Day in and day out the “angry Hindus” charge the power structure in India with the allegation that the Muslim community is being appeased and the government is eager to go out of its way to please Muslims. Since currently it is not possible to blame Muslims for oppressing Hindus, the attack is launched against the government for minoritism. The anger of these Hindus is directed at both the perceived appeaser and perceived appeased. The disregard for truth is extraordinary indeed.
That an Indian Muslim should be left free to live his life in accordance with his religious beliefs and customs, strikes these “angry Hindus” as an act of appeasement, a concession. But the “angry Hindu” is not angry at similar protection given to ethnic Hindu groups by letting many Hindus not accept the provisions of the Hindu Code. They erroneously blame the Muslims for having more than one wife while the government data base shows that due to large scale polygamy among tribal Hindus, as a whole, more Hindus are being found practicing polygamy than Muslims. They attack the government for the Shah Bano legislation but completely ignore the 1976 amendment of the Special Marriage Act that allows Hindu men special privileges of inheritance under the Hindu United Family Act, that are not allowed under the secular Indian Succession Act. A gender bias may exist in the Muslim Personal Law, but so do the separate Personal laws of the Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, and Buddhists contain biases favoring men over women.
They are angry at Muslims because Article 30 of the Indian Constitution allows rights to minorities to establish their own schools; but they overlook the fact that the Arya Samaj, Ramakrishna Mission and the institutions of Marwari Hindus are benefitting similarly from the same Article 30. The “angry Hindu” is angry at the Indian government for the ban on Salman Rushdie’s book “Satanic Verses”, but ignores the fact that Dr Ambedkar’s book, “Riddles of Rama and Krishna”, Aubrey Menon’s book “ Rama Retold”, and Sytanley Wolport’s book, “Nine Hours to Rama’ have also been similarly proscribed by the Indian government.
The “angry Hindu’ is angry at Muslims because a sizeable number of Hindus had to move away from Kashmir due to the large scale violence there; but he ignores the fact that similarly a large number of Muslims had to leave for good many villages in some districts in Gujarat, Bihar and Assam. They had to leave for good areas in cities in Gujarat (Surat, Ahmedabad, Naroda-Patia, Baroda, the Panchmahal district), Bihar (Bhagalpur, Jamshedpur), Maharashtra (Bhivandi, Malegaon), Assam (Berapat, Nellie). These are the villages and cities where they had lived for generations, but had to migrate from due to horrendous and non-stop anti-Muslim violence there. In many cities across India even well educated Muslims were forced to leave their houses in mixed population areas and move to Muslim majority localities just to survive. Despite many promises the government failed to help them go back to their homes.
The “angry Hindu” is angry that Article 370 of the Indian Constitution limits rights of ownership of property in Kashmir to Kashmiris – most of whom are Muslims. But he ignores the fact that similiarly Article 371A provides similar protection to residents of mostly Hindu population in the states of Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram.
The “angry Hindu” is angry because the Indian state does not formally embrace the concept of Hindu Rashtra, even though for all practical purposes it practices most elements of that policy. All government, private and other public events in India begin with prayers from Hindu religious scriptures. All national institutions and awards are named after names from Hindu mythology and religious scriptures. The media and other cultural organs constantly borrow from the Hindu religious mythology into their public programs without batting an eyelash.
He is angry whenever any Muslim, no matter how loyal, meritorious or diluted-Muslim is elevated to a position of dignity in India. The “angry Hindu” does not want to even give a hearing to the Muslim community on their most genuine and well documented grievances, eg the Sachar Commission report that details the across the board severe impoverishment and backwardness of the Muslim community.
If the “angry Hindu” ever does an objective study of the ground realities he will realize that he has nothing to be angry about. In fact he has every reason to be happy to find that in practice the Indian state has moved very far from the secular state that was promulgated at Independence in 1947. He should be happy at the near monopoly that he has in the socio-economic life of India, in employment in the burgeoning private and multinational corporations, the government undertakings, the political parties, the better higher education institutions and the society at large. It is time for the “angry Hindu” to realize that he is being misled and used by the opportunistic right wing politicians. He should cool his misplaced anger at the Indian Muslims and find ways to reduce the heightened tensions in the nation that is hurting India’s well-being at a critical time.
Photo: Haridwar
The tragedy of the Ummah is that most people are either AAMIL BE ILM (Those who act, but have no knowledge) or AALIM BE AMAL (those who have knowledge but do not act. These issues need to be addressed.
As for the Hindus, they need to remember that there was no “Muslim rule” under which they suffered, it was a Turkish rule and then a Mughal rule under which all Indians Hindu and Muslim suffered.
Both communities need to take affirmative action towards building an enduring peace.
Ah, Sam. Your comments would’ve been a source of fun if they were not so earnest.
You say that “Our problem is that we are too lazy and too busy to find the truth or even think about it, be it regarding anything.”
Can I ask you what’s your source of your statement that you believe that Osama Bin Laden was created by America? Please share some sources that are credible. It’s true that America spent a lot of money in Afghanistan (channeled through our friend Pakistan) in fighting the Soviets, but the Afghani people were fighting the Soviets too. How come at that time the Afghans accepted the American money? Unless you’re saying that the Afghani people were really stupid and had no idea that all their guns and rocket launchers were funded by the great satan.
There’s also no proof that Osama Bin Laden was created by America, as you claim. There’s a lot known about him, and he went to Afghanistan to fight the Soviets on his own behalf motivated by his Wahhabi faith. It’s quite possible that some American money ended up financing his activities in the 80s, but that doesn’t mean America created him. He was independetly wealthy because of his inheritance and didn’t need America or someone else to finance him.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osama_bin_Laden
OK. Let’s for a moment assume that America created Hussein and Bin Laden. Does that excuse Osama Bin Laden’s terrorist acts done in the name of Islam?
Yes, American foreign policy is quite hypocritical. But are you offering that as a justification for Islamist terrorism? I guess in your book, two wrongs make a right.
You say, “politics and religion never go side by side”
Guess which religion makes no distinction between politics and religion, and has something to say about all aspects of life?
Your defense of Zakir Naik’s defense of Osama is pretty pathetic. Here’s from wikipedia:
“Probably the most controversial part of Bin Laden’s ideology is that civilians, including women and children, can be killed in jihad.”
If anyone has to defend this kind of thinking and not criticize it outright – whether it is Osama or America or Babu Bajrangi – deserves no respect and is not worth having a discussion with.
There has been comments on Kashmir, Kashmiri pundits and Muslims and forced exodus and mass killings of Hindus, land row in Kashmir. ————— First of all let me say that if any body was killed and whoso ever he was? The people who killed them in my opinion are inhuman ,irreligious and worst than cannibals .
First why you mention only about those killed from a particular community.
What about those thousands of Kashmiri Muslims who were killed for being informers, political workers and also those killed in fake encounters for the sake of medals. No body seems to weep on them.
But before any body will draw conclusions and blame a people one has to be realistic and know the truth .For the misdeeds of few whole Kashmiri Muslims cannot be blamed. Every movement has a genesis behind, it doesn’t happen overnight .Even right of protest is being snatched from Kashmiri’s and for saving their ecology they become anti Hindu ,anti national anti Jammu. No body stopped any body from going to Amaranth cave not a single Yatri or tourist was harmed. I challenge any body to prove me wrong. With so much of propaganda against people of Kashmir more than half a million people reached to the cave and had Darshan. Those days are gone when people were forced to accept a ideology this is time of tolerance and equality——–and equal rights for all citizens .Isn’t it hypocrisy that every abuse is being showered on Kashmiri Muslim , when they ask for saving forest land ——-, economic blockade is imposed on them and they are being chocked. why was their no economic blockade When their was agitation in south against imposition of Hindi, against non locals(including hindus) in Maharashtra and Assam, gorkaland in Darjeeling ? and so much more to say and than hypocrisy reaches to its peak when one party who is in power in Uttaranchal leads protests in whole India against land row in Kashmir, the Govt of same party has restricted Hindu yatris from going to their holy places in Himalayan Glaciers(Gurmukh) for the sake of saving ecology. I have the clue why they are doing this because majority of Kashmir happens to be Muslims This is time of media– even the most illiterate is aware of what is going around, people cannot be fooled always.
And to those who show anger———modern medicine tells us anger is cause of many deadly diseases——–and remedy is– accept others right to live, to follow a faith and culture . Abhor and condemn violence in all its forms .No body can be killed for following a faith because he was born in this faith and it is not his fault.
Sam, this reason can be used for all human beings – Hitler, Babu Bajrangi, Indira Gandhi, Bush, Osama, Narendra Modi. Is that enough to not openly criticize the faults/atrocities of such people? Or does that reason comes into play only when it is a Muslim making a mistake and saying/doing stupid things? If you want to criticize stupidity, then criticize all stupidity – be it from the mouths of Zakir Naik or Praveen Togadia, no?
Sam
You might want to refer to the youtube links of Zakir Naik. He also has bizarre opinions on the sexual habits of pigs. His method of delivery is doing a tremendous disservice to to understanding of Islam. Its offensive at times and does not quote the philosophy but only the words of Islam.
I agree that evangelists basic bread and butter approach to preaching their religion is a cause of a lot of mis-understanding. Its visible in Christanity also. Among Hindus this is limited as the “preacher class” got discredited during the reform movements of the 19th century.
Milind Kher,
***APPLAUSE!!!***
First of all I am in no way taking osama ‘s side, what i am saying is that when his is doing things against islam , then how can it be ISLAMIC TERRORISM, he may be a TERRORIST for sure and have his own reasons but how come it is ISLAMIC TERRORISM, No book of Islam ever says to kill or blow up oneself and kill innocent people . And i may remind you that they even blow up mosques and kill thousand of muslim then how is it ISLAMIC TERRORISM ? Islam says that every muslim must be forgiving and have patience, It says that for you is your religion and for us is ours, then how can anybody justify any kind of terrorist activities as ISLAMIC.
Regarding Zakir Naik , I have til date never heard anything Illogical from him you see they prefer to answer Non-muslim’s question first and i havent heard any non-muslim ever raising a point, he is sure a mere human being like others but i dont think he ever ordered killing of hundreds of human. He gives reference from book that can be easily checked, but i havent heard any thing wrong quoted by him till date.He has had debates with highly learned scholars from all religion and i dont think there has been any problem raised by them,and we surely dont know more than these scholars about our religion. You should watch his videos on tv coz you know that vids on net can easily be manipulated, besides his personal views on things other than Religion like “sexual habits of pigs” or “Osama” is of no use to me, you see i use my own brain for that and he is not the representative of all the muslim of the world, he is just a scholar of comparative religion . And to those who dont want to believe will never believe no matter what.
Beside I already said , that we have plenty of problem in our country to think about Osama or America,
What about beating of Hindi Speakers, Gandhiji said,”Our country is mute without Hindi” and today we are beaten and our house burnt coz we speak hindi in our own country, isnt that a shame for the country.
What about lack of honest Courts, Ministers have no fear , coz they know that no one can touch them, even after they accept their deeds on television, why Raj Thackery says on national tv and his party workers beat all the non marathi speaker on tv yet nothing is done, we stand up against reservation but not agaisnt him,
And how do these Terrorist come into our country, surely they are not supermen, they bribe our officials.
What about corruption present in the veins and artery of the system.
In words of a Christian(i dont remeber her name right now) , we judge Islam by every muslim we met, but not in others
What about our police, dont you agree that 90% of the time they just get anyone they can lay their hands on and the rich and the powerful go free.
Two things i want to say is First, There are sure Terrorist and we need to fight them but they are in no way ISLAMIC so stop comparing ISLAM and Terrorism,
and Second, We have to think about our country first,I totally agree with SANEMAN.
Why cant we all co-exists, i dont think any religion says to stop others from following their religion.
Milind Kher,
and the people who live in Saudi Arab are not musilms they are Arabs!!
Though I don’t endorse some of the priorities of Dr Naik, he should stress more for education among Muslim especially women yet one thing he stresses in his lectures about common source of all religions and one universal God has some bearing, Till date and right from time immemorial the common cause of religious feuds has been fight for their gods and this has been leading cause of death, destruction and hatred. I have gone through his lectures and did not found anywhere he has degraded any religion or its followers. The logic he presents that there is one universal God and all his creation is one may help people to unite.
Right finally NiceGuy! They’re Arabs. And we’re Indians.
@1conoclast
Sorry to break your heart – it was a sarcasm!!
Nice Guy,
I will provide you a little perspective on this. The Turks and the Mughals were the priviliged class.
The Indian Muslims got a bad deal both ways. They were not valued in the way that the Rajputs were for strategic alliances, nor did they belong to the class of Muslim nobles.
The situation for the Indian Muslim was so bad that they used to import Kashmiri brides, so that the offspring could be passed of as a Turk or Mughal.
Turks and Mughals were indeed Muslims, but they kept themselves RACIALLY apart. Indian Muslims never ruled!
NiceGuy,
Whether you meant it as sarcasm or truth, inadvertently you hit the nail on the head!
hey conoclast,
no offence, but are you trying to say that muslims are arabs?????
Sam,
I’m not saying anything, NiceGuy is!
Let us make a religion useful for the hindus and the muslims , only for who require it .. let it be called JAGHA .. And we follow it.. We will follow the human law.. The Both at the same time without deplaying it ourself anywhere… It is just called JAGHA… to follow it.. to deliver it .. Our REQUEST to be heard in the universe..
Need more people to think like you Vipul.