The brutal gang rape and murder of Asifa Bano has enraged the whole world and also reflects the kind of evolution that humanity has attained. It was extremely saddening to see many people rallying to support the accused. Here, I am republishing an answer written in Quora by Anjana Nair, a student of Journalism and English literature and also a freelance writer. Thanks to Anjana Nair for letting me to share her thoughts here:
“Asifa Bano’s case is clearly selective outrage. I double dare these hypocritical Bollywood celebrities to pull up posters against Muslims. Don’t they know better than to criticise Hindu culture? And all these people protesting, why don’t they care about the girl from Unnao? Or the dozens of Hindu girls raped? Our culture is under assault.”
Everyone who posted this disgusts me. I mean it. I’m looking at you, sanctimonious Quorans with a victim complex the size of Texas.
Why is it that I hear this excuse most often when something clearly connected to Hindutva and its affiliates comes to light? When proud Hindus commit atrocities in the name of their religion and that is pointed out, suddenly everyone cries “SeLeCtIvE OuTrAGe, WhAt AbOuT KaSHmIrI PuNDiTs, wHaT aBoUt MuSLimS rApInG HiNdUs, wHaT aBoUt ChRiStIAn cOnVersIoNs? #JuStICEeFoRAlL you LiBtaRDz and CoMmuNiSt PiGs!”
“Hey man, your house is on fire!”
“So? SO?! How dare you selectively point out my house! Didn’t you know Abdul’s burned down last week?”
“Yes but-”
“What? Why are you not talking about that huh? Why is it always my house? You’re just jealous because it is so big!”
“It’s on fire…”
The same people have no problem pointing out the religion and caste of others when it suits them, have no problem in identifying problems and outrages committed by people outside of their own circle. To borrow a phrase from Habib Fanny, this is circumfornication at it’s finest. They will happily drag out the No True Scotsman fallacy and Strawman their opponents to a stupor but mysteriously become deaf when their own religion is clearly connected with it.
Take the case of the young Kashmiri girl who was brutally gangraped and killed[1] . A young, eight year old girl kidnapped, drugged and kept on temple premises[2]. A girl who was brutalised in every way possible. A girl who was used as a sex doll by men who even invited a man from another state to satisfy his lust[3] . a girl who was chosen to be brutalised to drive away her Muslim community from a certain place.
Police officers connected with the case have struggled to uncover evidence in the face of harassment and threatening.
And what happens?
This.
Jammu: Two BJP ministers attend rally in support of Kathua rape-murder suspect
This.
This.
“Good She Was Killed”: Banker Loses Job After Comment On Kathua Rape Case
Is this your Hindu culture? Is this the religion of peace and tolerance which surpasses Islam? Is this the religion which allowed India to form? Tell me with a straight face that those are not Hindus! Tell me with the same conviction and outrage you muster for bloody Christians and Muslims that they are not bloody Hindus marching in support of rapists and paedophiles!
What differentiates you from the Muslims and Christians and dozens of foes which seek to bring down your religion?
What differentiates you from the corrupt and bloated politicians seeking to cover up heinous crimes for their own benefit?
Why are you so quick to bring up others faults when your own lie bare? Do you first address the rot in your own backyard or do you dig through your neighbour’s trash?
I’ll tell you what’s happening – whataboutism is.
If you have an ounce of shame – an ounce of bloody shame, just a tiny bit! – you will accept the wrongs done in the name of your religion. You will bow your heads. You will act with the humility and the consciousness of wrongs committed that you failed to observe in others. You will prove yourselves different. If not, you are just as hypocritical, just as guilty as those your profess superiority over.
Kashmiri Pundits – or whatever is left of those poor souls – will be hanging their heads in shame. They have been used to justify atrocities committed in the name of their religion and driven out of their rightful homeland by another religion’s fanatics. They are used as political pawns by a public which has no interest in actually helping them, only using their name to deflect accusations.
Hold your own culture up to the standards which you impose on others.
That is why we criticise Hindu culture when it is used as an excuse for defilement and desecration and atrocity. Because we should. Because we are the only ones who can raise it up.
Shame on you for using a dead and brutalised eight year old child as a whataboutism weapon.
Oh and in case someone is planning on a “MUSLIMS! THE ANTICHRIST! HITLER DID IT TOO! COMMUNISTS ARE RUINING INIDA! WHY DONT YOU POINT THEM OUT! WHY ARE YOU OPPRESSING MY RELIGION!” rant…
Don’t.
Just don’t.
– By Anjana Nair, a student of Journalism and English literature
My comments:
First, It is our duty to protest for bringing justice to this girl and her family. And, I think the identification that people have with any religion should be completely dropped. Even in Indian culture, the peak of spiritual progress is letting go of all identifications. And identification creates prejudice and in-group out-group bias.
One of my favorite line from Upanishads is ‘Vasudaiva kutumbakam’ which means ‘(whole) earth is (our) family’.. The same concept also exists in Tamil, which is ‘யாதும் ஊரே யாவரும் கேளிர்’, meaning ‘Every place is my hometown and everyone is my relative’. Raising awareness of this attitude may somehow reduce the crimes that happen in the name of religion.
In fact, the core teaching in most of the religions is loving another human being as oneself. So, whoever does a crime to show that their religion is superior is actually bringing down the reputation of their own religion. Let us destroy the imaginary divisions we have created in the name of religions and promote peace and love…
Shanmugam's Blog 
I admire your work. But with regard to this particular work, I have some serious reservations. Please let the truth prevail and not start commenting right now. I have lived in Kashmir for a year and have got to know certain peculiarities about Jammu and Kashmir. The relation between Jammu and Kashmiri people is quite acrimonious. Loopholes in the case are already coming out. In spite of all this, I respect your views. Though we all know that we can never get the complete picture for even the news media is corrupt.
LikeLike
yeah.. We can’t get the complete picture 🙂
LikeLike
This case was heartbreaking but definitely not shocking because apparently such case have become daily news for us in India. It saddens me that a developing nation so wide cannot bring justice to its women. We have a long way to go when it come to women safety and respect. I love how you are trying to reach out to people with your writing like many other who share their concern and fear. There is a need to educate children but the conservative society that we are forbids us from even mentioning rapes to children and that is probably the reason why they are unable to tell apart right from wrong. The youth needs to be taught.
Recently even I wrote a poem on the Asifa Case portraying forward my disgust and anger towards the corrupt system and people who drag politics and religion into an issue like this. Its just not humane. Please do check it out once. The least we can do as individuals is try to make people understand by putting forward out thoughts.
https://themephobicwriter.blog/2018/04/16/oh-the-lies/
LikeLike
Yes… When we dig deeper, there seems to be more such news; there are many incidents which do not even get the public attention. I read your poem. It was very good and conveys what needs to be conveyed.
LikeLike