Last weekend was particularly busy for the Hindu fundamentalist forces in Mangaluru, with three unrelated and diverse events raising their hackles, prompting them into ‘action’. The decision of the educational institutions run by Christian charities to remain closed for a day in protest against the anti-Christian violence in Orissa, the preparations of Team Mangalore to fly a kite depicting Lord Ganesha and the death of a minor girl at Fr. Muller’s Hospital kept them busy, revealing the dangers of their hypocrisy and perils of our silence at the same time.
Following the closure of the schools and colleges, the various chauvinist outfits put out their venomous statements and even held demonstrations at the gates of some well known institutions. There were threats of closing down these schools, of campaigns among the Hindus to boycott such schools etc. The Minister for education even served notices on these institutions, seeking explanation for their ‘unilateral, unpermitted’ decision to close down for a day. Just a couple of days earlier, the students’ wing of the RSS, the ABVP, had dragged the students out on the streets in protest against the Amarnath shrine land row and blocked the main roads of the city for more than half an hour with the police standing as mute spectators all along. It is another matter that many of the ‘leaders’, legislators and ministers (and their children) of the fundamenatlist party in power have all had their education in schools and colleges run by the Christian charities! And in the city of Mangaluru, known for high standards of education, one has to struggle to find any school worth its name run by any Hindu chauvinist outfit. So much for the dangerous hypocrisy of these outfits spewing communal venom.
Team Mangalore is an award winning, internationally known group of Kite enthusiasts, striving to popularize the hobby among Mangaloreans. Many of the Team’s beautifully designed kites, depicting the vibrant colours and culture of our country, have won international acclaim. The team had prepared a kite depicting Ganesha, the most affabvle of all Gods, for the Paris Kite Festival to be held at Tieppe, France from Sep 5-14, 2008 and had planned to have a trial at the Panambur Beach during the last week of August. But that was not to be. Hindu Janajagruti Vedike, a self-styled outfit that seeks to ‘protect the interests of Hindu Gods’ raised objections and threatened against any attempts to fly the kite, either in India or abroad, ostensibly because the kite ‘hurts the sentiments of all Hindus’. It is not clear as to who appointed these people as the spokespersons of the entire Hindu community or how the ‘hurt’ felt by one or two can be attributed to the entire population and why everyone else should be deprived of an opportunity to witness a new and beautiful work of human craftsmanship. It appears that this particular group comprises of about three members and the so called spokesperson had no answers to offer when confronted as to how Ganesha on a kite is an affront to Hindus (and almost everyone involved in the project being a Hindu!). It may be recalled that the same outfit had earlier objected to the screening of the movie Jodha Akbar and the success might have emboldened the group to issue more such threats. Our shameful silence certainly helps such groups.
And these forces, strengthened not only by our silence but also by the inaction of the law enforcing agencies, have made it a routine habit to attack without provocation and to take the law into their own hands. Attacks on places of worship are continuing, latest being the one at Pachanady on the outskirts of Mangaluru. Many young boys and girls, sipping coffee or a glass of juice have been rounded off and beaten. None of these have been punished. And it did not surprise anyone when these forces attacked the doctors on duty at the Fr. Muller’s hospital following the death of a young girl who had consumed kerosene in an attempt to commit suicide. But our silence continues…
Following the closure of the schools and colleges, the various chauvinist outfits put out their venomous statements and even held demonstrations at the gates of some well known institutions. There were threats of closing down these schools, of campaigns among the Hindus to boycott such schools etc. The Minister for education even served notices on these institutions, seeking explanation for their ‘unilateral, unpermitted’ decision to close down for a day. Just a couple of days earlier, the students’ wing of the RSS, the ABVP, had dragged the students out on the streets in protest against the Amarnath shrine land row and blocked the main roads of the city for more than half an hour with the police standing as mute spectators all along. It is another matter that many of the ‘leaders’, legislators and ministers (and their children) of the fundamenatlist party in power have all had their education in schools and colleges run by the Christian charities! And in the city of Mangaluru, known for high standards of education, one has to struggle to find any school worth its name run by any Hindu chauvinist outfit. So much for the dangerous hypocrisy of these outfits spewing communal venom.
Team Mangalore is an award winning, internationally known group of Kite enthusiasts, striving to popularize the hobby among Mangaloreans. Many of the Team’s beautifully designed kites, depicting the vibrant colours and culture of our country, have won international acclaim. The team had prepared a kite depicting Ganesha, the most affabvle of all Gods, for the Paris Kite Festival to be held at Tieppe, France from Sep 5-14, 2008 and had planned to have a trial at the Panambur Beach during the last week of August. But that was not to be. Hindu Janajagruti Vedike, a self-styled outfit that seeks to ‘protect the interests of Hindu Gods’ raised objections and threatened against any attempts to fly the kite, either in India or abroad, ostensibly because the kite ‘hurts the sentiments of all Hindus’. It is not clear as to who appointed these people as the spokespersons of the entire Hindu community or how the ‘hurt’ felt by one or two can be attributed to the entire population and why everyone else should be deprived of an opportunity to witness a new and beautiful work of human craftsmanship. It appears that this particular group comprises of about three members and the so called spokesperson had no answers to offer when confronted as to how Ganesha on a kite is an affront to Hindus (and almost everyone involved in the project being a Hindu!). It may be recalled that the same outfit had earlier objected to the screening of the movie Jodha Akbar and the success might have emboldened the group to issue more such threats. Our shameful silence certainly helps such groups.
And these forces, strengthened not only by our silence but also by the inaction of the law enforcing agencies, have made it a routine habit to attack without provocation and to take the law into their own hands. Attacks on places of worship are continuing, latest being the one at Pachanady on the outskirts of Mangaluru. Many young boys and girls, sipping coffee or a glass of juice have been rounded off and beaten. None of these have been punished. And it did not surprise anyone when these forces attacked the doctors on duty at the Fr. Muller’s hospital following the death of a young girl who had consumed kerosene in an attempt to commit suicide. But our silence continues…
