The Hindu Right

Arjun M, Asif

From the SriKrishna report:

http://www.altindia.net/Srikrishna%20Report/volume1/CHAPTER%20VI.html

i) One common link between the riots of December 1992 and January 1993 and Bomb Blasts of 12th March 1993 appear to be that the former appear to have been a causative factor for the latter. There does appear to be a cause and effect relationship between the two riots and the serial bomb blasts.

ii) Another common link is that some of the accused who were involved in substantive riot-related offences were also accused in the serial bomb blasts case, though their number is only three or four.

iii) Tiger Memon, the key figure in the serial bomb blasts case and his family had suffered extensively during the riots and therefore can be said to have had deep rooted motive for revenge. It would appear that one of his trusted accomplices, Javed Dawood Tailor @ Javed Chikna, had also suffered a bullet injury during the riots and therefore he also had a motive for revenge. Apart from these two specific cases, there was a large amorphous body of angry frustrated and desperate Muslims keen to seek revenge for the perceived injustice done to and atrocities perpetrated on them or to others of their community and it is this sense of revenge which spawned the conspiracy of the serial blasts. This body of angry frustrated and desperate Muslims provided the material upon which the anti-national and criminal elements succeeded in building up their conspiracy for the serial bomb blasts.

viii) whether the incidents referred to in term (i) and in term (vi) were part of a common design.

i) There is no material placed before the Commission indicating that the riots during December 1992 and January 1993 and the serial blasts were part of a common design. In fact, this situation has been accepted by Mahesh Narain Singh who was heading the team of investigators who investigated into the serial bomb blasts case. He also emphasizes that the serial bomb blasts were a reaction to the totality of events at Ayodhya and Bombay in December 1992 and January 1993 and the Commission is inclined to agree with him.

An excellent, timely article. Today, there is no greater challenge to the soul of India than the recent rise of Hindu fascism. This misguided movement is a threat to every Indian, Hindu or Muslim. All Indians of conscience must oppose this and such movements in every possible way.

Ra Ravishankar

Mr./Ms. Ravishankar:

What are the general principles at work here? This piece has many specifics, many particulars, yet I must say, that I am not sure I have become aware of the general intellectual foundations for such ideas as, blaming present Muslim Indians for event of the distant past, of for the feeling of inferiority by Hindus? What impications does the rise of this facism have for notions that in the past 10-15 years india has ``progressed``? What implications for the nature of education imparted to indians? What is it in the Hindu Indians that finds a comfort in such ideas, especially as it relates to hatred and violence against the Muslim? Are be not bound by conscience, to understand these and to apply an appropriate ``marham`` on these instead of all these particulars?

What are intellectual foundations of ideas of Gora and kaala? How is it that such objectionable notions have gained legitimacy among seemingly educated Indian persons? On the basis of which intellectual foundations is it OK to posit propositions as racist when utter by some western or non-Hindu person, but entirely respected when uttered in reverse by Hindu persons? is this not related to notion of exclusivity and by extension to notions of caste?

While I share your concern and conscience, I am not entirely sure I understand why the constitution ought not be revisited? After all, does the constitution not bear any responsibility for the failures we are witness to? Shall indian persons continue to believe that HR has more valid more potent ideas than any other stake holders?

Modern day Hindu Indians, generally, hold Muslims responsible for the break up of india, even today, the threat of breaking up is deposited on the doorstep of the Muslim, yet clearly, facts do not support such a conclusion, exactly the opposite - why then do such ideas have such a strong appeal in India?

Please help me understand why more Hindu indians, who actually hold hinduism as a religion or expression of religiosity as opposed to a nationalist identity - why is it that they don`t fear what may be the effect on this religion? Where nationalism and religious identity are indistingushable?

Why am i not surprised that bigots like Asif Naqshbandi, who are the exact equivalent of the Singhal and Togadia types, are quick to jump in with their sectarian prayers ! I guess it takes a thief to catch a thief.

This is a good article. It would be better if it did not brush off the Shah Bano decision as a minor issue. As M. J. Akbar has correctly pointed out, this deeply foolish intervention by muslim politicians helped convince a large number of middle-of-the road indians that the muslim leadership had only the narrowest and most sectarian interest in india. Basically, these foolish leaders ultimately helped to trap their own community.

re: asif

...some of your buddies got a free cruise to guantanamo bay...delicious food, new clothes, and lots of onboard activities...interested?...

Sometimes this is too much. I feel like crying at times when I read about how cruelty can blacken the hearts of men.

To my Indian friends, I must make an appeal here: Please do not take this as criticism of the Hindu traditions, India or Indian entity and Identity. It is a critique of the Indian Administration and Indian Government. There is no point starting a war here. Please think twice before you respond to this article.Indian Muslims are just as Indian as anyone else in that country. There are known issues and problems that need to be worked on. Citation of sources from either sides to refute or affirm charges is not going to do anyone any good. I would suggest that the Muslims of India need to do some reflection of their own. They need to set an agenda for the next generation of Indian Muslims and they need to make sure that the priorities and aspirations of India as a nation (not necessarily the governement) find a high place of mention in there. Unfortunately Muslims in India will have to do that without any hope of reciprocal show of goodwill from the Hindu Extremists.

I am reminded of an incident that occured in the early political life of Gandhi where he had a Catholic priest visit him from South Africa who admired Gandhi for his views. Gandhi had him admitting at the end of the meeting that he (the priest) would be more of an admirer if Gandhi was catholic.



That is the situation with the Hindu right. They are not going to be happy until all the Muslims convert to Hinduism. That is one thing that they have in common with the Muslim Extremists.

But I am sure that an initiative on the part of the Muslims in India will encourage the enlightened majority of Hindu community within India. I am placing the onus on the Muslims in this case because those are unfortunately the cards that they have been dealt. They are a minority. They are economically weak. They are the last of all communities in education. They have to face the realities with a stout heart. Unfortunately, I personally am not able to do much but I intend to do what I can when I find the ability to do so. Until then, I hope I can be joined by the like minded people among the Hindu community in helping to get us all together for the putting out of the communal fires that threaten to burn all of us.

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Welcome to Chowk! This was a very good article--however I am afraid that voices like yours are fast becoming the minority in India and I really feel that the Muslims of India are about to face a even more torrid time than they have already.

I appreciate your candour and honesty though in exposing the truth about the HR. Alas, I don`t think voices like yours will be heeded.

I am what you would probably call a member of the Muslim Right in my views. I prefer to call myself a Traditionalist. I am a British -Pakistani and I cannot see how the Muslims of India can protect themselves in the future from further state sponsored pogroms and discrimination.

The only solution I can think of is for them to unite politically (is their no major Muslim political arm in India?), and maintain a low profile. However I fear that they will have to arm themselves and fight fire with fire (since the HR understand no other language) and thus take a lesson from their Palestinian brothers who are resisting Israeli occupation. (To the credit of the Jews they have--as yet--to descend to the level of the barbarity of the HR; after all they ARE monotheists...)

The only other hope I can see is for the Muslim World to intervene on their behalf but that--given our leaders at present--seems only a pipe-dream. Still we can only hope insha Allah...that a united, Islamic, Muslim world will emerge soon and more to our topic a united, strong Islamic Pakistan which will see it as its duty to protect its fellow Muslims in India. Perhaps the Arabs will use their oil weapon to compel the HR to stop its pogroms...But these are long term goals...

Perhaps the ISI (and Mujahideen) can do something like they did in the riots of the early 90s in Bombay? (I have read that it was they who were responsible for the bomb blasts which finally put an end to the killing of Muslims. Perhaps they should start to target the leaders of the HR beginning with Advani. I am sure once their leaders are killed the ordinary people wont have much appetite for Ram Raj.)

I pray for a leader to arise in India from the Muslims who can unite them...



I fear for the future of Muslims in India...

May Allah hasten the arrival of The Mahdi alayhisalam.

amin.

Ay KhaaS e khaaSan e Rusul * waqt e dua hai

Ummat pe teri aaj ajab waqt aan paRa hai...

Jo qawm baRee dhoom se niklee thee watan se

Pardes mein aaj woh ghareeb ul ghuraba hai

*sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam

:-(