The Shame of Gods own Country- Kerela and the case of Professor Joseph
An horrendous act has shaken the placid backwaters of Kerela
, often referred to as Gods own country.The act per se is indefensible as such acts can only take place in uncivilized country. The Professor had earned the wrath of Moslem fundamentalist groups who felt he had slighted the prophet. As a punishment his hand was cut off.
The action did not end there as the college where he was working summarily dismissed him from his job. All this happened under the nose of the Left democratic government dominated by the CPI(M), a party thatchampions a secular agenda as well as belief in Karl Marx.
The appalling inaction of the Government can lead to an interpretation that it is is reluctant to take on these fundamentalists who claim to speak for the Moslem community. Thus the Moslem fundamentalist groups have been emboldened to act as amoral police force.The CPI(M) has cut a sorry figure as it perhaps thinks that appeasing these fanatics will pay dividend at the next hustings. This may not work out as the CPI(M) may very well be voted out.
It is hard to condone the inaction of the Government in the light of a blatant voilation of the law and human rights.Right through the years the Governments in Kerela have been pandering to the various extremist and fundamentalist organizations. The price is the increasing talibanisation of the picteresque Malabar region. Here the fundamentalists have been trying to enforce their writ with coercion and terror tactics.
The Kerela government must clearly be read the riot act by the Centre. No government worth its salt can allow fundamentalist organizatins as well as institutions like the College where Professor Joseph worked carry on a parallel administration. It would have been a good idea to ban the PFI( Popular Front of India) the organization responsible for this reprehensible act as well action taken against the college management that dismissed the Professor.
The Government must also intervene and see that the professor is reinstated or given alternative employment. The Centre and state cannot allow India to be balkanized. A failure here could have dangerous long range implications not only for Kerela but the Indian state as well.
The Shame of Gods own Country- Kerela and the case of Professor Joseph