Mai sent me this link about Taslima Nasreen not being allowed to stay in India. What’s her fault? She has offended Muslim fundamentalists by writing against Islam or Muslim practices. Nothing unnatural in that I guess. But do you ever wonder why the mainstream media quietly ignores her? Obama sets off a litany of chest beatings by selecting Sonal Shah who allegedly has links with some Hindu fundamentalist organizations, but hardly anybody has a few thoughts to spare on the shabby treatment Taslima Nasreen gets in our democratic, secular country. The reason is simple; she is writing against Muslims and not against Hindus, which is the current fashion.
The same people would have had a field day had she written something offensive against the Hindus and if she had to leave the country because of them. Blog posts would have been written, columns would have been churned out and copious debates would have been telecast.
When I’m writing this I’m not trying to create a Hindu-Muslim divide, I’m just stating a simple, blatant observation, because this does happen. In India being secular means that you have to criticize everything Hindu and find excuses and reasons for the remaining religions. I wonder from where this mentality emanates and I wonder if it exists in other countries too. These people are perpetually criticizing the very fabric that gives them the freedom to indulge in such obscurantism. Does their heart bleed for the downtrodden, for the suppressed, for the victims? This is debatable because you may find downtrodden, suppressed and victimized people in almost every community. Do they love justice? Then why such a muted response in the case of Taslima Nasreen?
I don’t know whether it is fear or some deep-rooted conspiracy. Everybody loves to be a champion. It is very easy to stand up against a force that is not ruthless and anarchic. As my wife always says, “Muslims ke against ye log bolenge te vo pichvade main dunda daal denge”: if they say anything against the Muslims the Muslims will screw them in the ass with sticks, and to a great extent this is true. Hindus, on the other hand are not that vindictive and violent so it is easier to stand up against them and accuse them of everything under the sun. I think this is precisely the reason why nobody stands up in support of Taslima Nasreen and a writer who enrages Hindu sentiments or a painter who paints naked gods and goddesses (personally I have no problem with that) find ample support from the so-called secularists.
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it’s the ‘save-your-own-skin’ attitude very common in these plains … like you said .. they will show ape-like aggression only in the face of the weak, the meek, the harmless.
Hindus (inlcuding Jains and Budhists) who are tired of pseudo-secular governments and media are invited to join Swabhimaan – a movement launched to unite the Hindus of India and protect their interests. For more details please contact Swabhimaan2008@gmail.com
STRENGTHEN THE MOVEMENT WITH YOUR PARTICIPATION
this is a fashion and so called seculars (government + media) are propagating it, everyday you find hinduism is being shamed on TV and not any other religion not islam even after islamic terrorism is so widespread. Hardliners are bad if they are Hindus and almost every Muslim political identity is a fundamentalist be it a person, muslim guru, muslim state or organisation.
Let me say one thing “every faith & its followers in the world does something wrong or other in their social, religious life which is not preached by the religion, then why hinduism is being targetted.”
STOP IT now.
this is a fashion and so called seculars (government + media) are propagating it, everyday you find hinduism is being shamed on TV and not any other religion not islam even after islamic terrorism is so widespread. Hardliners are bad if they are Hindus and almost every Muslim political identity is a fundamentalist be it a person, muslim guru, muslim state or organisation.
Let me say one thing “every faith & its followers in the world does something wrong or other in their social, religious life which is not preached by the religion, then why hinduism is being targetted.”
STOP IT now.
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