Justice Markandey Katju-
(Justice Markandey Katju is a former Judge, Supreme Court of India, and former Chairman of Press Council of India. The views expressed are his own.)
Despite all attempts by the ruling party for the last 10 years at polarizing Indian society on religious lines to get Hindu votes, despite demonizing Muslims as terrorists and anti-nationals, despite lynching many Muslims, despite bulldozing their houses, despite beating them up for not saying Jai Shri Ram, despite throwing many in jail for many years on fabricated and frivolous charges ( e.g. Umar Khalid ), what has been the reaction of Muslims?
One would have expected their minds to be full of hatred for Hindus for the atrocities committed on them.
But what happened in Allahabad after the stampede in the ongoing Kumbh Mela on 29th January 2025, in which an unknown number of Hindu pilgrims were killed and countless are still missing, was just the contrary. In fact it was something marvellous.
Muslims had been told to keep away from the Kumbh Mela area, and this would no doubt have created resentment in them.
But far from gloating over the calamity of Hindus, the Muslims of Allahabad immediately organized help for the victims in numerous ways, as described here: This shows that despite all attempts by communal elements in recent years to incite hatred against minorities, the Ganga-Jamuna tehzeeb, and humanitarian feelings, taught by our sufis and saints over the ages, still survives, and can never die.
The Muslims ( and Sikhs) of Allahabad have shown the correct path to our whole nation, that we must unite if we are to move forward, and not be carried away by the nefarious communal propaganda of those who seek to divide us for their vested interests.