A short story that illustrates why Hindus cannot defeat Hindutva fascism in India.

Hayde Bismillah

When I was a kid, we had an uncle across the street who had a vicious dog. This dog, for some reason, would always go after me.

Bilkul kutta tha saala!

1.

Whenever, the dog saw me - he'd start barking and run after me. Zindagi haraam kar di thi meri.

I told the uncle - please leash your dog or keep it inside. But uncle loved the dog so much that he wouldn't wash his face - it would be licked clean by his dog.

2.

Uncle said - he is like my son. You must have done something to trigger him. Zaroor mere bete ko tumne sataya hoga. Mere saath toh kabhi aisi harkat nahi karta.

So it went on. I changed paths - taking longer routes to avoid the beast. I even tried friending it with treats.

3.

Lekin kutte ki dum - tedhi ki tedhi rahi.

One day, I was pissed off. Picked up a stone and flung it at him. Bloody dog got a swollen eye for a month - but learned its lesson not to mess with me.

You must be asking - kuttey ka Hindutva se kya lena dena? I'm coming to that.

4.

It has to do with the "Banality of Evil". You can rail against the oppressive system, structures and dear leader. But most people - especially liberals and sarkaris - are blind to who enables it.

You can take a candlelight against Modi - but what about your loved ones?

5.

Your mom - who served you extra kachori from her own plate - is now on WhatsApp discussing the final solution for Muslims. It's not your mother, no?

Your dad, who after a few pegs, goes into how nuclear annihilation is the best answer. How can he - he pays your tuition!

6.

Your uncle - who chipped in to pay for your brand new bike? Even if he is the local RSS shakha sanchalak - he isn't really the problem, no?

Your bajrangi bhaiyya whom you put Rakhi on every year - he can't be the one who is a Valentine vigilante. Surely, not him!

7.

And this is the problem we see with these liberals - they can come on stage at Shaheen Bagh and sing "hum dekhenge dekhenge", feel like they've maintained a balance and done their bit for civilization.

They probably expect Muslims to thank them for it as well.

8.

Really going against oppressive fascist systems and structures requires a little more than that. It requires one to confront it at every stage and wherever you see it.

Not many can do that. Especially the majority community that is embedded in these systems irrevocably.

9.

Coming back to Muslims - if you are expecting your allies to stand with you in your struggles for your rights - take off those rose colored glasses.

You have to kick the dog that is trying to bite you.

10.

You cannot stand there analyzing the pedigree of the dog & phoning it's owner to come leash it.

And that's my message to Hindu allies too. Either leash your dog and keep it out of our faces or don't complain when it is kicked around by those they are trying to bite.

11. End