Avoiding answers
Tarun Vijay

We appreciate that Lady Nadira Naipaul had the courage of conviction to raise issues about Ram and Sita (The Tribune, Jan 19) before our Deputy Prime Minister in a public function, in spite of being a non-Hindu and a non-Indian. This is a question nagging us since centuries of Islamic invasions. But when answer was sought, she indulged in pasting labels, an old Communist practice to sidetrack the main issue.

Her statement that she feels like being in Pakistan was a sick joke. In the mullahdom of Pakistan, if she had dared to raise a question about the symbols of the highest reverence of the majority people, a different response would have waited her. It is only in India, a Hindu majority country, that she can raise questions about Ram and Sita and still be our honoured guest. And exactly this freedom is being misused.

A false secularism has been protecting and encouraging separatism in the name of minority rights. Anything anti-Hindu wrapped in a reformist attitude, modernism and left-progressivism etc. is acceptable to a neo-colonialist mindset controlling a powerful section of the media. This attitude is slowly pushing Hindus to the wall and sometimes making them behave in an Islamic way. It will be really unfortunate if they begin to feel that unless they react in Islamic manner, these “seculars” and the Mullah-Marxist combine won’t listen to them. They are made to look apologetic to get back temples of highest reverence demolished by the foreign invaders. Because the Mullah-Marxist combine has made it difficult for the Indian Muslims to divorce the hate psyche of the invaders who happened to belong to the same faith. So, a faithful has to support a religious fellow, even if he is an invader, a bad strange foreigner. Why is it so? Is this not the mentality which breeds separatism and allows Jihad to grow? Many amongst Hindus consider Ram and Sita as great human beings and not as Gods and nobody bothers. Is this too much to expect?

We respect her because she has supported Sir Vidia, whom we admire for his literary genius and a deep Indian affinity. It’s unfair to say, as Lady Naipaul has alleged, that we are looking for a ‘mentor’ in him. It simply shows a complete lack of understanding and even basic knowledge about the Hindutva school of thought, on her part. We draw inspiration from Guru Gobind Singh, Swami Vivekananda, Dr. Hedgewar and Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya. Our admiration for Sir Vidia is definitely not to engage him as our advocate or a defender. Hindutva is quite capable of defending itself and does not solicit any apologist or a hesitant “convert” as a show boy. Lady Naipaul should stop to be an apologist for Sir Vidia’s views. He is like Himalaya to us. We may have a debate on many of his ideas but we like him for being just what he is.

The writer is Editor, Panchajanya, an RSS publication brought out from New Delhi.