Martin Niemöller was a prominent German Protestant pastor who emerged as an outspoken public foe of Adolf Hitler and spent the last seven years of Nazi rule in concentration camps. He wrote the famously provocative poem “First they came… ”
The poem deals
with themes of persecution, guilt and responsibility. In the second decade of 21st century
India, this poem is suddenly more meaningful.
In 2002, they came for the Muslims.
The rule of law took a back seat in Gujarat. In
early 2002, the state witnessed large, armed mobs roaming the streets with
impunity, killing Muslims and burning anything that belonged to the minorities.
The police were either neutralised or led the mobs for a good 48 hours. A
silent sanction of the widespread violence by a large section of the community,
including Patidars and Dalits, paved the way for hate politics in Gujarat and
India.