Mr.L.K.Advani finds him self in the eye of a storm. For two reasons:
a) he called the demolition of the Babri Masjid “the saddest day of my life”
b) He said some nice sounding things about Mohd.Ali Jinnah – the man who was responsible for the birth of Pakistan.
Before we start feeling kindly towards Mr.Advani for seeing the light before he moves on to the next world (let’s be practical he is closer to 80 than 70 – and no one lives for ever), let’s look at both statements.
On the first one – note his words very carefully. He doesn’t regret the destruction of the mosque. Nor does he regret the death and destruction that follows. All he says is that it was the saddest day of his life. Only a psychopath /sociopath would possibly enjoy or feel happiness for mayhem that is caused. Mr.Advani for all his dogma doesn’t seem to be someone who would enjoy the death of innocents. But, no amount of saddness in the world would prevent him from doing his “duty” – in this case break down one place of worship and replace it with antoher in the name of religion. In that sense he is far more “Atal” than Mr.Vajpayee who would have probably shed a few public tears, and written a few stanzas of bad poetry by now.
On the second statement, on Jinnah – let’s look at what Mr.Advani has written in the visitor’s book:
There are few who actually create history. Qaid-e-Azam is one such rare individual. In his early years, Sarojini Naidu described him as ‘an ambassador of Hindu-Muslim unity’…..His address is a forceful espousal of a secular state in which every citizen will be free to pursue his own religion. My respectful homage to the great man.
Before we break out the champagne at turning Advani away from the Dark Side – take a look. Jinnah did create history – how many people have managed to create independed states. Was an ambassador of Hindu Muslim Unity – well till he took up the two nation theory, he was. And the call for Pakistan happened in the 1930’s. Till then Jinnah tried tirelessly to get the Muslim League and the Congress to talk to each other. The Islamic republic happened with Zia, much much later. And in case, I am not sure whether Advani calling anyone a “true secularist” is meant as a compliment. The Hindutvadis’ use it as an abusive term.
The VHP & other minions of the rabid right are baying for blood? Why? is it to keep themselves in the news? Is it to get their own person elected? Is it to set themselves up as the far right political party contesting elections – remember they threatened to after the last elections!
My guess is that the Sangh Parivaar is tired of playing the bully boy. It wants power. And they don’t seem to want to influence anymore, they want to rule. The BJP – if it is to be electable – should see this ultimatum from the Sangh Parivaar as a heaven sent opportunity and disassociate themselves from the rabid right.
The one thing that I am glad about is the disassociation from the term “Akhand Bharat”. There is no such thing as Akhand Bharat and the fight for Akhand Bharat will probably lead to secessionary tendencies in other parts of the country which really don’t feel part of the “Hindutvadi” universe
I cannot help but say that Indian sectarian politics is rising to a peak.
Who knows to which depth it will fall.
It was our British ‘masters’ who taught us the idea of divide and rule, conviniently polarizing our population according to the most sensitive issue possible, caste and religion.
Funny to note that this is the same thing any Indian politician does to get elected now. Infact all the so called ‘vote-banks’ are fractured along the lines of caste and religion.
I am quite hazy as to when this thing started or where it started from. I think it was the mis-interpretation of the ideas of our Mahatma. I dont know for sure, and I am sure no one will know for sure.
One thing is for sure. If we allow this kind of politics to grow. Then the result will be very simple. India would disintegrate, unfortunately that would not even be in the lines of the states and union territories that we have but will be in the lines of the religious demography rather. I desperately pray that before such a thing ever happens enough of our people get educated to understand that it is the economy that is the food and soul of development and not religious belief.
My dream is to set the ball rolling for developing India.
We should need ‘vote banks’ but such vote-banks that are not fractured along the lines of caste or religion, rather they should be fractured along the lines of the econimic policy an election candidate assumes. When such a political maturity comes into being then we shall see that we are already developing into a force.
I wish I live to see such a thing happening. That will be like seeing a face of a young India, ready to move on into a prosperous and healthy life.
what is the sangh parivar’s problem anyways? for a man like advani, secularist is the worst name he can call anyone 🙂 and now you will see nda factions – sorry partners – ‘saluting’ advani for his ‘courageous satements’, some who merely clal him ‘diplomatic’ and others who bay for his blood… good fun
how about this
Jinnah Speech
I tend to wonder about the real people behind the names.
unfortunately we deify our leaders and demonise our enemies. so knowing who they are may not be possible. too much hype and hyperbole sorround our historical figures.
yah… so true… our history has been blurred, diluted and distilled.
I wish i could read an objective review about what happened right after independence.
I have a hazy understanding about all of our leaders, espeicially Gandhi and Jinnah.
This is one of the good stuff i could find about Gandhi