My SAARC Diary

rsridhar #113 i couldnt agree more. i wonder if i declare it my religious duty to go to hawaii every summer, would your generous government provide me a subsidy?

more seriously, contrary to the claims of whoever the indian government is trying to please in the indian muslim community with this, the hajj is not even a religous obligation in this case: i.e., the hajj is expected of a muslim ONLY if he/she can afford it. Thus, if he requires a subsidy to go, then he is saying he cannot afford to go on his own, and in doing so he is no longer religiously obliged to perform the hajj. so the whole thing is a scam.

re: Haj subsidies
posts # 95,96 by arjun_m
Thanks for your posts. Mushy, above all, should know the dimensions of the stick more than anyone else.
RE: Haj subsides
As a secularist, i find the concept of offering subsidies to any religious groups distasteful. Why and how did GOI ever get involved in such stupidities? Providing subsidies for Mansarovar pilgrims is also similarly wrong but then they are small in numbers and inconsequential.
When millions of muslims from India visit Saudi Arabia for Haj, all they do is fill the coffers of that arrogant ``House of Saud``. What has Saudi Arabia ever done for Indian muslims or any average muslims? Its latest export item is ``terrorism``. Money from Haj is perhaps the second largest money spinner for Saudi Arabia after Oil. Latter will not last for ever and Saudis will return to the position where they always belonged viz on the back of a camel. But Haj will continue as long as an average muslim believes it is something that is a must to complete his/her mission in life. May be some muslim in Chowk can tell me: why is Haj so important?
In the old days, Hindus used to believe that their life is not worth it if they have not visited Kashi (modern day Benaras) at least once in their lifetime. Such a belief does not exist anymore. It is all faith but in case of Haj, we are filling the coffers of a terrorist state, a state which has not done anything for the cause of poor muslims the world over and where royalties live a life of debauchery. Even as i am writing these words, i am aware that before i finish posting this post, some woman in one of the Saudi Royal Harems will be having a labor pain and delivering a baby which, if male, will become a Minister of this or Minister of that when he grows up.
It is time muslims the world over asked this simple question: what has the House of Saud done for us? I believe the Agha Khans have done much more in terms of philanthropy and setting up institutions of excellence the world over.
What have the Saudi arabian royalty done for indian muslims except fund madrassas which preach hatred and wahabism? Have they opened any hospitals, any institutions of excellence, any grants for poor but aspiring young men? Nothing. As my research boss would say: zip, nada.
It is better for Indian muslims to visit Hazrat Bal instead, where i am told Prophet Mohammad (PBUH)`s Hair is enshrined. This will bring the much needed money to Kashmir and keep the money in circulation within India.
Sridhar

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Sadna

``Let Indians and the Indian government not surrender national and religious sovereignty to the the various moneyed enterprises abroad eager to globalize their religiosity.

I want my Muslim countrymen to do Haj, since it is their religious obligation and a long Indian tradition(didnot Akbar ask the Portugese to protect ships taking Indians to do Haj), and I want them to do it with Indian money. ``

Is this not tantamount to giving in to blackmail? (I kinda agree in a realpolitik sense though).

And yes, journalist are generally not respected is a well known fact.

http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=111

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Regarding #102 Urstruly. No problem. I am cool. We both have roots in India, however entangled and however corrupted by politicians on both sides. Now don’t say that only one side is to blame cause then we’ll have an argument.

Can anyone provide an email address to reach Harish Nambiar (which he wouldnot mind being provided on public forum)?

Ref stuka #99

[``I believe I suggested collective fines ``

No Sir, you did not. You suggested surrounding Mahim with tanks and stopping the supply of food and water.]

Ah yes. That was my response to the Bombay bombings. I figured if anybody gave comfort to the enemy, he should pay for that. I don`t believe I said anything about shelling the buildings though. Just a siege.

[Right out of Reinhrd Heydrich`s book.]

Not really since I haven`t read that book. More like out of that movie (The Siege?) with Bruce Willis in it. You know, the US Army kind of invades NYC in response to terrorist bombings. I was thoroughly impressed by that movie.

I would say it was Reinhard Heidrich`s book if it were true but I really haven`t read any of his books. I generally avoid German and Russian authors; I find their prose turgid.

Please do provide me with a reading list. I would appreciate it very much. I would like to diversify from the history of the US, India, etc., into something else.

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Bolungi tho bolengey ki bolthi hai. However, I agree almost totally with Farzana`s article, comments not so sure.

Re Haj subsidies.

It is infinitely better if India subsidises Haj of Indians than if Saudi Arabia or people sitting in foreign countries subsidise it.

Unlike Farzana`s and perhaps others POV that `deen-bandhu` abroad can easily fund religious enterprises, I will point out that is the surest recipe for outsiders religious wars to fought by proxy on Indian soil. Take a look at Pakistan if you want to understand my point.

Foreign funded religious activities inevitably breed zealots as a profitable commerical enterprise, this is shown to be true of Hindus, Christians and Sikhs not only Muslims.

Let Indians and the Indian government not surrender national and religious sovereignty to the the various moneyed enterprises abroad eager to globalize their religiosity.

I want my Muslim countrymen to do Haj, since it is their religious obligation and a long Indian tradition(didnot Akbar ask the Portugese to protect ships taking Indians to do Haj), and I want them to do it with Indian money. Simple. I ALSO support the recent amendments which say Haj subsidy will be provided once a lifetime, to nonincome-tax payers and the govt. arranged accomodation thingy may be a way to reduce fraud, which has been an issue with Haj committees, unfortunately.

Re Indian press in Pakistan. I agree 100%. Khilaao pilaao, Ghazal sunaao, take away their wits. There was a Daily Times report on female Indian journalists virtually swooning over Musharraf.

I wondered, if he had been an INDIAN , who like Musharraf rigged a referendum, who amended the constitution single-handedly,who refused to allow opposition leaders to return to India to fight elections, who put together a ministry using the secret service, who refused to address Parliament for many months even after he got it to give him 3 year extension, who was a millionaire in his own right due to government largesse, would the Indian press have similarly swooned over him?

However disliking the Indian press attitude and disliking the BJP doesnot mean that I donot support peace efforts a BJP Prime Minister and Cabinet are making as part of the government. Life is complex, one can support some initiatives of a party one will never vote for without becoming dharm brasht.


I oppose any move by BJP/ Centre to `set up a secular Muslim party`. After accusing everybody and his uncle of `pseudo-secularism` what BJP offered as alternative was blatant communalism. And talking of `separate Muslim party`(if they indeed did), they sink Indian politics even deeper into the Two Nation Theory pit. Some secularism!

While I would it not put it past the BJP to attempt any such a thing, please do verify that this is indeed the case(that it is setting up a separate Muslim party). This is the only newsarticle I found, from the Deccan Chronicle, mostly based on `sources` and only one direct quote in the last paragraph:

http://indiamonitor.com/news/readCatFullNews.jsp?ni=1823&ct=India

“..At our meeting (in March)’’ said Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind chief Maulana Mehmud Madani, “we suggested a secular party which would represent Muslim cause. But that was shot down by Maulana Bukhari who suggested we should float an only Muslim party. But we opposed it.’’ The latest meeting of clerics was held recently in Lucknow to discuss the formation of the party. Bukhari was not available for comments.``

Jiyagale

Relax yaar. I was just checking if an ordinary hindu is still filled with piss and vinegar of anti-Muslim hatered even after SARC or they had a change of heart as well. I guess the anti-Muslim hatered systematically indoctrinated by hindu media and leadership especially in last four years, is still alive and well and it hopes to continue as long as we will live.

jay ram ji ki.

BJP trying to coopt Muslims is a very good idea. I hope they coopt more Christians. BJP is very broad-based. The broader (in religious terms) BJP`s base becomes, the better off both BJP and religious minorities will be. In the US many intellectuals have been advising the minorities to work with the Republicans for the same reason.

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``I believe I suggested collective fines ``


No Sir, you did not. You suggested surrounding Mahim with tanks and stopping the supply of food and water. Right out of Reinhrd Heydrich`s book.

As far as my being influenced by Nehruvian education is concerned, I wonder how that made me a right wing Republican? Oh, I don`t think it suits you, someone who brown noses self proclaimed feminist Marxists, to talk to me about Nehruvian influences.