JEDDAH – An eminent Indian journalist called on the secular parties and the media to rise to occasion in maintaining India's secular and democratic fabric by resisting the attempts to sow seeds of disharmony and hatred among the 1.25 billion pluralist society. In an interview with Saudi Gazette, O. Abdurahman, the Group Editor of Madhyamam Daily and Mediaone Channel, emphasized that majority people of India want secularism to prevail and are against the aggressive Hindutva policies being pursued with the clandestine support of the federal government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Abdurahman, who is in the Kingdom on a short visit, said that India's pluralist society is by and large secular minded and they have the inherent strength to protect the country's secular and democratic fabric, and this was evident from the vote share of the political parties during the general election of 2014. “Even though the secular and left parties managed to secure nearly two third of votes, they failed to come to power and the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance won majority of seats even after they secured 38.5 percent of votes. It is the disunity and infighting of secular parties and the dismal performance of the scandal-ridden second United Progressive Alliance led by the Indian National Congress paved the way for Hindutva forces to come to power and start implementing their agenda,” he said while noting that the Sangh Parivar, the umbrella grouping of Hindu chauvinist organizations, is now vigorously pursuing their hidden agenda of “saffronizing” the world's largest democracy. “These forces, who want to transform India into a theocratic state, are implementing their agenda one by one, and attempts are under way to rewrite history books after appointing hard-line Hindutva ideologues and stalwarts at the helm of academic and cultural bodies, besides repeated calls that harm the communal amity and peaceful coexistence of followers of various religions and cultures. Abdurahman, who is former secretary of the Kerala Chapter of the Forum for Democracy and Communal Amity (FDCA), blamed the Sangh Parivar for unleashing a psychological war to put minorities in the grip of fear. The minorities, especially Muslims and Christians, are worried whether they could preserve their religious and cultural identity. The country's secular-minded people in general and minorities in particular are suspicious of Modi government's several moves, including its enhancing ties with Israel. Modi is going to become the first Indian prime minister to visit Israel in the near future. “There is a strong feeling among minorities that Modi's stand is hypocritical and devoid of sincerity. Minorities are put in an insecure state where even their patriotism is being repeatedly questioned. There is no serious move to counter this even though the government can prevent such moves decisively if it has the will power to do so.” Abdurahman noted that international developments have become positive for Modi. “Modi's hectic global tour is part of image building exercise. It is yet to say how far this will benefit India and serve its broader interests. But one thing is certain that the government's nexus with a few corporate business groups is detrimental to the interests of the common men.” He noted that most of the Indian media are under the influence of big business groups. However, it is a positive signal that there are some leading newspapers and veteran journalists who are still upholding their objectivity and fair approach. Madhyamam, one of the leading newspapers in Malayalam language, is striving to further strengthen the foundation of India's secular and democratic set up, he asserted. “We never compromise on this approach irrespective of who comes to power, and we are taking steps to build confidence and self respect among the minorities. We are keen to embolden them to meet the challenges democratically and peacefully without falling into grip of fear,” he said. Known as AR, Abdurahman is a well known orator, author and a prominent figure in the educational and social circles in Kerala. Author of several books, he is regarded as an authority on Islam, minority politics and education apart from media field. He took over at the helm of Madhyamam in 1987. Abdurahman also serves as editor of the MediaOne channel, floated by the Madhyamam Broadcasting Limited in 2013.
