Final Solution

While I was defending the saffron ideals, as it seems to lose hold, pushed to the horizon, my debating friend gave me a link to download a banned documentary “Final solution”, a film dedicated to the victims of politics of hate and violence... of Gujarat, directed by Rakesh Sharma. I was shocked beyond words as I sat through until the closing credits. I was shocked because the documentary was saying things that I never read in any of the newspapers. It literally subverts the official and media reports of the communal violence that happened after the 2003 Godhra carnage, Gujarat.

The director Rakesh Sharma checks the pulse of the people in the riot affected areas of Halol, Pavagad, Naroda, Naroda Patiya and Gulbarg Society and talks to its Muslim and Hindu populace. While many of the media reports claimed just five people (Muslims) were dumped into a well and killed thereafter, an up-close chat with local school going boys uncovers a ruthless alternate version, some of the best kept secrets of the Gujarat government. The boys testify scores of people lost their lives,including a lot of women and children. Women who tried to escape were molested, stripped-off, and then burnt alive.

The Godhra carnage saw 58 karsevaks lit alive in the tail end of Sabarmati Express on December 27, 2002 setting off a historic aftermath, a communal violence (the saffron party still denies it be called as communal violence) that took lives of hundreds of innocent Muslims.
In the documentary, goes a VHP leader at a ‘Trident ceremony’ or Trishul Diksha, taking oath with his disciples:
“After adopting Trishul, I will worship Shankar and Durga..
..and will build the Ram temple..will help defeat Jehad..
..will split Pakistan into forty parts…
and will help make India a Hindu nation..
Jai Shri Ram..”

These people are shaming our Gods. Ok, gods took lives of demons, not innocent unassuming people. What a stark contrast to what we studied back in our schools? India is a multi-ethnic state!

The film is a revelation against the backdrop of the false numbers reported in the media. That said, it still looks appropriate to seek ban on such documentaries in the interest of the public because it will do nothing towards improving the Muslim-Hindu relationship. Going forward, the documentary might only instigate hatred, skepticism, and scorn in a much-tensed society. Hindus are discontented with the current special reservation based on religion, we sense this as well, but resorting to violence is not the solution. Come to power with a big electorate mandate but not through violence, this shall be the greatest tribute to a great religion that is known for truth, knowledge and tolerance. Hindus are known to be balanced,  reliable and have a long tradition of tolerance. However, the tolerance does not mean submission to the other, one needs to be assertive of  the needs and aspiration, such as fight against the rampant conversion of faith. Hindus can prevent conversion only through a planned reformation, a complete overhaul of the current system. Dump, criticize and kill casteism, stop neglecting the Harijans, let the Shudra marry a Brahmin, may Brahmins spread the knowledge of Vedas, or let any practising Hindu keen on performing pooja be allowed into the sanctum sanctorium of temples. These are NOT rights exclusive to the upper class, for there exists no class. If this can be met, I bet there will be no threat of conversion.
And coming again to it, let us not malign our beliefs by displaying religious superiority over each other. India is a democratic country (though there should be a ‘fake’ prefixed to democratic, heck!) whatever, let us not consciously create another Gujarat, because I wish to co-exist with my Muslim, Christian and Sikh friends in a just ecosystem that knows no differences.

Written by:
Uthara Nair,
Dept of Mass Communication and Journalism
University of Calicut