Hussain’s Dogle as an expression of dissent and anger

As Islamophobia and a narrative of Hindu Rashtra have started to make an impact on masses in India, the cherished culture and conversations around communal harmony – brotherhood is fast receding and becoming a thing of past.

Being a Muslim in these times comes with its stereotypes and everyday difficulties. Hussain Haidry, who often talks of his experience as an Indian Muslim layered around multiple identities through his poems, is now going viral for another poem titled ‘Dogle’. This time he takes a dig at the refusal of some to distinguish the oppressed from the oppressor. In common parlance what the poet is seen jibing at is called’ politics of balancing’ where false equivalence is drawn between the oppressed and the oppressor. 

Hussain’s poem is in the specific context of the reaction coming from those who refuse to see the Delhi Pogrom as violence initiated by the side of Hindutva majority. He refers to people refusing to acknowledge the violence as one side aggression as Dogle. 

— दोगले —

Hussain Haidry यांनी वर पोस्ट केले शुक्रवार, १० जुलै, २०२०

Here are bits of Dogle:

Ye daastaano ko bunne wale

Ye ek rasta na chunne wale

Ye dono tarafo ki kehne wale

Ye bich mein ja ke rehne wale

Tamam duniya ke samne ab

Sabak mohobbat ka de rahe hain

Ye keh rahe hain ki jo hua hai, wo ho gaya hai- so bhul jao.

Ye keh rahe hain ki jo dukaane, jo dil jale hain- wo bhul jao.

Ye keh rahe hain ki ghar me ghus kar, sitam jo dhaaye- wo bhul jao.

Ye keh rahe hain ki jo hain kaatil, ab unke naamo ko bhul jao.

Ye keh rahe hain ki dafn kar aao

Saari laashon ko khamoshi se

Ye keh rahe hain ki ab daba do

Tamam cheekon ko khamoshi se

Ye keh rahe hain ki ab sadak par

Utarna raato ko khamoshi se

Ye keh rahe hain ki sunte jao

Aman ki baato ko khamoshi se

Ye dukh pe mere, na rone wale

Ye waqt padne pe, khone wale

Ye muskura ke, mukarne wale

Ye khauf kha kha ke, marne wale

Tamam duniya ke samne jo sabak mohobbat ka de rahe hain

Main apse keh raha hu yaaro-

Ye dogle hain, ye dogle hain.

Ye chahte hain ki zaalimo ke

Jo zulm hain wo na hum ginaayein

Ye chahte hain har ek ilzam ko

Barabar hi baata jaye

Ye chahte hain tabaahio par sawal koi bhi na uthaye

Ye chahte hain udaasio par zyada maatam bhi na banaein

Ye chahte hain ki inke daaman pe khoon ke daag na lag jaye

Ye chahte hain ki zikr insaf ka, kahi par na hone paaye

Purani chalaki hai ye inki

Ye kisse hum pehle sun chuke hain

Rafa-dafa kar rahe hai jo masla

Ye sharm aur darr se bhar gaye hain

Khade the kaatil ka sath dene

Ye bat ab ye bhi jante hain

Lahu ki sunwaai ho na jaye

 So hath pehle hi dho rahe hain

Ye ab jo badnaam ho rhe hain

Ye ab jo tareekh mein lutt rahe hain

Ye ab izzat hi kho chuke hain

Ye ek hi baat keh rahe hain

Ye dogle hain, ye dogle hain.

Ye dogle hain, ye dogle hain.