7 Hindu Rashtra – the redundancy.

7    Hindu Rashtra – the redundancy.

                                                    (Continued from the last post – Hindu Rashtra, the need)

       Now let us have a look on the most stubborn reasons against a Hindu Rashtra. Because I am advocating Hindu Rashtra as I understand it, it will be natural for me discuss alongside why I find these arguments unconvincing or otherwise.

1.            Democracies which give complete freedom of speech, thought and worship are the best and religion must not be imposed against ones free will. How sonorous and convincing this argument sounds! I agree this would be an ideal arrangement, provided all nations of the world subscribed to this philosophy. But alas!  it is not so. Islam has an overt ambition to bring whole of world to its fold. One would even accept that situation if it guarantied peace and upheld democratic ideals of liberty and equality. But it won’t be! Look at the Islamic world of today, or even that of yester years. Words like peace, liberty and equality before law are alien to this part of world. A Hindu Rashtra will guarantee these ideals by default.

2.     Religion is something personal and the state must not have any intervention in personal faith. Agreed. As I have emphasized earlier also, Hindu philosophy believes in respecting all faiths, i.e. ‘Sarva Dharma Sambhavami”. It prescribes no compulsory physical symbols to distinguish its followers from those of other religions or faiths. It lays down no personal laws which are in conflict with the accepted democratic norms of any democratic constitutions or institutions. Even if a conflicting situation arises, Hinduism is ready to make amends in the interest of nation, as it does not draw its strength from a single book, written centuries ago, which could have lost much of its relevance with passage of time.

3.     In a democratic set up, it’s not proper to impose unilaterally the majority will on the minorities. The situation is specific to India. In fact in democracies, policies are derivatives of the majority will only, with adequate safeguards to minority interests. Paradoxically, in India minorities dictate terms to the majority, and for buying peace, majority acquiesces. Should we buy peace at such a heavy price when it threatens the very existence of Hindutva?

4.     For India, priority is the economic and strategic development; while Hindutva and Hindu Rashtra are the musings of idle minds. This is the lullaby with which the Congress and the left parties successfully pushed the people of India into suicidal slumber for the last 60 years or so. It is time when people are jolted out of slumber or it will be too late, given the speed with which the demographic equilibrium is being altered by the Muslims.

5.     India has sizeable minority, who are steadfast in their opposition to the idea of a Hindu Rashtra. Forcibly imposing a Hindu Rashtra will result in an unprecedented blood-bath. As such, the idea is not worth the price we may have to pay. Well said, but this argument is not against Hindu Rashtra itself. It is, in fact, an apprehension on how to implement the idea. True, the establishment of Hindu Rashtra will not be an easy task. We will look into all these possibilities in the later posts.

6.     Can anyone suggest more reasons against a Hindu Rashtra…?

        All said and done, the arguments put forth by the protagonists of Hindu Rashtra will not be able to generate confidence in the minority psyche, particularly that of Muslims. The seeds of distrust sown by the Muslim League and nurtured by Indian National Congress, have grown as plants ready to bear fruit. The schism is being widened by the global rise of Islamic radicalism. Therefore, a soft-liner would want a status quo and would not like to disturb the fragile equilibrium which seems to exist, though for the time being, amongst various communities.

      But, how long will this state of uneasy ‘equilibrium’ continue? Are we not wishing away the inevitable by self-imposed ostrich-like ignorance? The ‘equilibrium’ will be shattered, once the population of Muslims rises to 35% (leave alone50%) of total population. The ideal of Hindu Rashtra is receding into impossibility with every passing day. You have to act, and act fast!

       Let us bring together our heads and ponder on how to go about it and, at the same time, cause a minimum flutter….

(to be continued….)