04-02-2007, 11:34 PM
http://news.sulekha.com/nlink.aspx?cid=507229
Secularism to be redefined!
Cybernoon.com
M.V. Kamath
Friday, March 30, 2007 10:9:10 IST
The so called Hindu secular leadership can be held responsible for promoting the most ugly face of Muslim separatism after partition
There is something cowardly about our secularists and there is ample evidence to prove it. For example, 'Deccan Herald' (December 3, 2006) had carried an interview with Arif Mohammad Khan, a distinguished Muslim leader who had resigned from Rajiv Gandhi's cabinet in 1986 protesting against the decision of the government to overturn the Supreme Court's judgement in the Shah Banoo Maintenance Case. In the interview Arif Mohammad Khan said that "secularist" parties always supported "obscurantist Muslims" who opposed modern education in the community.
When he was asked whether it was correct to say that the post-independence political class played a political ball with Ulemas at the expense of the larger Muslim community his reply was clear and to the point. He said: "Yes, this is largely true. In fact the so-called Hindu secular leadership can be held responsible for promoting the most ugly face of Muslim separatism after partition." The interview carried the headline: "Secularists fanned Muslim communalism". And how right it is! Secularists dare not fight Muslim communalism though they feel free to run down 'Hindutva'.
Our leaders- cowards?
Only the other day 'Organiser' carried a story on the number of Hindu temples being pulled down in Malaysia and there was not a single whisper of protest from our secularists much less from the Congress-led UPA government. Okay, there is not much that we can do where a Muslim majority and certified Islamic country is involved. But consider this. 'The Times of India' (March 18, 2007) carried an article that said that a Muslim organization â the All India Ibtehad Council â had offered an award of Rs. 5 lakhs to anyone who would cut off the head of Taslima Nasreen. Its president, one Taqi Raza Khan, has been quoted as saying: "There have been a number of e-mails and telephone calls congratulating me for the bold stance I have taken". Has the government taken any action against Taqi Raza Khan? The man has openly called for the beheading of Taslima Nasreen and he goes scot-free. What kind of government do we have?
'The Times of India' (February 27) carried a report from Karachi which said that Pakistan's main Islamist alliance held demonstrations in different parts of the country against what it termed as government's conspiracy to spread anti-Islamic culture by allowing the celebrations of the "purely Hindu" festival of Basant which left 14 people dead". The report said that "some 14 people, including seven children were killed and over 60 injured in different parts of Punjab province during the festival" quoting Police. Liaquat Baloch, a leader of the Muttahida Majlis Amal is quoted as saying: "Basant is a purely Hindu festival and has no place in an Islamic country. We are holding protest rallies today against what is a conspiracy by this government to spread anti-Islamic culture and values in Pakistan". Is there any word of condemnation either from our UPA government or from our 'secular' leaders? Are they cowards?
But let the BJP speak about the Babri Masjid and then the media comes down heavily on it. Thus 'The Tribune' (December 8, 2006) had advised the BJP to "look beyond Ayodhya to see Bharat" and not make "Ram versus Babar" an issue in the Uttar Pradesh elections. That, said the paper "does not behove a party which aspires to come to power at the Centre". How nice. A Muslim organization in India can publicly demand the head of a Taslima Nasreen and no one comes forward to condemn it. For celebrating Basant, Muslims can kill 14 people including seven innocent children and there is deadly silence. But let the BJP seek to set a historic injustice right and it gets a resounding scolding. We have a brave media. Even Muslim bodies have been quick to condemn the demand for Taslima's head. Thus, Yasoob Abbas, General Secretary of the All India Shia Personal Board has been quoted as saying that "this is 21st century India and not some kind of medieval kingdom" and that "at most, the lady (Taslima Nasreen) needs to be boycotted and driven out of India". Even a noted Lucknow ulema, Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firange is reported to have balked at the idea of inviting someone to kill Taslima. And Shaista Amber, president, All India Muslim Women Personal Law Board is reported to have asked: "Why give so much importance to Nasreen?". But is there a word of condemnation from our secularists? None. That is secularism, Congress brand. Need we say anything more?
The Kashmir solution
Incidentally, 'Times of India' and 'TNN' recently carried out a survey in four major cities in India to find out what people thought of General Musharraf. Question: Has Musharraf helped or harmed the war on terror? Some 59 per cent said that he had harmed the war and only 19 per cent thought that he had helped. Question: Has Musharraf helped or harmed Indo-Pak ties? As many as 62 per cent thought that he had harmed and only 17 per cent felt he had helped. Question: Have India and Pakistan come closest to a solution on Kashmir during Musharraf's tenure? "No" said 80 per cent and only 11 per cent said "Yes". And the most interesting of all questions: "If he's ousted, will it be good or bad for India?" . Surprisingly as many as 65 per cent thought it would be good and only 9 per cent thought it would be bad. Some 23 per cent said 'Neither'.
Incidentally 'The Times of India' (February 12, 2007) has to be congratulated for doing some minor investigations in matters relating to the Central Board of Investigation (CBI). According to 'The Times of India', a total of 2,276 cases are gathering dust for the past ten years. Some 244 cases are awaiting trial for more than 20 years. By the end of 2006 the agency had 8,297 pending cases, while it was 6,898 in 2006. What sort of justice are Indians getting from the government? One does not know whether Mr. Chidambaram's budget has made any attempt to provide justice to his fellow citizens. Where are these 8,297 people accused of some crime or other? In jail? In preventive detention? We do not know and we do not bother to ask. What kind of reporting is this? It would seem that in 438 cases, charges have not been framed by designated courts for over ten years. Does it mean that those believed to be corrupt are freely moving about? Merely quoting CBI sources is not enough. One must be told the fate of those charged. But even to know that over 8,200 cases are awaiting trial shows how sloppy our government is. What we need is the immediate establishment of at least a thousand courts to go into the cases and deliver judgements. But that, apparently, does not come under the Finance Ministry's consideration. We have a great secular government. Justice can wait.
Secularism to be redefined!
Cybernoon.com
M.V. Kamath
Friday, March 30, 2007 10:9:10 IST
The so called Hindu secular leadership can be held responsible for promoting the most ugly face of Muslim separatism after partition
There is something cowardly about our secularists and there is ample evidence to prove it. For example, 'Deccan Herald' (December 3, 2006) had carried an interview with Arif Mohammad Khan, a distinguished Muslim leader who had resigned from Rajiv Gandhi's cabinet in 1986 protesting against the decision of the government to overturn the Supreme Court's judgement in the Shah Banoo Maintenance Case. In the interview Arif Mohammad Khan said that "secularist" parties always supported "obscurantist Muslims" who opposed modern education in the community.
When he was asked whether it was correct to say that the post-independence political class played a political ball with Ulemas at the expense of the larger Muslim community his reply was clear and to the point. He said: "Yes, this is largely true. In fact the so-called Hindu secular leadership can be held responsible for promoting the most ugly face of Muslim separatism after partition." The interview carried the headline: "Secularists fanned Muslim communalism". And how right it is! Secularists dare not fight Muslim communalism though they feel free to run down 'Hindutva'.
Our leaders- cowards?
Only the other day 'Organiser' carried a story on the number of Hindu temples being pulled down in Malaysia and there was not a single whisper of protest from our secularists much less from the Congress-led UPA government. Okay, there is not much that we can do where a Muslim majority and certified Islamic country is involved. But consider this. 'The Times of India' (March 18, 2007) carried an article that said that a Muslim organization â the All India Ibtehad Council â had offered an award of Rs. 5 lakhs to anyone who would cut off the head of Taslima Nasreen. Its president, one Taqi Raza Khan, has been quoted as saying: "There have been a number of e-mails and telephone calls congratulating me for the bold stance I have taken". Has the government taken any action against Taqi Raza Khan? The man has openly called for the beheading of Taslima Nasreen and he goes scot-free. What kind of government do we have?
'The Times of India' (February 27) carried a report from Karachi which said that Pakistan's main Islamist alliance held demonstrations in different parts of the country against what it termed as government's conspiracy to spread anti-Islamic culture by allowing the celebrations of the "purely Hindu" festival of Basant which left 14 people dead". The report said that "some 14 people, including seven children were killed and over 60 injured in different parts of Punjab province during the festival" quoting Police. Liaquat Baloch, a leader of the Muttahida Majlis Amal is quoted as saying: "Basant is a purely Hindu festival and has no place in an Islamic country. We are holding protest rallies today against what is a conspiracy by this government to spread anti-Islamic culture and values in Pakistan". Is there any word of condemnation either from our UPA government or from our 'secular' leaders? Are they cowards?
But let the BJP speak about the Babri Masjid and then the media comes down heavily on it. Thus 'The Tribune' (December 8, 2006) had advised the BJP to "look beyond Ayodhya to see Bharat" and not make "Ram versus Babar" an issue in the Uttar Pradesh elections. That, said the paper "does not behove a party which aspires to come to power at the Centre". How nice. A Muslim organization in India can publicly demand the head of a Taslima Nasreen and no one comes forward to condemn it. For celebrating Basant, Muslims can kill 14 people including seven innocent children and there is deadly silence. But let the BJP seek to set a historic injustice right and it gets a resounding scolding. We have a brave media. Even Muslim bodies have been quick to condemn the demand for Taslima's head. Thus, Yasoob Abbas, General Secretary of the All India Shia Personal Board has been quoted as saying that "this is 21st century India and not some kind of medieval kingdom" and that "at most, the lady (Taslima Nasreen) needs to be boycotted and driven out of India". Even a noted Lucknow ulema, Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firange is reported to have balked at the idea of inviting someone to kill Taslima. And Shaista Amber, president, All India Muslim Women Personal Law Board is reported to have asked: "Why give so much importance to Nasreen?". But is there a word of condemnation from our secularists? None. That is secularism, Congress brand. Need we say anything more?
The Kashmir solution
Incidentally, 'Times of India' and 'TNN' recently carried out a survey in four major cities in India to find out what people thought of General Musharraf. Question: Has Musharraf helped or harmed the war on terror? Some 59 per cent said that he had harmed the war and only 19 per cent thought that he had helped. Question: Has Musharraf helped or harmed Indo-Pak ties? As many as 62 per cent thought that he had harmed and only 17 per cent felt he had helped. Question: Have India and Pakistan come closest to a solution on Kashmir during Musharraf's tenure? "No" said 80 per cent and only 11 per cent said "Yes". And the most interesting of all questions: "If he's ousted, will it be good or bad for India?" . Surprisingly as many as 65 per cent thought it would be good and only 9 per cent thought it would be bad. Some 23 per cent said 'Neither'.
Incidentally 'The Times of India' (February 12, 2007) has to be congratulated for doing some minor investigations in matters relating to the Central Board of Investigation (CBI). According to 'The Times of India', a total of 2,276 cases are gathering dust for the past ten years. Some 244 cases are awaiting trial for more than 20 years. By the end of 2006 the agency had 8,297 pending cases, while it was 6,898 in 2006. What sort of justice are Indians getting from the government? One does not know whether Mr. Chidambaram's budget has made any attempt to provide justice to his fellow citizens. Where are these 8,297 people accused of some crime or other? In jail? In preventive detention? We do not know and we do not bother to ask. What kind of reporting is this? It would seem that in 438 cases, charges have not been framed by designated courts for over ten years. Does it mean that those believed to be corrupt are freely moving about? Merely quoting CBI sources is not enough. One must be told the fate of those charged. But even to know that over 8,200 cases are awaiting trial shows how sloppy our government is. What we need is the immediate establishment of at least a thousand courts to go into the cases and deliver judgements. But that, apparently, does not come under the Finance Ministry's consideration. We have a great secular government. Justice can wait.