“As devoted Hindus, the responsibility lies with us to honour and protect our Hindu pride”: Thoughts of an ardent Hindu and a proud nationalist

A few days ago, out of sheer curiosity, I googled a title which had been resonating in my mind for quite a while: “Saving the self-respect of Hindus in today’s India”. 

Somewhere inside I already knew that what was going emerge on the screen would hardly surprise me and that is exactly what happened. A whopping 80 per cent of search result came up with headings such as: “Hindutva: an assault on Hinduism, “Rise of Hindu vigilante”, “Secularism under danger, and so on. 

Now I do not know whether it was because of Google’s search algorithmic compulsions or something else that the results which popped up were completely antithetical to the title I searched; a technical expert is best suited to throw light on that. But setting aside technicalities, the google search result - at a purely intellectual level - pretty much reflects the perception and mentality of those who live in a liberal-secular bubble. Their motive is to create a vicious atmosphere in India wherein talking about the rights and dignity of Hindus is considered tantamount to putting non-Hindu communities, especially Muslims, in jeopardy.  

Today when I look back at the unspeakable atrocities my Kashmiri Pandit community faced at the hands of Islamists, because we chose to protect our identity and self-respect instead of bowing to the Wahabi diktat, and compare it to the current scenario - I feel that Hindus continue to be chastised for standing up for their rights, albeit in a different manner altogether. 

From the gun in Kashmir in the 90s to the spread of intellectual poison against Hindus in India in the present times, the appearance of the problem may have changed but its nature remains the same. 

One pertinent recent example in this regard that comes to mind is the Ram Mandir bhoomi pujan in Ayodhya last month. It is an absolute shame that after years and years of relentless struggle to make the Hindu dream of building a Ram Mandir on Ram Janmabhoomi finally came true, the joy of the momentous occasion was accompanied by a latent worry to ensure communal harmony in the country as though the Hindu community had committed a felony by honouring their God. 

The question that jolts me, every time I see the Hindu-hating lobby making preposterous claims that there is an attempt to imperil the rights of Indian Muslims, is: whether we have allowed ourselves to drift into this situation? 

One does not need to go too far back in history to conclude that the answer to the question posed above is unfortunately a resounding yes. The developments of this year easily suggest that while the collective conscience of ardent Hindus has been given the respect it deserves, the deeper malaise remains untreated. 

By deeper malaise, I refer to the dangerous philosophy of those pseudo-secular fake-liberal Hindus - some of whom are driven by their flawed theories while others by their vested interests - who are trying to ensure that as a community we remain divided instead of working in unison to protect our rights and beliefs.

The participation of those Hindus in the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests, and their role in the propagation of a false narrative of Islamophobia post the Supreme Court’s verdict on Ram Mandir in November 2019, has established the sad reality that as one community we stand more disunited today than we have ever been before.

In addition to fighting the battle for our honour against Islamists and Hindu-haters, as devoted Hindus, we also regularly receive brickbats from our own misguided fellow Hindus. Hence, a double whammy. 

The misplaced agitation against CAA earlier this year, which had the sinister motive to bring the country to a standstill to satisfy the whims and fancies of a certain section, was surely not planned and executed by non-Hindus alone. In Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh protests, which gradually became the hotbed of the anti-CAA agitation, it was not merely the dadis and the nanis stationed at the protest site, accusing the government of injustice against Muslims. Scores of pseudo-secular Hindus overtly and covertly supported that sham of a campaign. 

As a staunch Hindu nationalist, I could not have felt more pained and disgusted when I witnessed compassionless Hindus lambasting a new law introduced by the Modi government which would give Indian citizenship to our Hindu brothers and sisters who fled from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh due to religious persecution. 

On the historic day of laying the foundation stone of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, the social media was abuzz with hateful and mocking reactions from pseudo-secular Hindus - some of those people from “elite” backgrounds while others just following the trend to look “cool”. They made an absurd declaration that the era of Hindu hegemony and obliteration of minority rights in India has begun. Not that it damaged my enthusiasm or that of millions of my devout Hindu compatriots but it was most certainly an eyesore.  

The thought that perplexes me since that day until today as I write this piece is: How does our devotion to Lord Ram become a thorn in their flesh? How could it possibly become a thorn in anybody’s flesh who identifies himself/herself as a Hindu? 

Why do not these people, who feel so disconnected from Hinduism and, at the same time, ashamed to carry out their duties towards Hinduism, renounce the religion? The law of the land does not bind them to Hinduism or, for that matter, any other religion. But if they identify themselves as Hindus, then they are morally duty-bound to feel proud about the August 5 ceremony in Ayodhya rather than insulting or ridiculing it.

But at the same time, credit must be given where credit is due. Within the non-Hindu Indian communities, especially Muslims, the camaraderie and cohesiveness are extremely high and the reverence they have for their religion is even higher. They deserve to be applauded for it. It works brilliantly for them while making their demands or following their beliefs, religious or otherwise. 

But the same cannot be said about the Hindu community, which today seems more fragmented than ever. When a barbaric incident, like the lynching of Hindu Sadhus in Palghar, happens, it comes as a personal blow for those of us who see it as an attack on Hinduism. But the pseudo-secular Hindus who vehemently support ludicrous agitations in the name of secularism remain mute when our Hindu saints are butchered. 

This brings me back to my earlier question - has the Hindu community allowed itself to drift into this situation? Food for thought!

In the end, I can unequivocally state that the responsibility lies entirely with us to honour and protect our Hindu pride. 

image-source : business-standard.com

 

 

Why I am proud of my Prime Minister Narendra Modi today and everyday

 

Recently when Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted a video on his social media handles in which he was seen feeding and interacting with peacocks during his morning exercise at his Lok Kalyan Marg residence in New Delhi, it got me thinking about when I developed a genuine feeling that this man had the vision and the mettle to change India’s destiny. 

Being a Kashmiri Pandit and a staunch nationalist, my respect and adulation for PM Modi gained new heights when Article 370 was neutralised in August 2020 and a new path for Naya Kashmir was carved out. For me and thousands of other KPs who are victims of ethnic cleansing and genocide, the scrapping of the draconian law brought a sense of justice after three decades and a renewed hope for a safe and dignified return to Kashmir. This historic step that came as a result of Modi’s unflinching resolve is extremely close to my heart at a personal level. 

But purely as a neutral observer of Narendra Modi, his conviction and aura struck me for the first time as that of somebody who could fight the unholy forces and lead the nation on the road to prosperity, when during the 2007 Hindustan Times Leadership Summit he gave a befitting response to a series of preposterous questions posed by a famous TV journalist of leftist and anti-BJP leanings. 

This was much before Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister of India and ultimately a global icon. It was when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat - a regional stalwart who had all the makings of a powerful national leader. At that point in time millions of Indians, including myself, were desperate for a change and Narendra Modi came across as the best alternative by far. He simply had no competition. 

Incidentally, while we Kashmiri Pandits were trying to gather our broken pieces after the forced exodus from the valley in the early 90s, Narendra Modi had begun his political career in Gujarat around the same period. His mission was to consolidate the Bharatiya Janata Party’s base in the state. Modi turned out to be a major force behind the BJP’s electoral rise in Gujarat. From winning seats in double digits in the 1990 Assembly Elections, the party went on to win a majority of 121 seats in the 182-member Legislative Assembly in the 1995 Gujarat polls. Modi was one of the chief architects of the party’s stellar performance in the state in the mid-90s. Later on, it was no looking back for him as he went on to serve as the Gujarat Chief Minister from 2001-14. 

Modi’s political astuteness and brilliant leadership skills made Gujarat a BJP bastion which continues to date. It was the Gujarat model that emboldened the faith of the masses across India in the Modi institution of governance that eventually brought an end to the Congress-led UPA’s tenure (2004-14) laden with misgovernance, corruption, and apathy.

Back in the day, nobody could have imagined that a party worker, who started off as the BJP’s organisation secretary for Gujarat in 1987 when the party had merely 12 MLAs in the state assembly, would go on to become the chief of the Government of India in 2014.

A gifted orator, a thorough administrator, a natural leader, a workaholic, and so on - Narendra Modi possesses the highest acumen and the credentials to be the captain of the ship. But what makes him such a phenomenon among the many Prime Ministers India has had since independence?

If I were to underscore one special facet of his personality that distinguishes him from the rest, it is his astounding ability to proudly assert his humble beginnings both in his personal life as a tea-seller and in his public life as an average RSS cadre. Modi’s extraordinary story of struggle, endurance, and achievements resonates with me and millions of others who have toiled in their lives to accomplish their goals. With no dynastic legacy behind him, Modi epitomises the image of the true Aam Aadmi whose illustrious odyssey embedded with hard work, dedication, and sacrifice has become an inspiring tale of aspirations for every ordinary Indian. 

Modi - the man of the people

The Modi magic managed to garner a whole-hearted and unconditional commitment of the masses into a national movement like Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. As his maiden country-wide exercise after taking over the PMO for the first time in 2014, Modi took to the streets with a broom in his hand to promote the idea of Swach Bharat. Urban India adhered to the PM’s cleanliness drive with great zeal and the significant improvement is noticeable in several big cities. Modi’s vision of a neat and tidy India is slowly penetrating every remote corner of the country. More than a billion Indians have passionately taken up the challenge of overall sanitation on PM Modi’s call which only reflects how strongly the people feel connected to him.

Another pertinent example of people’s trust in Modi is the period of demonetisation in 2016 when the entire country was scrambling for cash and the anti-Modi camp was going all guns blazing against the Prime Minister’s decision. Despite generally being an avid advocate of Modi’s policies, even I was a little sceptical initially about this radical step taken by the PM. But it soon dawned on me that the thought behind this step was selfless and daring, and eventually, like millions of other responsible Indians, I threw my weight behind Modi’s crusade against black money. 

The extreme hardship of currency unavailability did not deter the people’s resolve in rendering their unrelenting support to the exercise. Demonetisation allowed the Modi-baiter club to prematurely write the political obituary of the NDA government but how their underestimation of the electorate’s sagacity backfired in the 2019 General Elections is now an indelible part of history.  

More recently, when PM Modi requested India to observe token abstinence from free movement ‘the Janata Curfew’ earlier this year in March to prepare them for a prolonged period of nationwide lockdown in order to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the people vehemently followed him. So many of us developed an instant emotional link when Modi urged us to light lamps and candles as a mark of solidarity and respect towards our frontline workers. It became a global spectacle and the trend was emulated even in Europe and America. There cannot be more pronounced evidence of Modi’s persuasive influence which is strengthened by ardent public engagement in his ventures.  

Modi - the global leader

Modi’s political rivals have never refrained from criticising him regarding his foreign affairs management expertise - from mocking him as a novice in international relations destined to dwindle India’s overseas reputation to castigating him for making too many diplomatic tours. But today major powers such as the United States, the UK, France, Israel, Japan, Australia and even a part of the Arab world looks at India with a great deal of seriousness and admiration, thanks to PM Modi’s dynamic leadership. The frenzy he gathers while interacting with the Indian diaspora and the honour he gets from the state heads during his foreign visits is unprecedented. Modi has become one of the most visible torchbearers of a multipolar world in which India is not seen as a third world country anymore. 

Popular, not autocratic 

The anti-establishment lobby, constituted by Modi’s adversaries and those who choose to call themselves constitutional experts or political commentators, constantly try to sell the argument that the Modi personality cult has led to authoritarianism over democratic institutions in India. Whenever a progressive law is introduced or a regressive law is repealed, Modi gets accused of running the legislature and the executive according to his whims and fancies. 

But as a woman, I contest this ludicrous accusation. How does, for example, criminalising something as cruel as Triple Talaq amount to authoritarianism? How does liberating the Muslim women from an abhorrent social practice, without caring about inviting displeasure from Islamic hardliners or losing a certain vote bank, imperil the Indian democracy? As a matter of fact, since the enactment of a law against Triple Talaq in August 2019, there has been a sizeable decline in the number of Triple Talaq incidents- from around 11,000 per year on an average in the last 35 years or so to just a little over a thousand in last one year. 

Or does authoritarianism arise from Modi’s dozens of remarkable welfare schemes aimed at reaching the poorest of the poor? The facts speak for themselves. From the electrification of rural India to providing LPG cylinders to village households, from building toilets to crediting cash into the accounts of farmers - Modi has ensured that the development agenda, based on which the people of India elected him, remains his and his cabinet’s top priority.

For what detractors label as Modi’s growing authoritarian influence is his persistent and consistent pursuit, carried out with constitutional propriety, to pull India out of the menace of poverty. Framing of policies that have holistically benefitted the poor has established confidence in Modi among the impoverished. This is popularity, not authoritarianism or autocracy.  

Restoration of the Hindu pride 

The revocation of Article 370 in the summer of 2019 under Modi 2.0 was a moment of restoration of lost honour for me and my Kashmiri Pandit community. We, the Kashmiri Hindus, have always respected other faiths but to have been reduced to the status of refugees in our own country or internally displaced citizens of India at the hands of Pakistan backed Islamic terrorists in Kashmir, because we were a religious minority in the valley, was a body blow to our self-esteem. With the scrapping of the discriminatory law, Modi has shown the first ray of hope in years that justice will be delivered to us. 

Hindus have been at the receiving end of much denigration and abuse for standing up for their rights. More so since 2014. I have personally faced severe social media backlash at times for voicing my opinion against growing Hinduphobia and belittling of the Hindu culture. 

But after the ratification of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) that offers citizenship to persecuted Hindus and other non-Muslims from the three neighbouring Muslim majority countries - Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh; and the realisation every Hindu nationalist’s dream - the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya - after the settlement of the Ram Janmabhoomi dispute by way of the Supreme Court verdict, a strong statement has been made that the Hindus can no longer be humiliated. 

All this has happened under the Prime Ministership of Narendra Modi. The collective conscience of the Hindu society has been salvaged and a strong statement has been made that the Hindu sentiments will not be taken for a ride in the name of minority appeasement and fake secularism. 

So since my Prime Minister has in just six years of being in the office managed to create a new India, an India where “Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas” is possible - why should I, as a dedicated nationalist, not be proud of him? 

India is blessed to be in the safest and most efficient hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is working tirelessly to make India a progressive and self-sufficient nation based on egalitarian principles, a true global power, and a society that preserves its cultural and religious heritage. 

Image Source: gulfnews.com