Protocols of Hindu Hypocrisy

Lucio Mascarenhas.

"Bandra Meet Raises VHP’s Hackles"

TOI Bombay, February 14, 2004. Page 2.

TNN, Bombay: Pracher Benny Hinn’s "Pray for India" meet scheduled to begin in the city on Friday, has raised the hackles of not only the Catholic Church but the Vishwa Hindu Parishad as well. VHP activists, besides filing a police complaint, have warned that they will take action at the venue if anything objectionable is said about the Hindu religion or India.

The complaint, filed with the commissioner of police, demands that the police investigate two things: whether the preacher is misusing a tourist visa and what the source of his funding is. It also stresses that should there be an attempt at conversion, it should be stopped immediately. "Top police officials have assured us that the event will be monitored closely and action will be taken if necessary," says Arun Handa of the Bombay VHP.

Alleging that the purpose fo the rally is religious conversion, the VHP cities Mr. Hinn’s background - which they claim is evangelistic - as proof. "In a secular country like India, such conventions are in clear violation of secularism," says a spokesperson.

Bajrang Dal activist Sandeep Tondapurkar declares that the organisers need to clarify hat praying for India means.

My Comments

In a secular country like India, citizens holding a Christian revival meet is a violation of secularism. So says the VHP.

But, of course, there are certain other things that DO NOT constitute violation of Secularism: Conduct of Pujas, Havans, and the like, Satyanarayan Pooja, etc., on and in public places, buildings, facilities, in Railway Stations, Police Stations, Government owned Banks and businesses, government offices, etc., etc., and at public expense.

Similarly, the installation of Hindu idols and icons and the worship thereof, in public places, buildings, facilities, in Railway Stations, Police Stations, Government owned Banks and businesses, government offices, etc., etc., and at public expense.

Similarly, the imposition of Yoga, a Hindu religious system of exercise and meditation on school children at and in government aided schools or in government schools, etc., and at public expense.

Similarly, the imposition of Astrology or Jyotish Vigyan on the Universities of India by the NDA government through the Universities Grants Commission, etc., and at public expense.

Perish the thought. None of these is violative of secularism. That is because "Violation of Secularism" is something that only Christians and other non-Hindus are capable of, something that is inherent to them, something they just cannot avoid. But Hindus are physically incapable of violating Secularism.

"Sena TO Keep Tabs On Hotels"

TOI Bombay, February 14, 2004. Page 2.

by Ambarish Mishra, TNN. Bombay: Shiv Sena activists from south Bombay will visit five star hotels and restaurants on Saturday to tear up cards and pull down posters with reference to Valentine’s Day.

"We are not opposed to the idea of celebrating the spirit of love. So, "I Love You" cards and posters are okay by us. But we will not tolerate any mention of that foreign saint," chief of the Sena’s south Bombay wing Bala Kalsekar told TNN on Friday. "Hotels and restaurants which do not follow our instructions will be dealt with in our way," he warned.

Party functionary Sanjay Sawant said, "There are over 126 big and small hotels in Colaba alone. Plus, there are shops which sell cards. Sena shakas have been told to keep tabs on these establishments."

Earlier in the day, sainiks from Colaba felicitated the managers of Satyam, Archies and Asiatic — popular stores near Churchgate — for not stacking Valentine’s Day cards. Several shopkeepers in Chira Bazar, too, were complimented. The managers were given flowers and a pat — a friendly one, please — by St. Valentine’s arch rivals.

"Our objection is to the term ‘Valentine’s Day’ and we will honour Sena chief Bal Thackeray’s instructions in this matter," said Kalsekar.

My Comment

Today it is "that foreign priest". Tomorrow, is it going to be "those foreign religions"? What is the Shiv Sena’s exact peeve? Is it the obscenity and promiscuity that goes along with St. Valentine’s Day? Not possible, or else they would have been in a sweat to ban Navratri and the Garba Dance. The Navratri festival is notorious for its sexual suggestiveness and for the fact that a great many girls end up with pre-marital pregnancies, making a beeline to the Abortoirs of Bombay. St. Valentine’s Day, by contrast, was designed to prevent sexual suggestiveness and promiscuity. It is only after the Protestant Schism and the Revolutions in Europe and the West that this Day has been profanised once again.

The Shiv Sena has clarified that its objections are not to sexual suggestiveness and promiscuity, but to "that foreign saint".

But in attacking the Catholic Saint Valentine, revered by Catholics and by many Protestants such as the Anglicans, the Shiv Sena and the Sangh Parivar attack Catholicism and Christianity.

So, I ask: What's next? All our churches are named after "foreign saints" — Our Lady, St. Michael, St. Peter, St. Paul, St. John, St. Thomas, St. Francis Xavier...

Our God, Jesus Christ, was an Israelite, a Jew, therefore, perforce, a "foreigner".

"Uma Bharti’s Move Raises Unholy Row"

TOI Bombay, February 14, 2004. Page 5.

[See also 'Sale of Non-Veg. Food To Be Banned in Maheshwar']

by Suchandana Gupta, TNN, Maheshwar: Half this town’s population is afraid it will lose their livelihood, as sanyasin Uma Bharti’s government is working on bringing an ordinance declaring Maheshwar and Amarkantak to be holy sites — where the public sale of meat, eggs, fish and liquor will be banned within the urban limits.

Of the total population of 15,000 in this town — in Khandwa district, 400 k.m. southwest of Bhopal — are 4,500 Muslims and 5,000 belong to the fishing community.

Cabinet minister Kailash Vijayavargiya’s declaration that after the ordinance is passed no public consumption or sale of non-vegetarian products will be permitted within the urban limits has already become a source of social and communal tension, with Muslims arguing that the community will sacrifice goats and buffaloes during Bakrid every year, because it is a matter of their faith.

The fishing community too is dismayed. "For thousands of years, this town has been a holy city and till now no ruler, not even Ahilyabai Holkar stopped the sale of meat and fish," said Ratan Shivde, a fisherman and resident of Sardar Patel Marg Macchli Bazar. He said that as the town is situated on the banks of the River Narmada fishing is amajor means of earning a livelihood especially as 75 per cent of the population is non-vegetarian. "What happens to our livelihood now?" he asked.

Both the Muslim and Kahar (fishermen) communities have petitioned the district administration. "We met the District Collector because no one till now has come from the state government to speak to us," said Ganesh Pita Nana, of the fishing community. "The collector said no order has reached his office yet. We have made it clear we are not willing to go out of city limits to pursue our business."

Fish and meat traders say that if they are forced to do business outside the city limits it will bring them into social conflicts with the tribals who dominate the rural belt surrounding these towns.

"Animal Sacrifice Is The Tradition Here"

TNN, Maheshwar: Apart from the Muslims, different Hindu communities of this town also sacrifice animals during festivals.

During the festivals of Kali Chaudast and the ashtami and navami days of the Nav Durga festival, Hindus of the ‘majhi’ community sacrifice 2,500 hens and 50 goats for each festival. The fishing community also sacrifice 8 to 10 goats on the banks of the Narmada twice a year, once during Diwali and then during asari ghyaras, observed in the monsoon season.

My Comment

Uh-Huh! Did I just hear some Sangh Parivarak talk of India’s Secularism? I must have misheard. Madame Uma Bharti, Chief Minister of Madhya-Pradesh, does not believe that India is a secular state. She believes that it is a Hindu state, where non-Hindus are second-class, non-citizens…
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