I have lived through the darkest chapters of modern India:
• The 1984 anti-Sikh riots
• The 1990 Ram Mandir Rath Yatra
• The 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid
• The 1993 Mumbai riots
• And the 2002 Gujarat riots following the Godhra train burning
In each of these moments, I saw people lose their humanity. I saw citizens stone each other to death, mobs set fire to lives and futures, and neighbors turn on neighbors simply because of faith, name, or ideology. These were not isolated outbursts. They were deliberate acts of violence, often enabled—if not orchestrated—by political power.
But among all these events, three broke something deep within the Indian psyche:
1. The Rath Yatra launched by BJP stalwart L.K. Advani wasn’t just a political campaign—it was a religious incitement masked as cultural revivalism.
2. The demolition of the Babri Masjid by a saffron-clad mob marked the death of secularism in India’s public discourse.
3. The 2002 Godhra riots, where more than 1,000 people—predominantly Muslims—were butchered under the watch of then-Chief Minister Narendra Modi, remain an unforgivable stain.
All three were avoidable. But they weren’t avoided. Because they served a purpose—for votes, for power, for ideological dominance.
And today, we live with the consequences.
Hatred is no longer whispered. It’s taught. It’s trending. It’s normalized. Children grow up believing that violence against the “other” is a legitimate form of justice. And we still wonder why the world doesn’t stand with us during our crises. Maybe it’s because the world saw what we refused to: karma doesn’t just haunt leaders—it curses generations.
The Illusion of Unity
Recently, a 7-member parliamentary team led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has been touring internationally, preaching India’s “zero tolerance against terrorism” policy. At first glance, the lineup seems diverse:
• Ravi Shankar Prasad (BJP)
• Sanjay Kumar Jha (Janata Dal – United)
• Kanimozhi Karunanidhi (DMK)
• Supriya Sule (NCP – Sharad Pawar faction)
• Shrikanth Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena – Shinde faction)
• One member each from Congress and BJP
Only one BJP face, and yet six members from parties that have historically challenged the BJP’s ideology. And yet—they now share a stage, a message, and a mission.
Is this what we now call “putting the nation above ideology”?
When did standing with a party responsible for the bloodshed of thousands become patriotism?
The Karna Complex
This reminds me of Karna from the Mahabharata—a valiant soul, but one who chose to stand with Duryodhana, fully aware of his wrongs. Loyalty blinded him to righteousness. The result? Karna lost not just his life, but his honor. His name became a cautionary tale.
Today’s six “non-BJP” delegates have chosen to stand beside a party whose very foundation was laid on division and religious polarization. They know it. We know it.
But political compulsions make cowards of us all.
And make no mistake: history will remember who stood with whom when the country was burning—morally, spiritually, and politically.
Because when you knowingly sign your name next to a lie, you are no longer neutral. You are complicit.
Author’s Note:
India doesn’t just need economic growth. It needs a moral reset. A revival of values over votes, truth over PR, and courage over convenience.
Let this blog be a reminder, a challenge, and a call to conscience.