Fuzzy Phrases!
Recently, there were heated chatterbox debates on Hindu Secularism. A senior person who is also a professor of Political Science, asked me as to what that meant. He was baffled; I wasn’t so. Not because I agreed with such a fuzzy and lose phrase, but because I have been (and many of us!) observing past few years that when people do not have conviction, tend to use or project such lose terms. Strangely, chatterbox analysts use such phrases about people or groups who themselves may not even agree that they are so.
For example, in a plush house in a metro, where even daily pooja may not be much looked up these days, I heard vibrant resonating words of Rudra Paath in Shraavan. After enquiring, I was told that this well-to-do family does Rudra Paath every year in Shraavan. Their teenage kids sit through the path. Someone loosely commented while the Rudra sound was still echoing – they are not so modern. What did that really mean? Nothing! The man in the family runs a successful business, plays tennis every morning, goes to gym every evening, wife and kids are on Facebook and so on. Yet, just because they do Rudra Paath in that bustling metro, someone made such a loose remark about their modernity. It did not spring up from any serious thinking about faith and modern ways etc; it was said ‘just like that’!
Many such phrases are heard and used lately: Systemic failure, below and above poverty line, development, governance etc. Planning Commission says that if you earn Rs 31 per day then you are poor and if you earn Rs 33, you are not poor. Some fuzzy math is given to justify Rs 32 mark. A joint family is a part of our tradition and it should be respected – kids get their grand parents and uncles in it! But ONLY 6 cylinders per family per year is what the government decides. Which and whose family? People in Bharat believe in joint family with one kitchen for all! Parents, 2 sons, their wives and kids. Total may go up to 10 or 11. But if you are a Hindu united family, you have no right to the 7th gas cylinder at the same cost, but the minority gets concessions in everything – can produce even any number of kids from quadruple wives and taxpayers money is showered on them! This makes ‘equality’ a very fuzzy phrase even though those who coined it really meant it in true sense! When we say such things we are termed ‘religious fanatics’; what about socio-economic fanatics!
Same is with secularism and respect to all faiths! Today secularism to most Governments, media and social activists means being anti-majority and pro-minority. Such people coin new phrases to suit their socio-political needs like ‘Hindu Secularism’. There is no innovation in it; but an insult to Hindus and to true secularism. These are the same cronies who promote debates like ‘Development Vs Hindutva, Governance Vs Worship, and Modernity Vs Faith etc. What they mean in clear terms that all those who have faith in bhagwan are humbug, useless and anti-development / governance / modernity; but faith in God, faith in Messiah etc are modern and secular! A kid would see through the cacophony in their fuzzy logic!
I do not need to explain what Hindutva means – most Hindus know it well. Our Constitution mentioned secularism as no discrimination among any faiths. But today, discriminating against Hindus and mocking everything that is Hindu is tom-tommed as secularism. The Ph.D. in such fuzzy phrases, which is considered to be the greatest achievement of the so-called (pseudo) secularists is that terming all Hindus ‘terrorists’. NIA is created for this purpose repealing POTA and not only the NIA creators but other governments too gladly handed over jehadi terror cases to NIA to be purposely treated as ‘Hindu Terror’. Is this secularism and governance?
Hating ancient faiths and civilisations may get applauded by the select chatterbox and internet mongers but this is not Bharat. Be it Bhagalpur, Godhra, Mewat, Kerala, Assam, Kashmir, many parts of Bharat and now in Bharatpur – the first to hurt others is a minority. When governments do not help protect lives and sanctity of women and places of worship, then Hindus try to defend themselves. Armed attacks are mounted on Hindus and yet the governments demean Hindus for vote bank as minorities know very well how to play ‘me victim’. This is not secularism.
Ridiculing Sadhu-Saints, temples, religious trusts, temple goers, Hindu organisations and people who have given their lives for Hindutva – by comparing them with modern Facebook users, Twitter, You Tube users etc is not Hindu secularism. (By the way most Sadhu-Saints, temple-goers and Hindu organisations know how to use these modern communication means but they do not misuse them for their selfish motives.) Hindutva ideology respects and appreciates positive things in modernity and nobody has any right to degrade Hindutva and Hindus as ‘anti development’, ‘terrorists’, ‘communal fanatics’ etc. Hindus have access to a large treasure of ancient scriptures, Puraans, the Vedic Science and literature by Kalidas, Bavabhuti etc. If Hindus decide to coin phrases to degrade all such sponsored Hindu bashers, then these mockers will have no face to hide! Hindus do not do this not because they are feeble. They are not! They know that this is time for all to come together to avert Jehadi terrorism to protect Bharat. Borders of Bharat from all directions are becoming volatile. All governments should realise the larger danger of cross border terrorism and rather than degrading majority Hindus for short term votes gain in elections, posts after that etc, all should come together to save Bharat!
Using fuzzy phrases in chest English and with glossy publicity may look fancy, temporarily innovative and up market; but if majority of any nation does not survive then pockets of minorities take over. After that they do not let even majority bashers survive socio-politically. Malaysia, Indonesia, Afghanistan etc are examples. Bharat’s ruling parties should realise this. Other political parties, social groups and media should understand the difference between heartfelt feelings of majority and fuzzy phrases – hollow and hypocritical. Nations are neither built nor do they progress with such things. A comprehensive policy with intensely true interest of nation’s well-being at heart respecting majority and then specific action plans with a human angle to them only can take the nation ahead. Barring majority not only from all the developmental aspects- if any and degrading them defeats the very purpose of democracy.
All I can say at this stage is that, majority of Bharat is extremely hurt and humiliated with all that has been meted out to it. As an immediate sign, it will reflect in the elections and in the long term, majority sure will look for a surprising alternative that truly cares for it without demeaning or misusing it.
