The writer is a New Delhi-based broadcast journalist, contributor to the magazine, The Diplomat and he tweets
@destinydefier
The Hindu right-wing government in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh finally withdrew the order that aimed to introduce lessons from the religious text, Bhagavad Gita, into school curriculums.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — the ruling party of Madhya Pradesh — came under heavy criticism from Muslim organisations and secular political parties, for its attempt to alter the secular character of the Constitution. Members of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) blamed the government for the communalisation of the school textbooks, attempting to indoctrinate young minds and sowing the seeds of prejudice among communities. The Congress Party also attacked the BJP for tampering with the secular spirit of the country.
Previously, the BJP-led government in Delhi that ruled from 1998 to 2004, made serious attempts to change school textbooks and rewrite history. The whole idea was to teach younger Indians a history which did not reflect the diversity of India and portrayed it as a purely Hindu nation.
Let us not forget that in the Gujarat riots of 2002 — where thousands of innocent Muslims were killed by Hindu fanatics — the indoctrinated tribal people played a prominent role. Moreover, the BJP’s presence in Gujarat, for 15 years or more, has communalised the state to such an extent that any debate about the country’s plurality receives derision from middle and upper classes of society. The western Indian state has become a laboratory of radical Hindus.
Infiltration into education is part of the larger game plan of undermining the religious diversity of India and the fountainhead of this project is Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) — the ideological godfather of the BJP.
Narendra Modi, a radical Hindu leader and the chief minister of Gujarat — who was the architect of the Muslim massacre in 2002 — is the product of this school of thought. He is the presumptive prime ministerial candidate of the BJP and poses a very serious danger to the pluralistic tradition of the nation. His rise in Indian politics forces Indians to make a choice: do they want to see India as a modern, plural country or as a nation intolerant of other cultures and faiths?
Even during the freedom struggle, the RSS and its cohorts were busy propagating its communal agenda and after independence, in 1947, the organisation continued with its divisive agenda, which led to the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi at the hands of a Hindu zealot. Much before Islamic terror became a buzzword, the RSS laid the foundation of Hindu terror in modern India. The violence in Gujarat, in 2002, against a minority population was the extension of that terror.
The overwhelming secular and liberal forces in the country need deep introspection. Can they allow their nation to be a playground for rabid communal forces that are out to radicalise society?
Sixty-six years ago, Indians made a pledge to establish a modern, pluralistic and secular democracy; the time has come to redeem that pledge again and reassert the people’s faith in the basic principles governing the nation.
The radicalisation of the main opposition party, the BJP, is a matter of concern. It is making a serious bid to capture power, in Delhi, next year. If that happens, then what the Madhya Pradesh government is attempting to do today, the BJP will try to replicate tomorrow in other parts of the country.
Should Indians allow forces inimical to the idea of India to succeed?
Published in The Express Tribune, August 14th, 2013.
Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.
COMMENTS (77)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
@madhavan nair: Well, research suggests that Dravidians have their origin in Africa. So are you likely to set sail there?
@X: Do you know that more muslims are killed every month in Pakistan in blasts than died in Gujrat ?
@James
Apt reply to @gp65 and @truthbetold (the Indira Gandhi and Sikh massacre thing). Brilliant.
@Lala Gee
Jobs are not awarded on head count, nowhere in the world that I know of. The comparison should be on the basis of eligibility. What is the % of educated/qualified people among those complaining? For example, one should look at, how many % of Graduates, or Masters of two communities are unemployed. It should also be remembered that a large number of Muslims are employed in the un-organised sector as skilled craftsmen/artisans. In certain areas their specialisation has given them almost a monopoly status. Saachar obviously didn't take that into account. (In fairness, it was not in his brief). Even among those who are qualified otherwise, very often lack the social skill, or right attitude (I would rather not guess the reason, leaving it for you to contemplate) to make a positive impression on the prospective employer. Why such a low percentage of Graduates, Post-Graduates etc.? Is there any law that prohibits them from going to schools/colleges? No. Has anybody ever forcibly blocked them from entering the school premises? No. Were they asked to pay (where applicable) a higher fee than the Hindu students? No. Or, is it that they enroll, they study, they appear in the exams, but the vile examiners (most of them being Hindu) conspire to make them fail. It is another matter that how a community who ruled the country for 700/1000 yrs (depends on who you talk to) has become so backward in education in just about 150 years, when another community under foreign boots for close to 900 yrs. appears to have gone ahead (in percentage) in education. Lastly on expenditure, people spend more if they earn more. It's not upon the govt to make people (or some special segment in it) rich. As long as govt. spends adequately on infrastructures like, roads, hospitals, schools etc. etc. it has done its job. As for SIDBI giving loans to prospective entrepreneurs’, I fail to understand why religious identity of the applicant should be considered at all.If your logic is that loans, jobs, degrees are to be distributed between the people of various religious groups on the basis of their numbers regardless of their competence and legibility, then you are probably talking about sharing ancestral properties between siblings. Where each member should get an equal share, whether or not he/she is a professor, or a sweeper. And, by the way does it bother you that during the Islamic rule of India Muslims had a greater share of the plum jobs compare to the 'other' who were almost 90% (then) of the original inhabitant of the land? Think about it.
@np:
"Please answer the question ‘Is India for Hindus only’ after reviewing answers to the following questions:"
Your arguments are superficial and flawed, and trying to present individual achievements of some exceptionally talented persons as the general conditions of the masses of minorities -- especially the Muslim minority -- in the social, financial, political, and executive spheres. Several dozens of reports by international human rights organizations, such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International expose the maltreatment of minorities in India. Here is a sample of the Human Rights Watch reports with their online links:
1- Communal Violence and the Denial of Justice April 1996 2- "We Have No Orders To Save You", State Participation and Complicity in Communal Violence in Gujarat April 2002 3- India: Compounding Injustice: The Government's Failure to Redress Massacres in Gujarat, July 2003 4- Everyone Lives in Fear: Patterns of Impunity in Jammu and Kashmir, September 2006 5- Protecting the Killers: A Policy of Impunity in Punjab, India, October 2007
Further, the "Sachar Commission Report" also exposes in detail the miserable condition of the Indian Muslim minority, as opposed to a few successful Muslim you have listed. Here are a few of its findings:
1- For India's 15% Muslim population, the share of Muslims was found to be only 3% in the Indian Administrative Services, 1.8% in the Indian Financial Services, 4% in the Indian Police Service, 4.5% in Indian Railways (98.7% low level positions), 4% in Security forces, 4.4% in Health Services, 6.5% in Transport Services, and disproportionately very low percentage in Judiciary and Elected Institutions. (Pg. 165-168)
2- Share of Muslims in employment in various government departments is abysmally low at all levels. In no state does the representation of Muslims in the government departments match their population share. While 25.2 of West Bengal’s population is Muslim, the state government has provided only 2.1% of government jobs to Muslims. In Gujarat which has 9.1% Muslims, 5.4% of them have government jobs. (Pgs. 170-175).
3- During the six years period 2000-01 to 2005-06, of the total amount of Rs. 26,593 crores disbursed by Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), Muslims received a paltry Rs.124 crores (less than 0.5 %). (Pg. 134).
4- In the premier colleges in the country, only one out of the 25 Under-Graduate students (4%) and one out of 50 Post-Graduate students (2%) was a Muslim.(Pg. 69). Further, unemployment rate among Muslim graduates was the highest among all Socio-Religious Communities. (Pg. 73).
5 For the year 2004-05, the all India average Mean per Capita Expenditure for urban areas was Rs. 1,105, upper caste Hindus (Rs.1,469), other Minorities (Rs.1,485), Shudra Hindus (Rs.955), Muslims (Rs. 804). A substantially larger proportion of the Muslim households in urban areas are in the less than Rs.500 expenditure bracket. (Pg. 153-154)
I guess enough to make things clear, even for a person of compromised comprehension.
@ModiFied:
"How come you have no words of condemnation for the people who burnt alive Hindu pilgrims in the train at Godhra station?"
Any person who violate law and commit any crime shouldn't be spared and must be punished according to the laws of the country. But, how a crime of a person, or a group of persons, could be used as an excuse to massacre thousands of totally unrelated innocent persons in the most inhuman way, gang-rape their women, hack their children -- even unborn weren't spared -- torch their homes and business, and take away every straw of their livelihood. The people who commit such heinous acts are the worst kind of beasts, but the people who defend their beastly actions on any pretext are even worst than those animals, both in nature and soul.
Interesting how many Indians have the time and make the effort to comment on this opinion piece. Regretfully I have to agree with those bemoaning the lack of empathy to the 'other'. On the subject of re-writing history it is obviously done everywhere including the so-called progressive West. Even scientific theory (evolution vs. creationism) is not spared by religious zealots. More is the pity.
Sanjay, may your tribe grow in India.
The response of right wing Hindus to this article is just pathetic. They are so blinded by hatred that the most obviously fascist and murderous parties and individuals are defended by them without an iota of shame. It is absolutely no surprise that it is their ilk that mostly comments on ET for point scoring and propaganda. Decent, unbiased and well-meaning Indians rarely comment on these pages. For those who are bending over backwards to defend Modi, the recording of the conversation, the transcription of which was recently made public by tehelka, between a key aide of Modi, who was a state minister in 2011, and his confidantes on the Ishrat Jahan case is as revealing as it gets. One person mentions that out of 300 statements that SIT took, only 2 went against us. This is the extent to which these people go to escape the law. A couple of these people also tried to reach Modi to apprise him of the situation. If this is what is done to deceive courts and commissions in case of some policemen, imagine the extent to which they can go to ensure that Modi escapes punishment.
So those of you who are trying to defend Modi by arguing that nothing has been proven against him, you should be ashamed of your deliberately simplistic arguments and learn to accept what he really is. And I am sure you guys will defend his response to the Reuters interviewer, the infamous puppy remark, since you have taken it upon yourselves to defend your demigod no matter what he says.
@Babloo:
"Why does Tribune allow such a biased article full of lies and propaganda?"
Well, if ET can publish your comments, which are mostly lies and Hindutva propaganda, then why not to publish the opposite, but correct, point of view.
India is for Hindus only. Just as Pakistan is for Muslims only
@I am a Khan: Any one can write in their book and say that Islam has been there since beginning of time but is it a fact? Islam started in the 7th century so please stop writing hogwash and accept the fact that Islam came much much later than Hinduism, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Christianity and Buddhism.
I don't know whether such dirty politics will shatter India's secular constitution that protects individual rights but one thing I'm pretty sure it will make life harder for Muslims when it comes to getting jobs.hiring houses from charged Hindus as states responsibility ends where private matters start. A state to be neutral is a first but not the least step toward journey to a peaceful society India,therefore, is no way near to that destination and we must accept it.What matters most is, courage to accept criticism from all sides and strong will to fight every menace that can prove disastrous for end goal.If that spirit remains Indians have nothing to fear to hide or defend every time there appears any news that may question Indian society's secular values.Living in constant mode of denial will not affect outsiders but Indians themselves and journey to a prosperous. progressive society will thus become more harder and difficult if not impossible.I leave it to regular readers of ET to decide whether Indians are more open to criticism or Pakistanis. Cheers.
@mind control: or @uncontrolled mind:
"Evidence in literature suggests that in 1193, the Nalanda University was sacked by[12] Bakhtiyar Khilji"
LOL. You shouldn't have disclosed this "Top Secret" secret on this open forum. Now LeT and JeM also know how easy it is to wipe out whole Hindu population in one stroke just by destroying a single Indian University. Khilji destroyed one Buddhist monastery -- only if you know the difference between a monastery and a university, unlike the Indian Hindu writer of the Wikipedia entry -- and, loo and behold, hundreds of millions of Buddhists and Jains vanished instantly. Why Khilji's magic didn't work on Hindu population?
"And if the cobwebs in your brain are still not cleared"
Better get your own cobwebs cleared first before thinking of others. Indians never stop amazing us with their unique natures and the level of intelligence.
@Lala Gee:
Why the Buddhists and Jain population vanished from India, if you were religiously so tolerant?
The disappearance of the Buddhists is no secret. As you know they were mostly concentrated in present day Afghanistan and KP. Just look up Taxila and
http://tribune.com.pk/story/557970/a-lost-nirvana-swats-window-into-the-past-closes-as-kanderai-slowly-disappears/
And if the cobwebs in your brain are still not cleared, read this
Evidence in literature suggests that in 1193, the Nalanda University was sacked by[12] Bakhtiyar Khilji, a Turk.[13] The Persian historian Minhaj-i-Siraj, in his chronicle the Tabaqat-I-Nasiri, reported that thousands of monks were burned alive and thousands beheaded as Khilji tried his best to uproot Buddhism.[14] The burning of the library continued for several months and "smoke from the burning manuscripts hung for days like a dark pall over the low hills."[15]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nalanda
And please note the sources quoted are as pure as any one in the LAND OF THE PURE.
Moderator ET- If you have any sense of proportion you would allow this referenced rebuttal of a purely fictitious, imaginary hate filled post.
@I am a Khan:
I get it Adam and Eve procreated filled up the earth, ever wondered how sons and daughters of Adam and Eve procreated without incest. Now I get it its not your fault, just the inbreeding.
Here comes another so called "Liberal", self loathing and self critical as ever, bereft of what the issues are, what realities are and where solutions lies.
These placard totting peddlers of secularism, have reduced a concept to panacea of all ills. As if secularism is enough to feed 70% of Indian population living on less than $2 a day.
Feeling hungry, have some secularism for dinner.
Post Independence India's issues lies in the lack of structures and systems which really understand the issue of its citizens and are robust enough to provide solutions. On top of that these self branded seculars hijack the whole conversation, as if Hindu fanaticism or the Islamic extremism is really preventing the 'Idea of India' from succeeding.
With these high level of privation, lack of health and sanitation, what ever ever 'Idea of India' you have is a failed idea, whether secular or non secular or fanatical.
@I am a Khan: Your biased is seen is your comments. Every religion is man made god never come on earth to create any religion. Don't preach what your mullah's have told you. You yourself don't have any respect for other religion and you are criticizing India
@Shame: You worry about the plight of Hindu and Christian in your country their population is decreasing very fast.
The day India becomes a country only for Hindus, it will become another Pakistan and the world would not be able to bear another Pakistan and that too 7 times bigger......
@truthbetold: That is like saying that if Mrs Gandhi was not assassinated by her Sikh bodyguard,3000Sikhs would not have been killed
@Sri:
"Hinduism is a very tolerant religion that allowed all religions and cultures to flourish in its midst."
LOL! Who you are trying to fool? Yourself? Why the Buddhists and Jain population vanished from India, if you were religiously so tolerant? More recently, we have seen your extreme "tolerance" with our own eye during the Sikh's massacre of 1984, and the subsequent pogroms of Muslims in Ayodhya, Bombay, and Gujarat. Moreover, Pakistan and Sri Lanka both have thoroughly witnessed your exceptional "tolerance" showered upon them through proxy terrorist outfits resulting in hundreds of thousands of innocent people, including children, losing their lives. Millions are made orphans and widows in both countries as a result of your tolerant natures. There are no words to describe the level of Indian's evilness.
@Author:
Excellent article, correctly tagging India's success, and strength, in truly following Secularism. Unfortunately, most Indian commentators here would take this as an attack on Hindutva ideology -- a competing and opposing ideology to Secularism -- which they deeply aspire, and start lynching you outright as they don't have the character and moral courage to tolerate any criticism of their behavioral flaws. More and more people like you need to write in Indian and international media, especially in Pakistani media, to assure the world that there are still some sane voices left in India, which otherwise is now overwhelmingly dominated by the superfluous hawkish pseudo-intellectual opportunists.
Sanjay: Enough already!! I made some enquiries and found that you don't figure in Delhi's journalists (accredited) and they haven't even heard of you... I guess this is the platform and the reason for and of you writing here against India to satiate your attention seeking desire!
So if I get it correct, you're basically a self styled conspiracy theorist who writes for unheard of Journals such as the Diplomat and are occasionally known to be a BJP basher! Hmmmmm... I can then safely derive that since you don't get much coverage nor the accolades so you resort to writing apologetic (read mis-leading) articles to satisfy the hunger of an already misinformed public!!
@Zalim singh: Please also google what Sardar Vallabhai Patel had to say about the RSS
@gp65: The fact that he has not been convicted,does not mean that he is not guilty.The SIT cleared him while the Supreme Court appointed amicus curiae felt there was evidence for further investigation.Vajpayee wanted to sack him for his role in handling the riots.We all know how the people in power subvert justice. How many of our politicians have cases pending against them.And how many have been convicted.I expect them to be set free by the Courts ,due to lack of evidence.A minister in his govt was convicted for her role in the riots,and is presently in jail.Amit Shah who was banned from Gujarat is now back in the forefront.Has any congress politician been convicted for the 1984 Sikh riots,in-spite of the seven inquiry commissions .We can now give the Congress a clean chit by your argument.If he was innocent he would have apologized to the Muslims for not handling the riots in a better manner,so that loss of life was minimized..He wont do so as it will upset his hard core Hindutva supporters.
This is why Pakistan was made. Can you imagine how many Gujrat like massacres we would have had if Pakistan wasn't made? Shame on the indian trolls here for not condemning hindu extremists
@karma:
Ok, you just identified the fundamental difference between Hindu Philosophy and all Monotheistic religions of the world.
Monotheism is for controlling the mind by one and only one while pluralistic philosophy is all about understand and learning about the universe.
Yes, Bhagavad Gita should be part of the curriculum because there is no better book on spiritualism religious or otherwise than Bhagavad Gita. Everyone who has taken time to read it at least once would enamored by the book.
I doubt Mr. Sanjay Kumar has ever turned a single page of the book. Probably not, he is too busy making up lies to promote himself to stroke his fragile and minuscule ego.
Surprised to see that there are so many negative comments about what is unfortnately a pretty true reflection of the situation in India.
I know Pakistanis love complaining and whining about what is wrong in their nation, but extere right-wingism is on the rise around the world, and unfortunately there is always a politcal party or leader who is ready to take advantage of it to propel thmesleves to power.
Indian trolls raging again yet they seem to forget what's going on their Indian media.
We South Indian hindus and muslims live with peace and harmony. We are Dravidians,we are the real natives of South India. North indians spread hatred amongst us .All the north indians get out from SOUTH INDIA
@gp65, ModiFied
Dont you find his role in Gujrat riots evenly slightly controversial or doubtful?
Assume that Modi had no role in Gujrat riots, but in politics perception is as important as reality. Is Modi seen as secular by the non Muslim populations of India? Why do foreign media paint him as Hindu communal leader? Why the ban on visas?
What cant be denied is that Modi is a polarizing figure, and this polarization is despite of his clean and excellent governance.
You are right about Qaim Ali Shah, but why don’t people hold him responsible for killings of Karachi? Its because MQM won 15 out of 20 seats and controls Karachi in the administration and in the streets.
The other way of putting this is "Is Pakistan only for muslims ?". If yes, then what are they doing in India.
Why do they get subsidy from Indian government to goto Haj ?
Why do hindus have to pay tax to visit their holy srines ?
When was the last census done ? If the new census is done, it will prove that hindus are a minority in India now.
Religion should not matter, but congress has been following the british rule of divid and rule for last 50 years. It is high time and people should understand country comes first rather than religion.
Wonderful article! Keep them coming. Shows the reality of India.
@Shouvik mukhopadhay: Hinduism may have been the oldest man made religion, but the Divine Religion Islam is on Earth, since the first Human Being- Adam(AS).
@ Author: “Narendra Modi, a radical Hindu leader and the chief minister of Gujarat — who was the architect of the Muslim massacre in 2002 — is the product of this school of thought.”
I live in Ahmedabad, have a small cement and construction business. We are in this field for more than 30 years. During the last 10 years our business has grown multifold, we have been doing several govt contracts, there is less buerocracy and mind you we are not Hindus. The way the state has progress there is a bit for every one here with out any discrimination of cast or religion.
The author has some agenda.. to write these words which only an ignorant can write. What ever your agenda is please do not lay baseless garbage. People like you are the reason why the progress that our community is doing is getting pulled down. Your are really a one heck of a opportunist. Sad
His rise in Indian politics forces Indians to make a choice: do they want to see India as a modern, plural country or as a nation intolerant of other cultures and faiths?
Thats a fake definition and interpretation of pluralism. It on contrary supports monopoly of a particular community that calls itself secular. If you really want a plural society it sould be insulated of the effect of rule of any sect. In that a hard core muslim should have same right to rule country as a hard core hindu has ! You should not discriminate any one based on his belief or ideology that is true plularism.
Is India for Hindus only? Yes. Before Bhuddism, Jainism, Christianity, Islam and Sikhism, there was only Hinduism and Hindus.
Why are Hindus or Christians held to a higher standard? Why can't there be hindu or Christian countries that give more rights to them just like almost all muslim countries? Why secularism is not demanded out of Muslim countries?
@Shahid:
"Indians please be fair to Sanjay. He has the guts to speak the truth."
I have no problem if he speaks the truth. Unfortunately, the author is exaggerating, lying and twisting the truth. He belongs to the extreme leftist communist fringe (that include the Naxal terrorists) that systematically distorts facts and resorts to institutionalized propaganda to destabilize Indian democracy.
Their goal is to nihilistically destroy Indian culture and democracy and establish an authoritarian Maoist/Marxist state. They see nationalistic right-wing political parties as a serious threat to their goal of establishing their fascist commie state.
"Let us not forget that in the Gujarat riots of 2002 — where thousands of innocent Muslims were killed by Hindu fanatics — the indoctrinated tribal people played a prominent role."
Agree that Indians should never forget the Gujarat riots and the loss of lives. As horrible ast the riots were, but don't exaggerate the numbers and distort the truth. The total numbers killed were 750 Muslims and 300 Hindus.
Let's also state the fact that 70 innocent Hindu pilgrims were burned alive by a Muslim mob in a train in Godhra, an act that resulted in the riots. As condemnable as it was, if the Godhra train massacre hadn't occurred, there wouldn't have been any Gujarat riots.
@Shahid: Firstly, facts are distorted. Secondly, even if true the writer is biased.It has become fashionable to be seen as a secular in certain circles, much like some of your own elitists such as Hassan Nisar who while claiming to be liberals also use the pivot of Islam subtly to be on the right side of mass opinion. Now on the topic of whether India should be for Muslims only. Well, I would say India should be for non-muslims only. More than 95% of preindependence India muslims voted for Pakistan and got 25% of the resources of India. Why should they stay here and still keep demanding more and more? What moral right do you have? Why shouldn't this also be the unfinished business of partition, if Kashmir in your view is?
@shame... alarming situation??? what about the situation of the minorities in Pakistan? what measures were taken so far to protect them??? YOU guys have no shame on commenting on India..
ETBLOGS1987
@Shahid: No one says India is perfect or that there are no acts of individual bigotry. To the extent that bigotry exists we need to try to move away from it - no disputes on that. India has had communal events that most Indians who are secular of, are ashamed of. The good thing is that the scale and frequency of such events has significantly gone down over a period of time as judiciary, media, civil society all joined hands to make themselves heard that we do not want this. Thus while India is not perfect, we believe that it is better today than yesterday and it will be better tomorrow than today.
The problem that people have with the author is that he has expressed his opinion but positioned it as a fact. What he says is not truth and not unbiased. It is just the propaganda of one party.
@ Sanjay Kumar,
These were the opinions of some towering Indians:
Field Marshal Cariappa in his speech to RSS volunteers said "RSS is my heart's work. My dear young men, don't be disturbed by uncharitable comments of interested persons. Look ahead! Go ahead! The country is standing in need of your services"
Dr Zakir Hussain the former President of India once told to Milad Mehfil in Monghyar on 20 November 1949 "The allegations against RSS of violence and hatred against Muslims are wholly false. Muslims should learn the lesson of mutual love, cooperation and organization from RSS.
Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar while visiting the RSS camp at Pune in 1939 observed that Swayamsevaks were moving in absolute equality and brotherhood without even caring to know the cast of others.[86] In his address to the Swayamsevaks, he said that " This is the first time that I am visiting the camp of Sangh volunters. I am happy to find absolute equality between Savarniyas (Upper cast) and Harijans (Lower cast) without any one being aware of such difference existing." When he asked Dr Hedgewar whether there were any untouchables in the camp, he replied that there are neither "touchables" nor "untouchables" but only Hindus.[87]
Mr.Nehru:
RSS was invited by Prime Minister Nehru to take part in the Republic Day parade of 1963.[50] It along with several other civilian organizations took part in the parade.
It is semi-educated intellectuals like you who soil India's and Hinduism's name in overseas magazine and make India look communal. I am sure we take the words of these great Indians rather than turncoats like you.
As a Gujarati Liberal I am ashamed of Modi and the neo-fasicst policies he represents. Hinduism was once tolerant but is increasing being taken over by extremist fascists I apologize to my muslim brothers for all the suffering they have undergone.
Not sure why Indians be so offended. This is a Pakistani Newspaper, what else you expect. It is somewhat understandable if you all expected better standards from Express Tribune. This article is more suitable for .....let's say "The Nation".
The amusing aspect of this piece is it gives an illusion to pakistanis that India is just like Pakistan and reinforces their belief systems and what they have already studied in "Pakistan Studies".
ETBLOGS1987
ET mods pls publish fact based response to @faraz
@faraz:
If I had believed for a moment that Modi was responsible for the Gujarat riots, I cold not in clear conscience support him no matter how well he overned he state economically or how honest he was. But I do not believe the Congress propaganda against Modi. Here are questions I would like to ask you ( you can independently verify the answers I am providing you).
1) What was his role in the Gujarat riots? Did he order the riots to start? No. They started because a train compartment full of pilgrims oncluding women and children was burnt alive by Muslims.
2) Do you know that the riots came to a halt on the 3rd day because he called the army. Do you know that in over 11 years since the Gujarat riots of 2002 there have been no riots in Gujarat?
3) Do you know that many people including a minister have been convicted for Gujarat riot but Modi has been acquitted?
4) do you know that Hindus also died in that riot not Muslims alone (754 Muslims and 250 Hindus were killed in that riot).
5) Was this the first riot in Gujarat? No but it was the last. All prior riots in Gujarat were under Congress watch.
6) Can you provide any speech by Modi where he condones Ilene against minorities?
7) Can you point to any policies in Modi ruled Gujarat which discriminate against minority? No. That is why in the last municipal elections in Gujarat, Modi led BJP won even in Muslim majority areas.
8) Were these riots the biggest riots in India's history? No. All bigger riots were under Congress watch.
Compare his performance to say Qaim Ali Shah under whose watch thousands of people die in Karachi year after year. You may consider him incompetent but do you consider him personally responsible for the deaths? Why then would you hold Modi accountable for a onetime riot triggered by a horrendous event when no recurrence was permitted despite further grave provocations.
Please know I do not justify tit for tat killings in a riot. Since the people who did the tit are rarely the ones killed by tat. My only point is ow can Modi be personally held accountable for these onetime riots that were brought under control within 2 days?
@ModiFied: Furthermore the writer of the article claims that thousands of Muslims were killed in 2002. This is a lie. I agree that one or two hundred were killed and so were Hindus. If thousands were killed would Muslims the world over stayed quiet? No. We would have had terrorists pouring from all parts of the world in Gujarat, India like 200 Australian Muslims who are fighting in Syria against Assad regime. Since this has not happened it means that such massacre claimed by the author has not happened.
In my opinion teaching Bhagavadgita in school is a good idea. Contrary to popular belief it is not a religious text. A casual reading will prove this. If Muslim schools are allowed to teach Koran then why other schools should not teach Bhagavadgita? In India the so called secular country Muslims have all the benefits therefore they do not want leave India and live in another Muslim country. It is hogwash to suggest that Muslims are not treated well in India if they are then they are welcome to go and live elsewhere. Many Pakistanis are leaving Pakistan and go to Indonesia to come to Australia and this is a fact. So do not blame India for all Pakistan's troubles. I dare Tribune to publish this.
@Shahid: Only hate mongers are you, how dare you lump a community of Hindus under one banner, my brothers in Punjab are Hindu do you see them being hateful? Only double standards are by people like you and sanjay that seek to deflect blame on Hindus
It does not matter how many people write against BJP, RSS and Modi. The fact is, the more Indian middle class grows, the more closer to power Modi and BJP will get to. The educated middle class sees through the divisive and minority appeasement politics of the Gandhi family and their minions in the Congress. Modi may not be crowned king of the hill in the next election. But, the Hill is now within our reach and prevail we shall. India is for every Indian. And that means all Indians are equal. No special laws, rules and quotas for anyone. That is the way we want it and that is the way shall have it. No two court systems in India. No Article 370 either. If that means being communal, so be it.
This article is hogwash, it say it is secular but blames Hindus for everything, such as assassination of Gandhi, who gave money to Pakistan and Gujarat Riots! It talks about Hindu classes in Schools, what about Madrasha? What about Mumbai bombings and attacks? It does not talk about Muslim roles in Gujarat riots or slaughter of Hindu Kashmiris! I hope Hindus polarize their vote and vote for Modi and for Nation of Indian, and not appeasement for votes like double standard Congress always does!
Indians please be fair to Sanjay. He has the guts to speak the truth. You are upset for beig shown the mirror.No doubt in diaa is much more secular than Pakistan but remember Pakistan was born in the name of religion and does not claim to be a secular state but you can't have both ways .Your consttution is secular which is practiced in most part but there are many hate mongerer Hindus who would easily resort to violence to eliminate non hindus.
ET, its heartbreaking to see this kind of propaganda, lies against Hindus and their scriptures. You should know better considering how much Islam is maligned in the world media. You consider it perfectly ok to do that to other religions though.
Pakistan has already driven away all its Hindu population, what more do you want from us? and how long should we tolerate this aggression and lies because it will just bring hordes of marauders to our door step. Can you blame Hindus for feeling insecure in such an atmosphere? We have this one country, There is nowhere else we can go? What the F* do you want from us?
look who chose to publish this Article, http://dawn.com/news/1035554/in-violation-of-the-constitution
Its a biased article and shows one side of reality only
Secularist want people to wear Topis to prove secularism but when told to read Gita it becomes communal.........why double standards
@Faraz: "Urban educated classes of India, who support Modi despite his role in riots that led to deaths of fellow country men, are no different from that of Pakistan who live in state of denial regarding terrorism and radicalization that is tearing apart the society. "
Not really. This is totally a media myth and political agenda to paint Mr Modi. By any stretch of imagination I don't consider myself a BJP supporter. I have never voted for that party. Like almost 100% Muslims take Koran lessons, we Hindus never attend anything like that. Brahmans don't no issue fatwas like Mullahs. We support Modi for his nationalistic approach and development oriented politics. I have dissected Modi's speech and statements like no one. I did not find even a trace of communalism in him. I support liberal Muslims as much as I support others. I follow many teachings of Islam as my religion permits me to take good things from any religion. I am a great fan of Javed Ghamdi, Dr. Israr Ahmed and Maulana Tariq Jameel. Behavious of Indian Hindus towards Pakistani Muslims is very different than towards other Muslims.
India isn't for Hindus only. But, clearly for Hindus there is only India. We can't find refuge in Italy or Saudi Arabia.
While Minorities are protected in India by constitution & law, as well as fair electoral process, where in any Muslim country can a minority get any such protection?
Me a Hindu, learnt in my school carriculum about Islam & Christianity and the tenets of these religions. What is so unusual about introducing the tenets of Hinduism in to that text? Isn't religion a part of 'history'??
In fact, in our school we had Moral science classes where we were taught morals from Biblical stories, and other religious stories. What is so outrageous about Bhagawad Gita?
@ET why do you keep insisting on frothing at Hindu rightwing parties like this.Afterall its a Muslim rightwing party that gave you Pakistan. How can you judge others if they do the exact same thing you do?
@Author,
Your desperation to the point of concocting lies is quite visible. Are you worried that if BJP comes to power, your sources of funding will be investigated?
@Author, You're further spoiling relations between the two countries. Be careful!
This article is full of hate and propaganda against a particular community; totally biased; not objective in the least. It's people like Sanjay Kumar who are responsible for deterioration of ties between India and Pakistan and Hindus and Muslims in general. I'm amazed that it was published in the print by ET. Disgusting!
Urban educated classes of India, who support Modi despite his role in riots that led to deaths of fellow country men, are no different from that of Pakistan who live in state of denial regarding terrorism and radicalization that is tearing apart the society.
I wonder why my comment was not published?
Facts totally wrong. Sanjay Kumar can be legally taken to court for depicting wrong facts. "Narendra Modi, a radical Hindu leader and the chief minister of Gujarat — who was the architect of the Muslim massacre in 2002 "-- No court could prove it..even the supreme court. Who ru to take conclusions. He is also a 4 time CM, by saying he is a radical, ur undermining Indian democracy. Gujarat riots started by muslims in the samjhautha express burning - and after tht 500 hindus too died. Why dont u talk abt Sikh riots of 1984 or Assam riots of 2012 or countless others. Ur a disgrace to journalism. Please get ur facts right next time.
ET:Please publish my comment
Odd this article is in a Pakistani News paper considering Pakistan is an awoved Islamic state, non secular state. Would have made sense if it appeared in a Bangladeshi newspaper or NYT. Hindu radicalism is a contradiction in terms. About Gujarat - the attacks against Muslims were in response to the Godhra incident where Hindu piligrims were massacred by burning the railway coach they were travelling allegedly by Muslim hawkers. The response was attacks against innocent Muslims and this was condemned by all Indians including Hindus.
Have you seen clippings of Owaisi against Hindu gods ? As a reaction no one targetted Muslims but imagine what would have happened had a Hindu politician/activist used the same language against Islam ?
India was , is and will be a secular state because it is a Hindu Majority state and not because it is mandated in the constitution. Hinduism is a very tolerant religion that allowed all religions and cultures to flourish in its midst.
@ Author: "Narendra Modi, a radical Hindu leader and the chief minister of Gujarat — who was the architect of the Muslim massacre in 2002 — is the product of this school of thought."
Shame on you for writing such baseless things. Do you have any proof or any information to prove ? How come you have no words of condemnation for the people who burnt alive Hindu pilgrims in the train at Godhra station? How about writing an article on " is Saudi Arabia only for Muslims?" let me see if you and your fellow Modi baiters have the guts. If you have any shame left, reproduce any written or verbal proof where Modi has said anything against any religious community or he has incited Hindus to attack Muslims.
The whole idea was to teach younger Indians a history which did not reflect the diversity of India and portrayed it as a purely Hindu nation.
As a child I remember reading a story titled ‘Idgah’ in my Hindi literature book.
And some fables by Aesop, specially the Good Samaritan, in my English literature book
Now, if reading Bhagwat Gita is negation of diversity and promotion of Hinduism, then perhaps I have been a victim of promotion of Islam and Christianity.
Or, maybe, your kind of diversity does not have any place for Hindus.
Should Indians allow forces inimical to the idea of India to succeed?
Oh, they did.Way back in 1947.
Or do you believe that Pakistan was the 'victory' of forces championing the Idea of India?
Is India for Hindus only?
NO.
If you are one of them.
I guess it is for all expect Muslims......... since some Muslims have Pakistan isnt that the reason for Pakistan or is it a delusion,
Seriously, ET? There are plenty of people who comment regularly on blogs and op-eds (both Indian and Pakistani) who would make better contributors. Disappointed.
Thanks for the informative piece Sanjay! Clearly this is an alarming situation brewing up in India which is very critical for communities like Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and others. Thanks for pointing it out.
Why does Tribune allow such a biased article full of lies and propaganda ? Every paragraph in there is full of factual lies.