You remember the song — Ek chidiya anek chidiya — from Doordarshan’s 1970s animated short educational film? The whole premise of the song rested on inspiring unity despite the religious and cultural differences prevalent in India. It was an attempt to spread the message across a country that could still hear the pangs of Partition. The attempt was to keep the secular spirit — mauled to near-death in the post-Partition violence — alive. That was 1974. In the India of 2020, secularism is a ‘joke’ and the Tanishq commercial is the latest proof. Being unapologetic is a political fad and many Indians don’t care about the health of secularism. This is most visible on social media.
In India of today, anything that talks about unity or secularism, finds a way to be controversial. The makers of Tanishq advertisement have been accused of promoting love-jihad. Wonder what equipment the propagators of hate have access to — they are quick to tell how hurt a particular community is when faced with such portrayals.
However, let’s not delude ourselves. Deep inside, most Indians struggle to be secular. And a lot of the credit for keeping this centuries-old hate alive goes to politicians and their politics.
Much of India’s politics and the driving force for voting has been based on either caste or religion, because Indians are primarily driven by these two factors in their day-to-day lives. The fact that auto rickshaws, trucks and buses with Jai Shri Ram or 786 stickers are a common sight in India shows how people wear religion on their sleeves. Even government offices have pictures of gods and goddesses — tells a lot about how a State views religion. Religion in India isn’t private. Governments in India flirt with it all the time to their advantage. Even the Constituent Assembly had thrice rejected the proposal to add the word ‘secular’ in the Constitution.
Also read: VHP demands Modi government enact ‘stringent’ law against ‘love jihad’
Being ‘secular’ has a face value
The person who is credited with adding the word ‘secular’ in the Constitution — Indira Gandhi — is the very politician who played the Hindu card. Even though her election slogans were all about roti, kapda aur makaan, she came back to power in the 1980 Lok Sabha election thanks to her frequent temple runs that were covered well by the AIR. The national broadcaster also aired programmes based on content from the vedas and other Hindu scriptures.
It was her devout Brahmin identity that helped her come back to power despite committing the horror of Emergency. Her last four years in office also saw some of the bloodiest riots —Meerut, Baroda, Neli and in Biharsharif.
Congress’ silence in the aftermath of Indira Gandhi’s assassination that led to Sikh riots, which saw the killing of over 3,000 people was another occasion in independent India’s history when secularism and its credentials were put to test. Adding a word to the Constitution won’t make India secular. The hate has been winning since centuries. It has the ability to get under your skin. It often leaves you fearful making you worried about you and your community—as if they are facing existential threat. And that’s where the politician enters, preying on your fears, reassuring you of his support, and ready to bury secularism one more time.
In fact, it is no coincidence that the Sangh Parivar began ideating the Ram Mandir movement during the 1980s Indira tenure. There were signs even in the 1950s. Jawaharlal Nehru ensured the banning of cow slaughter in the states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Like great-grandfather, like great grandson — Rahul Gandhi’s attempt to become prime minister in 2019 also followed the same blueprint. Wear janeau, visit temples, try and look as Brahmin as possible.
But the BJP has aced this game because they’ve been consistent with it since the 90s. While then, all of these not-so-secular moves were made implicitly by the Congress, today, the BJP makes no qualms over rejecting secularism explicitly. Being unapologetic, I told you. That’s where it’s all coming from.
Also read: You can #BoycottTanishq, but here’s really why we are so scared of Hindu-Muslim marriages
The hate agents, the religious contractors
Troll armies on social media ensure that ads like Tanishq are seen with the prism of Muslim men capturing and ensnaring innocent Hindu women, thus emerging victorious over the majority community — they sexualise this idea. They question why a commercial with a romantic ‘liaison’ of a Muslim woman and a Hindu man are not shown. That’s their rationale. A 2019 Surf Excel commercial that showed a girl child, presumably a Hindu, protecting her Muslim friend — a boy going to namaz from Holi colours — was also dubbed as promoting love jihad. Even kids are viewed from this lens of sectarianism. They say tolerance is going down in India. But this tolerance for hate? No need to worry. It’s been on an upward trajectory since 2014.
While promotion of secularism has to rely on commercials far and few, those opposing it have 24*7 access to bigger platforms like TV media. The 9 pm messengers can dissect secularism to the point from where a Tanishq would never dream of coming up with such adverts. Tanishqs will put in place strict contracts with their advertising partners and plead not to bring secularism out of coma, for India is wearing hate in 2020 and there is no space for jewellery from a brand that promotes a universal/liberal idea.
Many primetime TV shows justified why ads like Tanishq are spreading the wrong message. In his show, DNA, Sudhir Choudhary dissected the entire commercial and declared that in 70 years of India’s independence, the majority community and their sentiments have always been sidelined. He, then, went on a toxic tirade to stoke communal sentiments by ‘showcasing’ Hindu men who have been beaten or killed for being in love with Muslim women. The Zee News anchor also expressed his displeasure on why Muslims are always shown in movies and pop culture as peaceful people who keep their promises, whereas, according to him that’s not the case in real life.
For a minute, you think all this could be Choudhary’s individual opinion. But it isn’t. Millions of people are listening to him, suggests the show’s viewership data. According to Zee Network, the show is watched by five crore viewers every month.
The relationship between demand and supply is easy to understand. And demand for secularism is pretty low in India’s social economy. Like the Indian economy, secularism, too, is facing the demand-side problem. Except there is no RBI to fix it.
Shows and TV channels, apparently dedicated to undo the ‘hypocrisy of secularism’ are a hit, because people are watching such content. Colonies in metropolitan cities, segregated on the basis of caste and religion is an on ground reality we can’t turn our faces away from. People of India want India to be a country that espouses ‘Dharma’ based on Hindu philosophy. Which is why the BJP and Narendra Modi is being brought to power again and again. This is exactly what the BJP promises explicitly — a Hindu Rashtra. And people vote exactly for that. We as a nation are not secular. Let’s not pretend to be so either.
The author is a political observer and writer. Views are personal.
Those who preach this kind of secularism by showing Hindu women getting married by Muslim men should also advertise the other way-Muslim women getting married to Hindu men and see the response . If you want a just society DO it. You are a pseudo secular. The neo rich cine actors and business men are not the examples of secularism, They are not the models to be followed in selecting the other half,it is the common man . Please bear this in mind.
I swear Print has got to stop this one sided sickularism.
Why is secularism forced on one community only..? When will you show little secularism ..why not muslim girl getting married to a Hindu family ?? Wake up..Its time for u to show little secularism..by the way your article is shit
Excellent Reply…Remember ek hath se taliya bajaye nahi jati hi…For these B….
secularism means Hating the Majorities, mimicking n molesting their customs and Pleasing the Minorities…Hell with Indira, Shez not a Hindu in the first place, how can you term her as Brahimin?
The rationale of yours has already been attacked in the article itself perhaps you didn’t read it. What else is to be expected from a guy who is ready to hound with his unsolicited and baseless opinions.
Hey, author! I think you don’t know about Nusrat Jahan marriage, right? Where has your sickukarism gone? I am not saying that don’t write articles for criticising Hindus. But don’t be one-sided man! Write about the ‘secularism’ in Muslims community also. Present both type of facts and arguments! Don’t be a radicalist man being a journalist. Don’t mislead the country. You can never succeed in uprooting the culture of Bharat…
Be Cautious of Wire, Print, Scroll, NDTV, DC, DH, Indian Express etc and THE SICKULAR JOURNALISTS, their interpretation of Sickularism differs according to the situation. Actually i dont ever read news posted by these sites. But thought to know the views of the author. Ab samajh ki sab ek hi ghar ke hain
The wire,the print,ndtv all are expecting secularism from hindus the writer of this article itself is a muslim go to your islamic countries if you want so much secularism
Who introduced this word ‘SECULAR’? Certainly not Dr. Ambedkar. Neither when the country was under democratic rule! Isn’t it?
Shit!
A single word for your article…
Black death is a medicine for these problems.
what else can u expect from a mulli reporter
Dear print shot the add vis,versa and see what is secualrisam if there are no fatwas against u for that than u can speak eke and anek here u just can’t control ur emotions behold ur guts for the upcoming change in Indian’s and Hindus.
Why not show a muslim girl in hindu family? Hindus can take much better care of her and won’t bring more wives either.. won’t give triple talaq either..also give her respect like a godess.. but some brainwashed animals like you won’t understand that… Go and play in shit… don’t worry about India!
Zainab should accept the fact that Muslims and their Hindu supporters took India for ride. Muslims are allowed four wives, despite constitution’s claim of equality between men and women. Govt. took over Hindu temples but not Mosques. Muslim men marrying Hindu women if attacked were condemned but Hindu men marrying Muslim women.
Let us look at Love Jihad issue and compare it with other similar group accused. Black people in west are accused of trying to marry white women. But even most racists whites have never accused Black people of not allowing their sisters or daughters of marrying Whites. So Black attempt is genuine desire for integration. In case of Muslims, they don’t allow their daughters & sisters to marry Hindus but they themselves want to marry Hindu women. So it is not genuine desire to integrate, but rather take advantage of tolerance of other, with goal of take over.
Muslims are not willing to assimilate into India like Greeks, Scythians and Huns did, therefore they don’t allow their sisters & daughters to marry Hindus.
Secularist keep claiming how poor & backward Muslims are, but Muslims are no worse off than Dalit, Tribal. this point is never brought. neither is the fact that upper class Muslims enjoy much better life than average Hindu. If India as country is poor how could all Muslims be rich?
Muslim men marrying Hindu women if attacked were condemned but Hindu men marrying Muslim women.
Correction: Secularists condemned if Muslim men marrying Hindu women were attacked but not Hindu men marrying Muslim women.
This is too mediocre. I expected better from libtards while doing the Rudali routine. If nothing, they at least write well. I hope next time, this website will publish something worth debating.
Are muslims secular? Ask this question to yourself first. Then ask Tanishq to dare and make ad with Muslim girl in Hindu family. This country has always been Hindu rashtra there is no two ways about it. Muslims being minority do not tolerate mixed marriages when it comes to their girl why should we hindu be the only tolerant folks around. Modi govt or not, henceforth we will not tolerate any thing that promotes love jihad or gazwa-e-hind.
Let Bharat be declared a Hindu Rashtra, then lackeys such as these won’t dare to use the Nonsense named SIKULARISM.
Hindus are getting EXTERMINATED, WOMEN & GIRLS,TENS OF THOUSANDS OF THEM RAPED OR FORCED TO MARRY to some Ungootha Chaap Mullohs in the our neighbouring countries since 1947 onwards .
Today the population of HINDUS in Pakistan comprises of less than 1% of their total population while HINDU Population in Bangladesh has come down to less than 7% from 23% of their total population in 1971..
Yet this Caricature hasn’t raised his voice for the Persecuted HINDU POPULATION IN ISLAMIC COUNTRIES..
GONE ARE THE OLD DAYS OF MAKING HINDUS FOOLS …BY ASKING FOR PARTITIONING OF INDIA & YET,MOST MULLAHS STAYED ON IN INDIA …TO CREATE ANOTHER PORKISTAN IN A FEW YEARS FROM NOW….BHOOL JAO WOH DIN..
HINDUS OF TODAY WON’T TOLERATE SUCH NONSENSE ANY MORE..
We should boycott the print as well and remember Bharat is a Hindu Rastra and no secularism boycott Tanishq and boycott the print
Dear The Print if there was shown a muslim girl with Hindu boy than the owner of Tanishq would be in jail or in heaven and zainab Sikander would be criticizing Tanishq for that . So for your so called muslim secularism article I m going to block ur site from my device. PEACE
Sir, don’t block. Your comments create waves . Leave comments
Wonderful article – big applause. This is what the author of this article expects ?
Such splendid hypocrisy and a communal guy talking about secularism (applause).
True Secularism is where all religions are given equal importance. It is evident from the times of mughal and other islamic emperors how they have treated people from other religions and cultures. And, britishers even made things worse with their manipulative education system and caste system. Incidents like Moplah Genocide of hindus, Kashmiri Hindus displacement and many others are proof of the bullshit and fake secularism.
Every time leftists idea backfires,they put the other face infront of you i.e educated,innocent who come forward to protect the evils. India need to learn how to slap both the faces.
We are Indian firstly and lastly, we live as one but such so called people always come with this hindu-muslim agenda for their benefits, shame on those who still give value to religion first, give your kindness and loyalty as human being not as belong to any religion, these BJP andh bhakt and RSS is only responsible for our todays India’s bad condition in all sector.
If it was Muslim girl in Hindu household the mleccha author of this article would have changed his views and become sikular. Well until it’s Muslim girl in Hindu home it is not secular. Fuck Tata. No need for jewellery from that company. They know and hence took down the ad. This biased muslim agent of jihad has good points. I think you shud make an ad of Muslim girl marrying Hindu and publish that. Than I can watch that ad. Else this is jihad and we don’t want Muslim jihad here. This is a jihadi writer. All articles are Hindu hatred and Hindu bashing. Carry on you jihadi.
Boycott campaigns are better than burning homes or humans for expressing their views, don’t you think. This ad was not bad in itself but it’s timing was. Remember what happened in Bengluru. Or the recent case of a hindu boy being murdered for loving a girl of another community.