Salman Khurshid Cautions On Bangladesh-Like Situations In India

Congress leader Salman Khurshid expressed concerns on Tuesday, suggesting that the current situation in Bangladesh could potentially occur in India, despite appearances of normalcy. He made these remarks during the launch of academician Mujibur Rehman’s book, "Shikwa-e-Hind: The Political Future of Indian Muslims."

Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Manoj Jha highlighted the significance of the Shaheen Bagh protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens. He stated, "Success of Shaheen Bagh should not be measured on the scale of grandeur of what it achieved." Jha emphasised that when Parliament failed, the streets came alive with protests.

Concerns Over Shaheen Bagh Protests

Khurshid noted that while some view the Shaheen Bagh protests as successful, he believes they failed because many participants remain imprisoned. He questioned, "How many of them are still in prison? How many of them can't get bail? How many of them are being told that they are enemies of this country?"

He also expressed doubt about the possibility of a similar protest occurring today, saying, "If I ask myself tomorrow would there be a repeat of Shaheen Bagh and I'm not sure there would be because people have really suffered."

Representation and Political Dynamics

AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi lamented the low representation of Muslims in legislative bodies and questioned whether their situation would improve under a non-BJP government. He remarked, "The reality is Muslims have never voted for any right-wing candidate or BJP. Had there been a non-BJP government right now, would things have changed? No."

Owaisi also commented on the rise of Hindu right-wing sentiments, comparing it to historical anti-Jewish sentiments in Germany. He said, "The Fuhrer Hitler did not invent anti-Jew sentiments... it was already there. Our society also had subterranean sentiments."

Political Leaders' Views

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor shared his experiences with the Shaheen Bagh protesters, noting that they included people from various faiths. He said, "Throughout the country, and I, myself have been to seven protests. There were people of all faiths at the protest."

TMC MP Jawahar Sircar pointed out his party's Muslim representation and took a jab at Owaisi by suggesting that if Owaisi had contested more seats, they would have gone to BJP. Owaisi responded by saying Muslims vote for certain parties out of necessity.

Khurshid further elaborated on his concerns by stating that although things may appear normal in regions like Kashmir or elsewhere in India, underlying issues persist. He warned that what is happening in Bangladesh could happen in India due to similar underlying tensions.

Addressing these issues at the event, Khurshid mentioned that while some celebrate electoral victories, others believe more needs to be done to address deeper societal issues. He stressed that beneath the surface, significant problems remain unresolved.

The discussion at the book launch highlighted various perspectives on political representation and social movements in India. Leaders expressed differing views on the effectiveness and impact of protests like Shaheen Bagh and discussed broader concerns about political dynamics affecting Indian Muslims.