I Cannot Celebrate India’s Independence Day – Again
By SHAKEEL SYED
Last year, I wrote an op-ed in this very newspaper titled, “I refuse to celebrate India’s Independence Day.” I had hoped I would celebrate this year. I was wrong.
Here are a few reasons why I will not celebrate India’s Independence Day again this year.
I can’t think of celebrating because I feel haunted, thinking of the women who were raped and then filmed while being paraded naked in the streets.
I can’t think of celebrating because I am reminded of the children from the Dalit, Adivasi and Muslim communities who were blinded, tortured, beaten publicly and electrocuted on absurd pretexts, such as but not limited to stealing a pigeon, stealing corn, touching utensils, absenteeism from school or even answering nature’s call.
I can’t think of celebrating because I think of the cold-blooded killing of three innocent men by a policeman, who hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi after shooting them dead.
I can’t think of celebrating because I recall this study that reports more than 700% increase in hate crimes against all minorities.
The above list of tragedies is but a small sample of seemingly never-ending and ever-increasing and nearly normalized state-sponsored violence against innocent individuals and marginalized communities in India. How can one celebrate then, I ask myself.
The unpleasant possibility of enduring hate-filled majoritarian rule, a.k.a. Hindutva is now real. It is real because Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration along with his political party (BJP) and subsidiaries continue to brazenly reveal the deep-seated bigotry, xenophobia, and hate. Modi’ism has not only emboldened them but has also engendered in them a militant love for hate, arguably “a new and acceptable normal,” in India.
Normalizing and becoming numb to hatred causes lingering anxieties and shrinks thinking, especially critical thinking. And I hope we do not become numb to the new normal and instead think and think hard before waving a Chinese-made Indian flag this year’s Independence Day.
I would like to invite Indian people living in India or as a diaspora anywhere in the world, including the United States of America, to pause and reflect on the corrosion that Modi’ism continues to cause by terrorizing fellow Indians. It must worry us all.
Irrespective of our diverse backgrounds, together we must stop Modi’ism that is resuscitating the darkest evils of communal hatred and we can then fully celebrate the independence of India.
(Syed is Executive Director of South Asian Network, Artesia, CA.)
PAmin
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Just one side with half truths…………remove your colored specs…………
August 8, 2023Prabhat Kumar
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Due to your personal political viewpoints against BJP and PM Modi, you are insulting a nation of 1.4 billion diverse patriotic people and its flag.
August 8, 2023Shoorveer Tyagi
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It is a fucked up country of 1.4 millions morons. 😂😂
August 10, 2023K D Singh
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The truth eludes me and I am clueless whom to believe. By this I mean incidents in Nuh Haryana and Manipur fill me with disgust. Is there another side to why this happened? Was the affected community to blame in anyway whatsoever? Provocation, past history etc.? This would not make what we saw right in any way. Asking for help.
August 8, 2023Naresh Khanna
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These leftists Congi-commies will never change. They derive pleasure in defaming India on made-up fake allegations. As it is said Even after partitioning our Country on religious grounds still chose to live here what else can be said of these lo lives. Jiss thaali mein khaattey hain ussee mein cheid karrttey hain. Inherently fifth column..This community gets maximum benefits with No responsibility to our nation. What a quandary we Hindusthanis are stuck in ?. If these kinds are uncomfortable in India they have a choice of moving across to their beloved pukistan across the border…Sickening Victamisers acting as victims as always..
August 8, 2023Akhlesh Kumar
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Mr. Syed hates Mr. Modi but blames the country for hatred towards minorities. It’s one way traffic for him. Not possible.
August 8, 2023Ram Sanatani
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This South Asian Network muslim is only writing what his abba George Soros ordered him to. The fact is that India is probably the only country in the world where minority muslims kill the majority Hindus. You can check the facts since Modi led BJP came in power n 2014.
August 8, 2023Jay
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A shameless attempt to malign Modi government and Hindus! This is not the first and will not be the last. With election coming next years, more dogs will be barking behind the elephant. This also shows the underbelly of this news outlet.
August 8, 2023A HINDU
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SAN is known for rumor-mongering and propaganda. Your hatred for a Hindu government outweighs any resemblance of logic. For 60 years starting with Nehru, Hindus were suppressed. The corrupt Congress supported by the likes of you, had the audacity to name roads and cities with the name of the same people who slaughtered Hindus, imposed Islam and the list goes on. You have the audacity to talk about Dalits. Why don’t you mention the fact that until Modi came Muslim women could be divorced for no reason. You are the kind of people who are worse than garbage. India has gone from strength to strength and every Indian citizen has progressed regardless of religion. But hate-mongers like you know nothing except how to spread hate. The best part it aint working. Keep burning in hate. WE LOVE IT!
August 8, 2023A HINDU
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Shame on India West to give space to people like him.
August 8, 2023VIJAY
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Why are you living in India? You will be happy in Pakistan or better in the caves of Afghanistan. You are free to leave.
August 8, 2023Shoorveer Tyagi
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मोदी के चाटुकार
August 9, 2023जा डूब मर मोदी के बाथरूम में।
V
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I cannot celebrate Indian Independence Day because I celebrate Pakistan i Independence Day ! No one should waste their time on reading Shakeel Syed ‘s articles , no Jihadis should be given space to spew their venom .
August 8, 2023Hary
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100 % clueless and biased anti india person writes all his negative frustrations points ,has no reason to link with Indias independence celebrations.
August 9, 2023Enjoy the India 🇮🇳 Independence Day 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Shooraveer Tyagy
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नाम तो हैरी रख लिया मगर सोच घटिया हिंदू वाली है। 🤔🤔
August 10, 2023Maneck Bhujwala
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It is important to understand any issue by looking at it in a balanced perspective.
August 10, 2023Good and bad things are happening in all countries.. Individuals and groups present their narrow viewpoint according to their personal political and religious agendas. India is one of the few secular democracies, especially in Asia and Africa. Hindus in general have a better record of respecting other religions than other communities, and India has continued to be a secualr democracy (in spite of so many different cultures religions, languages, etc.), where many others have become Islamic governments, Christian governments, Communist governments, Dictatorships, etc. Hindus and Sikhs from Pakistan and Afghanistan (where they are harassed and killed by terrorist groups) are migrating to India.
In order to create peace in our families, communities, countries, and the world we have to keep our opinions in balanced perspective that includes good and bad things of other families, communities, countries of the world.