Bosco,
To be fair, sometimes Jekyll Bhandare does have a point but Hyde Bhandare
often steps in with a lot of bigoted crap and 'factual' information backed
by paranoia instead of proof.
As far as this perception that Muslims all over the world are trying to
build, of them getting a raw deal in non-Muslim dominated countries, I think
one has to be objective about this. This paranoia of on Goanet being fed by
people who have not travelled past Mumbai or Goa, of Christians in India
being oppressed also has to be looked at in the same manner.
In India, the President, the richest businessman, the biggest Bollywood
stars and sport stars are all Muslim. To say that a moderate Muslim or
Christian in India gets a raw deal in any sense is quite unfair.
However, I do admit that religious fundamentalists from both the above
communities are often at the receiving end from their Hindu counterparts.
When we read about an isolated incident of a missionary being assaulted or
killed in India, it would be insightful to think of what would have happened
to a Hindu preacher intent on converting people elsewhere in the world,
especially rural areas. I would even go as far to say that foreign Catholic
missionaries and hate-Imams have more freedom in India than aggressive Hindu
or Islamic preachers would have in any country abroad. A visit to the
North-East of India or the tribal belts of Chattisgarh will confirm this.
Did you see the furore that was caused in the US Senate over a simple Hindu
opening prayer? What about the ruckus on Goanet when some mass in Toronto
was deemed to be to 'Indian'(read Hindu).
Here in the U.K., many Muslims are fighting for the right to be
fundamentalist. They want official support for the right to force women to
wear burkhas and other such demeaning practices. Recently a Muslim woman
police constable didn't want to shake hands with the chief of police because
he was a non-Muslim male. Another officer didn't want to report for duty at
the Israeli embassy.
Of course if they are not allowed the above 'rights', then it immediately
portrayed as an attack against Islamic culture.
It is a shame to see that you have succumbed to this 'Muslims are getting a
raw deal' line of thought. Do Muslims in India really get a worse deal than
Dalits, tribals, Tamil Brahmins, people from the North East or various other
groups? I think moderate Muslims get a better deal in India than they would
in Pakistan or anywhere else in the developing world.
Regards
Sunith
Are your reasons similar or identical as to why Muslims in India are
getting
a raw deal? That is if you agree they are getting a raw deal. Is your point
of reference the Battle of Panipat, just about after the Portuguese arrived
in Goa?
