Modi’s Men and their Mean Machines

After living in the U.S. for 20+ years,I returned to India four years ago. Here are my observations about the Indian mindset:

a) The rules are: there are no rules.
b) If there are rules, it only applies to the other guy.
c) If, on the outside chance, the rules apply to me, I am too special to follow them.
d) If, even after the above postulates, you still insist on making me follow the rules, you`re abusing me.

Of course don`t you even dare to apply a), b), c),d) to Muslims,SC/ST/OBC/BBC/NBC/ABC...

The truth is that in Modi`s Gujarat it will be very hard to figure out in any objective way whether the dargah was correctly demolished. This is one of the minor consequences of having allowed lots of citizens to be killed by mobs. So Modi`s administration has no credibility in this space, even if in this instance they acted correctly.

Generally, this is a very big problem and, yes, it does often involve a muslim place of worship. Here is an example from a Bengal:

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050129/asp/calcutta/story_4289129.asp

Unable to move the mosque next to the tarmac at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, the authorities have worked out a way around it to extend the secondary runway

First, I think Dargah is not a place of worship. It is generally a place where some Sufi or pir is buried. Dargahs are a special gift to Indian Muslims from India. I doubt that you will find Dargahs in any other Muslim country.

Second Dargah in India and Pakistan are poor man’s religion. Enlightened Muslims or the upper to middle class Muslims wont even go there.

This is unfortunate that Modi or the Gujarat admin has no credibility and the authorities acted in haste. Removing of Mosques has never been a problem in the Muslim countries. Indians just have to learn to deal with it by involving Muslims into decisions like this.

Abt a year or two ago, when a decision was made to construct a freeway/Hiway over the Liyari river in Karachi, some Mosques had to be removed. There was some commotion but in the end it was not a big deal. But removing a Dargah small or large has always been a problem in Pakistan too.

Many intercity roads in Pakistan are built around Dargahs. In some cities even the regular streets have to go around them because no one wants to deal with the graves and pir sain.

In a state like Gujarat, with contentious communal relations, it is expected that the authorities would be more careful and not make hasty judgment calls.

In this case, it seems that the usual bluster to teach Muslims a lesson and the arrogance of the state and city administration caused the problem. When people have scars, emotions flare up pretty fast. It does not hurt to be sensitive but when you are not, incidents like this would continue to happen.

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Modi has worked out a plan carefully and this time he is using his official machinery to find ways to discriminate, marginalize or co-opt muslims in his state...............this time he has used the issue of encroachments to demolish a known sufi shrine..................but this is not babri masjid........he will meet his match...........

Re: 111 by tvarad

tvarad,

I, too, am preparing to return to India after many years in the US. I`d like to find out about your personal experiences, if that`s okay with you. I am especially interested in your views on job opportunities and similar related issues.

Would you mind giving me your email address?

Thanks

Ajeya/Ramanujan

Farzana Jii

Once again you proved yourself a brave, gifted, brilliant, subtle and yet patriotic writer who dares to express her true concerns to question the wrong decision of a prejudice and racist yes, a fake leader, Modi , who is responsible for a massacre of innocent Muslims and now this killer is demolishing religious shrine. Pathetic.

These lines are just brilliant!.....................

{{{Ask. If you don `t want the community to be overtaken by fake leaders.
Ask. If you don’t want the establishment to run rough-shod over people’s right to know.
Ask. For not many can. They are the dead or the dying. }}}}}

Yes, Ask Modi, the vampire how much more blood will he suck??

Modi reminds me of Talibans, he is another Hindu Jihadi who is ready to kill the last Muslim on this earth, who is ready to demolish any spiritual shrine to satisfy his blood sucking needs..................Talibans are a stigma, not only for Afghanistan but for all the humans on this earth to be from human race. Talibans wrongfully demolished ancient statue of Buddha for their own political agendas in the name of their Neo-Islam.

Sadly, Modi proved himself another Taliban in subcontinent. If, India will continue having pathetic vampires and hounds as it`s leaders, India will soon end up facing anarchy with the end of secular democracy. Modi is leading India towards Talibanization or in other words Hindu Jihadism. All Modi`s men are Hindu Jihadis who are purposefully destroying Muslims to make them extinct for their own devilish satisfaction to control and oppress innocent people.........tsk,tsk,tsk, I can see their faces filled with blood , their tongues sucking blood and fresh blood dripping from their lips...............are they hounds or vampires? No, they are more than that..................

How come one uses his political agenda by destroying sufis shrines? This is such a cruel act to play with the spiritual feelings, faiths and beliefs of other innocent people. While these harmless religious places give nothing but peace of mind to millions of people who are hungry for spiritual comfort in this restless and chaotic world. Who seek few hours of spiritual happiness just by going to those sufi shrines. Why Modi is after those shrines?

While neglecting millions of poor without basic needs of food, clothes and shelter...........

Instead of solving problem, why this man is creating more problems? Where is he leading his country to? What is he trying to prove? Nothing but another Hitler.................

If they will continue demolishing religious places, then their likes from different faiths will feel free to massacre innocent people and to demolish their religious places, there will be vicious cycle which will ultimately lead to more anarchy and destruction...............

On side note:-demolished sufi shrines will come and haunt Modi and his men and they will meet their destiny sameway as talibans met their destiny after demolishing Buddha`s statu.

FV # 60,

``How do you know that only Muslims constituted that mob?``

-- Yeah right! Both Muslims and Hindus rioted together forming a mob. Unity in diversity. Feed us with further of your bigoted BS.

Ref pmishra2 #112

[Generally, this is a very big problem and, yes, it does often involve a muslim place of worship. Here is an example from a Bengal:

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050129/asp/calcutta/story_4289129.asp

Unable to move the mosque next to the tarmac at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, the authorities have worked out a way around it to extend the secondary runway]

The article says how the secondary runwy, even after being extended, cannot be used for take-offs unless the mosque is removed.

Actually, this is no problem in India. Get Alliance Air, Air India and Indian Airlines to use the secondary runway for landing. They are sure to crash their planes on the mosque and soon the mosque will be history!

Ref Zeena #118

[Sadly, Modi proved himself another Taliban in subcontinent. If, India will continue having pathetic vampires and hounds as it`s leaders, India will soon end up facing anarchy with the end of secular democracy.]

The end of secular democracy in India will make India into, gasp, a Hindu version of Pakistan?

I just can`t wait!

#91 by swarrier:

While one can understand people who have not lived in India finding it odd to believe that cross-cultural/religious alliances take place, I find the attitude of `cosmopolitan` Indians strange. And then they throw a Pakistani name at you to justify their own disapproval. (Trust me, urstruly would not have any problem with your aunt...he has problems with everyone`s aunts.)

Of course, you got lucky after a couple of posts and now you are the good guy. Please tell me how you managed this feat. The last time I spoke about my cousin`s conversion, I was rewarded with a ``So, what`s the big deal?``

Your appams seem to work better than my organic kebabs!

On a more serious note, you too have brought in the tried-and-tested names -- Kalam, Premji, soldiers etc. The same standards ought to apply to all Indian Muslims. Not all of us can be so rich, so accomplished, and some of us are very afraid of guns. Trust me.
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#113 by HP:

People do worship at dargahs, though they do not perform community prayers. The Nizamuddin dargah in Delhi, the dargah of Salim Chishti in Ajmer, the Haji Ali dargah in Mumbai have acquired legendary status.

[Second Dargah in India and Pakistan are poor man’s religion. Enlightened Muslims or the upper to middle class Muslims wont even go there.]

Are you saying the poor are not enlightened? And you are wrong: there is no status hierarchy here. As per `pure` Islam (as opposed to the impure one I am supposedly born into), as women are not allowed into mosques, dargahs do serve a similar purpose. They also bring people from all communities to one place, as again non-Muslims are not permitted in mosques.

Therefore, I see dargahs as possessing more mythical qualities rather than religious ones.

Dear Farzana,

``These are not things that happen spontaneously. Those who have faith believe. And those who want to prove that their beliefs are supreme make a spectacle of their own faith.
I wish there was a provision to excommunicate such over-enthusiastic believers. When you pray you are essentially talking to your soul. Why, then, let that private conversation become a tamasha?``

My sentiments exactly, In fact so repulsive has some people`s behavior been toward faith and its show, that I am convinced we`re at that stage in civilization where our advanced communication within (internally) replaces the old fashioned prayer.

Best,

Aisha Sarwari

#113 dargahs also exist in Egypt in the coutryside, they have Urs, and ``elite`` muslims look down upon the peasant religion, which they say is unislamic.

in indian villages i have seen even brahmins light incense sticks in dargahs, and the yearly Urs is a very festive deal participated by all, much fireworks an all.

then they get back to fighting during ganesh procession.