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Why do people love to hate?

Published

9 years ago

on

Bengal Riots

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Ranjona Banerji

And once again, India is heading towards what journalists of old used to call a “communal tinderbox”. Sectarian hatred, which sadly simmers below the surface across pockets of India, has once again started to find violent expression. This expression is usually related to political patronage – some Hindus feel that majoritarian rule is the answer for India whenever the BJP is in power. And in Bengal, there are claims that Mamata Banerjee’s Muslim appeasement policy has given strength to Islamist feelings in some areas of Bengal. Kerala is also going through some churn between the CPM and the BJP and once again the accusation is that various Islamic groups have free rein there: Hatred growing on hatred to destroy us all.

It is convenient for us to get stuck in the politics of it. That as if, had politicians not existed or did not pit one cause against the other, we would have loved each other desperately. The politics of it allows us to escape from the reality: That there is hatred, there is fear, there is a sense of historical injustice and there is insecurity. Almost all of it is illogical and unreasonable, almost all of it stems from ignorance and bigotry and all of it makes a mockery of our humanity.

History will show us that there is no one answer, there is no easy answer. Anthropologists will point to ancient atavistic impulses. Archaeologists will find old bones with evidence of extreme violence. Sociologists and psychologists will examine chinks in our relationships with others and with ourselves. They will all be correct. There is hatred in us and it will continue.

Do upbringing and experience play a role? Yet there are people who have suffered after the Partition riots and have tried to build bridges and there are those who have suffered and become filled with thoughts of revenge. The way some soldiers who have seen fighting and death become pacifists and others become even more dogged about military solutions to a conflict over all other ones. Does education make a difference? Clearly it does not, when you consider the number of educated terrorists of all political hues. Does being religious make a difference? This is the most tragic of all human beliefs when you consider that most extremist behaviour is justified in the name of religion.

We can accept that this is how we are and move on. Let law and order take each individual case and let the human constructs of evidence and justice deal with the consequences of human iniquity. Small individual steps to offset our human flaws. But this does not work on any grand scale.

The only thing that will make a difference is if law is matched with societal determination. Look at how Germany has tackled its anti-Semitic past. It was not the only nation in Europe which has persecuted Jews. The word “pogrom”, used loosely today for rioting and ethnic cleansing, is a Russian word meaning to “wreak havoc, demolish violently”, was specifically used for attacks on Jews. Across Europe, Jews faced everything from social discrimination to outright violence. Every kind of justification and lie to persecute any minority group today was used then.

But what happened in Nazi Germany with the cruel genocide of 6 million Jews in concentration camps was so bad, so horrific, that it became too much for the collective conscience of the Germans and of much of the world. Germany more than any other nation follows a very strict policy when it comes to anti-Semitism because it is always aware of its past. No solution is perfect but this is the one solution which has stood out as a beacon of hope and so it must.

Racism has not found such an easy solution nor has gender equity. Here in India, apart from the anger with minority religions that some of the majority Hindus have, we have still not managed as a society to acknowledge the terrible damage done to our fellow humans by the strictures of caste. We still look for justifications for dehumanisation, against and above the law of the land.

There is no easy answer and as long as we don’t honestly search for some as a society, we shall continue to be victim to politicians, religious clerics and other vested interests, to those whose power flows from creating and fostering hatred amongst us. We have reached that crossroads yet again. The last time someone tried to appeal to our collective conscience, we killed him. There is no Mahatma Gandhi today. There is only us. And we don’t look pretty.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Over 5,000 tribals join BJP in Assam’s Goalpara ahead of elections

More than 5,000 tribals, largely from the Garo community, joined the BJP in Assam’s Goalpara district during a large-scale ST Morcha programme ahead of elections.

Published

19 hours ago

on

February 26, 2026

By

Hemanta Sharma

More than 5,000 members of tribal communities formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at a large-scale event held in Assam’s Goalpara district on February 25, weeks before key elections.

The joining programme was organised by the BJP ST Morcha, Assam Pradesh, at the Agia School playground. The event was conducted under the leadership of Riya Sangma, State Secretary of BJP ST Morcha and in-charge of the Goalpara ST Morcha.

Party leaders said the programme witnessed strong participation, particularly from the Garo community, describing it as a significant political development in the district.

The chief guest at the event was Samir Oran, National President of BJP ST Morcha and outgoing Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha). Among those present were Bijuli Kalita Medhi, MP from the Guwahati Lok Sabha constituency, Ravindra Raju, Horen Singh Bey, who serves as State President of BJP ST Morcha, and other party leaders.

Goalpara district has traditionally seen strong influence from opposition parties, especially the Congress. Tribal voters in the region have largely remained divided, making the large-scale induction ahead of elections politically significant.

Addressing the media, Samir Oran said the BJP has brought a new phase of recognition and opportunity for tribal communities across the Northeast. He stated that the joining programme reflected growing trust among tribal populations in the party.

Riya Sangma said many tribal communities, particularly members of the Garo community, had earlier felt deprived of adequate respect and development benefits. She added that the participation of over 5,000 people demonstrated confidence in the BJP’s leadership.

Dipankar Nath, BJP Goalpara District President, termed the development a “game-changer” for the constituency. He said the party remains committed to the welfare, development and dignity of tribal communities.

Party leaders expressed confidence that the induction drive would strengthen the BJP’s organisational base in Goalpara and nearby areas ahead of the upcoming polls.

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PM Modi crosses 100 million followers on Instagram, first world leader to achieve milestone

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has crossed 100 million followers on Instagram, becoming the first world leader to achieve the milestone and widening the gap with global counterparts.

Published

19 hours ago

on

February 26, 2026

By

pm modi followers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become the first world leader and politician to cross 100 million followers on Instagram, marking a significant moment in global political communication.

Having joined the platform in 2014, the Prime Minister has steadily built one of the most followed political profiles worldwide. Over the past decade, his Instagram account has featured updates on official engagements, international visits, public outreach programmes, cultural highlights and personal moments, helping him connect with a broad and diverse audience.

With 100 million followers, PM Modi now ranks first among world leaders on Instagram. His follower count is more than double that of US President Donald Trump, who stands at 43.2 million followers.

Other prominent leaders remain considerably behind in comparison. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has around 15 million followers, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has 14.4 million, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has 11.6 million, and Argentine President Javier Milei has 6.4 million followers.

Notably, the combined follower count of the next five major global leaders remains lower than PM Modi’s individual tally, highlighting the scale of his digital outreach. Observers note that his presence on Instagram resonates strongly with younger users in India and abroad, reflecting the growing importance of visual and interactive platforms in political engagement.

Wide gap within India’s political space

The Prime Minister also maintains a substantial lead over other Indian political figures on Instagram. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has around 16.1 million followers, while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has approximately 12.6 million followers.

The gap underlines PM Modi’s dominant position on social media among domestic political leaders.

The milestone reflects a broader global trend of political leaders increasingly using platforms like Instagram to communicate directly with citizens, share governance updates, and expand public engagement beyond traditional media channels.

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MK Stalin predicts frequent PM Modi visits to Tamil Nadu before assembly election

MK Stalin has said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Tamil Nadu more often ahead of the Assembly election, calling the tours politically motivated and questioning the Centre’s support to the state.

Published

1 day ago

on

February 25, 2026

By

MK Stalin

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin has predicted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will increase his visits to the state as the Assembly election, expected in April or May, draws closer.

Speaking ahead of the polls, the DMK president said the Prime Minister has already begun touring Tamil Nadu and is likely to visit frequently in the coming months. He claimed that such visits could create discomfort within the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), as alliance partners may fear the political impact of repeated appearances.

Stalin calls visit politically motivated

The Chief Minister described the Prime Minister’s scheduled programmes in the state as “politically motivated”. PM Modi is set to attend various events in Madurai in southern Tamil Nadu, including the inauguration of the first phase of the AIIMS hospital project. He is also expected to visit the Thiruparankundram Temple amid the Karthigai Deepam-related controversy and participate in a public meeting organised by the NDA.

Stalin said he has been working for all sections of the population, including those who did not vote for his party. In contrast, he remarked that some leaders are visible in the state only during election time and increase their visits as polls approach.

Criticism over Union Budget allocations

The DMK leader also criticised the BJP-led central government, accusing it of neglecting Tamil Nadu. He pointed out that while approval was recently granted for the Gujarat Metro project, there were no major announcements or allocations for Tamil Nadu in the Union Budget.

Stalin asserted that voters would remember the lack of significant measures for the state. He framed the upcoming election as a contest between Tamil Nadu and the NDA, stating that the state should be governed from Fort St George in Chennai rather than from Delhi.

The ruling DMK is currently allied with several smaller parties and, at present, the Congress, as it seeks a third consecutive term in office. Its principal rival, the AIADMK, is aligned with the BJP as part of the NDA.

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