Though tolerance against intolerance of minority community in muslim majority Jammu and Kashmir has become a new norm for mainstream parties but quite saddening and shocking it is that political authoritarianism has scared mainstream leaders of Jammu and Kashmir so much that they now wait for others to condemn even the blasphemous remarks against Prophet (SAW) before issuing a formal condemnation statements themselves. The blasphemous remarks against Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was first condemned by a leader of a civil society group and a former trade union leader and mainstream leaders due to the fear of political authoritarianism in the country dared to condemn the blasphemous remarks against Prophet Muhammad (SAW) after they noticed the condemnation statement of a leader of a civil society group in local vernacular dailies. Though we didn’t expect condemnation statements from those mainstream leaders over the blasphemous remarks against Prophet Muhammad (SAW) who have attended prayer meetings in temples in yesteryears but other mainstream leaders claiming to be the champions of the basic identity of muslims in Jammu and Kashmir too did not dare to immediately condemn the blasphemous remarks against Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and waited for others to do so obviously due to the fear of action from authoritarian politicians presently ruling the country and majority of the states. Ironically it took even Mutahida Majlis e- Ulema Jammu and Kashmir (MMU) the top religious body of muslims in Jammu and Kashmir about 24 hours to condemn the blasphemous remarks against Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
By showing tolerance against the intolerance of other communities mainstream leaders struggling for power may serve the purposes of their individual political aspirations but it won’t satisfy religious emotions of the majority community in Jammu & Kashmir.
Though Islam prohibits explicitly abusing other religions but people of other religion too have to respect the religious emotions of muslims and more in a society comprising of people of diverse ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds. Lodging an FIR in a police station and arresting few accused just to put them on a long drawn legal trial won’t satisfy the religious emotions of muslims in muslim majority Jammu & Kashmir region but an exemplary punishment to ensure that no one dares to abuse other religions is the only way to satisfy the religion emotions of muslims in muslim majority Jammu and Kashmir region. Unfortunately the people stoking communal controversies are let off under the garb of nationalism and national security only to allow religious polarization to take roots for the purposes of accomplishment of broader political motives. Hurting the religious emotions of the people of one or the other community goes against the basic spirit of religious tolerance and as such message goes out that by showing tolerance against the intolerance of other communities mainstream leaders struggling for power may serve the purposes of their individual political aspirations but it won’t satisfy religious emotions of the majority community in Jammu & Kashmir.
