This refers to Arunabh Saikia’s piece that came out yesterday, National Anthem Insulted: How a year-old story resurfaces for everyone to outrage and write columns.
Here are a few points I’d like to make on the piece:
Incomplete story
The analysis was incomplete since it was based only on the fact that Qazi Masum Akhtar was roughed-up, the reasons behind it based on different accounts, and the timeline. Not the fatwa — which is what seems to be the recent development according to The New Indian Express article the writer cites:
“Kazi Masum, Akhtar, the headmaster of Talpukur Aara High Madrasa in the heart of the city, has been banned from its precincts [emphasis added]…”
“The maulvis have dubbed the national anthem “sacrilege” and a “Hindutva song” and issued a fatwa against Akhtar [emphasis added].”
“A fatwa has been issued against him [emphasis added]…”
A case of messy editing unless NIE meant to indicate a recent attack?
“…after being [implies he was] viciously assaulted by maulanas and their henchmen [in March], for training students to sing the national anthem for the Republic Day….”
“…He was also beaten up with iron rods in March…”
The above statement led to the impression that there was a recent attack. However, the NIE journalist has not stated explicitly that it was recent. He did say March, and by that it is understood it was the most recent March (of 2015). Mentioning the year is unnecessary.
Note that if there was indeed a recent rough-up, the headline would have stated the same, owing to the dramatic nature of the story. However, I’ll leave that to my presumption.
Other side of the story
The Maulvis are the main characters after the protagonist, Qazi Masum Akhtar. Current teacher-in-charge Ferdousi Begum and other colleagues are tertiary. Did/could the writer, Arunabh Saikia, ask the Maulvis for their version? If not, why didn’t he state so? Did he confirm what the fatwa stated? That would be more concrete than a (cursory) appearance of the anthem in the school diary.
Questions to NIE
As is the writer’s question. How has Aktar been teaching Jana Gana Mana recital if he hasn’t set foot in the Madrassa since March? On the other hand, if the fatwa is recent, what kept him from coming to school all this while? When was the fatwa issued?
My takeaway
A man was attacked and seriously injured (“skull split?”) in a Madrassa for being outspoken about his liberal views and attempts to affect reform. At least, NIE reported it now. Mainstream Liberal Media slept on this since March, 2015. Is it my bias, or is it true that often one community’s conservative extremists are criticised, while when it comes to another community’s extremists, we are told to hush-up and “be sensitive towards the minority”?
Compare media decibels. Shiva as phallus versus Prophet as homosexual. Doniger-Batra versus 1 lakh Muslims-Kamlesh. Legal battle for censorship versus open calls for head.
Each case, irrespective of the community, warrants attention. Unfair to call one “bigot” and “communal” if he or she points at the double standards.