Was watching a critically acclaimed/awarded documentary last evening. Time ran out so I had to give up half way through. Its never possible for me to watch any flick at one go. In between will have a 1000 chores and errands to complete even if people may think I am jobless.
Can’t agree or disagree with the picture totally. Its a very heavy subject. Such controversies used to be of great interest to me once upon a time. Nowadays I want only peace at any cost. May be signs of ageing.
But I am clear on one thing. No Hindu is terrorist. Maximum you can blame Hindus for hooliganism. If you have the cheek to call Hindus extremists for sporadic incidents of violence, and if you can go blind on Islamic terrorism that has been bleeding this country for centuries (from historic times) and the cultural mayhem unleashed by foreign-sponsored Christian evangelists/missionaries bent on breaking up India, then you are an intellectually dishonest lot who will never win public sympathy. I shall never have an ear for this kind of flawed philosophy. I have my sympathies for Dabolkar, Pansaar etc., but there the buck stops. These are isolated cases. Justice must be served and the assailants brought to book no doubt. These communists seem to be good men with right ideals. Their idea of universal brotherhood is really the way forward. I totally agree with the injustice of casteism etc. But above all that, India reigns supreme for me and comes first. Some collateral damages here and there. Unavoidable. Do these guys really think that we can create that perfect Utopia where nothing will be out of place one hundred percent. Just who are you kidding.
We Hindus are not aspiring for a Hindu rashtra in America or Australia or Africa or Arabia or Antarctica. India is the birth place for Hindu Dharma and the branching Buddhism. We have every right to strive so as to remain a predominantly Hindu nation to eternity because we are vested with such an onerous responsibility of passing on the Dharmic traditions without a break. Other (follower)s are welcome but when a guest outstays hospitality shown by the hosts, then issues are bound to crop up. The hosts have every right to prove assertive to the guests. How can nationalism be wrong in such a case. You are talking about a nation that has suffered from invader-marauders since the 7th century CE. Is this new self-defence so abhorrent. No society is flawless and we Hindus have our own inherent flaws on which we are working right now.
But I appreciate the sincerity behind the efforts in making of the picture. I only hate the condescending tone on the Hindus. Hindus could be hypocrites and passively aggressive, but at least Hindus give you a stage to speak your mind. I wish this Anand Patwardan or whoever has the guts to produce a similar story on Islamists. Haha you cannot even scribble a cartoon remember!
All these intellectuals today are talking without mostly having NOT lived as a minority in a theocratically islamic state. I have. I do. That’s what it will take for some good sense to rub into you. You are welcome to live in Saudi or Pakistan for 1 year, why even 1 month as a free secular and democratic individual (the way you live and talk in India) and post your reviews. In this one month or so in that Islamic heaven, I dare you to munch a packet of salted peanuts during Ramzan fasting hours in full public view. How about asking muslim women to forego their black veils and speaking on their suppression and rights in their mass media.
Why should justice, equality etc., be only a Hindu’s moral responsibility. All said, I am for social justice always. I am equally concerned about casteism but at the same time I brook no nonsense when it comes to pointing out to islamic terrorism. Or christian conversion mafia. I have been blogging that India’s democracy is incumbent on India’s demography first and foremost. Suvar Irundhaal Thaan Chithiram Ezhudha Mudiyum. Only in Hindu India can you come up with this ‘reason’ or any reason for that matter!
Why such a hue and cry about Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination. Why should everyone accept him as father of the nation. I am an admirer of Gandhi as well at the same time. But Bhagat Singh and Subhas Chandra Bose to me are equally important in Indian history. One man’s terrorist is another man’s martyr. World juggles and champions such converse logics. Why can’t these leftists come to accept that contrary views exist? I am divided on Gandhi at times. Not comfortable about all his decisions. Just who was he to solely represent India. Who was Nehru. Why should these two come to unanimously represent entire India. They probably filled a vacuum, perhaps.
Undoubtedly Mahatma Gandhi spearheaded the Harijan movement that marked a paradigm shift in the way the Hindu society functioned. Gandhi was the influence perhaps for the Dravidian movements at a later stage. Over his role in India’s freedom struggle, I respect Gandhi more for his contribution to social change in Indian society.
However, I am not for this naming and shaming of any particular community. All the upper caste Hindus are in equal measure responsible for the cruel caste prejudice that is prevalent in our midst even today. Some are passively aggressive and rare few take to arms (resorting to hooliganism). Not all the forward castes have been prosperous as well. Quite a number of them have languished in poverty over centuries. The upper castes also bore the brunt of the islamic invasions paying a heavy price. I strongly believe Dharma can take care of itself and establish an equilibrium over time. Balance always gets restored. In Tamil we say, ‘muppadhu varusham vaazhndhavanum illai, muppadhu varusham thaazhndhavanum illai.’ Everything is a cycle. Gene pools go stale for the most forward castes/races in course of time as lethargy and complacency set in. We see this in UK now 😀 Fresh infusion of knowledge in the most backward communities releases locked potential and bright ideas. You see the surge of scheduled castes/tribes sports people etc., in India presently. Africans in athletics, etc.
Changes are happening as we are seeing. It can’t be said that nothing is happening. Groundbreaking transformation is on already. Maximum awareness is there at grassroots level. If anything smart phones etc., quickened the timeframe for awareness and change.
What was established practice for 2000 years cannot be undone in mere 50 to 70 years time. Give some time for the society to mature. We do see seeds of social justice perking up in every quarter. The educated are thinking.
In my personal view though, casteism as of now takes a back seat to classism in India. Casteism is done in. What we have in its place is now classism. Wonder what the leftists have to say on this.
vijiravindran's 