India’s Muslim communities have faced decades of discrimination. Since independence, they have encountered violence and prejudice, despite constitutional protection. Anti-Muslim sentiments have heightened under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has pursued a Hindu Nationalist agenda since being elected to power in 2014. The BJP has consistently considered Muslims to be less Indian than Hindus. Now, with India’s inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, concerns have arisen among the country’s 200 million Muslims. The temple is being built on a site where the Babri Masjid was destroyed by a Hindu Nationalist mob in 1992.
Just a month ahead of the 2024 national elections in India, Modi himself led the inauguration of a multimillion-dollar Hindu temple. The reality is that Muslims and Hindus have coexisted for hundreds of years, along with temples and mosques. Muslims cannot have a problem with a temple; the problem arises when religion and places of worship are used to polarize society, create tensions, and foster animosity.
Moreover, it’s quite upsetting to see how Bollywood has become a craven industry. To see its stars dressed up to celebrate the destruction of the Babri Masjid, the conflict that killed around 3000 people. It’s sickening to see them click selfies, cheer, and clap at the inauguration of intolerance and hatred.
Furthermore, the Indian government promoting films set on the perception of Pakistanis and Muslims being terrorists is horrendous. Billions in budget and the most popular storylines of late are all about fighting terrorists portrayed as Muslims or Pakistanis, with popular actors speaking out loud dangerous dialogues in the vein of showing patriotism. They use themes and figures of speech and setups that are, of course, contrary to the reality of our state. This is not something to be taken lightly. Breeding this kind of hatred and a false sense of pride cannot be good. Media plays an important role in propagating individual ideologies. Digital warfare will promote real warfare. Such stereotypical scripts must be condemned by both sides. India and Pakistan are nuclear powers, and wars amongst us would be apocalyptic.
In an upcoming movie trailer, a renowned actor speaks about Azad Kashmir and says, “Malik hum Hain.” With what has been happening in Kashmir over the past years, this is so dangerous and disrespectful, especially to the Kashmiris who have shed so much blood for their dream of freedom. When you cheer for war between two nuclear powers, be careful what you wish for and promote.
With what we see happening in the world right now, does it make sense to speak of occupying any country? This hurts the sentiments of many Pakistanis who shower the Bollywood film industry with love. Cinema and art during times like this should bring the world together. These planned hate propagandas are all unnecessary. Why not make storylines about Indian patriotism without bringing Pakistan down? Why not make films that bring the two nations together? Why not promote peace and harmony?
Amina Amin Kanju
The writer is the Founder of Made in Alipur, a writer and an entrepreneur. She can be contacted
at aminaaminkanju@gmail.com