A few months ago,the President of U.S.A, Barack Obama, visited India. He had already voiced his views that religious bifurcation could divide India into many different sectors; he had warned that India will succeed so long as it is not “splintered along the lines of religious faith (sectarian lines)”. The President of the United States further said that everybody is “equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practice and propagate religion” (“Every person has the right to practice their faith as they choose, or no faith at all without fear or discrimination” – Article 25 of the Indian Constitution).

At that time, RSS workers had started a program called “Ghar Wapsi” (“Returning Home”). It was their firstattempt to make the said bifurcation possible. They aggravated the situation further by adapting several new steps: the one currently underway is the beef ban controversy. The current Indian government, which is owned by the BJP directly and indirectly run by RSS, has imposed a ban on beef in several states of India. It was also imposed in Jammu and Kashmir where people showed their disapproval by calling strikes and slaughtering bovine animals to defy the order.

In India, the beef ban controversy sparked several debates: it divided India along religious lines, like if a person consumed beef he was called Pakistani or augarwadi (terrorist) or desh drohi (traitor) and if he did not, he was called a true patriot (it may sound hilarious but it happened in several parts of India).

The beef controversy reminded the Muslims of India the reasons why Jinnah demanded the division of Hindustan. Many Muslims living in various parts of India claimed that Jinnah had done a nice job by creating a new country for Muslims, where at least they are not banned from eating beef.

Notwithstanding with the fact that India is a diverse nation – religious pluralism is the basic backbone of this nation – but unfortunately a majority of its people overlook this fact and try their best to divide the nation on the basis of caste, creed and colour.

 A few days ago, Mohammad Akhlaque of Dadri, U.P. was beaten to death by a mob, allegedly over rumours that he had eaten beef.The only crime he committed was that ofconsuming mutton. Meanwhile, an announcement was being made by some seditious Hindus at the nearby temple that a cow has been slaughtered, cooked and consumed. The mob attacked the house of Mohammad Akhlaque, dragging him out of his house with his son. They were beaten with bricks which lead to the death of Akhlaque and his son was critically injured. Instead of punishing the culprits, the authorities first went about confirming whether beef had been consumed or not – it sounds hilarious. The meat samples have been sent to the laboratory to check whether it is cow meat or goat meat – another crazy act. When it was confirmed that the meat which Akhlaque and his family had consumed was not beef, media headlines read: “No beef was consumed by the Muslim family”.

Akhlaque,a farmer by profession, had managed to educate his children. His eldest son is in the Air Force as ground staff, and 21-year-old Danish was also studying to get into the Air Force like his brother. Their sister was witness to the terror of the mob breaking down their door, beating her grandmother, mother and herself before dragging off Akhlaque and Danish. She ran from one neighbour to another begging for help, but none came forward. In vain, she insisted that the meat in their fridge was mutton not beef. The mob did not hear anything. The only thing they wanted was the death of the 50 year old man; indeed, they wanted the blood of a Muslim who in their view had consumed beef. In their opinion, he had violated the rules and regulations of India. The only question which the family is asking the rest of India is: “How has eating any kind of meat become such a big crime?”

The most shocking thing about this incident was when BJP leader MP Tarun Vijay gave a statement directly supporting those who killed the 50-year-old. “Be a victim and maintain silence,” he said. A report reads as:

“Why responsibility to keep peace and maintain calm is always put on the Hindus alone? Be a victim and maintain silence in face of assaults!!” tweeted the former editor of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) weekly in Hindi, Panchajanya.

Another local BJP leader Vichitra Tomar was more concerned about the sentiments of the Hindu community than that of the family of the victim. Instead of punishing the mob, he called for cow slaughterers to be arrested, although there is not much proof that a cow was actually slaughtered.

“The police have arrested innocent people. We also demand legal action against those people who are engaged in cow slaughter as it is hurting Hindu sentiments,” he said.

BJP district president Thakur Harish Singh tried to excuse the actions of the mob and was more interested in the police investigation on whether beef was consumed by the victim’s family or not.

“The locals gave samples of meat to the police but they (the cops) did not take it seriously. Then some people got agitated,” he said on Tuesday, suggesting that the “agitation” was justified.

In 2002, five Dalits were lynched to death in Jhajjar, Haryana, by a frenzied mob.Another incident that may give you Goosebumps was when people beat man in Kanpur, allegedly over a rumour that he shouted Allah-o-Akbar, Allah-o-Akbar, thenhe was called a terrorist and was beaten to pulp by a group of people. Such episodes only underline the hollowness and cynicism of dominant "secular" politics in India. This indeed shows the actual face of Hindutva people. Like in their own words they say “Yeh Desh hinduvun ka hai” (“this country belongs toHindus alone”)

Such incidents put huge question marks on the security of the minorities living in India.  If the constitution of India grants equal rights to a Muslim, Hindu, Sikh or Christian, then why do such incidents occur? When the fundamental principles of the country grant a person the right to practice any religion without any discrimination – then why do such episodes take place?These questions jeer those who always talk about national security, inter-religious harmony and country-wide peace.