05-09-2006, 04:42 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Secularism of convenience </b>
Pioneer.com
A 'dargah' where 'puja' is held can be termed Islamic only in Gujarat because it's convenient, says Tarun VijayÂ
When the deluge comes, it comes the way it did in Iraq. There is turmoil in Nepal. And Moscow has openly accused Washington for having begun the Cold War. In such times, when Dhaka, Kathmandu, Moscow and Washington affect our domestic issues, we are busy partying. Today, elections are contested and won not on issues but through exchange of expensive gifts and shows of nautch girls.
While dead bodies of Indians butchered abroad are shipped back home, those who are slaughtered within are cremated unsung - and a "brave" Home Minister returns without seeing them fearing any unkind reaction. We lost battle in safeguarding our interests in Nepal; we are ready to vacate Siachen despite protests by the Army brass; we signed a nuclear deal to cap our own future strategic options; and, we have allowed Bangladeshis to vote and elect a State Government. Worse, we feel happy to welcome separatist leaders in the Prime Minister's Office to get favourable headlines. It seems India has vanished from the lexicon of our politicians. They just live and think of their immediate vote avenues.
Like Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar's last days, the UPA regime has its area of influence shrunk to Connaught place-Gurg-aon region: The NCR of Delhi. The Government is brave enough to show the card of law and order to the weaker sections. For the rest, the law is bent and changed at will.
<b>Thirty-five Indians were killed in Doda and 42 temples were demolished in Vadodara (by local authorities). Nothing moved the Central Government and media, but the demolition of a non-descript dargah. The Supreme Court was petitioned and a stay obtained immediately. On TV channels, it was Vadodara and not Doda. It seems we have beco-me immune to Hindu killings and temple demolitions</b>.
Vadodara news was used in the most provocative manner to instill hate and fear among Muslims. The "principled" correspondents didn't find time to speak to Doda victims, but expressed sorrow at the sight of closed shops and burnt cars in Vadodara - and, of course, the demolished dargah.
A couple of months earlier, newspapers in Muslim countries, especially Pak-istan, published angry pro-tests over the demolition of a site allegedly related to the life of Prophet Mohammad by Saudi authorities. It's interesting to note that our "secular" media kept a studied silence on it. The demolitions were carried out to make space for various purposes, including luxury apartments.
In 1998, the grave of Mohammed's mother was bulldozed. Mr Tarek Fatah, a Pakistani-Canadian Muslim activist, wrote, "What makes this demolition worse is the fact that the home of the Prophet is to make way for a parking lot, two 50-storey hotel towers and seven 35-storey apartment blocks; a project known as the Jabal Omar Scheme, all within a stone's throw of the Grand Mosque. Yet, despite this outrage, not a single Muslim country, no ayatollah, no mufti, no king, not even a Muslim Canadian imam has dared utter a word in protest.''
Are dargahs Islamic? Do they have any sanction in Islam? Dargah worship literally means puja of the grave. Ironically, these dargahs are mostly visited by Hindus, who mostly believe in jadoo-tona. There are dhoop, agarbattis, music, songs and people with various problems come to get rid of "ghosts" and take back tabeez. These rituals are not Islamic.
<b>While Hindus are told to respect the law of the land and follow the court's verdict on Ayodhya, the administration and law is expected to respect the sentiments of Islamist rioters. In Kashmir, when 70 temples were demolished, nobody questioned the State authority.</b>
Thousand of shops and houses were bulldozed in Delhi amid protests of citizens, who had lost all they had earned in a lifetime. The Government stonewalled them saying nothing could be done, as it was carrying the orders of the court. Similarly, in Vadodara, all was well till Hindu temples were being demolished. The moment a dargah was touched, Delhi was shaken and a stay obtained from the Supreme Court. What a secular state we are!
With governance like this, and the Opposition busy raising trivial issues, we must not expect better than this.
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Pioneer.com
A 'dargah' where 'puja' is held can be termed Islamic only in Gujarat because it's convenient, says Tarun VijayÂ
When the deluge comes, it comes the way it did in Iraq. There is turmoil in Nepal. And Moscow has openly accused Washington for having begun the Cold War. In such times, when Dhaka, Kathmandu, Moscow and Washington affect our domestic issues, we are busy partying. Today, elections are contested and won not on issues but through exchange of expensive gifts and shows of nautch girls.
While dead bodies of Indians butchered abroad are shipped back home, those who are slaughtered within are cremated unsung - and a "brave" Home Minister returns without seeing them fearing any unkind reaction. We lost battle in safeguarding our interests in Nepal; we are ready to vacate Siachen despite protests by the Army brass; we signed a nuclear deal to cap our own future strategic options; and, we have allowed Bangladeshis to vote and elect a State Government. Worse, we feel happy to welcome separatist leaders in the Prime Minister's Office to get favourable headlines. It seems India has vanished from the lexicon of our politicians. They just live and think of their immediate vote avenues.
Like Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar's last days, the UPA regime has its area of influence shrunk to Connaught place-Gurg-aon region: The NCR of Delhi. The Government is brave enough to show the card of law and order to the weaker sections. For the rest, the law is bent and changed at will.
<b>Thirty-five Indians were killed in Doda and 42 temples were demolished in Vadodara (by local authorities). Nothing moved the Central Government and media, but the demolition of a non-descript dargah. The Supreme Court was petitioned and a stay obtained immediately. On TV channels, it was Vadodara and not Doda. It seems we have beco-me immune to Hindu killings and temple demolitions</b>.
Vadodara news was used in the most provocative manner to instill hate and fear among Muslims. The "principled" correspondents didn't find time to speak to Doda victims, but expressed sorrow at the sight of closed shops and burnt cars in Vadodara - and, of course, the demolished dargah.
A couple of months earlier, newspapers in Muslim countries, especially Pak-istan, published angry pro-tests over the demolition of a site allegedly related to the life of Prophet Mohammad by Saudi authorities. It's interesting to note that our "secular" media kept a studied silence on it. The demolitions were carried out to make space for various purposes, including luxury apartments.
In 1998, the grave of Mohammed's mother was bulldozed. Mr Tarek Fatah, a Pakistani-Canadian Muslim activist, wrote, "What makes this demolition worse is the fact that the home of the Prophet is to make way for a parking lot, two 50-storey hotel towers and seven 35-storey apartment blocks; a project known as the Jabal Omar Scheme, all within a stone's throw of the Grand Mosque. Yet, despite this outrage, not a single Muslim country, no ayatollah, no mufti, no king, not even a Muslim Canadian imam has dared utter a word in protest.''
Are dargahs Islamic? Do they have any sanction in Islam? Dargah worship literally means puja of the grave. Ironically, these dargahs are mostly visited by Hindus, who mostly believe in jadoo-tona. There are dhoop, agarbattis, music, songs and people with various problems come to get rid of "ghosts" and take back tabeez. These rituals are not Islamic.
<b>While Hindus are told to respect the law of the land and follow the court's verdict on Ayodhya, the administration and law is expected to respect the sentiments of Islamist rioters. In Kashmir, when 70 temples were demolished, nobody questioned the State authority.</b>
Thousand of shops and houses were bulldozed in Delhi amid protests of citizens, who had lost all they had earned in a lifetime. The Government stonewalled them saying nothing could be done, as it was carrying the orders of the court. Similarly, in Vadodara, all was well till Hindu temples were being demolished. The moment a dargah was touched, Delhi was shaken and a stay obtained from the Supreme Court. What a secular state we are!
With governance like this, and the Opposition busy raising trivial issues, we must not expect better than this.
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