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19. H.C. Joshi

19. H.C. Joshi

General

It is a tragedy that the 3 different wings, namely, the BJP which is a political institution for establishment of Bharatiya (Hindu) Rashtra, the RSS which is an organisational wing of BJP, and the VHP which is a religious platform for Hindus, are not able to work in unison for a common cause - establishment of Bharatiya (Hindu) Rashtra, which is the need of the hour to prevent threats of Muslim rule, either direct on by proxy in the name of secular, democratic Bharat.

The three wings must look upon each other as supplementing the others, instead of each considering itself autonomous and independent. VHP’s decision to pursue the Mandir issue and the Hindutva ideology and BJP’s decision to abandon both are distancing Hindus away from BJP.

BJP’s progress has suffered a setback by the greatest blunder - whoever be responsible for it - by demolition of what had come to be known as Babri Masjid. Not only did Hindus lose lives at the hands of Maulana Mulayam Singh, the Maulana is looked upon as the only well-wisher and saviour of Muslims. BJP has been isolated as one common enemy of all the political parties, be it Congress. Janata Dal, Samajwadi Party or the Communists.

The effort should be to unite rather than create rift, either ideological or otherwise. Political gain should be the sole aim irrespective of ideological differences.

Specific

No exercise on the Part of BJP to win over Muslims or Christians will ever succeed. The BJP, however, has the difficult job of defending Hindus against secularists’ anti-Hindu policies without offending Muslims. BJP has to take up Hindus’ cause for loss of lives of pilgrims in Amar Nath Yatra and of Muslim lives in the collision between Saudi and Kazakistan aeroplanes. I was pleased to see ‘Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh’ banner at Charkhi Dadri in Star Plus Hindi news on 14.11.96 at 7 p.m. Now that Faruq Abdullah is espousing the cause of Kashmiri Brahmins, rehabilitating them in Kashmir, BJP should either press the point to lend support to Mr. Faruq or to expose his lip sympathy. Let VHP make out a case for a grant of Government aid for Hindu and Sikh (even Christian) pilgrims on lines similar to that for Muslim pilgrims to Mecca.

On the First Document I agree entirely with Dr. Godbole.

  1. The question is absolutely irrelevant and the thought is futile. Hindus cannot be more tolerant and the Muslims or Christians cannot ever be friendly with Hindus, whatever Hindus (or BJP) may do. What could Mahatma Gandhi achieve from Khilifat movement support?

  2. Islam or Christianity is not oriented towards search of God. It is aimed at increasing the numbers and rule the democratic world by number of votes. Only saints, whether Hindu, Muslim, or Christian, who have a spiritual goal, can possibly have different routes.

  3. Muslim and Islam are inseparable. Each is as good or bad as the other.

  4. Muslims are too fanatic to be educated. Even a Muslim graduate from Indian universities is Muslim first and Muslim last. He thinks of ruling over Hindus, as Muslims did before the Britishers.

  5. Muslims indeed are a vote bank for they are united as one integrated whole. Hindus are divided and are being divided by self-seekers like V.P. Singh. They are being divided politically as Congressmen, Communists, Socialists, Secularists, and socially as Dalits and non-Dalits. Hindus have to be persuaded to come forward and vote to defend themselves, to vote in self-interest.

  6. A Muslim is a Muslim first and Muslim last, call him a Sufi, Shia or Sunni. It makes little difference even if he sings songs addressed to Rama or Krishna. But this issue is totally irrelevant to join.

  7. I agree that Muslim theology is responsible for the ghetto mentality. But why make it an issue?

  8. True, Quran teaches, rather encourages, Muslims to break idols, destroy temples and kill the Kafirs.

On the Second Document, I have merely to say that for a Mazdoor Sangh it is not a bad idea to put up the face of ‘Sarva Panth Samadar Manch’ or ‘Sarva Dharma Samabhav’. Let not Dr. Godbole make an issue of it. It may be politically beneficent for a Mazdoor Sangh to grow.

Footnotes: The writer is a retired IRTS living in Calcutta.