KING C BHARATI
Jammu: If anything seems free for all in India it is Hinduism and everybody who is anybody feels it his right to ridicule, abuse and denigrate the ancient religion in whatever way it suits them knowing well the majority will remain as a mute spectators unlike other religions.
Hinduism is the most abused word and religion in India today and while politicians, pseudo intellectuals, authors and film makers have a field day in twisting the facts and ridiculing it every now and then now even the legal fraternity seems to have taken cue and started taking it for granted.
The criticism of Hinduism by authors, journalists and intellectuals is crossing the limits and patience of Hindus is being tested in every way which is a dangerous trend as Hindus are being pushed to wall which is sure to backfire today or tomorrow. No other religion has been the subject of such ruthless debates of film making but Hinduism where the fault seems to be lying in its core values and flexibility of the religion which is rightly said to be the way of life.
But this way of life is a religion and matter of faith for crores of Hindus world over and one wonders why those crores are being taken for a ride through misleading books, articles, films and useless debates denigrating the religion instead of propagating its positive aspects.
The problem also lies with the so called intellectual Hindus who take pride in mauling their own religion only to present themselves as top notch seculars before those who hardly allow anybody to talk or debate on their respective religions and religious activities. The section of Hindus who oppose such ruthlessness are immediately termed as fringe groups and fundamentalists and relegated to the dustbin by the newspapers, news channels and intellectuals while nobody dares doing similar things to any of the other religions being propagated in India because their followers are staunch and dedicated to protect their religious faith.
While we have been seeing Hinduism being denigrated in films like PK and ridiculed in OMG the law also seems to have taken it upon itself to take the films further and slap legal notices on Idols of the Gods least caring how much this act would hurt the sentiments of the crores of Hindus.
Just for the information of the readers, “A lower court on Wednesday issued summons to Lord Hanuman for appearance in court in connection with a roadside temple dedicated to him in Rohtas district, a government lawyer said. The Sub-Divisional Magistrate in Rohtas asked the God to appear in his court after hearing a complaint of encroachment filed by the Public Works Department.
The court’s order was pasted on the idol of Lord Hanuman at the temple in Dehri-on-Sone in Rohtas district by district officials.” There would be numerous people who will treat this write up also as one of the communal expression of the author because it is taking up the cause of Hindus and such things are viewed as communal and do not fall in the category of freedom of speech.
Freedom of speech in India is only if you denounce the nation, call for its divisions, and term Hindus as fundamentalists rest of all is intolerance. And yes this piece will also be produced as an act of intolerance by the ‘tolerant’ brigade of India. But who cares?