Is it India’s Republic Day or Black Day?

LAHORE: After the Partition, India has always celebrated its Republic Day on Jan 26, with some foreign head of the state as the chief guest since 1950.

In years 1952, 1953 and 1966, the day was celebrated without any foreign special guest. And this year too, the Narendra Modi government is celebrating the Indian Republic Day without any foreign head of the state in 55 years after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson refused to accept the invitation.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has asked the Modi government to cancel the Republic Day celebrations after refusal of British Premier Boris Johnson to be the chief guest on the occasion.

In 2016, the Hindu extremists had observed the Republic Day as the Black Day. The activists of Akheel Bhartiya Hindu Mahasaba pledged on oath to observe the even as the Black Day, and they displayed black flags in the streets of Meerath, saying they did not recognise the Indian constitution. The group had been demanding making India a Hindu state for the last five decades.

On the other hand, Kashmiris have always been observing the Indian Republic Day as the Black Day. The Indian Army had always praded in the streets of held Kashmir during the past decades and Internet services had always been suspended on the day for years. This year too, the Indian Republic Day would be observed as the Black Day on both sides of the Line of Control.

According to American news agency, lakhs of Indian farmers would take out a tractor rally on the New Delhi Roads to protest against the Modi government anti-farmer policies. They have announced a 100-km long tractor rally on the Republic Day. In Mumbai, thousands of farmers are staging a sit-in against the Modi government. At least 20638 farmers committed suicide in 2018-19 because of financial reasons, bad crops and their inability to pay off bank loans.

In all Asian states, the Indian economy stands at the lowest ebb of minus 10.3 GDP. Forbes magazine said the Indian economy was sinking under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Former Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the Modi government had destroyed the economy of India.

Hindu extremist parties and groups including Bharatiya Janata Party, Hindu Sena, Shiv Sena, RSS promoted the Hindutva ideology, under which the Modi government slaughtered thousands of Muslims and other members of the minority communities. Kashmir’s special status was abrogated by the Modi government and they were declared foreigners on their own lands through passage of the New Citizen Act. British newspaper Guardian said in a report that the Hindu extremist parties were leading India towards disintegration.

Film director and writer Anurag said the Modi government had divided the citizens into two groups. Those who agree with it are patriots and those who oppose it are traitors. Leave the Bollywood aside, Modi had divided homes and friends, he said.

India is known for rapes in the world. The fourth highest crime against Indian women is rape. There are 88 cases of rape every day. Girls and women are frightened and foreigner women tourists are also not protected.

Two or three days ahead of the Indian Republic Day, pro-Pakistan slogans were raised in New Delhi for which five people were arrested. Three weeks ago, the same slogans were heard in Karnataka.

The most famous incident is the protest at the Jawahar Lal Nehru University against the death sentence awarded to Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat. Anti-India slogans were raised there and sedition cases were registered.

India not only has differences with Pakistan but it is in conflict with other neighbouring countries as well. The countries including China, Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan are not happy with India. Last year, the Indian defence minister inaugurated a road near the border with Nepal and Nepal objected to the road.

Bangladesh is unhappy with India with reference to Assam. There are clashes with China at the Ladakh border. The Disinfo Lab has exposed the false Indian propaganda.