Destructive Psychological Warfare

Abridged and very rough translation of the December 16th, 2009 editorial of the leading Daily, Maadhyamam (Calicut, Kerala).

The Sachar committee that looked into the condition of the Indian Muslim minority has pointed out to the anxieties about their self and security faced by the Muslims and the helpless situation where in Muslims are constantly asked to proove that they are not anti-nationals or terrorists. The Sachar committee observes that the social and educational backwardness of this community can be attributed to this insecurity that they face. The Liberhan commission also underlines this and shows how the propaganda that Muslims are more devoted to Pakisthan than India is entirely false. Both historically and socially the Kerala Muslim has been free of the traumas of this identity crisis that has been haunting this nation's largest religious minority. The Sachar committee also talks about how the Kerala Muslims are in a comparatively better social position because of this.

But some people seem to be hell-bent on destroying the traditional communal harmony and security that Muslims have been enjoying in Kerala. This is what the recent raging debates in the contemporary media makes one think. At one time, when the news came that four Malayalees were killed in Kashmir there was a huge media propaganda that claimed that thousands of Malayalee suicide bombers were being recruited to Kashmir from Kerala. High level police officials had to call for a meeting to dispel the ill-effects of such a propaganda by saying that all these these stories were baseless and were mostly highly exaggerated media reports. However soon, the uproar about love jihad started in the media. 14 of the 18 reports submitted by police superintendents under the command of the Kerala High court refuted the media claims and showed that love jihad does not exist in Kerala.

The remaining ones, it was later proved were based on false complaints that had no basis in real facts. Even the central home ministry has confirmed that love jihad is baseless. Even the DGP of BJP ruled Karnataka has said the same. In spite of all this, the rumor mongering industry is still flourishing through the media of Kerala. What should we make of this?

Even before this has died out, the Thadiyantavide Naseer battle has started. It is clear that this criminal who has been wandering about after failing SSLC has at last been trapped. It is also necessary that he should be questioned in detail and at length. If there are more people who have been involved in unlawful activities they should also be brought to court. Nobody is big or small before the law. But no one other than the police is allowed to meet Naseer. Media is also not allowed to contact him. Yet, for the Kerala media, Nasser is the South Indian commander of the Pakistan based terrorist organization, LeT, He is also the master mind of everything that has and will happen. Till now, the version from the Central home ministry was that those responsible for the 2008 Delhi blasts were all killed in the Batla encounter. Now we hear a different story. Naseer, it seems, is responsible for this too. Things do not end here. Nasir is said to be responsible for the Aluva incident where a bus by the Tamilnadu transport corporation was burned. It seems he contacted Madani's wife, Soofiya, before and after the incident. So Soofiya has been added as the 10th accused in this case. She might land in jail in a few days.

If you have committed a crime, you should be punished. But if we look at the fireworks in the media, the image of Soofiya, the house wife, is portrayed in such dreadful and terrifying terms that even the Palestinian Crusader, Laila Khalid who shocked the world by organizing the world's first hijacking, dims in front of her. In most people's mind today she is the dreaded wife of the terrifying terrorist Madani. Remember that all this is happening in a country were those who have burned bus full of people are still going free without being punished. Many political parties are also using this incident to settle old scores. We want to point out that this case is not only a matter that concerns Madani or other leaders alone, but is also one that is going to have direct ramifications on the situation of peace and harmony in Kerala.