India, the land of unity in diversity, the land of diverse cultures, traditions, castes and religions has been labelled as Intolerant by some set of people whom I call as “Pseudo Intellects”. All this debate on Intolerant India started with the #AwardWapsi step taken by one Ms. Nayantara Sahgal related to the ex Prime Minister of India Late J.L. Nehru. The incident that was sighted was the Dadri episode in which one guy called Akhlakh was killed by Mob over a rumor on Beef and another incident that got related was connected to the murder of a Literate Mr. Kalburgi in Karnataka. Soon there was a wider debate and it so seemed that every literate was trying to return the Award. It caught up like a wildfire and the national award winners from Film Fraternity soon joined in the what I would now Label as #AwarWapsi Program, for they all organized a gala press conference to show solidarity with such Pseudo Intellects and return their awards with @imsrk also joining those stating to return the National Awards if intolerance raises!!!
Interesting to note that just when the country is seeing a change in the overall ecosystem, just when the country rises 32 steps up to be ranked as the #7 in the International Country as a Brand chart, just when there is a lot of investment flow in to the country is happening, the country turns intolerant.
Now my questions to these Pseudo Intellects & the Pseudo Seculars are –
- Did the country turn Intolerant only in few months or in last year or so?
- Were Mob Lynching of Akhlakh or Murder of Mr. Kalburgi the only signs of Intolerance?
- Why were these Pseudo intellects and Pseudo Seculars quiet over the years on various incidents that can be highlighted as mass atrocities –
- 1984 – Sikh Massacre – post the then Prime Minister Ms. Indira Ganhdi’s murder
- 1985 – Anti reservation Rallies by Students with Self immolation and death of Students
- 1985-1995 – Mass Exodus of Kashmiri Pandit’s from Kashmir Valley
- 1992 – Mumbai Blasts
- 1992 – 2000 – Various incidents of terrorist activities, Bomb Blasts etc across the country
- 2001 – Parliament attack
- 2002 – Godhra Riots
- 2005 – Mumbai Train Blasts
- 2008 – Mumbai Shootout
- Many other incidents across the country including Nirbhaya case, Rapes with Minors including 2 year old girl in Delhi
- 2015 – Prof in Kerala had his hands chopped off by a group of radicals over a topic on Islam
- 2015 – A Gau (Cow) Rakshak in Karnataka is Murdered
Why were these Pseudo Intellects & Pseudo Seculars missing from the national scene for these many years. Ms. Nayantara Sahgal had the guts to say that Kashmiri Pandit’s exodus was a local phenomenon, but then wasn’t the case of Mr. Kalburgi as well as Akhlakh on the same lines?
Why do these Pseudo Intellects & Pseudo Seculars forget that there were protests against meat and Beef ban in Mumbai during paryushan and the protestors ate meat on the Road, but the tolerance of Hindu’s as well as Jain’s prevailed and there was no riot. Had it been the other way round, am sure there would have been riots. Consider Beef getting replaced by Pork and then that being displayed in front of a particular community…
Do these Pseudo Intellects & Pseudo Seculars even know that Hinduism as it is known today was spread almost from Middle-East to Far East way back when King Ashoka used to rule this geography? It was I guess the tolerance of so call “Intolerant Hindus” that today we have all the religions that exist in the world. We respect each and every religion and faith that prevails in this world. But that again raises few more set of questions on the so called intolerance of Hindus –
- There are almost 300,000+ Churches in India with around 271 or so in Delhi itself. There are way few in Washington DC or in London and I can bet they are way below 100. Isn’t that Intolerance?
- For Years Christian Missions have been converting poors in rural India to Christianity but when the same is done by Hindus with “Ghar Wapsi” is that to be considered as intolerance?
- Muslim Mosques have “Ajaan” or morning prayer at almost 4:30 or 5 AM in the morning across India, irrespective of the Time of the year. Even during the Exam times. Incidentally the use of Loudspeakers in Hindu celebrations is prohibited and needs special approvals. Not allowed after certain time of the day/night and even in the Marriages, the loudspeakers are banned during the Exam time. Is that not a “SHOW of Tolerance” and Acceptance by Hindus?
- For years Muslim oppressive rulers ruled from Delhi and including so called Liberal Mughals, every muslim ruler either used to get Hindus converted to Islam or get them killed / murdered. This went on for years – so are these Pseudo Intellects & Pseudo Seculars wanting India to go down that path?
- Hindus host Iftar Parties and prepare Sehri for the Muslims across India, but do any other community ever do that back for Hindu festivals? Does Secularism as well as Tolerance has to be only from one side and other side just enjoys the privilege?
- When a muslim is killed by a mob, it is atrocity by Majority group on the Minority community and when a Hindu is Killed by a mob, then that person must have irked the minority community. Is that the level of tolerance expected?
If I keep on writing on this topic, trust me, there is a lot and I can write a full Book starting from the way our tolerance has been weighed as our weakness and now, these So called Intellects have woken up all of Sudden with Ms. Shobha De stating in one of the program that now that RTI as well as the Social Media is power in hands of the youth, the youth is asking the question about rising Intolerance. Incidentally, if I see the #AwardWapsi ceremonial press conferences, videos and photos, I don’t see youth and I don’t see if youth is even bothered about this stupid Politically Motivated Drama.
There is enough sources for the readers to read about each of the Pseudo Intellect & Pseudo Secular and know when where and how they are related to the Political circle or affiliated to the Political Parties.
Just towards the closing – “Where were these Pseudo Intellects & Pseudo Seculars when the Hindu Population in Pakistan shrunk from 22% in 1947 to 2% in 2015?” is that what represents Tolerance??
I can very well sum up the whole case with a statement – “My Country is Very Tolerant and that’s why these Pseudo Seculars & Pseudo Intellects are able to do what they are doing.” I dare them to go ahead and try their stunts in Pakistan or any other similar country!!!
