Hindutva's Paradox

The author writes

[This is arguably the ‘new India’ that is unabashedly capitalist, and that has suffered excessive political intervention in the economy over the years. It is a demographic that openly admits that the poor, the marginalized and the minorities are holding the economy, and the country, back.]

Was there no excessive political intervention in the economy during years of state capitalism (it cannot and should not be called socialism)? Didn't Nehru nationalize the electricity companies and didn't that lead to investment in captive power plants by every industry (and most households in the form of Honda power generators)? Aren't we now forced to privatize the same electricity boards because the state has proved its incompetence at managing anything except circle jerks?

Are we supposed to think that the poor and the marginalized are actually helping move the country forward? What did state capitalism accomplish except making India go to the IMF with a begging bowl in hand for $5 billion in loans because the country didn't have foreign currency worth 2 weeks of imports.... and that too when imports were tightly controlled? Didn't it lead to the Government of India actually shipping its gold reserves to England as collateral for loans?

Or does the author -- and poverty pimps, Communists and their fellow-travellers -- think that that was the way forward?

Does the author even know that from being the biggest creditor nation in the British Commonwealth at the end of WWII, Jwahirullah Nehru, Indira G@ndu and Company had taken the country to the brink of economic disaster?

Ref rakeshmani #63

[Re #62

There are two ways of looking at it. One is as you suggested. My personal view, is that it shows that there is an internal debate that ensues in India. It shows the people of the Gulf that we are a thriving democracy - and if a minority group is slighted, a member of the majority will often stand up for them.

It is something they lack. And perhaps they will be inspired by the Indian ability to debate and critize policies and actions.]

Or they might like the idea of Indians like you bending forward and spreading your butt-cheeks.

[Besides - a closer relationship and understanding with the Gulf is something that India's diplomats should be cultivating more strongly for the country's energy security.]

Nuking Mecca right after 26/11 would have shown the Saudis that there is a price to pay for exporting the hate cult called Wahabi Islam... or any other form of Islam. Then there wouldn't be a Saudi government holding back oil either... just a few bedouins on their camels in a glassy desert.

This is arguably the ‘new India’ that is unabashedly capitalist, and that has suffered excessive political intervention in the economy over the years. It is a demographic that openly admits that the poor, the marginalized and the minorities are holding the economy, and the country, back.


This is a quite strong statement.

Do we have anything to back this up, like for example statements from leaders of the BJP youth wing or BJP IT cell etc.. ?.

(or)

is this from the wild imagination of the author?. Rakesh mani could be a best selling author of fiction if that is the case.

The whole trouble is that any reference to JNU is considered a red herring by certain folks who further assure us that JNU is just a harmless collection of old and young fools.

Nothing is further from the truth.

JNU is where the current Prime Minister of Nepal, who formerly called himself Prachanda, got his education. It is the same place from where a vast number of IFS (Indian Foreign Service) officers graduate or learn foreign languages while absorbing economic, political and cultural biases that are 1000% anti-Indian.

How does one explain the fact that when Prachanda was trying to dislodge King Gyanendra of Nepal and was near success, The Government of India did not send a Foreign MInistry official to discuss the transition but instead chose to send Sitaram Yechury, the CPI(M) leader?

In any country of the world, has the foreign policy of the country been handed over to someone with no official standing whatsoever and whose past stands have been inimical to the interests of the country as witness the CPI (M)'s stand on the Sino-Indian border dispute?

Can any patriotic Indian honestly support this nest of thieves?

Re: # 122
publ...
when people are fleeing to avoid blashphemy law etc...what is the point in constructing temples? if it heritage site, please preserve it....

Re: # 117
bull...
"Hindus...."
yeah, and for that reason, population share dropped from 15% to 5% now and it is decreasing rapidly....

Re: # 120
Ekal...
that does not matter, whether the Govt. is buldozing temples etc...unless and until it is heritage site....In SWAT valley and adjacent areas of Pakiland and Afghanistan, lots of Budhist relics and artifacts are getting destroyed or smuggled to western countries...most of the paki animals (beduinised) do not know the historical value of these stuffs and rather happy to destroy sign of human civilisation, prevalent there before muslaism arrived....

It is laughable that one should debate just the ideas contained in this specific article without trying to analyze what biases the author might have as betrayed by his earlier writings and comments.

If that were to be the rule, one would have to conclude that William F. Buckley, Jr., was a balanced commentator on the US political scene. One would have to conclude that Rush Limbaugh's radio commentary are carefully balanced. Mike Savage would be the perfect commentator who raises valid points for discussion. One would further have to conclude that Martin Luther King, Jr., was a rabid rabble-rouser.

Rakesh Mani's earlier writings are entirely valid grounds for understanding and raising questiona about his biases. Don't who argue otherwise are taking the rest of us for fools.

Sorry that link is difficult to paste:

Here is the entire article(it is from Daily Times, a pak source):

Hindus demand reconstruction of all temples damaged in 1992

By Shahnawaz Khan

LAHORE: The Hindu community on Thursday demanded the reconstruction of more than 1,000 temples across Pakistan, which had been demolished by violent Muslim mobs in December 1992 in protest against the demolition of the Babri Mosque in India, while Muslims in India commemorated December 6 – the day Babri Mosque was demolished by Hindus – as a “day of resistance� and demanded the Indian government reconstruct the Babri Mosque and take action against those responsible for the incident.

Talking to Daily Times, office bearers of the All Pakistan Balmik Sabha (APBS) – a major Hindu organisation in the country – said that no religion in the world permitted violence and blamed anti-human individuals in India of fanning religious hatred by demolishing the Babri Mosque on December 6, 1992.

JJ Vishnu Mangay Ram, former advocate general of the Sindh High Court and chairman of the APBS, said the Babri Mosque demolition had affected humanity on both sides of the border. He demanded the government fulfil its promise and reconstruct the places of worship of the minority Hindus.

APBS Balochistan President Atnay Ram Chohan said that more than 1,000 Hindu temples had been damaged in Pakistan following the Babari Mosque incident and the government had assured the Hindu community that their places of worship would be restored, but that promise has yet to be fulfilled.

APBS Punjab General Secretary Dr Munohar Chand said that though the government had started reconstructing several temples in Multan, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Kohat, Bahawalpur and Lahore, the pace of work was slow and must be completed on priority to promote religious harmony in the country. He added that several temples in Lahore including Jain Mandir, Krishna Mandir, Balmik Mandir in Nila Gumbad, Balmik Mandir and Bawa Mandir in Taxali Gate and Shah Alam Mandir had been damaged in the violent protests in 1992, but the government had only reconstructed the Krishna Mandir on Ravi Road. He added that the government had reconstructed the Krishna Mandir structure, but ignored the traditional worship symbols.

The Indian Muslims observed December 6 as a “day of resistance�, while the Hindus marked the day as a “day of victory�. Special prayers were offered on Wednesday in Muslim-dominated areas of Bhindi Bazaar and Muhammad Ali Road in India at 3:45pm – the time when the Babri Mosque was razed to the ground.

"That's most likely not true"

Do you mean the narrow point of govt bulldozers or the wider point of destruction of temples in aftermath ?

If the latter then consider:

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\12

"When babri masjid was brought down, paki govt bulldozers were used to destroy whatever temples remained in pakistan."

That's most likely not true.

#117 Posted by bulleya

however, they have no issues with hindus prospering in pakistan, as long as one fine day hindus don't get up and say the pakistan flag should have Ram written on it, because pakistan has hindus as citizens....

You must be very naive to draw parallels such as above. As per the acknowledged by your najibulla khan, 15% of hindu population is reduced to less than 5% in pakiland. A negligible percentage of muslim population has increased to more than 20% in India. Recently there was a news item about some 35 paki hindu families migrated to India begging for asylum.

When babri masjid was brought down, paki govt bulldozers were used to destroy whatever temples remained in pakistan.

Hindutwa is NOT the hindu side of TNT. It is the consequence of the muslim TNT which spread its tentacles in India.

We have separate laws for muslims in our country unlike in Pakiland. In fact, in pakiland, they do not mind any religion or belief AS LONG AS IT IS WAHABI ISLAM.

Romair, try again!

...i think i have finally figured out the concept of hindutva.....after travelling in india, reading up on its history, and through various discussions with friends....

......in one simple line....hindutva is the hindu side of tnt....

basically, hindutva supporters want an india, based on hindu history and culture and religion, much like what is available to muslims in pakistan......they want a country whose definition is through hinduism....and they have no problems in muslims (or christians etc.) living and prospering in that country, as long as muslims (etc.) do not try to define the national identity of india.....

much like what exists in pakistan....where muslims define the national, cultural, social etc. identity of the country, based on thier religion; however, they have no issues with hindus prospering in pakistan, as long as one fine day hindus don't get up and say the pakistan flag should have Ram written on it, because pakistan has hindus as citizens.......

RakeshMani
I may have missed your repsonse to NB and others questioning your prefixing "Hindu Nationalist" Bhartiya Janta Party.

Why this prefix?

"- as I understand, you are effectively calling for a mass expulsion of non-Hindus from India to "Hindu-ize" the country. You want to replace a national identity with a religious one.."

You are either misconstruing what I am saying or being deliberately obtuse. I am saying no such thing.

What I am saying is that when it comes to "justice", the Hindu community has many grievances from the secular Republic of India as do non Hindu communities. If we Hindus are supposed to take ownership of India because we are the majority, then the onus should not permanently be on us to sacrifice our interests.

What does the core BJP agenda stand for:

1. Uniform law for all communities.

2. Revocation of Article 370 from Kashmir

3. Replacing only three specific Mosques with temples where there is documented evidence that temples were destroyed. The evidence exists for thousands of places, the BJP specifies only three.

None of the above conditions imply anything like the mass expulsion of non hindu minorties