No Namaz, No Salaam: Muslims in Modern India Forced to Self-Censor

Producer: Vatsala Singh
Camera: Athar Rather
Video Editor: Kunal Mehra

Taking a cue from her conversation with a friend, former NSUI member Angellica Aribam took to Twitter on 23 July to explain how the air in India has turned poisonous and forced Muslims to change their basic way of living.

A dear friend said, "I've stopped carrying mutton in my lunchbox nowadays. You never know someone might say I am carrying beef and I might get lynched". A fear that is justified in today's times especially when you're a Muslim man.

— Angellica Aribam (@AngellicAribam) July 23, 2018

The Twitter thread started when Aribam explained how a friend had stopped carrying mutton in his lunch box for fear of being lynched.

Indian Muslims expressed their anxieties on the same Twitter thread.

My mother doesn't let me carry kebabs anymore, everytime I visit home for Eid its just the sweets that I get to bring. 😐

— جویریہ (@pepper_smoker) July 23, 2018

With fear of being left unemployed, thousands of Muslim workers migrating to cities from Low Income Group, often Hide their Religious Identity or Adopt a Neutral Name in order to fit in, Well this never the case with Majority !

— mehz khan (@mehzkhan) July 25, 2018

Demonised/othered/marginalised. From politics of food, space, language to identity! A question I have heard way too much--so do you identify as a Muslim first or an Indian? As if the two are mutually exclusive!

— ursila ali (@UrsilaAli) July 25, 2018

Merely bearing a Muslim identity – like greeting parents with a “salaam” to wearing a “Kurta pyjama” for reading namaz on Fridays – is to invite life-threatening consequences from bigoted mobs, according to many who responded.

My Parents told me not to say salaam on phone in public places.

— irfan (@iamirfan21) July 23, 2018

On 27 July, after the story was published, historian Rana Safvi shared her inhibitions about getting mutton delivered to her house after Mohammad Akhlaq’s lynching.

I used to get mutton delivered to my house by the local butchers. But stopped after the Akhlaq lynching.
And yes I do still say adab, salam & Khuda hafiz in public places but I look over my shoulder now. Earlier I didnt https://t.co/e9rJR36aXH

— Rana Safvi رعنا राना (@iamrana) July 27, 2018

In a bid to avoid raising the ire of mobs, a BTech student narrated an episode in which he was asked by his mother to visit during Eid, only to be later told by his father not to come home because “traveling during Eid is no longer safe”.

Mom was saying that beta Eid (Bakrid) me atleast ek din ke liye ghar aana yahan bakra hai qurbani ke liye. Then my father said, nhi mahaul kharab hai Eid ke time travel mat karna.

— Minnat Ali (@Minnatali10) July 23, 2018

Recently my Mom and Dad were traveling in Train and it was a Friday. I called her specifically to tell her not to read Namaz in the Train, which is(used to be) a very common practice.

— Salik Khan (@baawraman) July 25, 2018

My mom used to give gud-chana to our driver to feed the cows on Thursdays.She is scared driver might get lynched.She used to give food to street kids,she is scared she might get lynched.This insecurity is everywhere,no one's untouched.Someone has to do something .

— M (@Miss_Trust_Ful) July 27, 2018

People at The Quint read out these tweets. Watch the video.