Anna Hazare’s historic success inspires all but Muslims

The long and valiant crusade of Anna Hazare on the issue of corruption (escalating exponentially), with obtaining positive disposition of Parliament of India on most crucial facets of much talked Jan Lokpal Bill, has finally come to an end. Venerable Anna broke his fast on August 28, 2011 around 10.20 am by having a glass of coconut milk mixed with honey from a Dalit and Muslim girl, Simran and Ikrah respectively. Without doubt, entire nation had a sigh of relief while perceiving Anna breaking his 12-day-old fast.

All these have brought to the fore a new issue as well and it’s the inclusion of the Muslim girl in breaking Anna’s fast. Was it too essential, especially when the Muslims were advised not to partake in the same battle? Perhaps there was a need to make the struggle as entirely secular and in India secularism stands for hugging Muslims and nothing else. By now if any reader has started to get skeptical of this scribe’s moral fiber, I am helpless. Personally, I have no problem with the Muslim girl, another manifestation of Mata (mother) to me. The problem remains with the derisory attitude, reflected time and again (through wooing Muslims) to testify secular credentials of India. Alas, Team Anna has failed to be any different.

You have every right to question what the problem with Islamic mindset is. It must be kept in mind while a section of national media has termed the anti-corruption struggle (getting a national spectrum amazingly fast much to the dismay of others) as a Hindutva sponsored movement, majority of Muslim controlled media, if not more, has termed Anna as Gandhi of media and Hindutva forces. What impedes Muslims from shouldering the burden of mounting corruption along with others? A good answer to this from the questioner ever ready to nail me of abovementioned issues is appreciated. Why do they get busy to find out benefits of Muslims only because of participation in any general movement? If anyone tries to play this divisive tendency down, he/she must be prevented.

In the last few days, lots of similar concepts, regarding Anna Hazare struggle, have come to the fore thanks to Muslim thinkers, journalists and even bloggers. And the name that comes to us before all is of Syed Ahmed Bukhari, Imam of Jama Masjid in Delhi. He advised Muslims to steer clear of Anna’s campaign since it was under leadership of Hindutva forces and was against the Muslim ethos too. Slogans, Vande Mataram and Bharat Mata ki Jai, chanted myriad times caused his ire.

He also stated in public Anna did not want to engage Muslims in the anti-corruption protests. "He could at least have met some leaders of the minority community and made references against communalism to make his campaign look more inclusive," he said.

Here is the definition of partisanship. It denotes an inclination to favor one group, view or opinion over alternatives. What are the views of Mr. Bukhari then? It is a blatant and partisan view. But he is not alone. Masoom Muradabadi, senior journalist has also stated alike views. As per him, Anna is dancing to the tune of RSS. He has also stated that leadership of Anna in line one, two or three are in hand of Hindutva minded people and no representation of OBC, Dalit and minorities in the leadership. Dr Mohammad Manzoor Alam, chief of All India Milli Council, considers Anna has been encircled by all kinds of fascists and devious characters.

Hamid Noomani, Secretary of Jamiat Ulema Hind, feels that the cause is genuine but the path Anna has chosen is not correct.

Maybe a few Muslims have contradictory views but they are minority and their thoughts are considered as blasphemous also. Hence, those are unworthy.

Leaders and newspapers do represent people and a society; aforesaid statements prove Anna Hazare, for not speaking of Muslim issues too, have antagonized Muslims in India.

Hail Independence Day of India

Does August 15 signify independence for Hindus in India too?

Today is August 15, 2011 and with it the whole of India has got heavily engaged to celebrate its 65 th prized independence or light and freedom that had come when the world was sleeping. But celebration of independence does not mean hoisting national flags in the vicinity and ending with cricket tournaments or making joyous picnics.

Independence does have a deeper meaning and unless a nation grasps it, its downfall becomes imminent. What we are witnessing at the moment is a steady downfall of India, slow but steady erosion of her values, cultural dignity, steadfastness – these three aspects are regarded as foundation of any nation’s independence. Where does India stand then? Where is the majority Hindu community in India standing then? These questions are hanging around in these days and must be answered.

Hindus made a glorious contribution in struggle against British imperialism and sacrificed in every form and everywhere to oust the fiendish dominance of almost two centuries. Hindus, taking inspirations from the clarion call of Swami Vivekananda and “Anandmath” of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, initiated revolutionary struggle in the Indian soil which soon earned a wide-reaching esteem. The fierce yet magnificent battle waged against British Raj subsided soon due to iniquitous deeds and mounting repressions of the alien government but Hindu-German conspiracy, hatched to uproot British remains unparallel, due to its intensity and excellence, even in the contemporary world.

Revolutionary movement was overshadowed, without doubt, by the non-violence movement under the aegis of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (alas Mahatma Gandhi) but participated mostly by Hindus. Well, to what extent non-violence movement became triumphant to snatch independence remains debatable but undoubtedly, combination of revolutionary and non-violence movements, under Hindu leaderships, played great roles to have independence from foreign control.

But the end did not become as expected by Hindus. Steady rise of Muslim League as the spokesperson of Muslim rights and its promotion into custodian of the same, especially after the emergence of Mohammed Ali Zinnah, in 1940s brought every Hindu desire to a standstill. Paltry presence of Muslims, exceedingly occupied to create an Islamic state of India always, in national liberation struggle stopped to matter anymore and what started to matter was its numerical presence and brawny strength along with aspirations to create a separate Muslim state called Pakistan.

Riots to have Pakistan expressed through Great Calcutta Killing – Direct Action Day on August 16, 1946 – and Noakhali pogrom against Hindus and counter-actions to those engulfed the whole of then Indian subcontinent. But this was not any ordinary riot – while one community (Islamic) was frantic to annihilate another one racially, the other one was trying to save itself desperately. And in the end Pakistan became a reality devouring millions of Hindus, if not more.

Have Hindus become independent after that? This is a crucial question. While a portion of Bengali Hindus still languish in Muslim dominated Bangladesh and are persecuted there day in and day out, fate of Kashmiri Hindus in India is no different. They, after being driven out of their homeland forcibly, have turned into mere refuges in the streets of Delhi. What has been done to them even after over two decades of forcible expulsion? The matter is still under consideration!

Had this taken place with Muslims in India what would have happened? Not to speak of building up a strong international opinion by secularists, government of India would simply have jumped to nurse the wounded Muslim psyche (without losing a second) apart from showering millions of money on them.

Who does emerge as victorious in Indian independence struggle then? It’s none but Muslims who virtually remained aloof from the nationwide struggle between 1905-1947. Apart from creating two independent Muslim dominions on two sides of Indian border, a chunk of Muslims remained in India and the same through flexing muscles recurrently is dominating modern Indian politics more and more.

Does this veracious reality portray any form of Hindu independence in India? Does August 15 signify independence for Hindus too? It’s the time to mull over this subject.

Secular and independent India through executing an assortment of bills, predominantly Hindu Code Bill, has made Hindus entirely effete. To save itself from further decay and above all destruction, Hindus have got to wage a new liberation struggle. And it must also come out from its age-old beliefs and start differentiating between State of India and its coveted motherland.

Contemporary India where they are regarded as second-grade citizens is not Hindus' own independent land.

It’s the time to re-assess Hindu Code Bill

Decades may pass but if anything (be it any notion or bill), introduced once, continues to affect a particular community incessantly, neither its source nor factors responsible for its enactment can be written off ever. Hindu Code Bill, passed in mid 1950s in India, alleged to unify Hindus and thus the whole of India, is still a controversial subject and is considered by many as a ploy to retain Hindus in a cocoon of pseudo nationalism and pseudo secularism. These thoughts did surface then too but a great section of Hindus having faith in the State structure refuted. After several decades it is being mulled over by pundits that the Bill has done more harm to Hindus.

Witnessing hapless situation of Hindus these days, some schools of thought nowadays comprehend the reality and also the myth of Hindu Unity through Hindu Code Bill nurtured smartly by Indian state structure. It is worthwhile to mention that four Hindu Code Bills were passed and these are Hindu Marriage Act (1955), Hindu Succession Act (1956), Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act (1956) and Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act (1956).

Here is a synopsis of Hindu Code Bill.

Hindu Code Bill, as per historians and legal experts, was aimed to render a civil code instead of a Hindu personal law. Well, such an idea did come up in British India too but the law was amended to a certain extent under the alien rule. On April 9, 1948 Hindu Code Bill was introduced to the Constituent Assembly for the first time but the following ruckus, raised by its antagonists, proved to be too heavy for the then Union Government of India. To make it easier and also to delude Hindus, the bill was fragmented to three more specialized bills. These were again introduced between 1955 and 1957.

Hindu Marriage Bill, in short, illegalized ancient Hindu tradition of polygamy and also contained provisions managing inter caste marriages and divorce procedures. Hindu Succession Bill, with regard to inheritance of family property, placed daughters similar to widows and sons. Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Bill concentrated on the saga of adoption of girls. Many Hindus considered these as blazing torches of liberalism. But even after 50 years of enactment of these bills, problems remain same. To be exact, they have become murkier than before and in this case, application of Hindu Code Bill, hurried and wrongly assessed, can’t be ruled out.

Hindu Code Bill faced sharp criticisms of Hindu nationalists including Dr. S.P. Mokerjee and N.C. Chatterjee as they considered such an act was not only an assault on Hindus but also a threat to stability and veracity of traditional forms of marriage and the family in Hindu society. Swami Karpatriji, highly revered sanyasi belonging to the Dandis, launched a mass struggle to call this move a halt.

Ram Rajya Parishad, his own political party, organized copious demonstrations against the Hindu Code Bill. 15,000 people did attend a week-long conference in Delhi at the beginning of 1949 and some of them were personalities like Princess of Dewas Senior (a former princely state in Central India).

What did infuriate the said two Hindu nationalist leaders from Bengal? They were annoyed since the civil law reform concerned Hindus only, while the Constitution instructed (in article 44 of the Directive Principles) the State to give India a uniform Civil Code. Dr. Mookerjee criticizing the bill fervidly stated "government did not dare to touch the Muslim community."

What did prevent Nehru from introducing a Muslim Code Bill? He, modern scholars suggest, was eager to turn himself as custodian of minority Muslims, including those who preferred to remain in India after partition.

Even Rajendra Prasad, elected as President of the Republic in 1950, was hurt by this notion for having 'new concepts and new ideas…. are not only foreign to Hindu Law but may cause disruption in every family'.

But Nehru was unstoppable and Hindu Code Bill continues to rule Hindus.

Is it a stigma? Has not the time come to reassess Hindu Code Bill once more and build up strong movements for its eradication, if necessary?

Noakhali genocide remains a forgotten event thanks to poor-spirited Bengali Hindus

It was Circa 70 when Jews became subject to religious persecution for the first time. Then ancient Roman Army destroyed Jerusalem, killed more than 1 million Jews, forced almost 100,000 Jews to become slaves and captives. Tens of thousands of Jews from Palestine were also dispersed to other sites in the Roman Empire. This saga of persecution ended with holocaust or mass murder of Jews under the German Nazi regime from 1941 until 1945.

Jews roamed across the globe for 2,000 years but none of such atrocities was disregarded ever. Each and every Jewish book expresses these as blackest days in their own history and the same concepts are transferred from one to the next generation.

How can Bengali Hindus fail to remember Noakhali episode then? Noakhali genocide or carnage, a series of Hindu massacres, abductions and forced conversions under the aegis of dominating Muslim community in districts of Noakhali and Tipperah of Chittagong Division of then undivided Bengal, continuing from October 10, 1946 to late November, shocked moral sense across the globe. The event not only sealed the fate of dreams of a free, undivided India but also of Bengali Hindus once and for all.

Without a shred of doubt, Bengali Hindu community, unlike Sikhs, has failed to recover from shocks of partition on the whole. It is deprived of power, be it political, social or philosophical, and is reeling under the threat of negationism at the moment.

Shall the said question be repeated yet again? Perhaps there is no such need; Bengali Hindus, through their incapacity to save, develop themselves gradually and exaggeration of knowledge dispiritedly for decades, have converted them into a laughing stock only.

Now the subject remains of the extent of tortures on Hindus in Noakhali.

Here are some excerpts.

“Worst of all was the plight of women. Several of them had to watch their husbands being murdered and then be forcibly converted and married to some of those responsible for their death. Those women had a dead look. It was not despair, nothing so active as that. It was blackness…….the eating of beef and declaration of allegiance to Islam has been forced upon many thousands of as the price of their lives” – written by Miss Muriel Leister, member of a relief committee sent to Noakhali, on 6th November, 1946,(V.V. Nagarkar – Genesis – p 446).

October 23, 1946 edition of Amrita Bazar Patrika stated clearly:

“For the 13th day today, about 120 villages in Ramganj, Lakshmipur, Raipur, Begumganj and Senbag thanas (police stations) in Noakhali district with a Hindu population of 90,000 and nearby 70,000 villagers in Chandpur and Faridganj thanas in Tippera (Comilla) district remained besieged by hooligans. Death stares the people of these areas in their face and immediate rushing of supply to these areas with the help of military, who alone could do it, would save the lives of these people, most of whom have been without food for the last few days.”

On 16/10/1946, The Statesman reported:

“In an area of about 200 sq miles the inhabitants surrounded by riotous mobs, are being massacred, their houses being burnt, their womenfolk being forcibly carried away and thousands being subjected to forcible conversion. Thousands of hooligans attacked the villages, compelled them (Hindus) to slaughter their cattle and eat. All places of worship in affected villages have been desecrated. The District Magistrate and the Police Superintendent of Noakhali took no step to prevent it.”

Noakhali carnage took place due to several factors, one of them was the need of Muslim vengeance to defeat in Great Calcutta Killing by Hindus. On October 10, 1946 the pogrom started with the rabble-rousing speech of Gulam Sarowar, an ex-M.L.A of Muslim League at Begumganj Bazar. A dreadful anti-Hindu speech by quoting verses of Quran exhorting Muslims to kill the Kafirs and idolators and perform religious duty was given. This was followed by violent assaults of Muslim mobs on Hindu properties, killings of hundreds of Hindus, rapes of Hindu women – a complete savagery.

When the correspondent of 'Amrit Bazaar Patrika' S.L.Ghosh reached noakhali, he reported:

"The horror of the Noakhali outrage is unique in modern history in that it was not a simple case of turbulent members of the majority community (Muslims) killing off helpless members of the minority Hindu community, but was one whose chief aim was mass conversion, accompanied by loot, arson and wholesale devastation... No section of the Hindu community has been spared, the wealthier classes being dealt with more drastically. Abduction and outrage of Hindu women and forcible marriages were also resorted. The slogans used and the methods employed indicate that it was all part of a plan for the simultaneous establishment of Pakistan."

But even after all these Noakhali carnage has become a forgotten event in history thanks to lily-livered Bengali Hindus. What can be said to them? Nonsense or inept to live in the world!