Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Religion, thy name is strife.....

Started writing on the Delhi blast the same day but was instead lost in a few blogs &newspapers.

Roop in her post has expressed her anguish well and has raised valid questions too. The comments on her blogs should be read with openness. I had already read Nimmy’s post along with many other blogs and newspapers trying to seek answers. I have also been reading blogs and sites upholding “Hinduvata” and did feel that something is indeed simmering in our country. The Delhi blasts painfully reminded me that a stage has reached where even the Indian Muslims have succumbed. Earlier it was easy to blame it on Pakistan or Bangladesh.

Violence is never the answer for anything. No one has the right to hurt anyone for any cause, especially since we claim to live in a democratic country. Sadly the police and the governments that order them fail to bring justice. Those lives are lost just because they chose to be at those spots and will never ever be an answer to any cause.

I read what lallopolo has commented on Roop’s post and he has raised a valid point. This is not the time to isolate any community. I being from another minority community (I am now forced to call myself this name I so abhor) can understand it very well, especially upon seeing the growing animosity towards Christians in the name of “conversion”. While I do agree that there are name sake Christians who have lost all good sense, I will not accept if the entire Christian community is blamed. I have read blogs where videos of Christian conversions and senseless acts by preachers have been posted and I myself squirm on my seat helplessly. In a state like Kerala where Christians have existed for almost 2000 years (if history should be believed), one never felt the pangs of being a minority and hence never gave that word a second thought. I am a proud Indian and I never chose my friends on the basis of religion and still have friends from all religions.

So if there are those among the minorities and the majority who wants to forget what India really is and give it up all for their religion it is up to the law of the land to take immediate measures instead of resorting to cheap politics. It is also up to each of us to pass this message within our own community and to point out those who err.

I also liked what Siddusaaeb wrote…

What could we, Indians, do?

1. Remain vigilant and report suspicious objects/persons at once.

2. Use tools like the Right to Information (RTI) Act to find out about the measures being taken by the administration to improve security, besides publicising security lapses when we come across any.

3. Stop voting for parties that incite, promote and/or actually organise communal violence in the form of riots, so that there is no incentive for these parties to organise such violence in the future. That can, in turn, prevent terrorists from getting local support in the name of extracting ‘revenge’ for the communal riots.

4. Campaign for the perpetrators of communal riots/bomb-blasts to be brought to justice at the earliest possible, so that, once again, the number of local recruits available to terrorist organizations can be reduced.

But then again succumbing to cynicism, are our governments capable of doing so? Although a major section of Indians trusted this government on the nuclear deal, I don’t find the same trust when it comes to resolving this issue.

7 comments:

  1. Very true HK, topmost in our minds that we are Indians first is to be etched. And together we must seek to fight issues that pulls our Country down.

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  2. you are so right - no community or religion is to blame, it is always some crass individual. what you see in places like orissa or for that matter even Kerala is a section of illiterate masses being stoked up by some clever politician (not any religious leader). such are the people who deserve to be castrated..

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  3. I feel that in such situations petty politics should be put on back burner and the ruling parties and the opposition should work together in national interest. But that seems to be wishful thinking.

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  4. Kat & Maddy: I guess we need more Indians who have risen above all these narrow views on relgion.

    Abraham Tharakan: Thanks for passing by and commenting on my blog.Will our country ever be rid of petty politicians?

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  5. your Blog about the religion was good .Infact all your Blogs potray the inner anger you have to all the systems and the institutions .It is natural to have tahat feeling .During this age when the principles ,Idealism are all thrown to the winds
    We cant tell whether it is the communists or the Democrats or the Military Dictators who are going to elevate us from this Rut Politics means it is for personal weath and for a particular community If you are in that particular community you may not have the Disatisfactory comments
    So better be with the Community whao are benefiting from all these shrewd politicians

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  6. wow that was a fab summary!!!! im hiring u to keep my ramblings short. :PPP can i pliss?

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  7. @Chayan.. thanks..

    @Roop...If I could only catch up with all those thoughts that you brilliantly post with so much ease..

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