Shehla Rashid confesses that anti-India protests are Islamic

New Delhi: Politician-turned-freelance protester, Shehla Rashid on Monday (December 30) took to Twitter to express her objections about the anti-CAA protests being seized by the liberals. Now, the joke is on these so-called liberals.

Taking to social media, Rashid lashed out at the 'liberals' claiming that the Muslim identity politics accompanying the anti-CAA protest is being opposed, busting their make-believe world of revolution. She asserted that the protest is being led and sustained by Muslims. 

Opposition to identity politics comes from those who have no problem with the majority's identity politics, and pontificate only about Muslim identity politics. They'll write books about Hinduism, organize Hindu festivals despite being Communists, but oppose 'identity politics'

— Shehla Rashid (@Shehla_Rashid) December 30, 2019

In a series of tweets, Rashid condemned the 'liberals' by unveiling the idea of India. She said that they are doing nothing to save the 'Idea of India'.

"The idea of India was being murdered mercilessly in Kashmir 5 months ago. Most of you were either silent or endorsed that rampage. Now that there is a mass movement, why do you want to appropriate it?" Rashid tweeted.

Please don't say that you are doing it to save the 'idea of India'. The idea of India was being murdered mercilessly in Kashmir 5 months ago. Most of you were either silent or endorsed that rampage. Now that there is a mass movement, why do you want to appropriate it?

— Shehla Rashid (@Shehla_Rashid) December 30, 2019

Claiming that the majority of the country agrees with the government on the law of the CAA, the politician-turned-activist suggested the 'liberals' are seizing the "Muslim protest against the CAA" to mobilise "the silent majority which is mocking the CAA in cafes, malls and online".

For a change, please don't make it about yourself, your party, your privileged idea of India, or about Hindu goodness. Please don't impose your ideas on the movement. Use your influence to mobilize the silent majority instead which is joking about CAA in cafes, malls and online.

— Shehla Rashid (@Shehla_Rashid) December 30, 2019

Intending to try to shield the contemporary Islamism that has been a central feature of the anti-CAA protests, Shehla advised the liberals to allow the Muslim community to lead the demonstrations and excuse their "extremist thoughts" or "conspiracy theories".

The mammoth Indian state is turning its machinery fully against Muslims, trampling upon them socially, culturally, economically and physically. If you want to be an ally, let the community lead and don't call their concerns 'extremist thoughts' or 'conspiracy theories'.

— Shehla Rashid (@Shehla_Rashid) December 30, 2019

However, many pushed themselves forward to condemn the statements made by Shehla to redeem the diminishing credibility of the anti-CAA protests and not because they oppose it being a Muslim protest.

Rubbishing Shehla's statements, Ifra Jan claimed that Shehla is doing great injustice to those who are standing for liberal values by relegating an all-India movement as an only-Muslim movement.

This is cringe level politics. NRC is anti-poor, anti women, anti Constitutional, & anti Muslim + Jew. If you're going to make it only about Muslims, you do a disservice to those who are standing for liberty. Don't hijack an all India movement only to help BJP with polarization. https://t.co/XyDXsJMHTu

— Ifra Jan (@IfraJan_) December 30, 2019

Seema Goswami, another self-proclaimed liberal also criticised Rashid for reducing the pan-India movement to a Hindu-Muslim issue.

This thread...What a way to reduce a pan-Indian movement to a Hindu-Muslim issue! Sorry @Shehla_Rashid this is not abt Muslims alone - it is abt every Indian who cares about our constitution. We all have a stake in this. And no amount of self-righteous bloviating will change that https://t.co/ZEKeV20xJY

— Seema Goswami (@seemagoswami) December 30, 2019

The Citizenship Amendment Act, by the Centre, intends to grant citizenship to persecuted minorities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.