Major issues against the majority

The Shrine Board would be paying Rs.2.5 crore to the government as a gesture of its appreciation. The land belongs to the `secular’ government and the government has all the right to give it to the Shrine Board as a welfare measure. But, this is objected by the Muslim leaders Mufti Mohammed Sayeed of PDP, Farook Abdullah of NC and the leaders of the Hurriyat conference, which instigated the Muslim majority of Kashmir to resort to violence and arson attacking government buildings and other business establishments and even the buses carrying the Amarnath pilgrims injuring many of them.  

When the police tried to prevent the escalation of mob violence, three protestors died in the police firing. Now, the holy yatra stands suspended for the third time this year and thousands of pilgrims have been stranded. The PDP, which is a coalition partner, has demanded that the Congress-led government take back the allotted land before 30 June and warned that it would withdraw support in the event of government’s failure to withdraw its decision of transferring the land.

The Chief Minister and Congress Leader Gulam Nabi Azad has exposed his spinelessness through an order restricting construction activities in the allotted land. Then why was it allotted in the first place?

The protest by the Kashmiri Muslims is uncalled for and unwarranted and the provocative behaviour and arrogant statements of PDP, NC and Hurriyat leaders indicate that they treat Kashmir as their own fiefdom. The Centre is allocating funds to Kashmir, which is ten times more than what the other states are getting. While the per capita Central assistance for other states is around Rs.1500/- Kashmir is getting around Rs. 10000/-, which roughly works out to Rs.45000/- per family per year! But, when the State-wise contributions to the nation are compared, where does Kashmir stand? Why and what for they should be given this undue recognition and care? While surviving with central assistance, which is mostly contributed by the Hindu majority, what is that they have done to the Hindu brothers in the valley? The Kashmiri Pandits have been driven out of their own land, their properties, lands and Temples have all been looted, their women raped and they are living as refugees in their own land.

Very recently the National Conference leader Omar Abdulla himself has confessed that the Kashmiri Muslims have connived with terrorists in the ethnic cleansing of the Pandits. While Kashmiri Muslims are getting so much of assistance from the Centre, what is that the Pandit refugees are getting? Nothing!

And what about Haj pilgrimage? That again is subsidised and maximum contribution is from the Hindu majority! Whereas, the SASB has been allotted just 40 hectares, only a one-time measure, that too for a payment of Rs. 2.5 crore! On what basis the Muslims object to it? It is very sad and unfortunate that the Muslims object on the grounds that it is their `own’ land. If a majority community assumes that the place belongs to it, then what will happen in future in other places, or rather in the country itself? Are the Kashmiri Muslims prepared for it? Let them compare their status with that of their brothers living in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, so that, they can realise how well off they are here! The present imbroglio in Kashmir created by the Muslim leaders is outrageous and the Central and State governments must put an end to this madness immediately.

The Bangladeshi and Bengali Muslims have created a similar atmosphere for the last ten days in West Bengal. Sagar Island is a place at Ganga Sagar, which is the confluence of the Holy River Ganaga and the Bay of Bengal. This is one of the holiest sites being worshipped by the Hindus, particularly during Mahara Shankranthi, when millions take bath and worship Ganga Matha, Barath Mata and Mahadeva. `Hindu Samhati’ a Hindu cultural organisation was about to conduct a training programme and a workshop on the current socio-political scenario at Eastern India from 12 June to 15 June 2008. After finishing the first day of training the hundred and seventy members including women and children visited the Kapila Muni Mandir after bathing at the confluence. The enthusiastic members raised slogans like `Jai Shri Ram’ and `Barath Mata Ki Jai’. The dominant Muslim community consisting predominantly Bangladeshis illegal immigrants strongly objected to the slogans and threatened the devotees. Later in the night a mob of 5000 Muslims attacked the building where the Hindu devotees had been staying. The local authorities sent only 15 police men, who were also attacked by the mob and every devotee has been injured, some of them seriously. The building, along with another belonging to the VHP was set on fire. The `secular’ Communist government, in an act of `patriotism and humaneness’ and concern for law and order, arrested 15 Hindu devotees including Tapan Kumar Gosh, the leader of the Samhati, for being the victims and remaining disciplined and tolerant! The other devotees are recuperating in hospital. The government has not taken any action on the perpetrators of violence and arson, who are not the citizens of this country, but illegal immigrants. It is understood that thousands of such illegal immigrants have been ensured legal status by the Communist government by giving them ration cards, voter-ID cards as a `passionate’ measure of `human rights’!

As this nation is secular in itself, it recognised the concerns of minorities and respected their aspirations and hence ensured their religious freedom through various clauses in the Constitution. But unfortunately, the same respect doesn’t seem to be reciprocated by the minorities, as evidenced by the alarming increase in religious extremism and conversions. The situation has come to such a sordid state that shouts of `Barath Mata Ki Jai’ and `Jai Shri Ram’ are not being tolerated! If Hindus cannot worship their Land, River, Nature and God in their own nation as per their own cultural traditions, where else can they go?

Three months back in Chennai, an Art Exhibition on the `True History’ of Aurangazeb (as per his own records) was not allowed and the State police yielded to the pressure of the fundamentalist elements in the minority community and thwarted the exhibition.

During the centenary celebrations of the birth anniversary of Guruji Golwalkar in Bangalore, the peaceful procession organised by RSS/VHP was stoned and attacked by the minority community. For the display of Mohammed Cartoons in Denmark, the Hindu shops in Hyderabad and Lucknow were attacked! For the hanging of Saddam Hussein in Iraq, the entire country was taken to ransom through protests! Amarnath pilgrims have been attacked and Ganesh Chathurthi processions have been frustrated! Such things have been happening quite frequently, and this is not to speak of the terror attacks and bomb blasts at regular intervals.

The Hindu minorities in Bangladesh and Pakistan have been persecuted and the population of Hindus has dwindled to below 2% in Pakistan from 16% and below 10% in Bangladesh from 32% in the last fifty years. Malaysia has joined the list of Muslim nations persecuting Hindu minorities. Whereas, here in India, the Hindus have been treating the minorities like brothers and sisters, even during and after the partition, despite repeated occurrences of terrorism and evangelisation. But what are they getting back and how they are paid back? The so-called secularism cannot be a one-way traffic! The pampering and pandering of the minority communities by the self-interested vote bank chasing pseudo-secular political parties have to be blamed for the present volatile state of communal affairs in this country.