This small handbook of creative resistance calls for action against divisive forces, writes Hussain Kodinhi, veteran journalist from Kerala.
‘Herbivore on the dining table. Carnivore on the streets’
How will you describe a rabid mob of cow vigilantes in better words? In a nutshell, it explains the hypocrisy of those who claim to be ‘protectors’ of tradition but hunt down hapless men in the name of an innocent animal. It is a scathing critique of the double standards that exist in Indian society, where religious minorities and marginalized groups are being targeted with impunity by the so-called guardians Sanatana dharma.
‘The birthplace of deities should not become graveyards of humans’
The death and destruction unleashed for Ram’s Ayodhya left a deep scar on India’s cheek. Now, moves are on to harvest hatred in Krishna’s Mathura. It’s turning out to be another Babari Masjid in the making.
‘Godse is an oxymoron. It’s actually Devilse’
Here, the very name that became synonym of hatred by killing Mahatma Gandhi, the prophet of non-violence, carries ‘god’ in his name!
These quotes are a few picks from the recently published ‘Mantra of the Oppressed’ by Mujeeb Jaihoon, a Kerala-born writer and activist based in Dubai. The book offers a powerful and disturbing commentary on the current reality of India. Through a few selected poems, essays and quotes, Jaihoon speaks to the rising tide of hate and bigotry, the normalization of violence, and the erosion of fundamental values such as tolerance, pluralism, and compassion.
Jaihoon, known for his sufi thoughts, laments the increasing polarization and the growing acceptance of intolerance among believers and reminds, ‘Faith is meant to terrorize the Devil within. Not fellow humans.’
This small handbook of creative resistance prompts readers to open their hearts and minds and calls for action against divisive forces on a strong footing of mutual respect and tolerance.
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