A curious case of ‘border survey’

Ahead of the West Bengal assembly elections, in an official meeting with the Chief Election Commissioner, senior Trinamool Congress leader and Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister Firhad Hakim complained that the BJP through the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, had been sending the Border Security Force (BSF) to the borderline villages of the state to coerce people to vote for them. The BSF was quick to quip that it was a professional border guarding force actively checking illegal infiltration and smuggling.

As was claimed last November, in addition to their regular function of maintaining border security, the Centre had mobilised the Central security agencies like Intelligence Bureau and BSF to conduct an empirical study of the demographic and economic profiles of populations along the border, particularly regions with a predominantly Muslim population. The government likes to call it a ‘routine’ procedure conducted to keep a close watch on the presence of radical elements in border towns.

If this is so, then how does the Central government and the BSF defend a similar demographic study conducted in Jaisalmer just before the Rajasthan Assembly elections in December 2018? The BSF study drew much flak for tracking individuals day in and day out and collecting their detailed information. The report made questionable assumptions and linkages between a rise in the Muslim population within the areas studied and their rapid radicalisation.

However, the BSF report expressly stated that there was absolutely no evidence of any anti-national activity in the area or among the Muslim residents. Further, it noted that both the communities – Hindus and Muslims had no problems so far, they conducted business peacefully and were cordial to each other. The most striking observation was that the residents were increasingly shedding off their traditional Rajasthani culture and adopting ‘Arab’ leaning dresses, hairstyles and customs.

On first impression, such surveys conducted by the BSF might seem quite apolitical and trustful. However, a closer look unravels the ‘racial profiling’ that will ensue. If the TMC leader’s allegations are to be believed, just like NRC-CAA, such surveys in the garb of ‘routine exercise’ seek to rewrite and come up with an exclusive and homogenous meaning of the terms: ‘Indian’; ‘Bengali’; ‘citizen’; and ‘illegal migrant’.

The bigger aim all along has been to move away from a love and loyalty-based idea of being an ‘Indian’, ‘citizen’ and ‘Bengali’ to a purely religion-centric conception. Such interventions smack of RSS’s long-term goal of transforming a multi-religious and culturally diverse state into a ‘Hindu state’ by purging her of its so-called ‘foreign elements’.

Two evils

Undoubtedly, infiltration and smuggling are two evils that must be curbed with an iron fist. However, laws must be enforced evenly and without regard to an individual’s race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, economic or social status. After all, it is the prohibited conduct that should be construed as ‘illegal’ and not a particular ‘religion’.

Even if there is an iota of truth in these claims, it can be said that the BSF is being wrongfully used to carry out ‘natural selection’, that is, to weed out the unwanted elements and create a homogeneous, pure state actualising Savarkar’s vision of ‘Hindustan being a fatherland and holy land for Hindus only’.

Unfortunately, constitutional values of ‘equality’ and ‘secularity’ have become illusory for India’s religious minorities. The realities of the ‘Muslims’ inhabiting the region do not even feature in this so-called ‘routine’ procedure. In such a scenario, can the so-called ‘unwanted elements’ expect fairness, equality of treatment and justice?

It would be a huge loss of reputation for India before the international community to be equated with erstwhile Nazi Germany and today’s China and Myanmar with respect to singling out and targeting their religious minorities. Jews in Nazi Germany, Uyghurs in China and Rohingyas in Myanmar were all profiled racially before being ostracised. Indians would not like to be remembered in history as one such people.

Such survey exercises impair the DNA of India - most importantly, the culture of Bengal and the nature of Bengalis. For generations, Bengalis have been living together cheek and jowl - speaking the same language, eating the same food and celebrating the same fundamental ideal of ‘unity in diversity’. Then, why change the inclusive and peaceful character of Bengal and transform her into an exclusive state for individuals belonging to one single religion?

Maitreyi Devi in her famous work, ‘Tagore by Fireside’ (1905) wrote about how Tagore “transformed the religious tradition of Rakhsha Bandhan to a secular motif of unity among diversity and resisted Banga Bhanga, the partition of Bengal along communal lines.” Diversity is woven into the very fabric of Bengal and destroying it is like disrobing her to the bare minimum!

(Prerna Dhoop is a human rights lawyer; Vandana Dhoop is an independent research consultant)