The Hindu Right

What Hindus are doing to Indian muslims is sad and barbaric, but was forseen and predicted by the wise Muslim leadership of United India in the 30s and 40s. Part of the blame goes to Indian muslims themselves who made a bad choice when they decided to stay back in India and not migrate to Pakistan while the window was open i.e. 1947 to 1951.

The choice for them now... either continue being slaughtered, raped and economically strangulated by the Hindus or stand up and fight the fire with fire. They made a very bad choice in `47 for which they are suffering today; I hope Gujurat has opened their eyes and they`ll make a better choice today so that their children don`t have to go through the same again.

sigalph # something

uncle tom, if its ok for Indian parlimentarians to worry about the welfare of Hindu victims of cleansing in Bangaldesh, why is it wrong for Naqsbandi to worry about the Muslim rioting victims in Gujurat? or about the welfare of Indian muslims in general?? So Pan-Islamism is bad but Pan-Hinduism in the grab of secularism is fine? hypocrite!

Ra Ravishankar,

Thanks for writing this. Good to know that with people like yourself, India has hope.

Ras

re: fawad

...i don`t think you know much about kalam other than what you`ve read the fanatics writing...

fawad #37

{the guy is a memeber of the bjp}

It helps to get your facts straight, and not let your preconceptions run wild. No, Kalam isn`t a member of any political party. He rose through the system, through a succession of Congress and other non-BJP governments, receiving his first national honour, a Padma Bhushan, in 1981, and the Bharat Ratna in 1997. His first substantial interaction with a BJP-led government was probably when Vajpayee offered him the cabinet post of Minister of Science and Technology in 1998.

{with an obvious hinduvta ideology}

Indeed? Care to explain how you came to this risible conclusion? Kalam has written and spoken a great deal about his personal vision. His opinions are on record in two books: his autobiography `Wings of Fire` and in `India 2020: A Vision for the Millenium`.If his ideology has a dominant current, it is self-reliance and a can-do attitude. His vision is technocratic rather than religion-obsessed and culture-fixated.You can arguably fault him for naivete or over-optimism, but the `hindutva` label is plainly ridiculous.

{he stresses hindu identity not an INDIAN identity}

This remark probably reveals more about your ideological blinkers than it does about Kalam.

{he didnt say a damn thing about the gujrat massacre}

That is his prerogative.For that matter, he probably didn`t say a damn thing about the Babri Masjid demolition, or about the dozens of Pakistan-sponsored massacres in J & K. That has never been his style.

What`s your point? That someone of Muslim background should be in the forefront in issuing public comments about all events involving Muslims? Have you considered the alternative viewpoint, that an Indian citizen, whatever his origins, should be upset, disturbed, etc. whenever a government anywhere in India fails in its obligation to any of its citizens, irrespective of their ethnic, religious, etc. background? And that, beyond that, whether and how one gives voice to ones unhappiness is a personal call? And can you conceive of the possibility that Kalam has incidentally done the most good for Indian Muslims by just being who he is?

{hes a token muslim.........a house n---- if you get what i mean}

{a hinduized muslim }

This is now evolving on sadly predictable lines.

{for all your side stepping the issue by calling me islamist and other bs}

Try to read more carefully. I didn`t call you an Islamist

{does not change the fact that this guy believes in hinduvta}

Totally unsubstantiated assertion on your part. And BTW, it is `hindutva` - the ending is `tva`, not `vta`.

fawad #40

{one thing i find totally offensive are these posts accusing me of islamism }

Do try to read more attentively. I didn`t call YOU an Islamist ... I had some other worthies - in the Pakistani press, and a few on Chowk, in mind. I don`t in fact think you`re an Islamist - but I surmise that you may have occasional problems with logic - or with English grammar - or with reading comprehension.

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nasah and zafar

Thank you for the kind words. You gentlemen will be pleased to know that I`ll be supporting a Democrat for governor and another for Congress this Novemeber! (The GOP governor nominee looks like Hitler and talks like an abject fool; the Democratic House nominee is good friend). Hope this admission redeems me further!

Asif # 46

I noticed you avoided all the points I made earlier and came up with a new attack about Gujarat. Everyone knows that I find India`s atrocities in Kashmir (which you`ll bring up next) and elsewhere (including Gujarat and Bombay and Punjab) heinous. But I also put it in context realizing that in India there are native mechanisms to address these issues. I`d rather live in Hindutva India ruled by a BJP, as long as there is a Constitution, Courts, and Parliament there, than in some bigoted pan-Islamic violent polity ruled by a group of self-selected selectmen of imaginary Divine lieutenantancy.

India`s `splitting`? You guys have been dreaming of India`s implosion and Israel`s explosion for two generations now. None of it is going to happen. Internally both the countries are constitutional republics with firm civil control of the military-such countries don`t disappear so easily. Externally, specially now, both those countries are considered outposts of civilization and allies in the fight against global Islamist terror. Not to mention that both are not only armed to the teeth but, far more importantly, inspired to the hilt.

Your dislike of India will garner far more respect if you can tell us how an ummah state can craft a durable pluralist society based on participation, equal rights, rule of law, and peaceful co-existence.

I find India to be quite a Big Brotherly kind of a hegemon in the region, always ready to exploit smaller neighbors and pick fights. Yet, I also realize that were India to disappear today, between Pakistan`s Islamism and China`s Communism, the smaller countries will be reduced to moral and physical wastelands.

The article is about the Hindu Right and the rise of facism in India - yet Indian interlocutors, the chauvanists, the statists and the tokens collectors want to discuss only Muslims and Islam in India.

Why does this idology find such appeal among the Hindu Indians? If we could that Indians have seen a a decline in their living stadards or repated failure and that BJP types have exploited these sentiments - we may have cause for hope - that at the very least we may at least understand why this ideology appeals.

Yet, the exact opposite is the same, India has gone from success to success - so why does this ideology appeal to the Hindu?

What components speak to, resonate with, the Hindu?

I would suggest that it is exactly ``success after success``, that is a component of this appeal. Another engine driving this appeal, is the sense of inferiority, Indians and in particular Hindu Indians, value. To the warning that officers of the the ship are playing with fire, these hindus respond with ``it`s the fault of the Muslim``, the tokens rush to concur.

A review of posts by Indians, suggests, that in relation to blaming Islam and Muslims for the ills of India, introspection and the danger of facism, will have to wait. In any case, this is the choice for Indians, but not without implications for constituent groups in India and it`s neighbors; some entirely welcome, even tragic.

is kalam a Muslim? Does anyone give a rat`s behind if that escapee from ``planet of the Apes`` set, is or is not a Muslim? Oh yes, they do, above all, fanatic Hindus and their tokens. he is the good Muslim, he is a hindu-muslim. A role model for those who mouth ``pluralism``, even as they homogenize, by force of fire, if necessary.

What was article about, oh yeah, India`s Muslim problem and how the hindu may solve it.

Poor Nehru -- Father of Indian Democracy -- fathered scums like Advanis as well?

August 7, 2002

Lessons From Sri Lanka

Differences of Palestenian with TAMIL TIGERS

By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - It`s often forgotten that while suicide bombing started

in the Middle East, the people who perfected suicide as a weapon of war were

the Tamil Tigers militia here in Sri Lanka, the island-state off the southern

tip of India. In the last decade, Tamil suicide bombers, many of them women,

killed some 1,500 people, including an Indian prime minister and a Sri Lankan

president. And in a bizarre twist, the Tigers filmed many of their suicide

bombings to show and motivate their troops.

But since last December a cease-fire between the Tigers - who have been

militating for a separate state for Sri Lanka`s Tamil Hindu minority in the

northeast - and the government, which is dominated by the Buddhist Sinhalese

majority, has halted all suicide bombings. No one can be sure it will last,

after 18 years of civil war. But it`s still worth examining how suicide was

defused here, and whether any of this might apply to Palestinians and

Israelis.

To begin with, one of the key factors in halting Tamil suicide bombings was

the Tamil diaspora, living in North America, Europe and India. This Tamil

diaspora had been the main source of funding for the Tamil Tigers. But the

Tamil diaspora is made up largely of middle-class merchants and

professionals, and when in the late 1990`s the U.S., Britain and India all

declared the Tigers a ``terrorist`` group, not freedom fighters, the Tamil

diaspora became embarrassed by them and started choking off their funds.

``The Tamil diaspora started out as a force encouraging Tamil radicalism, but

eventually it evolved into a source for moderation,`` said Suresh

Premachandran, head of a Tamil rights party in Sri Lanka. ``Sept. 11 changed

that even more. People here knew after that there would never be any sympathy

for any suicide bombers.``

Unfortunately, in the Middle East Arabs and Muslims continue to indulge,

justify, praise or provide religious legitimation for Palestinian suicide

bombers, even after 9/11. The Palestinians have convinced themselves, with

the help of many Arabs and Europeans, that their grievance is so special, so

enormous that it isn`t bound by any limits of civilized behavior, and

therefore they are entitled to do whatever they want to Israelis. And

Israelis have convinced themselves that they are entitled to do virtually

anything to stop it.

Second, Sri Lankans had to pay retail for their extremism. They had no oil or

foreign powers to finance their war. And because so much domestic savings was

diverted to the war, Sri Lanka`s roads and infrastructure today are decrepit.

It is not surprising, therefore, that the peace movement, which blossomed in

the last two years, was led by the business community - particularly after

the Tamil Tigers blew up Colombo`s airport in July 2001 and sent the country

into an economic tailspin.

``The business community finally said, `Enough is enough,` `` said Mahesh

Amalean, chairman of MAS Holdings, Sri Lanka`s leading apparel maker. ``That

turned the tide. Our motto became `Sri Lanka first.` ``

Israelis and Palestinians, by contrast, got to buy their extremism wholesale.

Palestinians could engage in suicide bombings without becoming destitute

because the Arab states are always ready to pass the hat for them. Israelis

have been able to build insane settlements in the heart of the West Bank,

because the U.S. was ready to provide aid with no limits attached.

Third, in Sri Lanka the government realized it had no military solution for

suicide bombers - that the only way they could be stopped was if the Tigers

themselves could be induced to turn them off. The Tigers, meanwhile, realized

that while they could terrify the government with suicides, they couldn`t

even hold their own ethnic capital, Jaffna. So they both finally opted for

negotiations. Unfortunately, the Palestinians abandoned a peace offer and

opted instead for the delusion that suicide bombing will get them more, and

Ariel Sharon has opted for a purely military response.

Finally, while Jews and Arabs have carried out their war with all the world

watching - and often meddling in ways that prolonged the conflict - Sri

Lankans have conducted their war, in which 64,000 people have died, with

almost no coverage.

``Ours has been a forgotten war, and we`ve had to live with our mistakes and

to find our own way out,`` said Milinda Moragoda, one of the government`s

peace negotiators. ``It had its disadvantages, but also its advantages.``

-

fawad #38

You write:

[quote]

the success of the muslim in india lies in chauvinism and patriotic jingoism huh? sad after countless years they have to PROVE themselves to you ?

[end-quote]

Hmmmm... Maybe I missed something here. Is identifying with the indian state and its ideals ``chauvinism``?? In that case, I am afraid I am a complete chauvinist of the highest order!

Respect of and identification with indian constitution and its symbols is ``patriotic jingoism``?? Sorry, I have to disagree with you completely.

I agree nationalism is misused in many ways but your language suggests that nationalism itself is a flawed concept for you. If so, please say so without implying that I am suggesting a special ``loyalty test`` for indian muslims.

Sigalph -- my friend -- you`re a RR (Rolls Royce)of a man -- despite being a RR (Republicam Right):-

Zafar al Talib

where did you get all this monumental patience to suffer fools so cheerfully.

for me -- if all that famous British education -- comes to produce a line like this --

``when you are in your grave all alone and Munkir and Nakir come to question you....````

it`s time to say -- I give up.

sigalph,

I am happy when my Muslim brothers in India are doing well. It pleases me.

My concern--and the raison d`etre of my posts is that in light of the recent massacres of Muslims in India by the Hindus, what should they do to protect themselves? It is my contention that only uniting under the Islamic banner can protect them.

you don`t seem to be too bothered about the recent massacres in Gujarat. Well at least that is what your posts indicate.

* * * *

As for Mr. Kalam I am happy for him but I think you have to become a ``Hindu-ized Muslim`` like him for the Hindus to like you; if he is willing to do so that is his affair but dont expect all Muslims or even the majority to agree to do so.

* *

I think if this continues the HR will be the cause of India splitting at the seams.

* * *

alephnull i read the article nothing brilliant or sriking the muslim is a creature of his locale and upbringing ok so u stated the obvious what does that have to do with his right wing

Mr./Ms. Ravishankar,

Thank you for an excellent article. Very concise and analytical. I appreciated the historical contextualisation.

Would you comment on the recent emergence of a middle class Hindu right in the US which also seems to support extremist ideologies? The South Asian American community is organizing against various venues in which extremist speakers are being invited to lecture. In addition, this rightwing community are often involved in vocal opposition to artists who present and critique the role of the BJP and communalism in India, so much so, that progressive South Asian groups in the US have become vigilant in observing and responding to them.

Hope to read more from you soon!