Dear All, pl. continue the robust discussion on “Why are Christian Missionaries targeting India - III” below.
I have reproduced the last four comments for the sake of continuity. Please continue the discussion via comments to this post.
*** Comments from Why are Christian Missionaries targeting India - III ***
# ‘42,000 converted, only two followed law’
KANDHAMAL (Orissa): There has been a 66 percent growth in Christian population in Orissa’s Kandhamal region, which has seen attacks on Christians and churches. Of the 42,353 who adopted Christianity between 1991 and 2001, only two followed law to change religion.
According to data available with the district collectorate, the Christian population in Kandhamal was 117,950 in the 2001 census, up from 75,597 a decade earlier.
“The Christian growth rate in the district is 66 percent as against 18.6 percent for the overall population growth in the district,” District Collector Krishan Kumar told IANS.
Of the over 650,000 people in the troubled district, at least 53 percent are tribals, less than 20 percent Christians. Of the nearly 118,000 Christians, a majority has converted from Dalit families.
more here.
Comment by Bharat | October 27, 2008
# Crime Branch sleuths chasing Congress RS Member Radhakant Nayak
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
By Anurjay Dhal
Bhubaneswar: Congress Rajya Sabha member Radhakant Nayak is on run. If unconfirmed reports are to be believed, Nayak, alleged villain behind Swami Laxmananda Saraswati’s murder, is in trouble.
Crime Branch of Orissa Police looking into the brutal murder of noted Hindu saint has reportedly listed name of Nayak as an accused, who is very close to Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi for his Church back-ground and searching him in several areas for his role.
Sources pointed out that police might lay it hand either on Radhakant Nayak or his men. Nayak, a former bureaucrat, was considered the chief patron of Pana Christians and protector of the Church in the district.
However some adverse IB report against him came as a hurdle. In 2004 he was elected to Rajya Sabha on Congress ticket. Hindutava forces always suspected his hand behind the killing. Alleged involvement of Nayak would also help BJP to target Sonia Gandhi.
more here.
Comment by Bharat | October 28, 2008
# …On the other hand, Swami Vidyanand is white and Bhakti Swami Thirtha Krishnapad is an African American but are revered by all Hindus, regardless of race. There is no talk of white swami or African American swami.
My take: ISKCON have brown, white, black, etc Swamijis, and devotees from all color spectrums, race, nationality, languages. And they are nobodys concern, but the devotion and love to Krishna.
========
Christian church is obsessed with race
Published:Oct 26, 2008
The Times
It is a white supremacist mindset that claims “Pope Benedict XVI has created India’s first woman saint”.
Sister Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception is not “India’s first woman saint” but the first Christian, or more specifically Catholic, woman saint in India. India has many woman saints belonging to the homegrown faiths.
If race consciousness were not so pronounced in the Christian church, especially the Catholic church, she would have been a saint for the entire Catholic world.
After all, the media did not refer to Mohammed Siddique Khan, the mastermind of the London bombings of July 7 2005, as a British terrorist (although he was born in Britain) but as an Islamic terrorist.
Similarly, a Catholic saint, even if born in India, is a Catholic saint, not an Indian saint.
For instance, the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, although he resided in the West for a great number of years, was always described in the media as an Indian Rishi, Yogi, spiritual master, etc.
On the other hand, Swami Vidyanand is white and Bhakti Swami Thirtha Krishnapad is an African American but are revered by all Hindus, regardless of race. There is no talk of white swami or African American swami.
Another noteworthy example of the Christian obsession with race was the picture of former Miss Deaf World, the lovely Candice Morgan, sporting a symbol of Hindu affirmation, the bindi, on her forehead. On April 15 2007, in an interview on the TV1 programme Spirit Sundae, Morgan stated that she was a Christian.
Many Indian Christians have taken to sporting such symbols of Hindu affirmation in the new South Africa in order to repackage their racism as culture, in order to segregate themselves from Christians of other races, especially black Christians.
Some Indian Christians no longer want to be buried in what used to be called “sanctified ground” but choose to enter the Christian heaven via the back door, the Clare Estate Hindu Crematorium, previously regarded as a “demonic” place! These are the clever ways of racism. — REALITY CHECK
http://www.thetimes.co.za/PrintEdition/News/Article.aspx?id=870299
Comment by Bharat | October 28, 2008
# Hi to all
Check this website
Comment by Indian | October 28, 2008
Related Posts:
“Why have Missionaries chosen to attack India?”
“Why are Christian Missions targetting India?” - II
Why are Christian Missionaries targeting India - III
October 28th, 2008
Posted by
B Shantanu |
Conversions, Missionaries in India, Current Affairs, Debates & Discussions, Distortions, Misrepresentation about Hinduism, Miscellaneous |
14 comments
A Marathi Manoos’ house is ransacked in Jamshedpur for no other reason except that he belonged to the wrong “state”
A 10-year old boy - almost certainly too young to understand what the fuss is all about - gets killed in Bihar
Four people are killed in violence at Kalyan that erupted after Sh Raj Thackeray’s arrest.
The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation suffers a loss of Rs 30 Lakhs in two days of violence which resulted in 286 of its buses being damaged.
And the last “not funny” bit:
A Sikh group supports Raj’s cause and his “approach” since the “state doesn’t provide suitable enviournment for non-violent struggle”…Oh, by the way, they also express alarm at the “heavy influx” of migrant population into the state and accuse all political parties of “pursuing narrow political ends” [ link ].
Will Sh Thackeray now show genuine leadership and commitment to national interest and call off his mis-guided supporters?
Related Posts:
There is a “राष्ट्र” in “महाराष्ट्र”…
After Maharashtra, it is the turn of West Bengal
October 23rd, 2008
Posted by
B Shantanu |
An Indian Identity, Current Affairs, Debates & Discussions, Identity, Politics and Governance in India, Post Independence History |
40 comments
Many of you must have, read about the controversial move by the Maharashtra state government to amend the Criminal Procedure Code (Cr.PC) Sec. 125 with a view to legalising “live-in relationships”. I spent a few hours today gathering links in favour of and against the debate.
The arguments that have been made “for” this move are:
It will protect the interests and rights of the so-called ‘mistress’ or ‘other woman’. We may not admit it but we all know that these women are the worst sufferers in the current system in spite of giving up years of their lives (and more) to one man without any legal protection at all (especially in cases of abuse or harrassment). The move would equate such women to legally married wives in matters of property, inheritance and maintenance
In the words of women’s activist Flavia Agnes:
“…Men, who until now used to deny such a relationship on grounds that the marriage was never conducted as per Hindu rites, shall now have no escape route…” (and) this will protect the rights of such women who had limited protection under the Domestic Violence Act, 2005 [ link ]
As Ranjana Kumari, director of the Centre for Social Research in Delhi said:
You need a law that protects children and entitles these women to a share or property. It is a step forward in recognising the autonomous rights of women [ link ]
Keep Reading…
October 12th, 2008
Posted by
B Shantanu |
Current Affairs, Debates & Discussions, Distortions, Misrepresentation about Hinduism, Hindu Social System, Human Rights and Legal Issues, Politics and Governance in India, Women in Hinduism & India |
59 comments
Last week, responding to a petition to ban a history textbook, the Supreme Court asked Delhi University’s expert panel to consider the views of petitioners before submitting a final report to the Vice-Chancellor.
As some of you would know, the textbook - prescribed as part of the BA (Hons) second year syllabus at Delhi University - is said to include offensive references to Shri Hanuman and Sita Mataa such as “Lord Hanuman was a henchman of Lord Rama” and “the little monkey was a womaniser” etc…The book was the cause of a protest led by ABVP earlier this year during which Dr Jafri, the Head of History Deptt at DU was manhandled…
Curious to know more about the textbook, I spent some time researching on the internet this morning…Here is a link to Ramanujan’s essay that is included in the textbook…
After reading it, I felt that the ABVP over-reacted on this one… The “offensive” passages are not penned by Ramanujan but are part of folklore and stories around Ramayana in different cultures and regions. Furthermore, I found them more “entertaining” rather than “offensive”…As an example,
One day when Rama was sitting on his throne, his ring fell off. When it touched the earth, it made a hole in the ground and disappeared into it. It was gone. His trusty henchman, Hanuman, was at his feet. Rama said to Hanuman, “Look, my ring is lost. Find it for me.”
Note that the word “henchman” is not Ramanujan’s translation and possibly part of the original folk-story…What is the problem in that? In another version of Ramayana mentioned by Ramanujan, Sita is Ravana’s daughter…
I hope most of you would agree that there is space for divergent views in Hinduism…and a big attraction of this faith for me is that it allows - and respects - alternative interpretations, viewpoints and thoughts….Let us not dilute this core feature of Sanatan Dharma.
***
On Sunday in far-away London, the home of the publisher of a similarly controversial book (although this was not a textbook but a fictional novel) was fire-bombed, just “hours after police had warned the man that he could be a target for fanatics”. The book, “The Jewel of Medina” is written by Sherry Jones and had already caused controversy in the US. Martin Rynja (the publisher) had bought the UK publishing rights earlier this month.
From The Guardian:
The book was originally due to have been published in August by US giant Random House. But amid controversy the company halted publication, a move denounced by Salman Rushdie, author of The Satanic Verses, as ‘censorship by fear’.
…One sex scene has been described as ’softcore pornography’ by an American academic, Denise Spellberg, an influential professor of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Texas. Spellberg made the comments after Random House sent her the book hoping for a favourable comment to publish on its jacket. Instead, in an email that was leaked to the US press, Spellberg described the novel as a ‘very ugly, stupid piece of work’.
‘I don’t have a problem with historical fiction,’ Spellberg wrote. ‘I do have a problem with the deliberate misinterpretation of history. You can’t play with a sacred history and turn it into softcore pornography.’
It appears Spellberg was instrumental in drawing attention to the book among segments of the Muslim community. In April, Shahed Amanullah, an editor of a popular Muslim website, claimed Spellberg had told him the book ‘made fun of Muslims and their history’.
The resulting furore prompted Random House to pull the book, a move that dismayed its author, who received a $100,000 advance…
My question to all of you is:
What do you make of Spellberg’s argument viz: “‘I don’t have a problem with historical fiction (but)…I do have a problem with the deliberate misinterpretation of history. You can’t play with a sacred history…”
- Is “Ramayana” part of our sacred history?
- Can the folk-variants of Ramayana be considered ”deliberate mis-interpretation” of history?
Anyways, I will be watching the reaction of Indian government to this book whenever (if) it is released in India.
Suggested Reading: Academic Terrorists and The right to offend
Related Posts:
Leave Ashis Nandy alone
UPDATED: Is Taslima being treated differently from MF Husain?
Will Arundhati Roy pl. stand up for Francois Gautier?
P.S. Curiously, it appears that DU had not taken permission from OUP before reproducing Ramanujan’s essay in their textbook.
October 1st, 2008
Posted by
B Shantanu |
Ancient Indian History, Current Affairs, Debates & Discussions, Distortions, Misrepresentation about Hinduism, Indian Culture, Arts and Music, Miscellaneous, Women in Hinduism & India |
12 comments
…of vote-bank politics, breakdown in law and order, land mafias and alienated ghettoes. Please read on…
I received this email about the Jamia Nagar encounter last weekend. It is from Shri Anant Trivedi. Sh Trivedi is an eminent and respected citizen of Delhi working mostly in areas of good governance and improving the lot of the citizens. It is important to mention that Shri Trivedi is NOT affiliated to any political party or organisation.
The email paints a bleak picture of vote-banks, breakdown in law-and-order and a fearful minority that appears helpless against increasing radicalisation. Reproduced in full below:
Keep Reading…
September 25th, 2008
Posted by
B Shantanu |
Current Affairs, Debates & Discussions, LeT, SIMI etc., Politics and Governance in India, Terrorism in India |
147 comments
I have decided to move recent comments to the earlier post to this fresh post (mainly to avoid the overload of 100+ comments).
Please continue with your comments below
*** COMMENTS BEGIN ***
Comment by B Shantanu | September 12, 2008
Short excerpt from Mainline Churches Must Address Christian Fundamentalism, Says Scholar, August 14, 2008
CHENNAI, India (UCAN) — A communication expert has urged mainline Churches in India to counter growing fundamentalism in Christianity.
Christian fundamentalism has grown in India as neo-conservative Christian sects mushroom, says Pradip Ninan Thomas, associate professor at the School of Journalism and Communication at the University of Queensland, Australia.
Such groups use television channels to project “triumphalistic, narrow and sectarian understandings of Christianity,” Thomas observes in his new book Strong Religion, Zealous Media, a two-year study of modern-day Christian fundamentalism in southern India’s Tamil Nadu state.
The India-born scholar says these groups, which now monopolize Christian broadcasting in India, support narrow understandings of Christianity, and demean other religions and lifestyles, and their content includes anti-Hindu and anti-Islamic sentiments.
*** Keep Reading…
September 19th, 2008
Posted by
B Shantanu |
Conversions, Missionaries in India, Debates & Discussions |
118 comments
Pl. read this in the context of the on-going discussion re. governments, economy, market intervention and liberal policies…Below is a great summary of the positions on the “right” and “left” of the economic spectrum by Prof Greg Mankiw:
- The right sees large deadweight losses associated with taxation and, therefore, is worried about the growth of government as a share in the economy. The left sees smaller elasticities of supply and demand and, therefore, is less worried about the distortionary effect of taxes.
- The right sees externalities as an occasional market failure that calls for government intervention, but sees this as relatively rare exception to the general rule that markets lead to efficient allocations. The left sees externalities as more pervasive.
- The right sees competition as a pervasive feature of the economy and market power as typically limited both in magnitude and duration. The left sees large corporations with substantial degrees of monopoly power that need to be checked by active antitrust policy.
- The right sees people as largely rational, doing the best the can given the constraints they face. The left sees people making systematic errors and believe that it is the government role’s to protect people from their own mistakes.
- The right sees government as a terribly inefficient mechanism for allocating resources, subject to special-interest politics at best and rampant corruption at worst. The left sees government as the main institution that can counterbalance the effects of the all-too-powerful marketplace.
- There is one last issue that divides the right and the left—perhaps the most important one. That concerns the issue of income distribution. Is the market-based distribution of income fair or unfair, and if unfair, what should the government do about it? That is such a big topic that I will devote the entire next lecture to it.
Hopefully this will help us clarify our thinking…
I am guessing (and I may have to eat my words here!) that most readers of this blog will fall on the “left”…which would be somewhat of a paradox as their political leanings are (I’m guessing again) mostly towards the “right”.
I am tempted to write a separate post on the “right” and “left” of the political spectrum.
***
Mahesh and Patriot: I would request you to please get the ball rolling on this discussion (and I should not forget Sanjeev) … Thanks.
Related Posts:
With one eye firmly on polls…
Time to dump some anachronisms?
India vs. Bharat
“China Could Learn From India’s Slow and Quiet Rise”
September 18th, 2008
Posted by
B Shantanu |
Current Affairs, Debates & Discussions, Indian Economy, Politics and Governance in India |
17 comments
In response to my previous post, a loyal reader emailed me and asked, what about reforms in Hinduism? or did I think that Hinduism was perfect and really did not need any changes?
That question prompted this post…Now, I have written on this subject before (pl. see list of related posts at the end) but I realised there was still some value in enumerating what is “wrong” with Hinduism and what needs to change for the better…
So here is my first cut (and I must say that this is an amateur’s attempt - I am by no means a scholar on Hindu-ism; more an interested observer…and of course a practising Hindu)… Please add your own thoughts and please do comment freely - especially those of you who have read far more widely than me - and are better versed in our philosophical/ religious texts.
How can we make Hindu-ism “better” or more in tune with our current lives? Here are some thoughts (in no particular order):
- Dowry: Publicly declare that Dowry is illegal and goes against the respect and honour accorded to a woman in Hinduism
- Untouchability/ caste-based discrimination: Unequivocally condemn anyone who indulges in this practice or condones such acts of others.
- Female foeticide: Anyone found guilty of female foeticide must be publicly named and shamed by the Acharya Sabha, the Shankaracharyas and community leaders…
- Temple entry: Seek free and unfettered entry to every temple (subject to regulations established by the trustees - such as no entry during the late hours) for every Hindu, regardless of caste, sex and birth, participation in every ritual/custom and access to every privilege which hitherto was limited only to certain classes (e.g. the “right” to become a priest or to conduct a “pooja”).
- Treatment of Widows: Unequivocally condemn the shameful treatment of widows in society - especially in Vrindavan and Mathura - and do something for the painful plight of child widows. For more, pl. read this post…There is some hope though.
- Cleanliness in Temples: I have written about this before: Why are our temples so dirty?
Are these things enough? Almost certainly not…
So please add your own thoughts…Looking forward to everyone’s responses, comments and suggestions.
Related Posts:
Hinduism, Caste System and discrimination - Join the debate
Is this too much to�ask?
Utterly shameful and�inexcusable�
Adjacent Posts: A Valentine’s Day “fatwa” and The last word on “Water”
September 9th, 2008
Posted by
B Shantanu |
Debates & Discussions, Distortions, Misrepresentation about Hinduism, Hindu Social System, Sanatana Dharma, Women in Hinduism & India |
40 comments
Like most of you, I watched and read about the proceedings of the last few days with a sense of sadness and great shame…Amidst all this, these words by Radha Rajan touched a raw nerve… Please read and think…(emphasis added)
*** The Nation as Draupadi ***
Parliament on 22nd July resembled the court of the Kauravas with the Speaker playing Dritharashtra. Every individual in parliament on that day, notwithstanding the party to which he or she belonged, was some character in the shameful court and I was the nation.
When the Prime Minister scornfully tabled his written response to the two-day debate with the Speaker instead of facing the Members of Parliament and addressing their concerns verbally, he was only underscoring parliament’s irrelevance in concluding international agreements and treaties.
This is a serious deficiency in the country’s democracy in theory and in practice because when parliament is rendered impotent to influence government decisions impinging on national security, it amounts to disregarding the sense of the House and the will of the people. It is a chilling truth that on that fateful day not one member in the august house, in the treasury or the opposition, faithfully represented the voter who put him or her there. As the end results proved, many of them were disloyal even to the party to which they belonged.
�
The Lok Sabha voted, not on the nuclear deal (it has no locus standi, as pointed out, to decide on international treaties) but on a trust vote sought by the Prime Minister on behalf of his government. Had the Prime Minister lost the trust vote, the country would have been faced with premature elections with the distinct possibility that several sitting MPs may not return to the House.
Not surprisingly, while the government did not want to fall, MPs fearful of not returning to the next Lob Sabha, also did not want the government to fall. The game of dice began and in the bizarre context of the ruling party and a section of the opposition sharing the same anxiety, the players staked the nation’s resources, her interests and eventually her dignity.
Keep Reading…
July 23rd, 2008
Posted by
B Shantanu |
Ancient Indian History, Corruption in India, Current Affairs, Debates & Discussions, Elections Analysis, Geo-Strategic Issues (incl. Nuclear, Oil, Energy), Indian Economy, Politics and Governance in India, Politics of Minority Appeasement, Technology in India |
11 comments
About two weeks ago,the Royal Society of Arts in UK, together withTehelka, organised a Summit on India and Pakistan in London. It had a stellar line up of speakers and panelists (Jaswant Singh, Farooq Abduallh, Arun Jaitley, Mushahid Husain, Imran Khan, Asma Jehangir, Ram Jethmalani…et al) and I am sure it generated a lot of animated discussions…
I am delighted to present a guest post by my dear friend Ashutosh who attended the summit and graciously agreed to pen down his thoughts to share with everyone on this blog…Ashutosh has a blue-chip CV and he left McKinsey a few years ago to start his own consulting firm in London…Needless to say, he also has a deep and abiding interest in politics and international affairs. Without further ado, here are Ashutosh’s thoughts…in two separate posts…This is the first one (emphasis is mine).
*** POST BEGINS ***
Allow me to begin by saying that I attended the events over two days wearing essentially two separate hats- one that of a politically aware global citizen (after all vasudhaiva kutumbakam has not been a more relevant concept that today and best describes the world view of us expat desis) and the second more practical hat of a energy geo-politics analyst (and there is probably no other region than the sub-continent where geo-politics of nuclear- natural gas- renewable energy and climate change is most relevant, fragile and least appreciated); my thoughts on the meeting therefore are in that sequence…
As a relatively more aware follower of international affairs- I question the need to have any reconciliatory relationship with Pakistan. What follows is a brief summary of my thoughts…
A]Pakistan wants India to forget the recent past (and in my view the most important past of the last 60 years) and reflect on our much longer history before…when we were one country.
If the meeting was about burying the past and moving forward- well it was a very good first step but we have barely scratched the surface in establishing trust at a human level. One example of self contradiction- Mushahid Hussain opening his speech by greeting (read insinuating) the audience in every other language and style but (conspicuously) avoidinga single hindu greeting like namaskaar and then closing his speech (suggesting to India) by - Thoda Dil Bada Karein- this was just one example of several self contradictions in Mushahids speech. Grow up dude, look at that inexperienced Sachin Pilot, measured and moderated responses in face of insinuations- logical and consistent- through out.
B]Search for that sameness - another theme that came out…We are similar so there is no reason we cannot move forward.
Well- I challenge this notion of sameness- yes , we have common food habits, similar languages and to some extent a common civilization but our life experiences of the last 60 or more years driven by our national ethos have been totally different. Tolerance versus Fanaticism- and so have emerged our relative positions as a function of our individual national ethos.
Why should we desperately seek out that same-ness and struggle in this relationship? When we deal with China, be it at a Governemnt level or in business, the first thing we do is recognize our differences- much stronger footing to craft our way forward. Pakistan and India may have common history and gene pool but our ethos is totally different- we will not only struggle but even get frustrated more easily in making this relationship work. Lets recognize our differences first- tolerance v/s fanaticism then figure out what is the relative value at stake for each of us!
C] Dont Use the T-word. If you do, then at least dont use it as IT (Islamic Terrorism)…
Will someone please explain to me why not? Speaker after speaker mentioned that terrorism has no place in Islam. Good passionate rhetoric but frankly this is the 800 pound gorilla in the room and calling it militancy or freedom struggle aint any good, any more. Well done Tarun Vijay, for bringing it out into the open, chapter and verse with examples included. Of course no answer/response was forthcoming except a Humphrey Appleby-esque Dont use the T word and if you do dont call it IT
Keep Reading…
July 9th, 2008
Posted by
B Shantanu |
Debates & Discussions, Geo-Strategic Issues (incl. Nuclear, Oil, Energy), Global Terrorism, Identity, India & Its Neighbours, Jammu & Kashmir related, Miscellaneous, Pakistan related, Politics and Governance in India, Post Independence History, Terrorism in India |
4 comments
Some thought-provoking excerpts from: Does Europe have a Civilising mission in India?byJakob De Roover*, published on 16 June 2008 - Issue : 786.
*** Excerpts Begin ***
Recently, the European Parliament hosted a meeting on caste discrimination in South Asia. At the meeting, participants stated that India is being ruled by castes not by laws and that they demanded justice, because there is one incredible India and one untouchable India. The EU was urged to come out with a policy statement on the subject. One MEP, referring to the caste system, said that this barbarism has to end. This is not the first time. However, before the EU decides to publish policy statements on caste discrimination in India, we would do well to reflect on some simple facts.
First, the dominant conception of the caste system has emerged from the accounts by Christian missionaries, travelers and colonial administrators. Rather than being neutral, these accounts were shaped by a Christian framework. …Especially the Protestants rebuked the evil priests of Hinduism for imposing the laws of caste in the name of religion. They told the Indians that conversion to Protestantism was a conversion to equality. Thus, Indian souls were to be saved from damnation and caste discrimination.
Second, this Christian account of the Hindu religion and its caste system informed colonial policies in British India…
Building on the theological framework, scholars now wrote scientific treatises on Hindu superstition and caste discrimination.
The Christian mission found its secular counterpart in the idea of the civilising mission, which told the West that it had to rescue the natives from the clutches of superstition and caste.
Third, the colonial educational project had a deep impact on the Indian intelligentsia. Hindu reform and anti-caste movements came into being, which reproduced the Protestant accounts of Hinduism and caste as true descriptions of India.
…Political parties and caste associations were created to safeguard the interests of the lower castes. The elites of these groups united in associations and received financial and moral support from the missionaries and other progressive colonials.
Fourth, the Dalit movement of today is the product of these colonial movements. The notion of Dalits makes sense only within the colonial account of India, which had postulated the existence of one single group of outcastes or untouchables that was supposedly exploited by the upper castes. In reality, it concerns a variety of caste groups, with no criteria to unite them besides the claim that they are all downtrodden. Indeed, many of these groups are poor and discriminated against by other caste groups.
…In the name of the downtrodden, these elites establish NGOs and then travel from conference to conference and country to country in order to reveal the plight of the Dalits to eager western audiences and secure funding from donor agencies.
Fifth, when present-day Europeans rebuke Indian society for the barbarism of caste discrimination, they are reproducing the old stanzas of the civilising mission. Such a stance of superiority perhaps worked in the context of colonialism. But today, at a time when Indians buy some of the European industrial giants and Europe is in need of more collaboration with India, it is ill-advised to continue this type of civilisational propaganda.
In fact, such propaganda derives its plausibility from a series of assumptions that no one would be willing to defend explicitly. It attributes all socioeconomic wrongs of the Indian society to its structure and civilisation. The implication is that there is only one way to get rid of socio-economic wrongs here: one has to eradicate both the social structure and the Hindu civilisation. It is as though one would blame the racism, bingedrinking, pedophilia, poverty, homelessness and domestic violence in the contemporary West on its age-old civilisation.
The times have changed. As Europeans, we need to reflect on our deep-rooted sense of superiority and how this informs our moralising discourse on human rights in other parts of the world. To appreciate the impression we give to Indians with our statements on caste discrimination, just imagine a possible world in which the Indian government regularly castigates the US for its racism against African-Americans and the disproportionate death penalties, and the EU for the treatment of South Asians in England, Turks in Germany, women in Romania, the Basque movement in Spain, gypsies in Italy
just imagine Indian members of parliament consistently blaming the very structure of western societies as the cause of all these wrongs. Europe needs to wake up fast. The time of colonialism is over. If we do not change our attitudes, the irritation towards the EU will grow in countries like India and China. So will the unwillingness to collaborate. In the fast-changing world of the early 21st Century, Europe cannot afford this.
*** End of Excerpts ***
Related Posts:
The British Caste System -excerpts
Hinduism, Caste System and discrimination - Join thedebate
Caste, Varna and Jatis: The need for clarity in intellectualdebate
* Jakob De Roover is a Postdoctoral Fellow of the Research Foundation (FWO) at the Research Centre Vergelijkende Cultuurwetenschap, Ghent University, Belgium.
June 26th, 2008
Posted by
B Shantanu |
British Rule in India, Conversions, Missionaries in India, Current Affairs, Debates & Discussions, Distortions, Misrepresentation about Hinduism, Distortions, Misrepresentations about India, Hindu Dharma, Hindu Social System, Human Rights and Legal Issues |
2 comments
Thanks to Suneel who alerted me to this interview with prolific author, broadcaster and columnist Tarek Fateh (also author of “Chasing a Mirage: The Tragic Illusion of an Islamic State”)…
Two short excerpts:
How do you distinguish between an Islamist and a Muslim?
An Islamist is someone who believes in invoking Islam for a political agenda. A Muslim, on the other hand, uses Islam as a moral compass for his betterment and the betterment of his family. An Islamist is also a Muslim but a Muslim is not an Islamist.
India’s first education minister, Abul Kalam Azad, a most respected statesman in the country, was not an Islamist. He was against Islamists. Similarly, there are many ayatollahs in Iran who are in jails — as they are not Islamists. [ link]
***
…The movement for Pakistan was never by the people that comprise Pakistan today. The movement for Pakistan was essentially by upper class Muslims of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh.
Right up to 1946, Balochistan and Sindh were not voting for the Muslim League. They were voting for the (Indian National) Congress party. Balochistan was an independent state and they declared their independence three days before India’s Independence.
The coalition government headed by Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy in Bengal was the result of Direct Action Day of August 16, 1945, which led to the massacre — actually genocide — of Hindus in Noakhali (now in Bangladesh). [ link ]
Related Post: Will the Darul Uloom now declare war onIslamism?
Also recommended: Distinguishing between Islam and Islamism(from 10 years ago!).
June 19th, 2008
Posted by
B Shantanu |
Current Affairs, Debates & Discussions, India & Its Neighbours, Islam & Reform, Islamic Rule in India, Modern Indian History, Pakistan related, Post Independence History |
2 comments
Yesterday, I was alerted to this news-report from earlier this week in whichIranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejadwasquoted as saying:
the state of Israel will cease to exist with or without the involvement of his country.
‘This will happen whether we are involved in it or not,’ the Iranian leader told a news conference…..
He had been asked to explain his statement earlier this week in which he said the Jewish state would soon disappear from the map.
This isnot the first timethat Mr Ahmedinejad has expressed similar sentiments…But the reason this particular report caught my eye was an interviewI had just finished reading whichhad actually discussedthe broader context around such remarks.
The interview was withpolitical scientist and thinker, Matthias Kntzel (currentlya research associate at the Sassoon International Center for the Study of Antisemitism (SICSA) in Jerusalem and author of several books including, Jihad and Jew-Hatred: Islamism, Nazism and the Roots of 9/11).
I am reproducing some excerpts below (emphasis mine)in which Mr Kuntzel talks about Iran, anti-semitism and the world view that appears to underpin and support the violent ideology of Islamism.
*** Excerpts Begin ***
Alan Johnson: Let’s turn to Iran. In a stream of articles and lectures presented around the world, you have pleaded with us to ‘take the Iranian leader’s Weltanschauung [worldview] seriously as a specific outlook with its own principles and history‘. You have invited us to ‘look inside Ahmadinejad’s fantasy world and seek to grasp the immanent logic behind his attacks, even if this involves insights which may send a shiver down the spine‘. You see the regime’s ideology a ‘mish-mash of Jew-hatred, Holocaust denial and Shiite death-cult messianism‘ as the real context for its pursuit of nuclear weapons.
Let’s begin with that aspect that most observers find frankly bizarre Holocaust denial. What is the meaning and import of what you call ‘this new form of Holocaust denial: creative, modern, unrestrained, and extremely self-assertive‘?
Matthias Kntzel: I should say first that I am convinced that they believe what they say. It’s not just propaganda for their public. They are also trying to influence UN debates, suggesting that Israel should not be allowed to ’spread the lie of the Holocaust’ and so on. Iran is pushing its own ‘truth’ within institutions. And this is little understood.
Keep Reading…
June 5th, 2008
Posted by
B Shantanu |
Current Affairs, Debates & Discussions, Geo-Strategic Issues (incl. Nuclear, Oil, Energy), Global Terrorism, Human Rights and Legal Issues, Islam & Reform, Politics and Governance |
no comments
From an article in UK’s Daily Mail today:
The Church of England was accused by one of its most senior bishops yesterday of failing in its duty to convert British Muslims to Christianity.
…The Pakistani-born bishop…was echoing concerns that many Church leaders are abandoning attempts to spread Christianity among Muslims out of fear of a backlash.
The bit that I found most interesting was this:
Synod member Paul Eddy…said that the active recruitment of non-believers and adherents of other faiths had always been a Biblical injunction on Christians, commanded by Christ himself.
But he claimed that many bishops were downplaying the missionary role of the Church and official documents often glossed over the requirement to convert Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs or followers of other religions.
I thinkthis “officially” answers the question I had raised inan earlier post wondering why Christian missionaries appeared to be targetting India?
The article went on to reveal that “…numbers attending mosque on Fridays will overtake those going to church on Sundays by 2050″ and an estimated “50,000 Britons had converted from Christianity to Islam over the past decade, while the number of Muslims becoming Christians was negligible.”
I wonder though whether Muslims are “allowed” to change their religion (see: Can Muslims change theirreligion?). As a commentator on Daily Mail’s website has pointed out, the punishment for apostacy in Islam is death.
The problem of course is that with everyone going around claiming that they are the sole purveyors of “truth” the stage is ripe for conflict.
Does anyone need more convincing why Sanatan Dharma may offer the best “model” for any faith and.or religion and why Hinduismmay be key toan inclusive, peaceful, liberal and tolerant culture in the 21st century?
.
Related Posts:
Of Monkey Gods and ElephantHeads
Christian Aggression in CauveryLayout?
Excerpts from The Dangers ofMonotheism
Why have Missionaries chosen to attack India?
and finally,Francois Gautier on Conversions
May 25th, 2008
Posted by
B Shantanu |
Conversions, Missionaries in India, Current Affairs, Debates & Discussions, Distortions, Misrepresentation about Hinduism, Hindu Dharma, Islam & Reform, Sanatana Dharma, Spirituality & Philosophy |
19 comments
Many of you must have read and followed with great interest the avalanche of comments in response to the events in Karnataka involving Lok Paritran.
Several of you have also underlined how important it is for all of us to come together and join this fight against corruption, ineffective governance and indifferent political leadership that we currently have - both at the national as well as state level.
Fortunately a number of options exist.
For those of you who are keen to plunge into active politics straight away, I would suggest having a look at Bharat Uday Mission, Bharat Punarnirman Dal, Professionals Party of India and Loksatta as serious options.
For those of you who do not want to jump in just yet (or cannot do this at this stage), I would suggest keeping a close watch and an active interest in these developments - on this blog - as well as elsewhere on the blogosphere and traditional media.
To those of you who are keen and have decided to contest elections at some stage, I would suggest joining theFreedom Team of India
And to everyone I would say, please do not give up…one bad apple does not make an orchard worthless…We are at the cusp of greatness and good things will come out of this…we need to keep our morale high and our hopes alive..
Above all, we need to be prepared - in terms of strategy, policies and resources…so that we are ready when the time comes. This is going to be a monumental task - akin to the struggle for freedom.
We need everyone together in this effort.
Please show your support by leaving a comment and a contact email address here (which will remain private).
Please feel free to offer ideas, suggestions and next steps..
If there is enough interest, we can begin by organising “virtual” meet-ups on the net/skype followed by physical meetings in various cities..
If you wish to contact me privately, you can always do so at jai.dharma AT gmail.com
Finally, some of you may disagree with my ideas (on this blog)…All I would say is, please dont let our differences come in the way of our over-riding goal - that of building a proud nation that can occupy its rightful position in the 21st century.
I would like to end with this quote:
Since you have come into this world, leave some mark behindotherwise what is the difference between you and the trees and the stones? - Swami Vivekananda
Jai Hind, Jai Bharat.
Related Posts:
Politics & Corruption: Heres how to fix thesystem
Let a hundred flowersbloom*
The dark clouds just got a bitdarker
May 22nd, 2008
Posted by
B Shantanu |
Current Affairs, Debates & Discussions, Politics and Governance in India |
53 comments
