Realpolitik For Reader's Opinions

Anjar, a small town in earthquake ravaged Kutch was licking its wounds peacefully with Hindus and Muslims busy trying to put their deranged lives back on track. Allegedly, a person belonging to Students for Islamic Movement of India, a Pakistani fifth column, banned by India, instigated and bribed other local Muslim youths to desecrate and vandalize a Hanuman temple. Tempers flared, communal riots began and a curfew was imposed. We have a psychopathic group of traitor minorities with fanatic leanings and criminal tendencies, who while enjoying the protection of the Indian Penal Code, insist on an Islamic Civil Code in a so called secular country, opting for the best of both worlds. They obtain subsidies for Haj and to pay the salaries of Imams, who preach hatred for India. They give their allegiance to Pakistan and cause incessant noise pollution via loudspeakers broadcasting the call to prayer at unearthly hours, disturbing the peaceful sleep of others. Their behavior jeopardizes the safety of innocent Hindus and Muslims and causes social and commercial disaster.

I would like readers to imagine, what would happen if as a minority in America, they went and destroyed churches. What kind of civilized behavior would one expect from offended Christian Fundamentalist mobs? The time has come for pseudo secular apologists infesting the centers of power, commerce and media in India to finally admit that it is absolutely imperative for any minority to earn the goodwill of the majority, especially when the secular state they live in, is bordered by Islamic theocracies resorting to terrorism, fomenting civil disorder and using salami tactics to destabilize and disintegrate the fissiparous union of multi-linguistic, multi-ethnic and multi-religious India. Gandhi and Nehru from idealistic or power hungry reasons made a mistake, nay a blunder by not understanding the nature of Islam and the State of Pakistan. The entire nation is now paying the price of the errors, which continue to be perpetuated by successive leaders' ineptness and greed for power.

Islam has never been a religion of tolerance contrary to the false platitudes emanating from Western leaders, whose actions are diametrically opposite of their sermons. It has always treated non-believers as second class citizens throughout its history. Even today it is forbidden to hold a group prayer or erect a place of worship for religions, other than Islam in Saudi Arabia and a Muslim who converts to another religion is charged with apostasy, punishable by death. I am not trying to incite people to riot, loot or murder and condemn and regret the death of all innocent persons of all religions. It is critical for the Muslims to understand that the mollycoddling and privileged treatment given by the corrupt unprincipled power greedy politicians intent on garnering vote banks for illicit aims, has misled them and they need to wake up to reality. The Government must guarantee the safety and equality of opportunity for all citizens and especially the minorities, but it must do so on a level playing field without acting as a handicapper to influence votes. Educated, intelligent, smart or plain lucky Muslims will forge ahead and may put in extra efforts to uplift their community. The very fact that Mr. Premji, a Muslim is the richest man in India is to be lauded, emulated and admired. He should be the role model of the community and not the criminal Dons.

There was no justification for the roasting alive of Kar Sevaks at Godhra because they wanted to assist in building a temple at a disputed site. Those who sow the seeds of a violent wind, often reap the whirlwind. If the Government failed in its duty to maintain law and order and the safety of citizens, it should be condemned and taken to task. No major Muslim organization condemned the dastardly act of lethal carnage at Godhra, and if the Muslim community feels ire, pain and betrayal for the aftermath, it is understandable, as is the fear and suffering, but not the mask of righteous indignation.

Madison and Tocqueville have commented on the tyranny of the majority and feared for the rights of the minorities even in a republic form of government of the United States. The only solution offered is for the minority to align their interests with enough members of the majority to balance the factions. They must hitch their wagon in a way to counter and neutralize the oppressive tyranny of the majority.

History gives atleast two examples of religious minorities settling in a different country and melding peacefully and successfully. Parsis (Zoroastrians) came to India to avoid persecution when Islamic armies conquered Persia. They could not speak the language of the small port of Gujarat, India where they landed. They saw someone holding a vessel with milk and another person with sugar. They used sign language and took the two and poured the sugar into the milk and by gestures explained, that as the sugar blends into the milk and becomes one with it, so would they merge into solution in the milk of Indian population and end up making it sweeter. They have now lived happily for 1300 years. The second more recent case is that of the Jewish diaspora in the United States. It is time for the Muslims to learn from these historic lessons, give up their delusions of grandeur of sitting on the throne of Delhi and accept reality. And may they happily live long and prosper as Spock, the Vulcan would say!

07-Apr-2002

More by : Gaurang Bhatt, MD

Top | Random Thoughts

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