Wednesday, April 8, 2009

WHY A GOOD HINDU IS POLITICALLY INCORRECT IN SECULAR INDIA ?

American Presidents while taking oath of office, always refer to God, the Bible and Christian values in their opening speech to the nation. Their no address is complete without referring to their religion.

They sound almost like a scripture teachers in one of our convent schools. The American media notices it, even comments upon it. But no one ever suggests that the President sounds like a fundamentalist. A good Christian, perhaps. But a fundamentalist, heavens no!

Now imagine if someone like Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee were to talk so much about Ram or Hindutva in his inaugural address, or flaunt his Hindu education and background the way American Presidents do about their Christian upbringing, can you think of the outrage it would have provoked?

Everyone, including our media, would have flayed him for stoking the fires of Hindu fundamentalism. As it is, the world press keeps referring to the BJP-led NDA as spearheading Hindu fundamentalism.

In other words, being a good Christian is politically correct in free America but being a good Hindu is politically incorrect in secular India. Why? Why is the American President not slandered as a bigot when he speaks about God, the Bible and Christian values while the Indian prime minister is called a Hindu zealot when he refers to Ram or Hindutva?

After all, what are we looking for in our leaders? Denial of religion? Atheism? Is atheism synonymous with secularism? Or is secularism the ability to pursue your own faith with conviction and respect the right of others to do the same?

We are back to semantics here and this is the real difference between secularism as propagated by Mahatma Gandhi and secularism as it has been practised by his political heirs led by Jawaharlal Nehru.

Gandhi saw it as the co-existence of all religions and urged everyone to follow his own faith with even greater conviction while Nehru, a self-professed agnostic, saw it as the gradual erosion of the role of religion in a modern society.

So, while Gandhi pleaded for more faith, better understanding and a bigger role for religion in creating a truly secular state, Nehru idolised the blossoming of the scientific temper, which he believed would eventually diminish if not entirely wipe out the role of religion in our political culture. It achieved precisely the opposite.

American Presidents are not in the least embarrassed by their faith. In fact, they see it as their strength. They see it as the strength of their nation. So they drop all pretences, all hypocrisy and speak out openly for what they think is the solution to most of America's problems, as well as the world's. Faith. Religious faith, in their case, Christianity. But, for others, whatever their faith is.

It is not religion that exacerbates conflict; it is the absence of religion. When we stop being good Hindus or good Muslims or good Christians, that is when we pick up weapons against each other to fight wars in the name of religion.

All conflict is actually secular. People may raise the banner of faith but they are actually covering up the real reasons for the conflict which are sometimes political and, more often, plain criminal.

American conferences are a unique experience and what impresses most is political America's fierce commitment to its faith. Of course Christianity is there, centrestage. But it was there as a symbol of America's faith in all religions and their right to coexist.

In one of conferences, the other side were the prime ministers of the Slovak Republic, Albania and Greenland. On the next table, the presidents of Croatia and Serbia and the governor of the Cayman Islands. Next to him, the home minister of the Tibetan government in exile, and his wife, the Dalai Lama's sister were on the adjoining table. It was a sangam of all faiths. Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Jews, Buddhists. They were all there, praying for a better, stronger, more compassionate world.

Luckily we, in India, have a strong judiciary that refuses to yield ground to over-ambitious political leaders. We have a democracy that is stubborn, brave, uncompromising.

Maybe it is time to reject cant and hypocrisy, shed this sham of political correctness. Let us, as a nation, admit to ourselves that there is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of when we speak of our religion, our faith.

A good Hindu is no less than a good Christian or a good Muslim and it is time we acknowledged this simple, inescapable fact in a nation that has been the crucible of faith for centuries.

In this acknowledgement lies our future. As Hindus, as Indians. As a nation on the move.

There is, there can be nothing endearing about faithlessness.

16 Comments:

Anonymous Gen. Raj Mehta said...

Dear Mr Kundra,

The use of America as an example to follow is not appropriate. They became a country in 1776. We have been a country for at least 5000 years. We could have been compared to China, had they been democratic.
India has absorbed in it, all the religions of the world. Dont let this strength become a weakness by emphasizing Hindutva. We do not become smaller or feel lesser just because we do not emphasize that we are the majority religion in India.

In the Armed Forces, no one asks whether you are Hindu or Sikh or Muslim. They sit together, eat together, work together, die together.
Please do not raise the Hindutva Banner. It will erode your credibility as a Blog Master. Raise the India First banner if you have to. You and I need to support a system that takes all India forward, not just Hindus.

Regards,
Raj Mehta

April 9, 2009 at 7:19 AM  
Blogger vaneet kundra said...

Dear Gen. Mehta,

I am an Indian first and a Hindu later. I have been reading and watching TV where being called a Hindu has meant a shame. All the columnists and TV anchors are feeling ashamed of being a Hindu, just beacause of one incident, Varun Gandhi's hate speech. I dont endorse his speech, if not doctored but i had to clear my conscious that why in India, calling yourself Hindu is a crime ? Media, specially, has put Hindus in a communal mode and under trial and i have every right to tell them that being a good hindu is not shameful. I am a proud Hindu and a good Hindu. You cant paint all Hindus with the same brush. Majority view is respected as a natural law, throughout the world and here Hindus in their own country are blasted by the media ? It is our open heartedness that we being Hindus, have never asserted ourselves, because Hindu religion is so compassionate and loving and not like other religions, which are based on hate. It is the media which forces people like me to clear their stand that i am not ashamed, being a hindu, but very proud of it.

April 9, 2009 at 7:37 AM  
Blogger Prof P.K.Keshap said...

Dear Kundra Sahib,

Radicals in any religion are not acceptable in the world. Liberals - good Christian, Good Muslims, Good Sikhs, Good Hindus - are the backbone of this 5000 yrs old country. Let's be Indian first. Our education system must inculcate this kind of thinking in the minds of young children during impressionable years. I fully agree with Gen. Raj Mehta. India belongs to us all. I have among my friends people from all religions and have found that good people belong to humanity and wish good for all. However, your intentions and contentions are respected. But I view as I contend and intend. Human beings are sons of God - one Lord and hate culture on any basis is not acceptable by the free minds. Love of humanity is the nucleus of all religions. For low minds - religion is a tool of confrontations and conflicts; but for evolved higher mind, religion is a too of love for all creatures and beings on this mother Earth.

With kind regards,
Prof Keshap

April 9, 2009 at 9:15 PM  
Blogger vaneet kundra said...

Prof.Keshap,

You have probably not understood my article. My article clearly says and in my comments to Gen. Mehta too, i dont endorse religious hatred nor i have any intention to do so.

But i get pained and furious when mainstream media paints all the hindus with the same brush. I beleive you have not seen CNN-IBN Channel after Varun Gandhi's hate speech. These so called secularists are the biggest liars and people with double standards. I wont allow anyone to paint my religion as a religion of hate which these TV channels are trying to show. They are trying to prove that Hindus are people who give hate speeches, which is totally untrue. I can not stand being a good Hindu to put people like us on trial. These media houses are totally bought out by vested interests and try to show, what they want to show us. This is the reason that we all being Hindus are ashamed to be called as Hindus, even being in majority. It is our religion which is open-hearted and we do not criticise anyone, even when someone is wrong. These TV channels should be regulated as they are the ones, who compel people like me to defend my religion, of which i am proud of.

April 9, 2009 at 9:39 PM  
Blogger Kanan Jaswal said...

I consider religion something very personal, almost private. Problems arise only when public show of what is understood as religion is made.

To go a little deeper, humaneness is the true religion, others are mere sects. If you are a humanist, first and foremost, you are religious in the real sense of the term.

April 9, 2009 at 9:47 PM  
Blogger vaneet kundra said...

Dear kanan,

I fully agree with you. Humanity is the biggest religion of all religions. But is the media humane ? Indian media is the biggest and most biased media in the world. These media houses are controlled by communists and many more people, which you may not be aware of. Indian ownership of media is almost nil. They are controlled by forces who want to malign the majority people. This was the biggest reason, why i started writing a blog. I have few friends in Mainstream media who are totally frustrated, how the media is manipulated to suit certain interests and they do not reflect the true picture of India. When i listen to the stories of my friends in media, i get shocked, how these media houses are manipulated and doctored. we are only told, what they want to convey to us, not the actual truth. Why should i be ashamed of being a Hindu and keep quiet about it ? Who has given the media right to blast majority community ? people like me, cant take this bitter pill and go back to their cocoons and in hiding and keep mum about it. I cant allow any person to humiliate my religion. I have every right to defend it. But i dont endorse Hindu Taliban, which creates hatred and anarchy but i have the right to protect what is close to my heart.

April 9, 2009 at 10:11 PM  
Blogger Kanan Jaswal said...

Dear Vaneet,

If the media is not humane, not truthful, then all the more reason that we should not allow ourselves to be provoked by it. The truth can stand by itself, it does not require any props, least of all - anger. So, cheer up, my friend!

Kanan

April 9, 2009 at 10:53 PM  
Blogger vaneet kundra said...

Dear Kanan,

i am sorry for my anger. I have realised this after seeing your comments. Perhaps, I have been carried away beyond a limit and may have written something unwarranted. I am sorry for that. Please excuse me. I always feel very offended, when stories are planted to malign a certain section by the media but that does not allow me to behave unparliamentary. I have realised my mistake. Cdr Khilari's mother has expired and i am totally out of touch. I have sent him an email few days back but no reply has been received. Your idea needs to looked into but it is very difficult to float a party without money bags and recognition. We will have to do lot of spadework, before we arrive at a decision. Professionals like Captain Gopinath of Air Deccan have stood for elections this time and it is a welcome sign from a professional. Results are not important but i am happy that churning process in the middle class has now started. Some of the people like him have awakened to the need to clean politics. But perhaps, this is the 1st step to cover thousand miles for people like him /us.

April 10, 2009 at 7:10 AM  
Blogger Kanan Jaswal said...

Dear Vaneet,

You were angry but you never used unparliamentary language. Anyway, now I'm glad that normalcy is restored.

I am sorry to learn of the death of Cdr. Khilari's mother, may her soul rest in peace! I shall email my condolences to him.

I have no illusions about the process of floating a new political party to promote INTEGRITY, HUMANENESS, SECURITY and PROGRESS in the country; it is going to be extremely difficult and long winding. But that makes it all the more challenging and, if I may say so, tempting. I promise difficult, perhaps dangerous, but exciting journey to whosoever joined me. In the initial couple of years, of course, we would have a social platform to promote the above values.

My best wishes,

Kanan

April 10, 2009 at 11:19 PM  
Blogger vaneet kundra said...

Dear Kanan,
First let me congratulate you to have read your name in a article by T. Arun in an editorial in The Economic Times, yesterday. I was proud to read that your name has been mentioned in the article among people who are bringing change in the politics. Your efforts of getting thousands of signatures for the petition has been recognised by the media. We all are proud of your efforts.
Regarding floating a political party, i have my reservations, as mentioned earlier. Lot of money and ground work among people has to be done, before floating a political party. I endorse your patriotism for our country but we have to think rationally. I would request you to consult Cdr Khilari, who has had experience in this field, before starting anything. I am with you always and you can count on me.

April 11, 2009 at 7:09 AM  
Blogger Prof P.K.Keshap said...

Kundra Sahib,

I thank you for your immediate reply to my comment. An individual's ire takes a long time for the decision maker to take action for improving the ills of the society. For this purpose, I suggest that a petition like the one written by Kanan Jaswalji that I have duly signed is the best tool to improve the functioning of these media barons. I agree fully with you that media acts on behalf of certain powerful lobby in India and abroad too. We, you and I, are powerful enough to raise our voice through petitions. Such kind of petitions become the part of decision maker's line of thinking and action is taken based on priority. I am proud you are raising such kind of sensitive issues relating to our religion.

I also join you to express my condolences on the sad demise of Cdr. Khilari's mother and pray to the Almighty to give peace to her soul.

Regards,
Prof Keshap

April 11, 2009 at 8:41 AM  
Blogger vaneet kundra said...

Dear Prof. Keshap,

Our voices are very small and media and politicians are too strong for us. 60 years of corruption and system failure cant be repaired in a day. It will take Many voices like you, me, Kanan, Cdr Khilari and thousands of voices to be heard as the system is deaf. Atleast, we all have begun a journey, which may or may not take us to our goal but that does not mean, we stop trying to make efforts for a change. Jarnail Singh's one shoe, changed the entire scenario. Congress had to withdraw Tytler and Sajjan Kumar as candidates. Although, i dont endorse the action of Jarnail Singh, being a civilised man but today i feel, thousands of shoes have to be thrown at politicians, if they only understand that kind of action and language. Protests by sikhs in thousands never yielded in results but one shoe thrown at a VIP made all the difference. Does that mean that we should too keep are shoes ready with us, so that they can understand the anger which we have within ourselves for these politicians ?

April 11, 2009 at 8:57 AM  
Blogger Kanan Jaswal said...

Dear Vaneet,

Thanks for your congratulations; in reality I owe my two seconds in the sun to about 2300 people like you, Cdr. Khilari and Prof. Keshap who signed the online petition.

The day you had first advised me I emailed Cdr. Khilari. Now that he is back in Bangalore and to work, I am expecting his reply soon.

With best wishes,

Kanan

April 12, 2009 at 11:42 PM  
Blogger vaneet kundra said...

Dear Kanan,
You have really worked very hard to get those 2300 signatures for the online petition. You deserve congratulations for your effort and we all pray to Almighty that your efforts pay off and the ill gotten wealth of poor Indians, stashed away in tax havens is brought back to India, where it belongs to. Although this issue has been highlighted by both BJP and Congress, because of efforts made by few people like you, I do hope that the issue remains alive after elections too and we all should keep up the pressure till it is retrieved back to India.

April 13, 2009 at 1:53 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Mr. Kundra, your comment that "I wont allow anyone to paint my religion as a religion of hate which these TV channels are trying to show" betrays your immaturity as a commentator. First of all, you or any one else is no authority to allow or disallow anyone to express their opinion. You have the liberty to differ, but not to prevent freedom of speech, which is a trait of fascism. Secondly, I have not come across any attempts by TV channels to paint your religion in any light. And is your religion so frail that a mere TV commentator's oratory can damage it? Point to ponder.

May 18, 2010 at 11:09 PM  
Blogger vaneet kundra said...

Dear Stranger,

Last time.. Identify yourself, or else leave me alone with my views.. No one can take away my right of self-expression.. Hv guts and courage to put your gud name in future.. I wont be responding or publishing your comments in future..

May 18, 2010 at 11:12 PM  

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