Hindutva is not Hinduism; it is an aggressive movement patterned after Nazi ideals and the claim that Hindu race/ belief is superior to others. The problem is not the belief, as the preachers of all religions ridiculously claim superiority of their faith. The problem is Hindutva teaches people to acquire political power and subjugate all others.
Image Courtesy: Countercurrent
Suhag Shukla, executive director of the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) was reportedly “upset” with the congressional hearings on October 22, 2019, about Modi governments’ gross violations of Human rights, democratic norms and abrogation of the article 370 without the consent of the governed.
All their expensive and powerful lobbying effort seemingly went down the drain at the hearing. Even though the assistant secretary of state Ms. Alicia Wells was cautious in her use of words, she acknowledged the unaccountable s behaviour from among the current Indian political dispensation to some tough questions from Congressmen.
Even the newly appointed Republican Assistant Secretary Destro was speechless at the testimonies, faced with accusations of gross human rights violations by the Modi government. He was consistently parroting the regime’s version of security concerns, even though he did not seem even he believed in the excuses that this provided.
The testimony of two witnesses who happened to be Hindu, one of them a Kashmiri pandit were particularly damaging to the Modi government in its all-out bid to sow discord between Hindus and Muslims. Thanks are due to Ms. Kaul and Ms. Chatterjee.
The Modi and Shah duo have a record of creating facts to support their nefarious actions. I suspect they will make an attempt to bulldoze the State Department with fake security threats. The Indian court system is still reliable, and they have thrown out the fake encounters manufactured by the duo in the recent past.
Modi will not be interviewed by any respectable journalist, nor will he let the American Commissioners from USCIRF visit India to find the truth. Very few journalists are left to question these ‘lords of the nation’. Shame on my fellow Indian Americans, who trust the Modi government without verifying facts; I hope they can see Modi is hurting India in the long haul.
It was appalling to hear a representative of HAF, Jay Kansara announcing at a meeting on religious freedom, that the Hindu American Foundation supports India’s actions.
How can an American believe that the consent of the people does not matter? They all need to take the first amendment course to function as good American Citizens. As American Indians, we need to wish for Indians what we cherish for ourselves in America; freedom. The freedom to eat, drink, wear and believe whatever works in the pursuit of their happiness.
Hindutva is not Hinduism; it is an aggressive movement patterned after Nazi ideals and the claim that Hindu race/ belief is superior to others. The problem is not the belief, as the preachers of all religions ridiculously claim superiority of their faith. The problem is Hindutva teaches people to acquire political power and subjugate all others. Indeed, it calls for continued oppression of Dalits, and the eliminationof inferior people like Christians and Muslims from India by December 31, 2021. Modi‘s party and their leaders subscribe to this ideology, and obviously have not condemned these statements.
Hinduism on the other hand is a religion that guides one to live a meaningful life. It teaches how to receive moksha or salvation from the conflicts of life and frees one from the cycle of life. The Times of Indiawrote, “Indian officials were clearly taken aback by the largely one-sided narrative of Indian oppression and the lockdown in the Valley without the historical context of Pakistan’s use of subversive violence and terrorism to ignite unrest.”
Suhag Shukla, on Twitter expressed her concerns about their failed efforts in nurturing a “friendship” with Democrats, and hinted to latch on to the Republicans.
My advice to HAF is to stick with justice, you cannot go wrong and you don’t need to be chasing or pandering to either Republicans or Democrats. Truth always triumphs, stay on the right side of the history.
Shukla’s hint is effectively doubling down on PM Modi’s blunder in Houston of shamelessly supporting Trump’s verbiose. “Ab ki bar Trump Sarkar,” Modi had chest-thumped in the USA. That is a welcome cry, in anticipation of there being a Trump-led government again. What an embarrassment to Democracy.
There is not a single Indian American who is not proud of his/her motherland. All they want is India to do the right thing and not earn a name as a violator of human rights.
Once the Indian Americans learn to understand the American system, the rule of law, and the first amendment, they will stand on the right side of the history over blind support for a cult leader.
Related:
1.“As Hindus, it is our dharma (duty) to speak up and oppose fundamentalism and violence committed in the name of our religion”
2.Ahead of US poll, Hindu American group sends booklet on Hinduism to candidates – and a questionnaire
(Dr. Mike Ghouse is a thinker, author, speaker, newsmaker, and an interfaith wedding officiant. His new book American Muslim Agenda is available on Amazon. He is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. His information is linked-in.)