Recent happenings in several parts of the country have shaken the consciousness of saner elements in the society. At the time of independence education level was very low, poverty was at its peak, GDP was a mere Rs. 2.7 lakh crore for a population of 34 Crore which accounted for nearly 3% of world’s total GDP. At that time the people of India chose to adopt a constitution based on secularism and democracy. This was despite that there were large scale communal riots and biggest ever migration of population in the world at the time partition.
These events did not deter people’s decision for a harmonious society. Baring a few incidents in between, people of the country have lived together without any hatred towards others since then. Now, when we have grown in all spheres and are aspiring to be a 5 trillion economy a section of our people are surcharged on communal lines and hate against others and have developed bias and prejudice in their minds. This mentality which a section of the society has developed is against the very concept of humanism that India has always stood for.
The people are being carried away by the bigotry, false propaganda and manufactured history. Hate against others based on caste, religion, tribes, ethnicity can lead to serious repercussions. It leads to loss of empathy and compassion for others. History is on record that over 25 Lakh people died during communal riots at the time of partition of India. They belonged to all the three communities, the Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims. Hate breeds mistrust which gets further aggravated into violence against each other. We witnessed it in 1984 during the anti-Sikh riots, anti-Muslim pogrom in Gujarat in 2002. Similar situation developed in Kashmir when minority Kashmiri Pandits were forced to migrate under terrorist threat and state government’s attitude.
What is happening in India at present is therefore not a new phenomenon but a continuation of what such forces have been trying to do in the past. There is a systematic campaign against the minorities who are being perceived as a threat to the majority 80% population of Hindus. Myths like the appeasement of Muslims; that they grow like mushrooms and marry four wives and they would soon overtake the Hindu population are injected into the minds of the people. This hate campaign lacks logic or evidence. These absurd ideas are spread through electronic TV media, social media, print media and also whisper campaigns. Several TV serials which are said to be historical serials are in a very subtle manner being used to spread falsehood and hate.
Women and children are the worst sufferers in such situations. Woman’s body has been used as a tool in the conflicts. Incident of Manipur where women were paraded naked and molested is to be seen with aversion, anger and as a reflection of serious aberration in our social order. State’s complete insensitivity to the situation raises scepticism whether these events have been well planned with some ulterior motive under the state patronage.
Hate campaigns do not stop on their own. Now there have been engineered communal riots in Haryana. The hate campaigners are roaming around free while the victims are being persecuted. There are similar incidents in UP, Delhi and other parts of the country. If not checked right now, this can lead to large scale violence of the level of Gujarat or Manipur.
The forces who spearhead such hate campaigns always experiment as to how they can win over masses to their side. The incident of statue of Lord Ganesha drinking milk throughout the country in 1995 was a very successful trial. This message spread across the country in no time even though there was no social media network at that time. It stopped instantaneously when it was felt that the whole myth would be exposed. It is to be noted that violence in Gujarat occurred after that. It is astonishing that such unprecedented violence took place in the land of Mahatma Gandhi.
Doctors can play a positive role in containing such situations. As the custodians of health of the society doctors are duty bound to speak and call spade a spade. They have to come out and make outreach programmes to preach harmony, love, brotherhood and sisterhood. Doctors can be a great instrument in developing confidence among the aggrieved in such situations. Viktor Frankl, an Austrian psychiatrist, who was a Holocaust survivor, did a great job to motivate prisoners in the Nazi concentration camps to never loose hope for a better future. With his persistent efforts he was able to save many from dying and survive after Hitler lost the war. Our voice matters; but our silence can be intriguing and dereliction of duty.
Despite continued threats by the hate campaigners and the dubious role of the state, there is a change. Many scientists who were till date quiet, have started challenging the myths and unscientific ideas. The doctors who clapped and banged thaalies have now realised that, that was not the scientific way to get rid of the COVID. Ultimately we had to fight out the pandemic at the cost of 1600 doctors’ lives. No amount of Gau Mutra or Cow Dung campaign worked. Many doctors understand this, but now is the time that they should develop courage to speak.
Hate campaigns have to be countered both politically as well as at societal levels. Doctors have not to sit quiet but find out means to bring the country out of this imbroglio. Doctors can communicate with their patients and in soft tone talk of love and compassion which is a part of our profession. Then follow up with them in their language. We must not shirk to identify the forces who are out to disturb harmony.
We have to understand that such violence is an epidemic health problem and thus plan as we do for other diseases.Primary prevention approach is to stop situation getting worse and stop vilence before t stars to hppen. The secondary prevention is to target the at-risk population and underlying risk factors.
A collective effort is needed because violent behaviour is contagious process and has to be dealt with in a similar manner. Social harmony is to be promoted through emphasizing love, sympathy, empathy and care for others. Expose the falsehood being spread. Talk on logic and evidence. Be humble to the vulnerable and deprived and firm against the fringes in our society that are trying to disturb the delicate equilibrium of social harmony in our country.
It is time we break the silence. Never whisper in the presence of wrong.(IPA Service)
By Dr Arun Mitra
