This refers to the report of a Sena leader trying to force-feed a Muslim caterer when the latter was observing his Ramzan fast. This was bad conduct by an elected representative. But it is sickening to note that an incident of rowdy protest over the quality of food by the Shiv Sena leader has been given a communal colour by insinuating that the staffer was forcibly fed only because he was a Muslim. Not a moment was taken to pause and verify facts before making it into a big issue of hurting the sensitivities of the country’s minorities.
More worrisome, however, is the general political climate of the country, especially the line of thinking of intellectuals and political commentators, TV anchors and media in general, that shapes public opinion. They have not hesitated in keeping up the secular-communal divide alive in the country, and thus not allowing Muslims to remain normal citizens.