New Delhi: The secular fabric of India, known for its rich and inclusive Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb, is increasingly coming under strain due to an alarming rise in communal and divisive rhetoric by public figures. In recent weeks, a spate of remarks targeting Muslims, Urdu language, and even national heroes like Veer Abdul Hamid, has stirred outrage and concern among citizens who uphold India’s pluralistic ethos.
The controversy began when Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath referred to Muslims as “Kathmullas” — a derogatory term implying wayward clerics — during a session of the UP Assembly. The derogatory label triggered widespread criticism and was soon followed by a series of equally disturbing comments from other political and administrative figures.
Ballia MLA Ketki Singh suggested setting up separate hospital wards for Muslims, while Sambhal’s Deputy Superintendent of Police, Anuj Kumar Chaudhary, advised Muslims to stay indoors during Holi — a statement seen as openly encouraging communal discord. Critics argue that such remarks from public servants violate their duty to ensure peace and uphold constitutional values.
Adding to the growing list of controversial remarks, Uttarakhand BJP MLA Asha Nautiyal proposed banning non-Hindus from entering the Kedarnath temple, citing unverified concerns about them consuming non-vegetarian food and alcohol — an assertion that further fans the flames of religious exclusion.
In a deeply hurtful move for many, a school named after war hero Shaheed Veer Abdul Hamid — a Param Vir Chakra awardee who died fighting bravely in the 1965 Indo-Pak war — was renamed “PM Shri Composite School.” The renaming has been met with disappointment from citizens and family members alike who view it as an erasure of Hamid’s legacy. In another disheartening episode from 1988, Hamid’s widow, Rasoolan Bi, had her electricity connection disconnected due to unpaid bills — a stark contrast to the way national heroes should be remembered and honoured.
Communal polemics also resurrected the figure of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, who continues to be used as a tool for vilifying Muslims. “Muslims are being labeled as ‘Aurangzeb ki auladen’ (sons of Aurangzeb), when in truth, their real heroes are Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, Bharat Ratna APJ Abdul Kalam, Maulana Azad, Hawaldar Abdul Hamid, Brigadier Muhammad Usman, and Captain Javed,” writes Firoz Bakht Ahmed.
He adds, “If Aurangzeb’s grave should be bulldozed, what about Indira Gandhi, who oversaw the 1984 anti-Sikh pogrom?”
The state of Urdu, a language that has historically acted as a cultural bridge between communities, has also come under attack. The Rajasthan government’s decision to shut down Urdu classes in government schools while creating posts for Sanskrit teachers has been seen by many as a calculated blow to the syncretic culture of India. While there’s no opposition to promoting Sanskrit, doing so at the cost of Urdu — which played a critical role in India’s freedom movement — appears unjust.
Urdu, a language born in India and enriched by both Hindu and Muslim writers, has a long list of non-Muslim literary giants such as Ram Prasad Bismil, Firaq Gorakhpuri, Kaifi Azmi, Gulzar, and others, who have shaped its legacy. “Are they all Kathmullas too?” asks Ahmed in a rhetorical rebuttal to the term’s derogatory use.
The onus of reining in such divisive rhetoric lies with all communities. Muslims, Ahmed notes, must distance themselves from rabble-rousers and seek sincere and pragmatic leadership. Similarly, balanced voices within the Hindu community must stand up against communal organizations like the VHP and RSS, who claim to speak for all Hindus.
“India has already seen one partition; we must not allow another to unfold, ideologically or socially,” Ahmed warns. He reminds readers that history speaks of mutual trust and shared culture — from Mughal emperors drinking Gangajal to Shivaji’s reliance on Muslim generals, from Sufi shrines revered across faiths to Hindu poets writing in Urdu.
Quoting poet Afzal Manglori, he sums up the central message:
Koi mushkil nahin hai Hindu ya Musalman hona/
Haan badi baat hai is daur mein insaan hona!
(It isn’t difficult to be Hindu or Muslim; what’s rare today is to be truly human.
(“Excerpts from a recent article by Firoz Bakht Ahmed, former Chancellor and grandnephew of Bharat Ratna Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.”)
