Dear Madam Madhu
It was a pleasure to read your response to the article written by Teesta Shetalwad and Javed Anand. For the first time, someone from the MSM lent a voice to what was being said in the Social media from a long time. It is a proof enough that the mansion of lies, created and nurtured by vested interests is crumbling down fast. Yet, this is just a beginning, and I would like to raise a few other aspects regarding this. You do interact frankly with social media people, and thus this letter is addressed to you.
The last few days have been truly extraordinary for the social fabric of India. Many things of enormous importance have happened, that it is impossible to discuss each of them in detail. I want to mention them in the context of equal treatment of the different parts of our society. Let me start with your article to Teesta itself.
You have correctly pointed out that the laws cannot be different for Hindus and Muslims, and both ought to be treated equally by the constitution, and hence the police. Apart from the applaud, you did receive a lot of criticism as well from many quarters of journalists. What was the main arguments of the critics? That you wanted police to fire, so that more Muslims get killed! This argument was peddled not only by Muslim critics, who are used to play the victim, but also from the prominent section of our "secular liberal" media! Such barbs immediately bring anyone on the backfoot, and are reduced to explain that they are "peace-loving" people in the first place! This has been the modus-operandi of the "secular liberal intelligentsia" from a long time, and under the sweeping generalization, they keep on branding RSS as fascists, right wing extremists etc. They have been alleged for trying to help the NE students with sinister motives, where no one has dared to point finger to the actual culprits! Azad Maidan example is nothing when compared to this.
In Azad Maidan, not only the Police Commissioner refused to arrest anyone at the spot, it has not been done till date,despite the open violence. Raza Academy has not been given any show cause notice. Not only in Mumbai, there were violent protests in Lucknow, where Buddha statue was broken. Any action there? Remember, in Anna Hazare fast, a few people misbehaved with media, and how the media went hyperbolic with it? Why they all went silent in Mumbai, Lucknow and Assam? Did you hear any voice of protest from any prominent media personality? Did you hear any term called "Violent Muslims" used for them?
In Azad maidan they were not stopped from getting violent. Why? If they were stopped, they would have got even more violent. This is a well known pattern, this is what Teesta was referring to. The police commissioner also knows that, hence he was being practical.
Actually, Azad Maidan is just a tiny example of unequal treatment of the difference sections of Indians. If you want worthy examples, I put down a few of them here.
Take a look at the tweet from the editor in chief of CNN-IBN, reacting to the twitter trend #antihindumedia. Many similar insinuating tweets can be shown from him or his deputy editor, ridiculing Hindus all the time. Can you imagine the same person, or any other from mainstream media to tweet as
"Din me 5 baar namaz padho, usme time mile to picture morph karo, and logo ko bharka ke bus and OB Van jalao, murti toro, pathar feko".
You remarked sarcastically that you are ready to be an "Internet Hindu" for the sake of uniform standards. The lady who coined this term, and who is recently pontificating that "no religion should be abused", tweeted Lord Rama as "divine encroacher",probably in the context of Babri dispute. Similarly, in the context of Muslim marriage laws and reforms, can she tweet about Mohammed as "someone who consummated his marriage with a 9 year old child", so that his example should not be followed? Forget this, I dare to point a single tweet of "liberals", who cannot criticize Islamic fundamentalism other than in the words "extremists are on both sides".
On the pretext of NE exodus, the GOI took another unprecedented steps of censoring the Internet. The intention was present from a long time, the NE episode provided a ready excuse. And whom did they actually block? All 16 profiles blocked were argumentative Hindus, who criticize government and do not spread hate in any way. Sangh Parivar was blocked. Not a single Muslim profile touched, who are far more sinister. Check out twitter of Majlis e Ittehadul Muslimeen, who actually bad mouthed Indian army. Why this double standard? Why government is afraid to touch real culprits, and pounces upon even not guilty Hindus? Why Hindus are taken for granted?
Did any media personality raise their voice against this blatant violation of basic rights of the common man? The people who are supporting Teesta Shetalwad are the same who are silent among this ghastly act of the government. Its almost certain that the block list itself was made by these media people. What options do the common man have when both the Government and the media joins hands to suppress the voice of them? What could he do if the block was really effective, and journalists name were not involved?
The twitter list was criticized only because the names of two prominent journalists, @shivaroor and @KanchanGupta figured in it. Shri B Raman wrote his opinion piece, giving a certificate to Kanchan Gupta that he is indeed a patriot and does not deserved to be blocked. What about the 14 other handles? Who is ready to stand up for them? Any one ready to certify that they also are patriots, and not anti-national? If the two journalists would not have figured, the media would have happily reported that 14 "hate-mongering rightwing" profiles have been blocked. There would have been editorials to justify such a ban to keep "peace" in the society. The media celebs are feigning their ignorance over any such attempt, and are actually actively helping the government. More than the government, it is those media personalities who want the rights of the common man to be snatched away, because it has questioned their wisdom and threatened their authority.
The question before us is not if such a double standard exists, question is why does it exists? As per my understanding, the reason lies in the very strong tendency of violence in them, which actually emanates from some of the verses and their interpretations. Those verses enable something as ridiculous as fatwas being dished out to the society as a whole. Many people don't get affected by it, many do. Unless there is a social reform among them against the chains of those verses, the violent tendency will continue to exist. This single factor is responsible and explains for the persecution of minorities in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and any other place where they are in Majority. One shudders to think about India, if they become majority here someday!
All religions have some good and bad things in them. Social reform which enables them to get free from the clutches of such verses are missing in the Muslim society. 200 years ago hinduism had many bad customs, but they started to reform. It is time for Muslims to start on this path. Yes it will start with their education out of Madarsas, but it needs to go beyond that. Unfortunately, I do not see even the educated Muslims making their voices audible and vocal.
The problem with India is in the name of being liberal, people refuse to recognize that such a problem exists in the first place. The present day Dhritrashtra, sitting in Hastinapur, is not only blind, but also deaf and dumb this time. The Shakuni, imported from Italy, is only plotting to make her retarded son sit on the throne. The other Kaurvas are busy in plundering, raping and looting the nation without any shame. Most of the media people seem to be vying to snatch a pie out of it. Pandavas are few, and they are being threatened one way or the other. The arrogant king has declared a war by snatching away the free speech of common man "officially". But this time, fortunately the Mahabharata can be fought over media space, blogs and twitters. It can be limited to a war of ideas, through the weapon of criticism. I hope that truth will prevail this time also. With your last piece, you showed your solidarity with what is emotionally dear to me, and as a common man, I thank you immensely for that. I hope that in the future as well, you will keep raising your powerful voice against the double standard which has pervaded our policy to a deep extent.
Thank you very much.
An Internet Hindu
It was a pleasure to read your response to the article written by Teesta Shetalwad and Javed Anand. For the first time, someone from the MSM lent a voice to what was being said in the Social media from a long time. It is a proof enough that the mansion of lies, created and nurtured by vested interests is crumbling down fast. Yet, this is just a beginning, and I would like to raise a few other aspects regarding this. You do interact frankly with social media people, and thus this letter is addressed to you.
The last few days have been truly extraordinary for the social fabric of India. Many things of enormous importance have happened, that it is impossible to discuss each of them in detail. I want to mention them in the context of equal treatment of the different parts of our society. Let me start with your article to Teesta itself.
You have correctly pointed out that the laws cannot be different for Hindus and Muslims, and both ought to be treated equally by the constitution, and hence the police. Apart from the applaud, you did receive a lot of criticism as well from many quarters of journalists. What was the main arguments of the critics? That you wanted police to fire, so that more Muslims get killed! This argument was peddled not only by Muslim critics, who are used to play the victim, but also from the prominent section of our "secular liberal" media! Such barbs immediately bring anyone on the backfoot, and are reduced to explain that they are "peace-loving" people in the first place! This has been the modus-operandi of the "secular liberal intelligentsia" from a long time, and under the sweeping generalization, they keep on branding RSS as fascists, right wing extremists etc. They have been alleged for trying to help the NE students with sinister motives, where no one has dared to point finger to the actual culprits! Azad Maidan example is nothing when compared to this.
In Azad Maidan, not only the Police Commissioner refused to arrest anyone at the spot, it has not been done till date,despite the open violence. Raza Academy has not been given any show cause notice. Not only in Mumbai, there were violent protests in Lucknow, where Buddha statue was broken. Any action there? Remember, in Anna Hazare fast, a few people misbehaved with media, and how the media went hyperbolic with it? Why they all went silent in Mumbai, Lucknow and Assam? Did you hear any voice of protest from any prominent media personality? Did you hear any term called "Violent Muslims" used for them?
In Azad maidan they were not stopped from getting violent. Why? If they were stopped, they would have got even more violent. This is a well known pattern, this is what Teesta was referring to. The police commissioner also knows that, hence he was being practical.
Actually, Azad Maidan is just a tiny example of unequal treatment of the difference sections of Indians. If you want worthy examples, I put down a few of them here.
- Hindu religious and charitable endowment act
- Existence of Muslim personal laws
- Proposed communal violence bill
- Shahbano judgement
- Haj Subsidy
- The glaring media bias
Kashmiri Pandits were driven out violently from their homeland. Did anyone shed a tear for them? But Sagarika and Barkha etc justify Bangladeshi immigrants by giving stupid logics like "Indians are also in other countries". Why so much of double standard, which goes against national security and integration? Why are they happy to pay such a big price?
Let's move on to twitter for further examples.
Let's move on to twitter for further examples.
Subah Gayatri mantra Padho, din mein gaali do, raat ko nafrat paida karo! Good luck to such twitterati! Enjoy the day.
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) August 22, 2012
Take a look at the tweet from the editor in chief of CNN-IBN, reacting to the twitter trend #antihindumedia. Many similar insinuating tweets can be shown from him or his deputy editor, ridiculing Hindus all the time. Can you imagine the same person, or any other from mainstream media to tweet as
"Din me 5 baar namaz padho, usme time mile to picture morph karo, and logo ko bharka ke bus and OB Van jalao, murti toro, pathar feko".
You remarked sarcastically that you are ready to be an "Internet Hindu" for the sake of uniform standards. The lady who coined this term, and who is recently pontificating that "no religion should be abused", tweeted Lord Rama as "divine encroacher",probably in the context of Babri dispute. Similarly, in the context of Muslim marriage laws and reforms, can she tweet about Mohammed as "someone who consummated his marriage with a 9 year old child", so that his example should not be followed? Forget this, I dare to point a single tweet of "liberals", who cannot criticize Islamic fundamentalism other than in the words "extremists are on both sides".
On the pretext of NE exodus, the GOI took another unprecedented steps of censoring the Internet. The intention was present from a long time, the NE episode provided a ready excuse. And whom did they actually block? All 16 profiles blocked were argumentative Hindus, who criticize government and do not spread hate in any way. Sangh Parivar was blocked. Not a single Muslim profile touched, who are far more sinister. Check out twitter of Majlis e Ittehadul Muslimeen, who actually bad mouthed Indian army. Why this double standard? Why government is afraid to touch real culprits, and pounces upon even not guilty Hindus? Why Hindus are taken for granted?
Did any media personality raise their voice against this blatant violation of basic rights of the common man? The people who are supporting Teesta Shetalwad are the same who are silent among this ghastly act of the government. Its almost certain that the block list itself was made by these media people. What options do the common man have when both the Government and the media joins hands to suppress the voice of them? What could he do if the block was really effective, and journalists name were not involved?
The twitter list was criticized only because the names of two prominent journalists, @shivaroor and @KanchanGupta figured in it. Shri B Raman wrote his opinion piece, giving a certificate to Kanchan Gupta that he is indeed a patriot and does not deserved to be blocked. What about the 14 other handles? Who is ready to stand up for them? Any one ready to certify that they also are patriots, and not anti-national? If the two journalists would not have figured, the media would have happily reported that 14 "hate-mongering rightwing" profiles have been blocked. There would have been editorials to justify such a ban to keep "peace" in the society. The media celebs are feigning their ignorance over any such attempt, and are actually actively helping the government. More than the government, it is those media personalities who want the rights of the common man to be snatched away, because it has questioned their wisdom and threatened their authority.
The question before us is not if such a double standard exists, question is why does it exists? As per my understanding, the reason lies in the very strong tendency of violence in them, which actually emanates from some of the verses and their interpretations. Those verses enable something as ridiculous as fatwas being dished out to the society as a whole. Many people don't get affected by it, many do. Unless there is a social reform among them against the chains of those verses, the violent tendency will continue to exist. This single factor is responsible and explains for the persecution of minorities in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and any other place where they are in Majority. One shudders to think about India, if they become majority here someday!
All religions have some good and bad things in them. Social reform which enables them to get free from the clutches of such verses are missing in the Muslim society. 200 years ago hinduism had many bad customs, but they started to reform. It is time for Muslims to start on this path. Yes it will start with their education out of Madarsas, but it needs to go beyond that. Unfortunately, I do not see even the educated Muslims making their voices audible and vocal.
The problem with India is in the name of being liberal, people refuse to recognize that such a problem exists in the first place. The present day Dhritrashtra, sitting in Hastinapur, is not only blind, but also deaf and dumb this time. The Shakuni, imported from Italy, is only plotting to make her retarded son sit on the throne. The other Kaurvas are busy in plundering, raping and looting the nation without any shame. Most of the media people seem to be vying to snatch a pie out of it. Pandavas are few, and they are being threatened one way or the other. The arrogant king has declared a war by snatching away the free speech of common man "officially". But this time, fortunately the Mahabharata can be fought over media space, blogs and twitters. It can be limited to a war of ideas, through the weapon of criticism. I hope that truth will prevail this time also. With your last piece, you showed your solidarity with what is emotionally dear to me, and as a common man, I thank you immensely for that. I hope that in the future as well, you will keep raising your powerful voice against the double standard which has pervaded our policy to a deep extent.
Thank you very much.
An Internet Hindu
Very well written response.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteNicely done. Those who masquerade as liberals have been exposed. !!
ReplyDeleteI would like to add a few points. You have mentioned that Muslims should start on the path of reform. Unfortunately Islam and reformation are oxymorons. Arun Shourie explains in The World of Fatwas that Ijtihad (re-interpretation of Quran) was prohibited long back. Attempts by Maulana Azad and others to give a generous interpretation have failed miserably. Unfortunately Muslims do not want to participate in the modern Kurushetra which is fought over media space. See how they succeeded in stopping the repeat telecast of The Untold Story in Channel of UK.
ReplyDeleteAnother point I want to make relates to B Raman. While he is right in this case for defending Kanchan Gupta, Raman is known for his intolerance to twitteraties. He calls them Modi's storm troopers. In one of his recent articles he says Modi's entourage (IT savvy bloggers/ twiterraties) is suspect and that is the reason that Modi should not win the next election!
Your description of modern Mahabharat is very good.
Thank you for your comment.
ReplyDeleteIslam and reforms don't go along. Yet there is no other peaceful way. A way to reform will have to be find out. One of the means could be mass apostasy. That may force a reinterpretation. With the most recent happenings, I feel it could be a possibility. A common sensible muslim must be seeing how violent their fellow beings can get, and it may forcefully open their eyes.
B Raman is a congress chamcha. He has been in RAW, and tries to present his views "logically". Yet all of it fails when he discusses Priyanka Vadra and Modi. As someone holding an official position after retirement, its not very hard to see his own vested interests. He can't defend his opinion logically, and its sad to see our national security is in the hands of people who put party above nation.
Molitics- Media of Politics is a platform of all the political happenings. You can get Political News, Election Results and details of Politicians, you want on a single click through this app
ReplyDeleteSource: https://www.molitics.in/