Kerala floods: a tragedy in god’s own country, but whose god?
Religious bigotry and communal politics are making it difficult for Keralites to come together as they try to recover from India’s worst deluge this century
THE RAINS HAVE stopped, the water is receding. It is Eid ul-Adha in Kerala, the southern Indian state grappling with the worst floods it has faced this century. Wading in slush and garbage swept in by unprecedented monsoon rains since late July, people are slowly returning to their ravaged, snake-infested homes.
Nizam Ali’s family in the town of Mala in Thrissur, one of the worst-affected districts, has no place to offer prayers for the Islamic festival of sacrifice – the local mosque is under water. Ali hears the Purappillikavu Rakteshwari Hindu temple in the neighbourhood, in an unusual move, is letting Muslims use a hall in its compound to offer prayers. “I can hardly believe my ears,” he says before scooting off to say his Eid namaaz in memory of the nearly 390 people killed and tens of thousands rendered homeless. “But more than anything else, I want to pray for people to stop this Hindu-Muslim-Christian charade.”
Ali is referring to the hate-mongering, bigotry and communal politics that have reared their ugly heads while Kerala struggles to keep its head above water. The Rakteshwari temple is a rare exception. Just the previous day, Ali had received a video message on WhatsApp, related to a media interview of Swami Chakrapani Maharaj, president of the Hindu body, All India Hindu Mahasabha.
The monk was openly urging Hindu relief workers in Kerala not to help Muslims since they slaughter cows, considered holy by Hindus, and eat beef. “The floods have happened because of them [Muslims]. They slaughter our ‘go mata’ [holy cow, equivalent to ‘our mother’]. About time these insensitive people suffer for their sins,” he was saying at fever pitch.
Social media has been similarly rife with vile posts alleging that churches were exploiting the floods to their advantage, including putting copies of the Bible in relief packages, and urging Hindus not to accept any help from Christian organisations.