03-31-2009, 11:16 AM
S Talageri comments on Sandhya Jain's article:
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->I agree with what some of the readers above are saying: this article does not seem as reasonable and thoughtful as many of Sandhyaji's other articles. Yes, I agree that lumpenism and Muslim-bashing are not what Hinduism and Hindutva are all about (I have even criticized the Gujarat anti-Muslim violence in my article in the Sita Ram Goel Commemoration volume published by Voice of India, New Delhi), some of my very best friends are Muslims, and I oppose America's role in Iraq and its intended actions against Iran, etc. And I feel that Christian proselytization and western cultural brainwashing of our Indian youth are infinitely greater dangers to India and Hinduism than Islamic terrorism, terrible and monstrous though that terrorism is. But, at the same time, the ugly face of Islamic fundamentalism and its potential dangers to India cannot be overlooked. See what is happening in Pakistan today. If Varun Gandhi has decided to take on a Hindu agenda, I fully support him. If he is doing it in a wrong way, it is unfortunate, and he should be corrected. But, as one of the letters above (anonymous?) points out, the article blames Sanjay, Maneka and Varun Gandhi for everyone's crimes. Most incredible of all is the allegation that the Sonia Gandhi led UPA government voted against Iran in the IAEA because Sonia Gandhi was close to Sanjay Gandhi, and Sanjay Gandhi was pro-American! It is news that the two brothers and their wives were even close to each other, but that Sanjay Gandhi's views should still be influencing Sonia in such matters a quarter of a century after his death is a bit too much. Also, many people, like myself, who were strongly anti-Indira and anti-Sanjay when they were still alive, now feel in hindsight that Indira Gandhi was the greatest (with Shastri) Prime Minister India ever had; and Sanjay Gandhi's ideas and priorities (family planning, afforestation, literacy, etc.) were just what India needed and needs. That his policies were implemented badly is a fact, and his arrogance and ruthlessness may have been responsible, but to give that arrogance and ruthlessness a communal angle is simply not right. That the sterilizations in Delhi and demolitions at Turkmen gate were done solely "to humiliate the Muslim community" is something which would have sounded more appropriate coming from the Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid, Delhi. About the present fracas, I do not know exactly what was said by Varun Gandhi, and if he indeed said things about forcible nasbandi of Muslims, etc., that is certainly wrong of him; and the whole affair is an unfortunate one which does not bode well for Indian politics. But the whole tone of the article, that the BJP is being taken for a ride by a mother-and-son duo and must be warned against them seems to me a case of looking at the matter upside down: many reports suggest that it is the mother-and-son duo (who, as pointed out in the above article, have been continuously winning from Pilibhit, and did not really require this gimmick to win votes) who are being taken for a ride by the BJP which has a long and consistent history of playing both secular and firebrand-Hindu games simultaneously to win votes. It is rumoured that Varun was tutored by some BJP elements. The BJP may burn its fingers in this affair, but it may perhaps be Maneka and Varun who have burnt their fingers even more; and they may actually have the BJP to blame for it. The BJP has, in any case, betrayed Hindus time and again, and if the Varun affair works as their nemesis and prevents them from making a comeback, I for one will only thank Varun for it. I only hope Varun wins from his seat, and that he really takes up the cause of Hindus, but without this lumpen approach. But, the present events in Pakistan (today's events in Lahore, for example)Â Â
 shrikant g talageriÂ
 31 Mar 2009
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<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->I agree with what some of the readers above are saying: this article does not seem as reasonable and thoughtful as many of Sandhyaji's other articles. Yes, I agree that lumpenism and Muslim-bashing are not what Hinduism and Hindutva are all about (I have even criticized the Gujarat anti-Muslim violence in my article in the Sita Ram Goel Commemoration volume published by Voice of India, New Delhi), some of my very best friends are Muslims, and I oppose America's role in Iraq and its intended actions against Iran, etc. And I feel that Christian proselytization and western cultural brainwashing of our Indian youth are infinitely greater dangers to India and Hinduism than Islamic terrorism, terrible and monstrous though that terrorism is. But, at the same time, the ugly face of Islamic fundamentalism and its potential dangers to India cannot be overlooked. See what is happening in Pakistan today. If Varun Gandhi has decided to take on a Hindu agenda, I fully support him. If he is doing it in a wrong way, it is unfortunate, and he should be corrected. But, as one of the letters above (anonymous?) points out, the article blames Sanjay, Maneka and Varun Gandhi for everyone's crimes. Most incredible of all is the allegation that the Sonia Gandhi led UPA government voted against Iran in the IAEA because Sonia Gandhi was close to Sanjay Gandhi, and Sanjay Gandhi was pro-American! It is news that the two brothers and their wives were even close to each other, but that Sanjay Gandhi's views should still be influencing Sonia in such matters a quarter of a century after his death is a bit too much. Also, many people, like myself, who were strongly anti-Indira and anti-Sanjay when they were still alive, now feel in hindsight that Indira Gandhi was the greatest (with Shastri) Prime Minister India ever had; and Sanjay Gandhi's ideas and priorities (family planning, afforestation, literacy, etc.) were just what India needed and needs. That his policies were implemented badly is a fact, and his arrogance and ruthlessness may have been responsible, but to give that arrogance and ruthlessness a communal angle is simply not right. That the sterilizations in Delhi and demolitions at Turkmen gate were done solely "to humiliate the Muslim community" is something which would have sounded more appropriate coming from the Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid, Delhi. About the present fracas, I do not know exactly what was said by Varun Gandhi, and if he indeed said things about forcible nasbandi of Muslims, etc., that is certainly wrong of him; and the whole affair is an unfortunate one which does not bode well for Indian politics. But the whole tone of the article, that the BJP is being taken for a ride by a mother-and-son duo and must be warned against them seems to me a case of looking at the matter upside down: many reports suggest that it is the mother-and-son duo (who, as pointed out in the above article, have been continuously winning from Pilibhit, and did not really require this gimmick to win votes) who are being taken for a ride by the BJP which has a long and consistent history of playing both secular and firebrand-Hindu games simultaneously to win votes. It is rumoured that Varun was tutored by some BJP elements. The BJP may burn its fingers in this affair, but it may perhaps be Maneka and Varun who have burnt their fingers even more; and they may actually have the BJP to blame for it. The BJP has, in any case, betrayed Hindus time and again, and if the Varun affair works as their nemesis and prevents them from making a comeback, I for one will only thank Varun for it. I only hope Varun wins from his seat, and that he really takes up the cause of Hindus, but without this lumpen approach. But, the present events in Pakistan (today's events in Lahore, for example)Â Â
 shrikant g talageriÂ
 31 Mar 2009
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