The fanatic, Talibalinised mindset of a Muslim official forcing Hindu staff to attend office on Diwali day has upset the Hindus in that area.
Diwali is one of the important festivals for Hindus. In the South, it is celebrated on the killing of demon Naragasura, while in the north, it is to welcome Ram, Sita Maa after the end of the forest term living (vanavas), back to Ayodhya.
Compelling Hindus to follow Shariat rule, denying permission to celebrate temple festivals, objection to the procession of gods passing their streets, restrictions on Hindu festivals and their culture are common in Muslim-dominated areas and towns. Candidates of BJP and its alliance parties were not allowed to canvass in their regions. There are many mini Pakistans in Tamil Nadu even after the partition of Pakistan into a separate nation.
Beyond Madurai, by design or accident, people who belonged to minority communities are being posted or holding key positions who have the final say. In the latest incident, a Corporation official deliberately and wantonly asked employees to report duty on Diwali knowing fully well it was a public holiday. It is designed to stop them from celebrating Diwali with their families. But Jehangir Badsha, asst. commissioner of Palayamkottai zone, did not come to office cozily enjoying his holiday with family. This become viral in social media like what’s app as affected Hindu workers started messaging their fate. Assistant Commissioner of Palayamkottai zone of Tirunelveli Corporation, is a learnt a Muslim fanatic with a Taliban mindset. It is not an isolated negligible incident that appears on the surface. But if delve deeper, it is a part of the sadistic minded evil design to harass Hindus what Muslim king Aurangaship did to the other communities who refused to convert to Islam.
Tirunelveli district Hindu Munnani general secretary Brahmanayagam told your correspondent that on hearing the news, they rushed to the Palayamkottai Zone, where they saw employees of the Hindu community, who were forced to attend office on Diwali day. They complained to the police, who in turn came to the zonal office and asked the staff to go home to celebrate Diwali. They closed the office to end the controversy.
It could be an isolated and run of the mill incident. It clearly shows the upper hand of the officials from minorities. Had it happened to Jehangir, the whole media would have run debates and made it a big affair, saying Muslims are persecuted and denied their right to celebrate Ramzan. But Hindus took it easy in the name of secularism, but minorities see it as a chance to try every trick in their bag to make Hindus embrace their religion.
Recently, two parents were forced to take off their wards from a Christian run school in Kancheepuram. The Anderson school teacher Joyson objected to their wearing a Rudraksha mala ( Holy beads, a sacred seed) around their neck. The teachers scolded them in open classroom that those who were wearing Rudraksha are rowdy elements. They are unfit for anything. They were allegedly beaten up by the teacher when they came the next day wearing the mala. They refused to remove it from their neck. The video of these students with their parents seeking a Transfer certificate from the school went viral. The school denied the incident saying they did not do the homework and class works. It is an open secret in Christian schools girl and boys should not sport religious symbols like sacred ash on their forehead, wear sacred wrist band, black or saffron dhotis, shirts. In contrast, girl students should not put vermillion on their forehead, flowers on their hair, wearing bangles and pendants( dollars) with Hindu gods.
In another incident, Christians managed a government-aided Barren Brook higher secondary school in Bangla Surandai in Tenkasi district. Girl student Kalaivani, used to sport vermillion on her forehead and sacred ash. But on Friday, four teachers, including two physical education teachers asked her to remove the religious symbols. She refused to do consequently. The teachers asked her peer to remove the religious symbols on Kalaivani’s forehead. The girl felt ashamed as it happened in front of her schoolmates. She told her parent what had happened to her in school. Her parents took it up with Hindu Munnani and BJP who brought the issue with district collector and district education officer’s attention. She was not the first to face such humiliation. If it happens in a government-aided school imagine what would happen in missionary run schools? Constitution has given a right to pursue their religion, including sporting religious symbols.
Last year, a Madurai based Christian school asked students to pay extra fees, which included transport to go to church, for a special prayer before the annual examination. When some girls refused to give money were threatened they would be given poor marks. It was going on for many years. Some girls refused boldly to pay extra fees and brought to the notice of their parents. After the intervention of RSS, and holding protests, the school said it was not compulsory.
After DMK ushering to power, there is a spurt of such things in the state. Only a few are reported in media and social media. Some strong measures are needed to end this murky affair before it becomes another Taliban or Pakistan or an Abrahamic state. The Centre woke from its sleep and paid attention to Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and West Bengal to know what was happening.
