion and Prophet, or just because a non-Muslim refuses to do their bidding.

Bharat is littered with such examples of Islamic hate crimes against non-believers. So many incidents still go unnoticed, because of the distorted idea of secularism that prevails here, the scale of the country and the free run that some of the most deadly Islamic groups seen anywhere in the world have.

Yet, some cases are now registering in public consciousness and it was these that netizens demanded the PM to address: Kamlesh Tiwari‘s brutal murder in his Lucknow home; the lynching of two sadhus – Kalpvriksh Giri Maharaj (70), Sushil Giri Maharaj (35) – and their driver Nilesh Telgade in Palghar, Maharashtra while a team of around a dozen policemen stood watching; Nikita Tomar‘s daylight shooting by stalker Tauseef who was pressurising her to convert to Islam and marry him; Bihar Police’s brutal attack on a Durga Puja procession in Munger where Anurag Poddar was shot at point blank range.

There are clear patterns in certain crimes – such as the grooming of Hindu girls, the attacks on Hindu priests and sadhus, attacks based on ‘blasphemy’ charges. And it is not just Hindus who are the target of Islamic extremists – Sikhs, tribals, even ordinary Muslims have been targeted.

A section of netizens countered by saying that the PM can’t be expected to talk on every crime that takes place in the country, or be seen as partial for/against a certain community or state government.

However, in the past, the PM has explicitly chosen to issue statements, direct or indirect, on certain crimes which were not terrorist acts or driven by religious bigotry:

Death of Tabrez Ansari who was thrashed by a crowd who caught him stealing, and he died a few days later in lock-up: “The lynching in Jharkhand has pained me. It has saddened others too. Guilty should get severest punishment…”

On the alleged ‘Church Attacks’ in 2015, the PM gave in to the prevailing narrative by establishing a helpline for Christians, and then Home Minister Rajnath Singh directed

In reaction to Mohammed Akhlaq‘s death after he stole and butchered a calf, the PM made an indirect reference to the incident during an election rally soon after, ““We can’t allow the core values of our civilisation to be wasted. The core values are that over the years, civilisation celebrated diversity, promoted and advocated tolerance, enjoyed plurality.”

When the anti-Hindu media and intelligentsia increased their chatter on ‘gau rakshaks’ and ‘cow vigilante terror‘, PM Modi failed to address the core issue of police and administration failure to do their jobs in enforcing the law and dismantling the dangerous cow smuggling mafia. Instead he said that 70-80% of gau rakshaks are petty criminals and states should maintain dossiers on them, thereby discrediting the whole movement to a large extent.

So why are Hindu concerns being ignored? This is a legitimate question which cannot be evaded anymore, especially when Hindu society is under increasing attack from Islamic and Christian extremists and the Secular State.

Even when it comes to the murder and brutal persecution of BJP workers, leaders and activists in states like West Bengal and Kerala, PM Modi’s silence and the central government’s baffling inaction is impossible to ignore any more.

Amazing. In the last 6 months or so more than 20 Hindu Bjp karyakartas have lost their lives in West Bengal. Not once did he tweet a word here. Not once.

Accept it…he tweeted because they were Ms. https://t.co/tKivafBRrI

— Un-bhadralok bangali (@goonereol) October 30, 2020

Conclusion

Modi remains the best bet for Hindus. There is a lot that he is doing right, and the disruption he has caused to the Nehruvian establishment is significant. But what we said 4 years back after his unwarranted condemnation of the gau raksha movement still stands true –

“But in correcting the unjust laws against Hindus and in setting the agenda, your Government has been found wanting….The integrity towards Dharmic pysche of Bharat that is at the root of your popularity must not be let down.”

It is safe to say that the combativeness and articulation of Hindu concerns that we heard from the PM during his time as Gujarat CM is a thing of the past. For whatever reason, the PM has chosen a public path from which he will not deviate. Hindus have to accept this reality with a cold calculation and not let ‘perfect become the enemy of good’.

We have to study our Secular State, understand what makes it tick, what its pressure points are. There is a lot we can learn from our Islamist and Christian evangelical opponents. We have to continue to voice our concerns cogently using all available means, awaken the masses, weaken our enemies and forge alliances. In short – build your strength, bide your time.

Our civilization, our Dharma is bigger than any one man, party or organisation. In the end, we are all just servants of Dharma.

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