The French interior minister, Nicholas Sarkozy, has already identified the North African Muslim immigrant population as ?scum? and ?gangrene?, of which France should be immediately cleansed. The echoes of ethnic cleansing cannot be missed.

Engrossed in a bitter power struggle with the prime minister, Dominique de Villepin, to lead the right Gaullist Union for a Popular Party (UMP), Sarkozy has slowly but surely moulded himself to be a leader leaning to the extreme right, ? la Jean-Marie Le Pen. His position makes perfect political sense. First, the far-right, anti-immigration National Front headed by Le Pen was second in the 2002 presidential elections. They were appealing to the same populist fears of ethnic violence. This time around, Sarkozy has already stolen the thunder from the Front.

Racial discrimination and indifference to racial crimes have been rising in France. Add to these poverty, unemployment and a vicious, openly racist law-and-order campaign spearheaded by Sarkozy. He hopes that this would not only secure his succession as president, but also project him as an alternative to the more liberal Villepin and Chirac.

Is Europe burning?

For the Hindutva hawks in India, nodding their heads with satisfaction, the Muslims are not the sole target. French identity politics now demands greater conformity among all the elements of the French multi-ethnic society. Of ?Liberty, Equality, Fraternity?, the first two have been swept under the carpet and Fraternity means conformity to the French ideal of what the government thinks is right.

Think about the recent fracas over headscarves. The French government passed a legislation making it unlawful for French citizens to wear any covering on their heads, inviting a huge uproar, especially among the Sikhs. Desperate pleas have fallen on deaf ears.

The real picture spans a much larger canvas. Europe as a whole is slowly veering towards an anti-immigration stance. Although the governments are reluctant to admit this in public, ethnic and cultural discriminations, especially against Muslims, are on the rise. Belgium, Netherlands and even the supposedly multi-ethnic Britain has witnessed frequent clashes between the immigrant second or third generation Muslim youth and the indigenous population.

Only divide

On a pan-European scale, this is reflected in the hurdles placed in Turkey?s way into the EU. Because Europe fears it will be Islamized, Turkey?s reputation as a moderate Islamic state is overlooked. With their roots in the developing countries and their ghettoization in their adopted land, the ethnic minorities are becoming easy prey to religious indoctrination. They are incited to run independence movements within the countries ravaging Iraq, Algeria, or supporting Israel.

This situation is deftly exploited by the likes of Sarkozy, who, instead of aiming at greater integration, seeks to draw divisive lines through the multi-ethnic and generally welcoming European societies. Although Sarkozy has floated controversial policies for ?positive discrimination? to give minorities greater opportunities in jobs and schools, and called for modifying a 1905 law separating church and state to allow the state to finance mosque construction, these are largely cosmetic measures. Or variations of identity politics, or ploys to gain some acceptance among the left-wing voters.

But as we continue to watch the suburbs of Paris burn night after night, we fear that the two demons, Islamic fundamentalism and European Neo-Nazism may just destroy the ethnic diversity of the continent, haunted already by the spectre of 7/7 and the cries of ?Go back Pakis?.