Opinion | Adopting Liberals' Perspective, Congress Must Now See Hamas' Evil

Some crimes are so vile and egregious that only Leftists and liberals can downplay them. Political parties relying on the support of self-appointed pinkish champions of morality follow suit. The absence of revulsion on the part of many intellectuals over Hamas’ barbaric attack on Israel, and the Congress Working Committee’s (CWC) refusal to condemn it, should be seen in this context.

Consider this post on Instagram by a Hindi film actress who is more in the news because of her political comments than histrionic skills, “If you have not felt shock and horror at Israel’s unending atrocities on Palestinians, the forcible occupation of Palestinian homes, the forced evictions, the bigotry and violence of settler Israelis, the murder of Palestinian children and teenagers, the decades-long blockade and bombing of Gaza and civilians in Gaza, including bombing of schools and hospitals (not to mention the apartheid and occupation), then I’m afraid your shock and horror at Hamas’ attacks on Israel seem a bit hypocritical.”

Notice the moral equivalence—equating Hamas terrorists’ murderous actions with Israel’s self-defence, the bloodthirsty jihadist group with the solitary democracy in the Middle East. Also notice the lies, for the truth is that Islamist groups like Hamas promote bigotry and violence, slaughter children and teenagers, and bomb schools and hospitals. Israel suffers all this and yet, it is portrayed as the villain.

Unfortunately, the malaise is global. As many as 31 Harvard student organisations have issued a joint statement, holding Israel “entirely responsible” for Hamas’ vicious attack that killed hundreds of Israelis. Harvard Palestine Solidarity Groups said that the attack “did not happen in a vacuum” and the Israeli government has forced Palestinians to live in “an open-air prison for over two decades.”

The victim is the villain and vice-versa. Welcome to the postmodern world that academia is creating.

Commenting on the Harvard insanity, Robert P George, a professor at Princeton University, tweeted, “31–yes 31–Harvard organisations have declared that the murders, rapes, kidnappings, and other atrocities committed by Hamas against innocent people are in no way the fault of Hamas, but are rather entirely the fault of… Israel. Something is deeply, deeply wrong in academia.”

That “something” is the dominance of New Left or postmodern theories not just at Harvard but also on the campuses of most Western and even Indian universities. These theories, like those of contemporary feminism and critical race theory, stand on shaky grounds but a large number of academics cling to them with as much ferocity as the Muslim conquerors did to their faith and the enforcers of Inquisition to Christian dogma.

These academics have discarded even the pretences of objectivity and modernity; as a consequence, they usually end up becoming the ‘useful idiots’ of vile ideologies, be it Marxism or radical Islam. For instance, French philosopher Michel Foucault, whom intellectuals reverentially quote, supported the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979—an event that gave a big boost to violent Islamists all over the world.

A big problem that the entire humanity faces today is that most of the policy, decision, and opinion makers graduate from fancy universities which are infested with Leftist professors. The political, business, and intellectual elites end up imbibing the despicable postmodern theories which they apply in the real world—in governance, industry, finance, media, art, culture, cinema, et al. Hence the Harvard Palestine Solidarity Groups, publicity-seeking starlets, the mainstream media’s reluctance to highlight the celebration of Hamas attack by Muslims in Western countries, and so on.

But how does this explain the Congress’ cringe-worthy reaction to the Hamas outrage? “The CWC expresses its dismay and anguish on the war that has broken out in the Middle East where over a thousand people have been killed in the last two days. The CWC reiterates its long-standing support for the rights of the Palestinian people to land, self-government and to live with dignity and respect. The CWC calls for an immediate cease-fire and for negotiations to begin on all outstanding issues including the imperative issues that have given rise to the present conflict,” the CWC resolution said.

Only a very high level of intellectualism could have ensured such an equanimous tone and the refusal to condemn such an unconscionable attack. Many senior Congress leaders were reportedly aghast by the decision of the ‘high command’ to denounce Hamas. Evidently, the blandness of the language was because of the grand old party’s reluctance to annoy Muslims. Intellectuals, rather than political stalwarts, call the shots in the GOP.

Contrast the Congress’ convoluted, deplorable statement with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s prompt support for Israel: “Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour.”

His Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, noticed this. Modi tweeted again on Tuesday, “I thank Prime Minister @netanyahu for his phone call and providing an update on the ongoing situation. People of India stand firmly with Israel in this difficult hour. India strongly and unequivocally condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.”

This stand also makes India the most important non-Western nation that has condemned Hamas’ terror unequivocally—something that would not have been possible had the Congress been in power. Too much reliance on the ‘wisdom’ of intellectuals may keep it in the Opposition for a long time.

The author is a freelance journalist. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18’s views.