'Dharma Yudh' needed against Mohabbat ke Dushmans!

By NM Sampathkumar Iyangar for TwoCircles.net,

Till a few years ago, Karnataka and Kerala were among the states that stood apart in liberal thinking. The coastal populations as a rule were not significantly affected by a sort of apartheid mindset cultivated in the central and northern hinterland ever since the Indian British colony turned into distinct ‘free’ countries. Therefore, it is rather strange that a bizarre controversy about 'Love Jihad' should have emanated from the South.

The sinister conspiracy was “unearthed” after a couple of parents of educated girls sought the help of the judicial system to obtain their custody. The girls from Hindu and Christian families were well into adulthood and had chosen their Muslim boyfriends as life partners. The affluent or middle class parents apprehended that the daughters were ruining their lives while also demolishing 'traditional family honour'. The hype fueled by rumours has led many orthodox groups to genuinely suspect existence of a planned strategy to destroy their socio-religious identity. A well-funded network with lots of gulf money in its coffers was said to be sponsoring Muslim youths to rob them of their most cherished property - womenfolk!

Yes, women are still viewed as cherished 'property' by most 'elite' members of India. There is not much difference between the 21st Century AD and the age of Ramayana, the decree of the Ten Commandments or when invaders from Persia and Arabia were entitled to appropriate whole harems of the humbled local kings and take away the 'legitimate' queens and princesses as well.

The media, marked by a cut-throat competition to grab eyeballs and ad revenue through it, blew up the incidents – some real and some imaginary – into a giant humanitarian issue. How a band of Muslim youth, engaged by oil-rich Arab Sheikhs, was luring women with promises and expensive gifts became the talk of the town. The sole purpose of raining love and gifts, according to the vigilantes, was to convert them into Islam. For a time, every woman leaving her house in a huff was projected as another prize catch of the Love Jihad brigade. It continued blissfully till the police nabbed a serial killer who tricked dozens of ambitious brides-to-be by posing as a tycoon based abroad. Incidentally, this Romeo was not a Muslim.

Senior members of the media fraternity have castigated the adventurous elements in their tribe for being reckless in covering the rumours and farcical court proceedings sensationally. Such sort of 'self regulation' is of course a welcome phenomenon. But, it is unfair to squarely put all the blame on the "irresponsible journalists" alone. After all, the media did not imagine or cultivate the shameful medieval mindset that led to the shameful ruckus. It was only bringing out the perverted attitudes prevalent among the ‘elite’ classes. In fact, that precisely is the job of the media, not hushing up. On another note, however, the media must take the blame for the failure to bring to the surface the real culprits in the matter.

The lion’s share of the blame for the mischievous propaganda that has the potential to incite communal riots must go to 'honourable judges' of Kerala and Karnataka. Let us suppose, for a moment, that a 'jihad' or 'dharma yudh' is being waged in an organized fashion with the aim of influencing minds by employing love as a weapon. Why is it a "matter (that) needs to be further probed" as honourable judges have decreed? In any civilized society, only intimidation, torture or violence for getting someone converted or reconverted can be a matter of concern. Love, care or nourishment to influence someone can never be taboo! Even in cases when some people resort to violence to demand equity, the enlightened approach, it is now recognized, is not unleashing retaliatory violence.

Of course, there is a need for utmost caution on the part of the youth before taking the big plunge. They are better advised to objectively weigh pros and cons of teaming up with someone for life at the risk of alienation from current environment. It is particularly the girls who are at greater peril and must guard against flirts who abound. A casual approach can bring misery to scores of members of two families.

However, it is the job of family seniors and community elders to create awareness about pitfalls of immature infatuation in the guise of sacred love. Let us assume for a moment that the boys were worst frauds, fiends and Casanovas. But, it is not for the judicial babus to turn into guardians of morality. The learned judges are free to resign, become preachers and sermonize about the dangers of getting married against the wishes of their parents. Instead, by directing the police to take action against 'Love Jihad' movement (if it exists), saying that the matter had "national ramifications concerning security, besides the question of unlawful trafficking of women," the judiciary has exposed itself as Mohabbat ka Dushman! Here we have 'honourable' judges who abuse power to direct that a 20-plus female – budding engineer or MBA aspirant to boot – must go back and live with her parents. It is cruel, not funny, to see mutual love among people not permitted to love each other and being condemned. Such tyranny after she had decided on some boy as her love partner and to enroll herself willingly to get acquainted with his environment, moreover, smacks of raw male chauvinism.

More criminal is to overload an awfully understaffed police force, struggling to carry out its responsibilities, to waste public time in what is not their business. Just because the Indian courts have draconian powers to pull up dissenters for contempt of court, media people are afraid to speak up against their tyranny. Ironically, even after the top cop failed to manufacture evidence of any organized syndicate, he has been directed to waste more time and public money in the mission.

It is time that Indian judiciary is purged outdated mindsets portraying medieval orthodoxy. The esteem of the institution, voted in a Transparency International survey to be the most corrupt after the revenue bureaucracy, will fall further if members are permitted to stray out of their designated role at will.
http://twocircles.net/2009oct29/dharma_yudh_needed_against_mohabbat_ke_dushmans.html