If you think that only the family of Chandan Gupta of Kasganj is in danger, then you are wrong. If you think that the danger is limited only to Nupur Sharma, then you are wrong. If you think that after the murder of Kamlesh Tiwari, Kanhaiya Lal Teli, Umesh Kolhe, the danger of ‘sar tan se juda’ (sir’s body being cut off) has ended, then also you are wrong.
Those Hindus who sing the songs of the so-called Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb, who raise the slogan of Jai Bhim-Jai Meem, who see secularism in the Mughals, are also in danger. Because all Hindus are infidels. The role of tags like liberal, leftist, Dalit thinker, secular is limited to getting your name registered a little lower in the list, that is all.
This danger is not limited to only a few streets, villages, cities, districts, states. This danger is as far away from you as the time it takes for a Muslim to become a part of an Islamist mob. Realizing this danger, governments (if they are not appeasers) can make strict laws to keep us safe. They can assess the danger to a person/family and provide them security.
But it is not possible for the government to provide security to every Hindu. It is also not possible to provide lifelong security to a person/family which is surrounded by such dangers. Doing so will also make the life of that person/family difficult.
In such a situation, the question arises that what should we Hindus do? What should the person/family do who is being hunted by Islamic fundamentalists? It is difficult to give a complete answer to this. But by taking forward the model of the way Hindus of Kawardha have protected Durgesh Dewangan‘s family, we can definitely reduce this danger to a great extent.
What happened in Kawardha
In 2021, the saffron flag hoisted on the Karma Mata temple in Kawardha, Chhattisgarh, was torn and thrown away by Islamic fundamentalists. A youth named Durgesh Dewangan was brutally beaten up for protesting against this. Stones were pelted on Hindus. At that time, the Congress government was ruling in the state under the leadership of Bhupesh Baghel. Local MLA Mohammad Akbar was an influential minister of that government.
Its effect was also seen in police action. Hindus were allegedly beaten up even after being brought to the police station. Durgesh Dewangan was not even traced for several days. It is also alleged that Islamic fundamentalists were roaming the streets with swords. Leaders of Hindu organizations were prevented from reaching Kawardha by imposing curfew and use of force. If local Hindus are to be believed, this suppression of Hindus had the full support of Mohammad Akbar. Mohammad Akbar had the protection of Bhupesh Baghel. From Kawardha to Raipur, there was no one in the system who would listen to the plight of Hindus.
Dharm Dhwaj Chowk is a symbol of self-confidence of Hindus
Today, there is a BJP government in Chhattisgarh. Kawardha MLA Vijay Sharma is the Deputy Chief Minister of the state. The public has already shown their anger against Mohammad Akbar and his patron Bhupesh Baghel in the 2023 assembly elections. In current situation, you may not realize what kind of danger the Hindus of Kawardha were living in after that incident of 2021 till the election results came out. What kind of dangers Durgesh Dewangan and his family were facing every day.
I went to Kawardha about a year after that incident of 2021. At that time, Hindus had built a Dharma Dhwaj Chowk near Karma Mata Temple with their self-confidence. A 108 feet high saffron flag was fluttering. Just a few steps away from this was Durgesh Dewangan’s father’s shop of potatoes, onions and spices. Bajrangbali was visible prominently on the shutter of the shop and Ram’s name was written on the signboard. As soon as I reached the shop, I was greeted with ‘Jai Shri Ram’. Believe me, I too could not appreciate the dangers looming over the Hindus there at that time. I also felt that the incident of 2021 was perhaps not as horrific as it appeared after watching the video from there and talking to the people of Kawardha on the phone.
Hindus became the protective shield of Hindus
But when I started talking to Durgesh Dewangan’s family and local Hindus, I came to know that Hindus were suppressed in a much worse way in 2021 than we knew. Their voices were crushed. Even after a year, the process of intimidating Hindus continued. The police remained a mute spectator.
Durgesh’s father Santosh Dewangan had told OpIndia, “The MLA has to fulfill his duty. When my son was beaten up, Akbar’s (MLA Mohammad Akbar) son was also with the attackers. Now we are being pressured to compromise.” Santosh Dewangan told that after that incident, on one hand his son was not traceable, on the other hand police guards were posted outside his house. Not for the safety of the family, but so that the members of the victim’s family could not meet anyone and no one could meet them.
Kabirdham district working president of Vishwa Hindu Parishad Kailash Sharma had told OpIndia that the attack on Hindus was carried out in a planned manner. Then, at the local level, whoever stood up for Hindus was suppressed at the behest of Mohammad Akbar. The result was that even after a year, Hindus were scared.
Among the Hindus who were arrested at that time was today’s Deputy CM Vijay Sharma. Santosh Dewangan told that ever since Sharma has come out of jail, not a single day passes while he is in Kawardha, when he does not come to enquire about the condition of his family. Even when he is out of Kawardha, he remains in touch with his family through phone.
According to Dewangan, the officials of VHP and other Hindu organizations also regularly care for victims like him. He had told OpIndia that this support of Hindus amidst threats and dangers is a big strength for his family. Due to this, his life has become normal, he is able to run the shop without any worry. Some other victim Hindus who spoke to OpIndia also confirmed receiving similar support.
What does this security model of Kawardha tell us
The direct message for us Hindus in this security model of Kawardha is that you can’t rely solely on the government and the system. We should not expect external help. If we start worrying about each other’s safety on a regular basis at the local level, then we can change the situation in any adverse situation. We can make the life of the Hindu family surrounded by danger as normal as possible. Instead of sitting at home with the fear of being killed, we can inspire them to do business without any worry in the same market, where they became the target of the fundamentalists, to earn a living for their family, .
Anyway, the truth is that it is in our hands to reduce the threat of Islamic fundamentalism. It is in our hands to become each other’s security shield. Because as long as Islamists exist, as long as Hindus are infidels, this threat can only be reduced, removal of the threat completely is not possible.
