Global Narrative: India and Beyond

By: Sauro Dasgupta 
We can’t ignore the global developments, with the creation of an anti-India narrative worldwide, since 2014. The pattern of opposition to most Conservative governments around the world on this issue is similar and is very dangerous. This sets a dangerous precedent for the other destabilizing and anarchist movements fuelled by the Leftists and Radical Islamic extremists, Far Right Christian groups, which can lead to us returning to post WW1 situation in US and Europe, which was accompanied with the rise of bootlegging, anarchism and Fascism. Fake news, the opposition, terrorist and anarchist propaganda has been misguiding these people, who have refused to listen to rational voices. It is time for the government to rein in them and resolve issues peacefully.
In India, many statesaren’t implementing their federal government laws. In case of Indian laws like NRC and CAA, the final power on the ground in this respect lies with the state, even though citizenship is in the Union List as per the Constitution. If they refuse to implement there can be a serious confrontation between the centre and the state. The states should not be forced to implement such laws and must be heard.They can approach the judiciary and challenge the Centre’s decision even if it’s a losing battle. Plain refusal to follow a Central law, however, is unconstitutional.
It is also to be noted that wealthy Muslim states did not accept these religiously prosecuted Muslims in their own countries even after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. But even the Muslims are being religiously prosecuted in theocratic Islamic countries. A positive point is that Saudi Arabia has banned the Muslim Brotherhood, TablighiJamaatand is really taking Progressive steps for the future like allowing women to drive and leave the house without a male guardian, opening cinemas and pubs, making the hijab no longer compulsory, etc. An atmosphere of hospitality is bring created for all non-Muslims. This belies the claims of many Muslim experts and organizations like Raza Academy who saythat Muslim countries do not implement the Charter of Medina in their own countries and protest against all progressive steps taken in the Gulf. The claim that they are merely guided by preservation of their own power is also not vindicated.
Minorities have been fleeing Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, while there was a substantial number of Christians and Jews in Medina during the Prophet’s time. Similarly while The Taliban are refusing to allow women to work, women were allowed to work during the Prophet’s time.Shia mosques in Pakistan and Afghanistan are regularly bring targeted but even this is a violation of Islamic law which asks Muslims to respect all sects within Islam as well as other religions. When Muslims are not protected in their religious countries which they chose to live, it points to a greater form of State despotism than ever before, especially in underdeveloped Muslim nations like Afghanistan, Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia and Pakistan.
According to Dr Ambedkar, ‘Islam is a closed corporation. The Brotherhood of Islam is not of universal Brotherhood. It is the Brotherhood of Muslims alone. For others, there is only contempt and hatred’. This Brotherhood, in common parlance, is called ‘Ummah’. This was not always like this , but was accentuated from the 7th and 8th Century AD when the Rashidun Caliphate embarked on their mission of global conquest. They conquered large parts of Asia and Europe, from the latter they were defeated within 500 years, which included the Crusades and Iberian Wars, wherein they undoubtedly produced great talents like General Saladin, General Khalid Bin Walid, historians like Ibn Batuta and Firista, thinkers like Rumi, etc.
From the 18th Century to 20th Century, British Rule brought back Hindus to the mainstream but did not hesitate to prop up separatists like Jinnah in their pursuit of ‘divide and rules. That India began to oppose the global machinations against itself angered them and they continued to conspire against us, a phenomenon Indira Gandhi rightly called ‘the foreign hand’.
It is highly alarming that the Left, along with Khalistanis, Islamists, etcin North America and Europe, are after India. This is provocative and can be followed by call for implementing the BDS method against Israel in case of India also. US is miffed for a long time due to our engagement with PRC and buying S 400 from Russia. North American and European Left are totally anti-Indian. That we aren’t scared of EU has rattled them.
Indian Authorities should douse the bonfire before it snowballs into a massive wildfire. The Western governments should look into the matter and conduct diplomacy at the highest levels. They should go to the bottom and not rest until the volatile situation is diffused. They must not allow any anti Indian activity on their soil, just as we prevented anti-American activity on Indian soil at the height of the Naxalite Movement.
There is an absence of a strong narrative building from India. It is mainly due to the lack of a strong intellectual ecosystem of the present dispensation. MEA and BJP must develop such a global ecosystem, failing which India will continue to suffer from a perception crisis and global conditions will continue to become inhospitable for India.
(The writer is a PG 1 student, Department of International Relations, Jadavpur University, Kolkata)