DNA Edit: In the name of god

The Kasganj communal clashes were an eye-opener, a classic example of how social media and fringe elements can stoke passions by spreading misinformation and lies. Long before a probe was conducted, it became a free for all, with sundry opinions, masquerading as facts, vitiating the atmosphere. What’s undeniable is the fact that a young man lost his life in the violence, which shouldn’t have occurred in the first place. It’s an immeasurable loss to his parents, which some cynical people are trying to capitalise on. It’s still unclear if the violence was pre-planned.

However, the spontaneous participation in vandalism, when mobs from both sides of the religious divide burnt shops and vehicles, has become a recurrent feature in these times. It signifies a collapse of law and order and a blatant disregard for lives and properties. The Republic Day celebrations signify the primacy of the people, its supreme power within the framework of the Constitution. That such a noble occasion could degenerate into an opportunity for bloodletting deserves condemnation in unequivocal terms.

Kasganj, like other places in India, which have been scarred by riots, reveal how deep the fissures have become in the name of faith. This is scary and if such hate-mongering continues, the fire would spread to other parts of India, where communal harmony, however tenuous, is still being preserved. Social media has now become more of a platform for spewing hate than encouraging civilised discourses. Time and again it has proved to be vulnerable to orthodox and rabid elements. With hardly any oversight mechanism in place, divisive forces find Facebook and Twitter ideal vehicles to further their agenda. Kasganj is yet another wake-up call, that is if we choose to listen.