What can one expect from a State with its ruling party's philosophy so rooted in promoting fundamentalist ideology? The latest incident may have shocked the rest of India. But for those living in the coastal belt of Karnataka, it is just one in the series of many such incidents blotting the landscape.
They call themselves Sri Ram Sena and obviously are a fringe group of the larger Sangh Parivar. In the name of Lord Ram/ Rama, they unleash terror that resembles Taliban-style execution. BJP leader Rajnath has condemned it for posterity's sake and said he will hold discussions with the chief minister. Lip service. No clarity on what action they plan. Only 10 of the 40 vandalisers arrested. Mangalore, has witnessed riots before where Muslims have been targetted with no mercy.
Along with the coastal districts of Karwar and Udupi, the place has seen aggressive saffronisation in the last two decades. Spitting venom at anything non-Hindu and creating discord and violence have been the mainstay of politicians in this region, fuelled by the various religious heads who get BJP its Hindu votes. BJP may declare it has nothing to do with the group. How can one forget that it is thanks to its reign at the helm that they are bold enough to go about with their hooliganism!
I hardly have any faith in the BJP leadership that will at best wait for the outrage to die down and act as if nothing happened.
Most people may not like it. But I as a citizen find their indoctrinated actions identical to Islamic extremism. And the veiled fundamentalism within Christian organisations. We don't need a Taliban in India. Taliban exists here in all corners, and varying forms. And I must say, across religions.
I also find it very similar to what Raj Thackeray practises now and what Bal Thackeray preached and has been inflicting all these years - albeit in the name of language. They are all branches of the same tree.
Going by religious logic, they named themselves Sri Ram Sena. It should mean to protect the cause of Lord Rama. Rama was not an activist. He eulogised what it meant to be a good human being - an obedient son, a devoted husband (who nevertheless dumped his wife), a doting brother and a principled leader who ensured the safety of citizens in his government.
On the contrary, groups such as these have decided to make it unsafe for citizens, particularly women. The Mangalore incident probably has threads that run deeper. Secretly, the members (that's too respectful for their horrendous deed!) have only become happy for all the publicity they've garnered. So will they come out in public and say they will kill people just like the Taliban does? Or go ahead, attack people, kill and then say they did not do it?
About a year back, Raj Thackeray's goons began to pick on taxi-drivers out to earn their bread, far lesser than what he enjoys and hit them in the open while his wife watched over from their balcony. Soon his terror was unleashed and he continues to spit venom.
Five years back, it was the turn of Kannada Rakshana Vedike people who could not tolerate the release of movies in languages other than Kannada. And so vandalised theatres, sent cinema hall owners running for cover, and made watching films the most unsafe thing for a few weeks.
Now these men have picked up women who could not defend themselves, who had to run for cover for `violating Indian values'. And what were these men doing? Protecting Indian values? I think the very essence of Hinduism is tolerance.
By abusing and molesting women in public, they claim to uphold Indian values? They were doing something most un-Indian! What do they expect women should do in the name of values? Lock themselves up at home? Would they do this to their wives, sisters and mothers too?
In Karnataka, the reigning chief minister Yediyurappa fell at the feet of all and sundry godmen who hold enormous clout in their respective territories (read castes). And appeased them well too, once he got power. I dreaded the day BJP would come to power in Karnataka. And knew they and their fringe groups would unleash terror, only to wash their hands off soon. And sing self-praise of `development'.
Lord Rama does not need these people to protect his ideals. It is they who misuse his name for their own selfish gains. Those who suffer in the bargain are people braving the streets for their livelihood.
PS: Wondering aloud: Why are the channels calling them activists? Gives them some legitimacy. Why can they not call them hooligans?
1 comment:
so agree with you radhika - the last thing that the press ought to be doing is adding an air or legitimacy to the behaviour of these ghoondas by referring to them as 'activists'. call them thugs, hooligans, goons, whatever you will, but activists they most certainly are not...
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