Religion & Indian Politicians

Pravin Sabnis
May 27, 2002
Courtesy Cybervoices - Navhind Times, Goa

[edited and reformatted by TGF]

Yes we do have "pseudo secular" politicians. And yes, we have "pseudo Hindutvawadi" politicians.

Pseudo Hindutvawadi's care a damn about changing the damned caste system. They care a damn about any plurality of thought. They are of "foreign origin" (all the way from Germany) and yet they oppose a lady (Sonia Gandhi) of foreign origin. There are enough good reasons to oppose her, but they choose the most ridiculous. They dig up graveyards of history to show how temples were demolished to make way for mosques. If they dig further, they would find hordes of Stupas being demolished to built temples.

They instigate people for a Hindu jehad whilst condemning the equally deadly Muslim one. They rightfully complain about  Muslim fundamentalism suppression the fundamental rights of women... and then change direction to worship Sati and suppress women in as many ways as there are Gods.

They worship Godmen who issue "Hindu Fatwas". They complain about the "forced conversions" of people who they have "forced" to live as "sub-human" castes. They decry reservations, but not the caste-system. They confuse religion with spirituality.

The Pseudo Hindutvawadi is dangerous. His logic is perverted. His thinking is at a tangent to facts. It is pertinent that his arguments find buyers even amongst  people who find his behavior repulsive. The only way to stop him and others like him in other religions is to get to the basics.

Our basics are in humane behavior. Where "responsibility is the "ability" to give the right "response" to even crooked stimuli. Growing distances between people have to be bridged by love and sharing. The Caste system and other social divisions have to go... starting with the cleansing of our own minds. My concern is Gujarat will happen again and again, in Gujarat or anywhere else, even in Goa. Till the convoluted thoughts remain in our minds, Society will never be safe for anybody.

These serious concerns need to be addressed.. NOW!

Politicians will come and go. But hatred unleashed will sow the seeds of further hatred. This vicious cycle of brutality has to be transformed into a path of peace where young boys and girls would march on, holding hands of solidarity.