"Manufactured Rebellion" holds no substance : RTI reveals

Writers, Artists and Filmmakers have been returning their national awards in lieu of growing religious intolerance in the country. There may be controversy regarding their decision or what more good  possible ways of protest could have been but the reiterated backfire on writers for their selective approach calling it as the "manufactured" rebellion or "politics by other means" seems to hold no reasonable substance after  response to a RTI plea by Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on communal tensions.

A RTI was filed in Ministry of Home Affairs by Rohin Kumar, Political Science student at University of Delhi seeking information on number of cases of communal tensions that  erupted in country in last one year till date.

In its reply MHA, has provided the details of communal incidents occurred, state-wise, during 2014 & 2015 (up to May). The figures itself speaks louder than the political satires plus also backs the ongoing symbolic protest of returning awards.

Modi Government at the centre was formed in May,2014 however "Public Order" and "Police" are state subjects as per the Constitution of India and state governments are primarily responsible for maintaining law and order.

If we analyze the annexure provided by MHA in response to RTI, Uttar Pradesh tops the table with 133 communal incidents in 2014 followed by 55 in 2015 (up to May). It is worth noting that SP government has been ruling the state both these years and the state is most likely to undergo elections in 2017. The same state also witnessed the popular Dadri lynching case on rumours of beef.

Gujarat (74 & 18), Madhya Pradesh (56 & 31) and Rajasthan (72 & 28)  which underwent assembly elections in 2012, 2013 and 2013  respectively and currently under the BJP regime. The figures are enough to dismiss the claims of good governance even in the BJP ruled state.

Whereas, Maharashtra (97 & 56), Haryana (4 & 1),  Jharkhand (10 & 8) J and K (0 & 1) where elections were held in former two in October 2014 and latter two in December 2014. However, figures in Maharashtra must be taken as need to strengthen administration, the state is being ruled by BJP - Shiv Sena alliance. Similarly, BJP - Ajsu coalition in Jharkhand and BJP- PDP in J & K. Only Punjab with SAD - BJP has not faced any single  such cases.

Chattisgarh (0 & 1) only being the BJP ruled state to have maximum minimal numbers in communal tensions although the party came to power way back in 2013. Similarly, Karnataka (73 & 31) being the only INC ruled state to face maximum number of such cases.

State administration in Bihar (61 & 37) also seems to have been on backfoot. JDU drifted away from NDA alliance June 2013 and formed alliance with RJD, the state is currently going through assembly elections. Other states recorded numbers such as Kerala (4 & 0), Odisha (3 & 0), Tamil Nadu (15 & 2), Telangana (5 & 5), Uttarakhand (8 & 0), West Bengal (16 & 13) and Andhra Pradesh (5 & 0).

North East India (Arunachal, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim), Union Territories (excluding Delhi with 7 & 0) have been the most peace loving states with none such cases including Goa and Himachal Pradesh.

Its high time for the government at centre and state to cooperate and act with responsibility towards growing intolerance, many a times nowadays, taking the ill form of  communal violence. Just passing on the responsibility calling it the  subject under state list and law and order issue falls under state government doesn't seem to be a very responsible attitude. After all, its the duty of centre to uphold the basic structure of Indian Constitution.