Whether he/she is a septuagenarian or octogenarian, the very individual is surely recalling the globally acclaimed quotation of George Santayana “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it” these days and the reasons behind this are not far to see. He/she is the same person who witnessed in his/her adolescence or early youth how the violent threat of Muslim League in then Calcutta, 1946 was defied and overwhelmed by martial Hindus ultimately. Now, in the twilight of own life, the same individual is witnessing the brawny clamor of Islamic fundamentalism once more and how descendants of those valiant warriors are busy in ceding to them day in and day out.
All these portray either Hindus do not exist in the state of Bengal or have become second grade citizen already with the sole right to witness every development and not to utter a single word in protest. How Hindus are in Bengal can be learnt from the comment of M. Nurujjaman, Trinamool Congress MLA of Deganga, the place of massive anti-Hindu riots in 2010. While taking part in a book-releasing ceremony on March 10 he expressed his displeasure over lack of Muslim candidates from Trinamool Congress in Lok Sabha Election, 2014. Incidentally, Trinamool Congress has fielded 6 Muslim candidates discontenting its Muslim supporters highly and the MLA expressed this displeasure in public. Aren’t there any Hindu candidates from Bengal? Well, there are but they’re divided between general and reserved candidates and above all, any such comment from Hindu is sure to rake up endless debates on Secularism.
How are Hindus in Bengal now? To be precise, the situation is awful and will be out of the frying pan into the fire soon. Law and order is being ravished by radical Muslims to attacks Hindus while the police and administration prefer to remain silent to retain tranquility. Dignity of women in the state has been outraged already through recurrent incidents of molestation and rape, not to speak of the gang rape of an innocent Hindu girl by Islamists at Kamduni near Barasat in 2013. Even if the majority of assailants in burgeoning crimes are Islamists, administration remains indifferent to preserve sanctity of secularism. Can Hindus, both reputed and ridiculed for their docility, be alive and kicking in such a situation?
Let’s go through a few more examples to ascertain the reality better. According to the Constitution of India, reservations based on religion are prohibited by law. However, despite all these, seculars have reserved jobs for Muslims in various states through ample ways; Bengal happens to be the best example in this context and 99% of the Muslim community here is under the purview of reservation. Hindus do not have any such opportunity in Bengal. Even if it is claimed for eternity that Islam is against any form of discrimination, the majority of Muslims in Bengal has been included in the category of OBC (Other Backward Class) smiting OBC Hindus. Following 1947, Hindu laws have been amended every now and then but not of Muslims. As a result, Muslims can have 4 wives simultaneously while no Hindu can marry for more 1 time. What is most striking, a Muslim judge having 4 wives can adjudicate such an offending Hindu.
Last of all, the imbalance in marriage has shrunk the birth rate among Hindus and its ominous effect is being seen in various parts of Bengal. Can Hindus be happy in such a situation? Or should they gear up apprehending the worst before long?