The #NotInMyName protest garnered support all across India since yesterday, so much so that it rattled the BJP IT Cell members to go into an offensive in a strategically planned attempt to derail the process.
The Social Media teams from BJP were seen in full action, trying to discredit these protests using various angles and counter narratives putting up arguments which at the onset sound rather intelligent but on a deeper thought are fit enough to be discarded or thrown into the dustbin, depending on how civil you want to sound while doing it.
Argument 1: This is a selective outrage only on Muslim and Dalit killings… What about the Hindu lynchings? — Classic Whataboutery by Vivek Agnihotri
The Not In My Name protests which took place were not about only the lynchings of the Muslims, though it was the Junaid train incident which was the final straw. The Not in my name protests were more about the inaction of the Government who are turning a blind eye to the predicament of the common citizens.
The fearmongering amongst the peaceful masses, by a certain section of the society by the use of mob violence, challenging the law and order establishment, specifically using the “Gai Humari Mata hain angle” is what this protest was against. The protestors never claimed that this was only about the Muslims or the Dalits, but then again, how many Hindus are being lynched over the beef politics at the moment?
Argument 2: What about the killings of RSS members in Kerala? —- Another Whataboutery Argument by Vikram Sampath who claims to not be a supporter of any political party but whose Facebook Cover pic shows him with Modi….so yeah..
Sure, the killings of the RSS members, allegedly by the Leftist party members in Kerala is a matter of condemnation. And I am sure any sane person will condemn these killings. But these are political killings born out of rivalry between two political parties. More of a turf war between the Left and the Right wingers over who takes the piece of the Kerala pie in the next elections.
Unless you are saying that the “Beef Lynchings” are political murders, which would automatically mean that BJP/RSS are sponsoring these murders to gain advantage over certain communities to ensure electoral victories for them, these two things can hardly be equated.
So does Vikram Sampath want to stick his neck out and say that the Beef Lynchings are sponsored by BJP for winning elections?? Go ahead…. say it, Make my day !!!
Argument 3: Not In My Name protests is a well co-ordinated pre-planned effort to destabilise the Government, by the Libtards.
Okay, if you think that a bunch of dudes on Facebook can co-ordinate and pre-plan a protest to destabilize the Government within two days time, then I think you hold the “Libtards” (which basically means Liberal Retards) in too high an esteem. Either we can be retards, or we can be highly skilled intelligent people to organize Nationwide protests in two days… so make up your mind, it cant be both.
The fact remains that these protests were almost impromptu and people joined it of their own will. The fact remains that this was a non-political protest, where no one was asking for the resignation of Modi, but the people were beseeching the Government to “TAKE ACTION.
I hope the Conspiracy Theorists from the BJP IT Cell can understand the difference between wanting a Government to Resign and wanting the Government to Take Action.
Argument 4: “Yo Aunty, So Nashunal”, the Pakistan Angle by none other than the usual suspects Times Now and Republic
If anyone could find an Anti-National angle in this whole protest, it had to be Times Now. Infact whenever I pass the Times Now office I control myself to not even sneeze, they might find a Pakistan angle in that too.
Moreover, the protests in Karachi had nothing to do with India, the Indian Express has reported that they were about killings in Pakistan going on in the name of blasphemy. They simply used the same hashtag because it was so catchy.
The fact of the matter is that this is a protest of the Citizens of India to demand the Government of India to stop killings in the name of “New India” and “Cow” and to put an end to this mobocracy.
The onus of not letting this flare out into a situation where people in other countries start taking advantage of the situation, lies on the Government and not the Citizens, who are only asking for their Primary Right of Peaceful existence.
Surprisingly Times Now thinks that holding such protests is defaming India in the eyes of the International Community, but it does not think that these lynchings (which are all over International Media) are not defaming India? So what do you want India to be known for in the International community? A Country where people get lynched on some pretext or other, or a Country where citizens stand up and protest against such lynchings.
Argument 5: What about the Hindu refugees being lynched in Pakistan and Bangladesh? — “Yay I touched the raw nerve” argument by ABVP
Sure there are atrocities on minorities in Bangladesh and Pakistan. So you want us to protest against the Indian Government to stop these atrocities? Isnt BJP a Right Wing Hindu Party? Isn’t Modi a man who has openly claimed that he is a HINDU Nationalist??
So why do they actually need someone to protest in India to get them to wake up to see these atrocities in the neighboring countries, when the primary objective of the BJP, the RSS and the Hindu Nationalist Prime Minister is the security of the Hindus all over the world?
Moreover we, the Citizens of India, are more concerned about our own safety. We want to peace to prevail in India and the lynchings to stop in India. When the Government creates a conducive atmosphere of peace in India, we would then gladly get on the streets and protest about the lynchings in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Uganda and wherever you want us to, if you think it’s going to make a difference.
Argument 6: Why didn’t you protest for the Rights of the Kashmiri Pandits? —- The Anupam Kherish Argument
Sure, what happened with the Kashmiri Pandits was an absolute horror. So was 1984 Sikh riots, so was 1992 Babri riots, so was 2002 Godhra. However, do realise that today is 2017 and what is happening is in the NOW.
The BJP+PDP Government is in power in Kashmir, they have all the power to set the past right and give the Kashmiri Pandits their rightful claim back. Are they working towards it? Do you want us to first protest against every past occurrence in history right from 1947 before we can open our mouths about something happening right in the front of our eyes?
So if you are seeing a murder committed in the front of your rights, what do you do? Protest against it, or go to the court and check all the pending cases first and see if everyone got justice about it?
Now, if you want to equate the Kashmir Exodus, which was systematic ousting of the Pandits from Kashmir, with the Beef lynching what you are basically saying it that the Right Wing Gau Rakshak goons are using the Cow as a medium for systematically ousting the Muslims and Dalits from India. Is that true?? Do you confess that that’s your plan? Go on, own up !!!
Sure, we want the past to be set right, but not at the cost of our present and our future. What happens right now, has to be stopped …. IMMEDIATELY!
So, while there are furious attempts by the usual suspects trying to derail these Not In My Name protests, the sensible minded Indian can be rest assured that these protests, though against communal atrocities, are not communal at all.
Thats the reason you had Hindus as well as Muslims in the protests yesterday, because we want to co-exist peacefully under the Secular fabric that the constitution provides.
Thats the reason you had rickhsaw drivers as well as bollywood actors in the protests, because people came on the streets irrespective of their social standings as we all are equally affected.
So, those who are trying to derail these Not In My Name protests instead of joining this, should realise that the majority of the society wants peace. It is only the bigots who thrive in chaos, because they are the only ones who benefit from it.
And thats the reasons there will be further protests in Pune (today) and in Chennai (Saturday) where normal citizens like you and me will stand up against these communal forces, irrespective of their caste, creed, gender, religion or social status and ask the Government in one strong single voice to “Stop These Communal Atrocities” #NotInMyName !!!
The post on Not In My Name protests was first published by Darshan Mondkar on his facebook timeline and blog
Disclaimer: I am not sure what would come out of these Not In My Name protests. Maybe they will work and maybe they wont. If it works and the Government acts strongly against these lynching mobs, I will be most happy. If they dont, atleast I will know that I didnt go down without trying.
