Asif Mahmood
Hindu chauvinism is a racist, fascist mindset that leaves no space for any other religion , not for Sikhs, not for Christians, and certainly not for Muslims. The hatred it holds for Muslims is so deep that, in today’s world, only Zionism comes close. Just as Zionism despises Palestinian Muslims, their culture, and their heritage, Hindutva harbors the same venom toward Muslims. These are two of the most toxic supremacist ideologies on earth, working hand in hand, with Muslims squarely in their crosshairs.
Today, it is easy for us to see Hindu chauvinism for what it is because the evidence is right before our eyes. But let us remember to offer prayers for Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, who saw through this fascist and racist ideology decades ago. Because of his foresight, we are safe today. God blessed us with an independent homeland , otherwise our condition would have been far worse than that of Muslims like Asaduddin Owaisi in India.
Some argue that the hatred toward Muslims in India exists because Pakistan was created , that Hindus are angry at the “partition” of their Bharat Mata. They even claim that without Pakistan, Hindus and Muslims would have lived together in harmony. This is not only naive, it is dangerously misleading. The truth is the opposite: Pakistan was not the cause of Hindu chauvinism’s hatred , it was the result of it.
In the beginning, Quaid-e-Azam was known as the ambassador of Hindu-Muslim unity. But his personal experience and political insight showed him the reality far sooner than historians would. He realized that living under Hindu chauvinism would never be a partnership of equals , it would be a life of humiliation and oppression for Muslims. He did not delay his decision. He demanded a separate homeland, even when many Muslims at the time leaned toward the Congress position. History has proven him right.
Why does Hindu chauvinism hate Muslims so much? The roots of this hatred go back centuries. Hindus have never forgiven the Muslim rule over the subcontinent. When the British prepared to leave, Hindu chauvinists were determined to take revenge for centuries of Muslim governance, just as happened to Muslims in Spain. They were bent on avenging the Delhi Sultans, the Mughal Empire, and every other chapter of Muslim rule.
This is not a theory , it is a fact. After the 1857 War of Independence, the British used petty Hindu thugs and collaborators to disgrace the Muslim elite. It is a painful, mostly untold story: how, after the fall of the Mughal Empire, Hindu riffraff were organized and empowered to crush Muslims socially and culturally. Even when the British later curbed it, the damage was already done.
Had Pakistan not been created, there would have been no one to stop Hindu chauvinism after the British left. Muslims would have spent centuries regretting their mistake. Quaid-e-Azam stood firm and God granted him success.
Partition was carried out under democratic arrangements, but Hindu chauvinism disguised itself in the same democratic clothing. Jinnah understood this well, which is why he laid down a few conditions to safeguard Muslim rights in a united India. Hindutva rejected every single one of them. Jinnah did not waste time after that , he made the demand for a separate homeland. Today, that homeland is the world’s only Muslim nuclear power. Without it, some of us would be forced to prove our loyalty to Hindus like Owaisi, or endure humiliation at the hands of leaders like Sardar Patel, just as Maulana Azad did.
It is Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam’s Pakistan, that stands like a mountain before Hindu chauvinism in this region. Even the mighty Rafale jets crash against this mountain and bite the dust.
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