05-31-2007, 01:33 AM
Op-Ed in Pioner 30 May 2007
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Sword of truth
Second Opinion: Priyadarsi Dutta
The tribe of secularists is conspicuous by its silence over the Dera Sacha Sauda and Khalsa (Akal Takht) standoff. <b>The controversy that set Punjab psychologically aflame erupted at a time when the Left liberals were busy defending MS University's art student Chandramohan Srilamanthula's freedom to paint obscene picture of Goddess Durga, Shiva and Jesus Christ.</b>
It was fair to expect the lib-Left activists to travel to Punjab to defend Sacha Sauda master Gurmeet Singh Ram Rahim's right to attire himself as Guru Govind Singh. But as days rolled into a fortnight,<b> no Left liberal went to Punjab or Haryana to defend Gurmeet Singh Ram Raheem's "right to freedom of expression"</b>. This was like Britain never sending a single soldier or aeroplane to Poland during World War II, although its war on Germany was declared over that country alone.
Where have the Left liberals beaten a retreat? Is it in the same cave where they were hibernating during the controversy over Prophet Mohammed's cartoons in Jyllands Posten? For, they were not seen defending the "right to freedom of expression" of the Danish cartoonists. On that occasion, too, the libertines maintained a studied - and stunning - silence.
But the liberals deciding not to march on to Punjab to demonstrate solidarity with Baba Gurmeet Singh Ram Raheem is understandable. Had they done so, they would have been greeted by incandescent Sikhs and chased back to wherever they started from - perhaps further. Obviously, Chandramohan's valiant supporters value their lives more than they value "right to freedom of expression". One wonders what would have been the consequences if Chandramohan had taken liberties with the Gurus, icons and symbols of the Khalsa faith. Possibly he would have been reduced to a piece of modern art, as execrable as his work.
Tragically, the Sikh rage over the impersonation of the revered 10th Guru was singularly absent among Hindus over the denigration of Durga and among Christians over the defiling of Christ by Chandramohan. Are we then to presume that the sword is more powerful than muted anger couched in polite terms?
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The writer is enraged but does he really want Hindus to be like monotheist religions? The Left Liberal issue is with Hindusim. Dont be fooled. It is anything that reduces the Hinduism that will be embraced by these worthies.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Sword of truth
Second Opinion: Priyadarsi Dutta
The tribe of secularists is conspicuous by its silence over the Dera Sacha Sauda and Khalsa (Akal Takht) standoff. <b>The controversy that set Punjab psychologically aflame erupted at a time when the Left liberals were busy defending MS University's art student Chandramohan Srilamanthula's freedom to paint obscene picture of Goddess Durga, Shiva and Jesus Christ.</b>
It was fair to expect the lib-Left activists to travel to Punjab to defend Sacha Sauda master Gurmeet Singh Ram Rahim's right to attire himself as Guru Govind Singh. But as days rolled into a fortnight,<b> no Left liberal went to Punjab or Haryana to defend Gurmeet Singh Ram Raheem's "right to freedom of expression"</b>. This was like Britain never sending a single soldier or aeroplane to Poland during World War II, although its war on Germany was declared over that country alone.
Where have the Left liberals beaten a retreat? Is it in the same cave where they were hibernating during the controversy over Prophet Mohammed's cartoons in Jyllands Posten? For, they were not seen defending the "right to freedom of expression" of the Danish cartoonists. On that occasion, too, the libertines maintained a studied - and stunning - silence.
But the liberals deciding not to march on to Punjab to demonstrate solidarity with Baba Gurmeet Singh Ram Raheem is understandable. Had they done so, they would have been greeted by incandescent Sikhs and chased back to wherever they started from - perhaps further. Obviously, Chandramohan's valiant supporters value their lives more than they value "right to freedom of expression". One wonders what would have been the consequences if Chandramohan had taken liberties with the Gurus, icons and symbols of the Khalsa faith. Possibly he would have been reduced to a piece of modern art, as execrable as his work.
Tragically, the Sikh rage over the impersonation of the revered 10th Guru was singularly absent among Hindus over the denigration of Durga and among Christians over the defiling of Christ by Chandramohan. Are we then to presume that the sword is more powerful than muted anger couched in polite terms?
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
The writer is enraged but does he really want Hindus to be like monotheist religions? The Left Liberal issue is with Hindusim. Dont be fooled. It is anything that reduces the Hinduism that will be embraced by these worthies.