Rising Threat of Hindu Extremism

Boston Globe ^ | 7/12/2002 | Greenway

[traditionalist]

Whereas Vajpayee was the human face of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, which has led a coalition government for four years, Advani is more in tune with the party's base of radical nationalists who seek to undermine the secular India of Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi. In addition, Advani's policy towards Pakistan is larded with nuclear threats and bellicosity.

[Dog Gone]

For some reason, you omitted the opening paragraph

WHILE THE Western World worries about Islam, the specter of Hindu nationalism carries the potential of threatening the stability of the Indian subcontinent and the world beyond. A bit of bad news out of New Delhi earlier this month was that the hard-line, Pakistan-bashing home minister, Lal Krishna Advani, had been named the number two man in the Indian government and a potential successor to the ailing and aging Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

[E Rocc]

The RSS is a Hindu group that rivals the Taliban in fanaticism and holds significant power in the BJP. It is as frightening as the Islamic radicals. Not only because of their own numbers, but because they incite the worst of the Muslims.

Indeed, the recent India-Pakistan flareups are largely due to the desire of the government to externalize what is largely an internal problem. Dealing with it internally would mean sitting on the RSS.

-Eric

[Live free or die]

Okay, why exactly is this article doing its best to make Muslims seem like complete victims in all this? I seem to remember Islamists starting a big hubub by setting a traincar (and a few busses packed with women and children) on fire killing dozens and dozens of people. The alleged 'hundreds of muslims killed while police looked on' seems to be something of an exageration to make Islam look like the lesser of two evils...just my opinion...I could be wrong.

[traditionalist]

Sorry. Posting mistake. Thanks for posting it.

[swarthyguy]

HDS Greenway is a notorious bleeding heart with a strong anti Indian bias he has expressed in many columns that he writes for the editorial pages of the Glob.

He, like so many others, is threatened by an india that can watch out for its own self interest.

The CongressParty is always touted as the solution to the problems of the current govt. Conveniently forgotten is their 50 year history of an antiAmerican bias, a socialist economy and their placating of the muslim minority that led to ever increasing demands on part of the muslim hardliners.

Next you'll be touting Maureen Dowd as an avatar of American political thought.

And of course, no mention of the original atrocity against Hindu pilgrims by whom......

[traditionalist]

Okay, why exactly is this article doing its best to make Muslims seem like complete victims in all this? I seem to remember Islamists starting a big hubub by setting a traincar (and a few busses packed with women and children) on fire killing dozens and dozens of people. The alleged 'hundreds of muslims killed while police looked on' seems to be something of an exageration to make Islam look like the lesser of two evils...just my opinion...I could be wrong.

Moslems in India are not a peaceful bunch, and the incident you mention was not unprovoked, but they have been bona fide victims of unprovoked Hindu Nationalist violence in some cases. The destruction of the 700 year-old (I don't remember the exact age) Babri mosque a few years ago, and the accompanying riots and killing is one example. Hindu Nationalists have also harrassed and assulted Christians in many incidents.

As a threat, I agree with you that Islam is the worst of them, but Hindu naitonalism is also an evil not to be ignored.

[traditionalist]

I'm not touting anyone. I just thought this article was interesting.

[Dog Gone]

I don't care much for Hindu extremists, although at least they aren't flying airplanes into American buildings. They are a threat, though, to democracy in India and so we have a reason to be concerned.

Being rabidly anti-muslim gives them some political cover for now, but it's definitely something to keep an eye on.

[B Knotts]

One important distinction is overlooked here.

Hinduism is non-expanisionist.

The same cannot be said of Islam.

[Dog Gone]

The CongressParty is always touted as the solution to the problems of the current govt. Conveniently forgotten is their 50 year history of an antiAmerican bias, a socialist economy and their placating of the muslim minority that led to ever increasing demands on part of the muslim hardliners.

Yes, from what you've said earlier and what I've gleaned elsewhere, the Congress Party is certainly not the solution.

[traditionalist]

Hinduism is non-expanisionist. The same cannot be said of Islam.

"Less expansionist" is a better adjective. Islam seeks to conquer the world. Hindu Nationalists want to dominate a "greater Hindustan," which goes beyond the present borders of India. So yes, I agree Islam is the greater threat, but Hindu Nationalism is not to be dismissed.

[traditionalist]

CongressParty is always touted as the solution to the problems of the current govt.

Yes, I know the Congress Party is socialist and completely hopeless. From what I have read about Indian politics, the only parties that aren't socialist are Hindu Nationalist. There do not appear to be any major secularist, pro free-market parties. Am I wrong?

[SQUID]

What do we mean by more secular? Do we mean Stalinism? I am worried at the assumed logic here; the more secular a state is the better for all. America isn't exactly secular. Here, even Atheists enjoy the rights afforded to them by principles extracted from Jewish/Christian philosophy. As much as we try to separate Church and State here we still fundamentally owe our current governmental philosophy to religion, which is, where the concept of justice is fundamentally defined.

Religion is not the antithesis to governance. (Constantine)

[B Knotts]

You have a point; there is a desire for "Akhand Bharat," which seems to encompass all of British India, and then some. Strange, since from historical sources I've seen, there has never been such a nation, encompassing all those areas.

Still, radical Islam is a much more immediate threat to peace worldwide.

[Junior]

Let's see, who are the Hindus mad at? The Christian West? Noooo. Moslems? Why yes! And why are they mad at Moslems? Could it be that Moslem militants have been blowing up Hindus for decades? Methinks we have nothing to really worry about with the Hindus.

[traditionalist]

Let's see, who are the Hindus mad at? The Christian West?

Actually, yes (in addition to Moslems). Radical Hindus view Christianity as a foriegn contaminant. There have been incidents of anti-Christian throughout India.

[swarthyguy]

Congress's brand of secularism has taken a beating because the increasing radicalisation of indian muslims over the past 10-15 years and the rise of islamic jihadism in Pakistan. Constant concessions to the Muslims and a dogmatic adherence to socialist, central command economy lost them crediblity among the middle class voters.
The assassination of Rajiv Gandhi by an LTTE suicidal murderess left a void at the top of the party.

Older pro-US freemarket secularist parties are a part of the ruling BJP coalition; for example, the erstwhile Foreign Minister turned Economics Minister, Jaswant Singh was a leading light in the old Swatantra party, the most ProUS and free-enterprise party in the Indian polity.

IMO, the extremism and chauvinism of the BJP is exaggerated;
there is an increased nationalism, but view that in the eyes of an aggressive China to the east, a rabidly militant Pakistan financed by Saudi money to the west, a vicious proxy war conducted by Pakistan against India in Kashmir.

If the Congress Party broke free of the shackles of its reflexive antiAmericanism and anti freemarket system, it would probably garner a lot of votes. But it would also have to cease its affirmative action bias when it comes to Muslims; and stop coddling them in order to get their votes. They would also have to distance themselves from the Communist parties and the trade unions.

I'm not diminshing the horrendous antiChristian attacks that happened, particularly early in the 90's. However, no less a man whose ministry has a large presence in India, Pat Robertson, has commended the authorities in tracking down the perpetrators of those crimes.

In short, the secular, freemarket indian parties are a crtical part of the ruling coalition headed by the BJP.
In fact, Advani, who Greenway treats as the antiChrist, is a very open market, hi-tech booster, albeit being an RSS supporter from way back when.

Are the Hindu nationalists expansionist? Sure. They would like to see Pakistan gone and the equivalent of the British Raj in a geographical sense.

Do they claim the whole world as a Dar-el-Hindu? No.

The saffronistas do not claim Hinduism as a worldwide phenomenon. They don't seek to impose some kind of Hindu type sharia on a worldwide basis.

Primarily their objections are more along cultural lines; too much 'westernisation' of the young; an antipathy to American fast food; i think they torched a KFC a few years ago. They end up sounding and acting much like the French.

[swarthyguy]

That's their viewpoint; that Christianity is foreign to India. But they're wrong; Christian scholars will tell you that Christianity arrived on the western shores of India at a very early date; earlier than some parts of Europe even.

Perhaps someone more knowledgeable with the history of early Christianity will be able to add to this.

[traditionalist]

What do we mean by more secular? Do we mean Stalinism?

No, I mean a state that does not establish any religion, does not hinder the peaceful expression of religion, and does not favor citizens of one religion over another.

I am worried at the assumed logic here; the more secular a state is the better for all. America isn't exactly secular.

It is secular in the sense the I put forth. It is rightly not secular in the sense that all religion is banished from government.

Here, even Atheists enjoy the rights afforded to them by principles extracted from Jewish/Christian philosophy. As much as we try to separate Church and State here we still fundamentally owe our current governmental philosophy to religion, which is, where the concept of justice is fundamentally defined.

Hinduism does not contain the same principles of justice as Christianity. Consider that before you start advocating a Hindu-dominated government.