‘You’re Not Like Other Muslims’ And Other Islamophobic Indianisms – By Priya Ramani
Earlier this week when Hamid Ansari made a factual statement at the launch of Congress politician Shashi Tharoor’s latest book-that even before Covid-19 “our society became a victim of two other pandemics: religiosity and strident nationalism” – an avalanche of abusive tweets targeted the erudite octogenarian who served as vice-president in the decade to 2017.
How dare any ‘Muslim’ (now used as a slur in itself) hold a mirror to India’s rotting soul? Islamophobia is everywhere, on Twitter, when you’re house hunting, in a discussion with friends, at parties, in the midst of a divorce, because you expressed an opinion….In a country that is increasingly hostile to its Muslim citizens and one that used the pandemic to inject itself with a booster shot of Islamophobia, hatred is everywhere, from new laws that govern marriage and citizenship to foot soldiers who champion “Hindu saviour” Arnab Goswami and celebrate news of an interfaith couple getting a divorce.
Comments
