The origin of the obnoxious word ?caste? can itself be attributed to British colonial scholars, who use the term to derisively describe the Indian term jati, which signified various occupational and social characteristics that were peculiar to different social groups, which together made up the diverse and heterogeneous Hindu society. The term has since then been used widely and repeatedly to denigrate and scandalise Hindu society in general, and the so-called upper castes in particular. However, a close study of the definition in the Oxford English Dictionary reveals that the term (and the derogatory sense in which it is applied to Hindu society) seems to be more fitting when applied to the various Christian and Muslim religious sects. The Oxford Dictionary defines ?castes? as hereditary social groups with no social contacts or interactions with other such ?castes?, mainly within the same religious community. In many cases, this mutual exclusiveness also results in intolerance and hostility between the separate social groups. By this definition, the various sects of the Christian community such as Catholics, Syrian Christians, Jacobites, Pentecostal Christians, etc. as well as sects such as the Shias, Sunnis, Aga Khanis, Ahmadiyas, Bohras etc. among the Muslims may also be termed as ?caste? groups, since these groups do not inter-mingle or permit inter-marriages, and positively bar the celebration of religious events such as communion, sunnat, marriage ceremonies and funerals of members from one of these groups to be held in the religious place of the other groups.
However, it can be very well seen that Hindu jatis such as Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Patels, Yadavs, etc. are not the same as their social relations and interactions were quite frequent and acceptable, and followed certain well laid-out patterns, from time immemorial. It is a different matter, however, that in recent times, there have been several instances of inter-caste clashes and conflagrations; but most of these may be attributed to the instigators of caste wars as a political ideology, aided and abetted by communal elements aiming to cause social disruption within the country for their own nefarious purposes. Unlike within the intolerant Islamic and Christian communities, most of the so-called ?castes? within the Hindu community were indeed permitted to enter temples, hold religious ceremonies, etc. and interact openly with members of other ?castes? including inter-caste marriages in Kerala Hindu society. It is very clear that it is in fact the Christian and Islamic communities that are caste-ridden and even patronize mutually exclusiveness and mistrust between social groups within their folds, an accusation that has been forced unfairly on the largely tolerant Hindu community.
Untouchability among Indian Christians
The early converts to Christianity in Kerala were originally from fishermen stock; however, the influx of subsequent streams of Christians has led to several social strata being formed within that community, depending on the influence and money from different European Church groups in India, with each group claiming superiority over the others. A certain group of such Christian converts even claim that they are descendants from the highly respected Namboodiri Brahmins of the past. These ?upper caste? Christians generally look down upon later converts to Christianity, usually from ?lower castes? such as Pulayas and Dalits, treating them as socially inferior and ensuring that they are kept out of the Christian mainstream. Often, these ?lower caste? converts were encouraged to establish and worship in their own churches, mainly in bid to keep them out of the ?upper caste? Christian places of worship. Of course, it is well known that during the times of colonial rule, European churches were ?out-of-bounds? even to the ?native? Christians, a clear indication of the deep rifts and fissures within the so-called ?caste-less? Christian church and community!
Later Developments
It should not be forgotten here that no Christian country in Europe or America, nor even the Pope in the Vatican, had condemned the torture and massacre of millions of Jews by Christians in a major Christian country, viz. Germany. Similarly, in Communist Russia, the ?Christian? dictator Joseph Stalin ensured the systematic liquidation of Jews as well as dissidents opposed to the autocratic regime and eulogized proletarian system of the Soviet Union. This is not surprising because Communism is the illegitimate child born of the semitic religions of Christianity and Islam, from whom they inherited the ideology of mutual hatred, intolerance, exclusiveness and violence. Therefore, nothing better could be expected under the diabolical Marxism and Communism who dogmatically believe in permanent class-war between segregated social groups and in utopian bliss on earth. Like Christianity and Islam, Communism is also of foreign origin and hence anti-Hindu and anti-national everywhere. Founded by a German Jew, Karl Marx, the holy book of the Communists is the Das Kapital. Like its parents, it preaches and practices mutual hatred and intolerance, and professes a state of permanent class-war between the so-called ?haves? and ?have-nots?. Dissidents within its folds are also systematically liquidated, just as the ?no-believers? within Islam and Christianity are eliminated. The only difference is that they differ in their approach to the concept of God. They are all international movements, not confined to any national boundaries. On similar lines, the Nazi movement made famous by Adolf Hitler could also be termed as the spoilt brother of Marxism due to its similarity of character and broad principles, with its prophet in Adolf Hitler, holy book in Mein Kampf, and an underlying ideology of hatred and destruction.
The Situation Today
The above discussion clearly indicates that all these foreign ideologies and religious philosophies are intolerant, and are therefore, not surprisingly anti-Hindu within India. As such, one should not be taken in by their occasionally friendly attitudes and supposedly socially useful activities, which are, in most instances, merely facades and deceptive. Resurgent Hindu youth of today are increasingly aware of this aspect of the semitic religions and are, therefore, organising themselves to resist them. Whether in remote regions of Orissa or in communally sensitive localities such as Bhiwandi in Maharashtra or as exemplified after the massacre of karsevaks in Godhra, Hindu youths of today are quick to react, venting their anger and frustrations against the culprits. Such incidents are an indication of the severe crisis that the country faces. Repeated actions and decisions aimed at appeasement of the religious minorities by the so-called ?secular? government, aided and abetted by openly pro-minority legislature and executive branches of government, have disillusioned the Hindu youth of the country. As part of the appeasement policy followed by successive ?secular? governments, the minority communities in the country enjoy many special privileges and constitutional rights, all at the expense of the majority Hindu community. There are various statutory bodies such as the Muslim Personal Law Board, Waqf Boards, Minority Commission, etc. all conferred with wide-ranging powers, and generally unaccountable to anyone but themselves. In continuation of this policy of appeasement, these religious minorities are also enabled to set up and administer, to the exclusive benefit of their community members, educational institutions imparting higher technical education. In Kerala, they collectively own over 80 per cent of educational institutions. It goes without saying that most, if not all, religious institutions (as well as their vast landed properties and financial assets) of the religious minorities are exempt from government control and supervision. But, in direct contrast, all religious institutions of the Hindu community fall under the control of the ?secular? government, and in many instances, mismanagement and misappropriation of resources belonging to these establishments is rampant. As a direct result of this policy, in the 50 years since Independence, only around 30 Hindu temples have been constructed or renovated while during the same period, over 3000 mosques and Christian churches have been constructed in Kerala alone. It is indeed shameful that, while non-interference by government in the affairs of minority religious institutions is carried to an extreme under ?secular? principles governing the Constitution, exactly the reverse is the case when it comes to Hindu religious institutions. There have been instances of appointments where members from the minority communities have been appointed by the ?secular? governments to boards responsible for the administration of Hindu temples. Well-known examples of this are that of the Muslim Antulay in Maharashtra, who was once appointed to the Trustee Board of the famous Siddhi Vinayak Temple in Mumbai, as well as that of a Christian named Baby who was inducted by the then Communist-led government of Kerala into the Administrative Board of the world-famous Guruvayoor temple. In short, in the name of secularism, interference in the affairs of Hindu temples and religious institutions is considered proper by the so-called ?secularists?, who, at the same time, are convinced that such interference by government in the affairs of minority religious institutions is non-secular and hence illegal and anti-constitutional.
Conclusion
It cannot be denied that India, being a predominantly Hindu country, needs to be treated as a Hindu country, just as countries with Christian majorities such as USA, Britain, France, etc. are Christian countries and those with Muslim majorities such as Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Malaysia, etc. are Islamic countries. Going by the principles of democracy underlying Indian nationhood, any democratic government in the country must be for the Hindu majority, by the Hindu majority, and of the Hindu community, and not for, by and of the minority communities that make up only 15 per cent of the population. Unfortunately, right from the days of Independence, all governments of India, from the negationist and western-educated Pandit Nehru right down to his family members supported by all anti-Hindu secular parties including Communists and Socialists are committed only to the welfare and prosperity of the religious minorities in India, and never that of the majority. Therefore, the country may be said to be having a minority-oriented or minocratic government. The Hindu majority has been, right throughout recent decades, neglected and harassed by the fake democratic and ?secular? governments of India. Under the circumstances, the frustrated and harassed Hindu youth have started realising, albeit at this late hour, that they have nowhere to look for justice. There is a limit to the patience of Hindus. They are consciously getting organised and alert to strongly react or retaliate against any anti-Hindu act or activities anywhere in the country, whether in urban, rural or even remote tribal areas.
The frequent but at the same time isolated Hindu violence in certain Hindu localities during the last decade or so are summarised and cautioned by the visionary Nobel Laureate V.S. Naipaul as the building up of total and widespread Hindu revolution from the lower and frustrated state of the long-neglected Hindu majority of India. It will have serious consequences in the entire country, specially to the appeased and patronize religious minority communities in the country. To paraphrase the prophet of the (now-discredited) religion of Communism, let us repeat to the long-neglected and humiliated Hindu majority of India, that is Bharat, ?You have nothing to lose but the shackles of slavery and humiliation and sufferings under the regime of your discredited political system and community leaders. This type of sham socialism, secularism and discriminatory democracy should go or be booted out of the country.?
It is only in the light of the above sentiments that the great visionary of modern India and inspiration of resurgent Hindu youth, Swami Vivekananda gave the clarion call to the proud Hindu majority, ?Arise! Awake!! And stop not till your goals are achieved in this Hindu rashtra.? Mind you, Hindus have nowhere to go. India is ours and we are proud of being and living in Hindu India.
(Concluded)
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