Communal harmony is the foundation of our democracy: Pankaj Parashar

There are various types of things coming out about communalism in the country. Issues like Ram Janmabhoomi controversy, three divorces, cow slaughter and Vande Mataram speaking or not speaking are in the center of politics now a days. The Akhlaq Murder case in Bisada village will be remembered for a long time. Pankaj Parashar, the Chief Sub Editor of daily Hindustan, who was very close to the events following the Akhlaq murder case, has created a documentary film, ‘The Brotherhood’. The film is about to be released soon. The key points of the conversation with him on the issue.

I have been doing journalism for nearly twelve years. During this time, I worked in Bulandshahr and now in Gautam Buddha Nagar. In the Bulandshahr, a village is Til Begampur. Til Begampur is a village of Muslims. There is an another village called Ghodi Bachheda (Gautam Buddha Nagar) in Greater Noida. This village belongs to Hindus. But the Hindus of Ghodi Bachheda village considers the Muslims of Til Begumpur as an elder brother. It sounds amazing to hear but it is absolutely true. Indeed, this relationship between these people is five hundred years old. I had heard about it. When Akhlaq was killed for the cow slaughter, an environment was created in the country as Hindus and Muslims can not be together here. Then I remembered the people of Til Begampur and Ghodi Bachheda villages.

No, I do not feel like this. Many people of other religions are working with me. My childhood friend is a Muslim. When I was about a year old, my parents went to Muzaffarnagar from Baghpat. I am talking of the same Muzaffarnagar where communal riots took place in the last days. We are Brahmins but we have rented half a house of a butcher family. There were five girls in the family, whom I consider to be sisters. When I grew up, I came to know that they are Muslims. But there was no difference on our relationship. Those people took full care of our religion and culture. We were vegetarians and that family was carnivore. But they did not even let us know about meat. I have never seen intolerance and communalism.

National integration has been demonstrated through history in The Brotherhood. Independence movement in West UP, partition of India and Pakistan and today’s situation will be seen. We are the descendants of a father. In this film, Hindus and Muslims will say this. Indian culture, Sanskrit literature and constitution are symbols of communal harmony. Communal harmony is the foundation of our democracy. Do you consider these things weaker, I do not believe this.

My previous documentary Crushed Dreams was on the problems of farmers. The subject of The Brotherhood is communal harmony. The topic of the next documentary is related to women. There are many evils relates to women in Rajasthan, Hariyana, West UP and Punjab. But a practice is troubling men more than women. And finally women have to be victims of it. I think this will be a very serious subject. On which nobody has paid attention.