Khushwant’s Singh’s ‘warning’

Khushwant Singh was born on February 2 1915 in Punjab province of Pakistan and after the partition he migrated from newly formed state to India.Khushwant Singh is considered India’s best known writer,columnist and journalist.He was founder editor of Yojana. He wrote both fiction as well as well as non fiction. His non fiction works include two volumes History of Sikhs and quite a number of translations.He also loved to mention Urdu poetry in his writings.In fiction Train To Pakistan is counted as one of the classical work done by the author.Train to Pakistan is historical novel written on the partition of India. Khushwant Singh was awarded Padma Bhushan in 1974 but he returned the decoration in 1984 in protest against the storming of the Golden Temple in Amritsar by Indian Army. Khushwant Singh died on 20th of March 2014 in New Delhi.
“The End Of India” was written by Khushwant Singh in order to express his anguish over the Gujarat riots in 2002 and over the victory of Modi due to Gujarat riots. Khushwant Singh also expressed his anguish over the Sikh riots of 1984 and so on
This book has four chapters.In the first chapter Khushwant Singh writes these words about the Gujjrat riots “There are days when speeches made by our netas and so-called saints distress me so much that a voice within me screams, “Let all of them go to jahannum (hell). I’ll get on with my life as best as I can.” When I get over the depression, a wave of anger surges within me and I say to myself: “This is my homeland, I will not let these medieval-minded fanatics get away with wasting precious years squabbling over where exactly a temple should have its foundation-stone laid. I will shout my protest from the roof-tops.”
Then comes the ghastly carnage in Gujarat.
Much has been written and said about the riots of 2002. But not enough. I would like to quote from a document from another time. Summing up his report for the Maharashtra government after the riots in Bhiwandi and Jalgaon in 1970, Judge Madon wrote: It was a lonely, arduous and weary journey through a land of hatred and violence, of prejudice and perjury.The encounters on the way were with men without compassion, lusting for the blood of their fellow men, with politicians who trafficked in communal hatred and religious fanaticism, with local leaders who sought power by sowing disunity and bitterness, with police officers and policemen who were unworthy of their uniform, with investigating officers without honour and without scruples, with men committed to falsehood and wedded to fraud and with dealers in mayhem and murder”. After reading these lines one feels that I am reading Noam Chomsky not Khushwant Singh.
In second chapter titled “The Sangh and Its Demons”, author deeply looks into Hindu organizations such as RSS, VHP, Bhajarang Dal and Shiv Sena and the role they played in threating the minorities.One interesting read reader finds in the book is that we mostly blame Ali Mohammed Jinnah for giving two nation theory.In this book particularly in this chapter author didn’t blame Jinnah for two nation theory but as per Khushwant Singh Savarkar is the first man who put forward two nation theory,as per the theory Hindus and Muslims are separate nations.In this chapter Khushwant Singh exposes the hidden ideology rather agenda of RSS.In the last chapter “Is There A Solution” most of the Indians may not agree with Khushwant Singh but he thinks the solution lies in promoting India as a socialist country and adopting work ethic as new religion of India.
After reading the book one starts out the idea that India is a Hindu country had often been presented by the SanghParivar. The love Jihad issue, cow vigilantes and lynch mobs killing people on the pretext that they were beef eaters, murder of liberal voices like Gauri Lankesh, horrifying video of a Muslim man being burnt alive in Rajasthan and the latest statement by BJP MP Vinay Katiyarthat Muslims should not be living in this country, they should go to Pakistan or Bangladesh. Keeping these examples in mind it seems that Khushwant Singh’s predictions are coming true. Unfortunate case is this if anybody dares to challenge these people he is labelled as anti national or Pakistani.
At the last what I say this book has been written with serious intention that is why Khushwant Singh warn the Indian masses that “After partition, I had thought we would never again experience a similar holocaust. I may be proved wrong. Far from becoming mahaan (great), India is going to the dogs, and unless a miracle saves us, the country will break up”.
(The writer is studying at University of Kashmir and can be mailed at: [email protected])