10.10.09

Muslims, the love jihad and Advani’s dreams

This fellow is quite a hoot.

Alleging that ‘love jihad’ was the latest tool being used by miscreants to promote anti-national activities, Shri Rama Sene chief Pramod Muthalik said his organisation would launch a nation-wide agitation against it.


Aww…so every Muslim male is a suspect? Every college girl is pliable? What survey? You talk to a couple of girls going out with Muslim men and you have results?

What about those who marry Hindus? Should we assume that those women and men are not anti-national only because they are not Muslims? Who is this Rama Sene to decide on patriotism? Will its chief have the courage to target celebrities who are married to Hindus? Is the issue only of conversion?

On a recent flight, the young woman sitting next to me got chatting. After covering one quarter of the world’s nationalities and half the states of India, she still did not get an answer to “Where are you actually from?” I love that actually. Mumbai is not actual in anyone’s book and these days after the crash-landing saying 'moon' won’t work besides it being too cheesy. I was left with no option but to accept my fate. Muslim, I said, feeling a lump in my throat and everywhere lumps are possible. I mean, it was an emotional moment.

Her eyes widened, and I know it for a fact for she had small eyes. “Oh?”

“Well, yes,” I shrugged, imagining she would now hold herself away, look at my rather nice handbag suspiciously or even the ring she liked. It might hold something damaging. I put on the best jihadi face I could manage, you know narrowing of eyes and wicked grin.

She turned enthusiastically, “Tell me, why don’t you Muslims allow people to marry outside?”

“They do. But there is not a policy decision. Why do you ask?”

“I am seeing this Muslim guy for four years and now his parents say they won’t let him marry a Hindu.”

“As long as he stands by you…and I hope they are not expecting you to convert.”

“I don’t mind that.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. What is there to convert? You just say some prayers, no?”

“Well…So, what is their problem?”

“I don’t know. His mother will go to spa and all but she should understand that a Hindu girl is also a human being.”

“The spa won’t teach her that. And if both of you are sure, it should not be a problem.”

“I know it will, so we will continue like that for as long as we can and then go our separate ways.”

“Is it so easy?”

“That is the practical decision.”

She did not think of him as anti-national. She was willing to convert. And the stole she had wrapped round her neck was because her mother wanted it that way.

I had no intention of getting into a discussion on Islam and she was most certainly not up to anything beyond chit-chat. She shared something because she felt that she could get a point of view from a Muslim who looked like she went to the spa. I guess it’s time for me to.

- - -

On what grounds are Bihar schools being forced to teach Urdu? That the initiative comes from the JD (U)-BJP government is surprising, but as the report clearly implies it has to do with getting Muslim votes. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said:

“We will be appointing Urdu teachers in every state-run school to enable the students learn the language.”


This is fascism. What is the percentage of Urdu-speaking people in the state? On what grounds do we assume that all Muslims are conversant with Urdu? A Muslim in Kerala or Gujarat will fumble with the basics of the language. And even in Uttar Pradesh it will be the elite that will speak it with some fluency. In most states, even if people speak Urdu, there will be a regional flavour to it.

There is no doubt that it is a lovely language and must get exposure, but there ought not to be any compulsion. If Bihar wants to expose its youngsters to a wider variety, then why not include Marathi or Malayalam?

The state language is Maithili and Bhojpuri and most Bihari ministers cannot even speak Hindi well. So, let’s cut out the nonsense. It might help if Urdu teachers refused to become a part of this political game.

- - -

L.K.Advani was in Vashi for an election meeting and after all the baloney about water, electricity and roads – yeah, these don’t matter – he came to the crux:

“It is my cherished dream to have a ‘bhavya’ (beautiful) Ram Mandir at Ayodhya.”


Why would the Vashi voter be interested in what happens in Ayodhya? Why would the Vashi voter care about Advani’s dream? How would the Vashi voter know how beautiful it will be? Is Advani an architect? Why is the temple’s beauty of importance? Where will the money come from? Of course, the Vashiwallas will have to continue with water shortage, bad roads and power cuts. So that a man can realise his dream.

The crowd cheered. It does not mean they are thrilled. It is because the candidate had managed to get a few people to hold banners. People are not stupid, but politicians are.

That’s not the end:

Advani also spoke of his other dream, of having American style debates for political candidates, like the presidential debates in the US.

What will they debate? The colour of the sanctum? How much gold to cover Lord Rama with? Will it be a cradle or a throne? Oh, this is an issue – are we going to display the deity as an innocent child or a mature adult? What will better help us market India as a global phenomenon?

Advaniji is like Kumbhakaran*. He must sleep so much for how else would he dream so much?

*
Kumbhakaran was Ravana’s brother in the epic Mahabharata who was cursed to sleep for months on end. I am implying this aspect of his personality and not the other one in which he ate everything, including humans, upon waking up. Nah. Advaniji comes across as someone who’d be picky about his meals.

16 comments:

  1. Associating language with religion rather than region, is a big
    Bull-shit, that people need to understand.
    Hope-fully the people will be able to look through this one :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Muslims should be careful in accepting and endorsing Nitin's Urdu program. This will become another wedge issue. Ask for two-three high quality English medium high schools for that money.

    The anti-"Love Jehad" campaign this Sena guy wants to do is not against Hindu/Muslim marriage. There are three cases in Kerala High Court regarding "Love Jehad". It seems it is a "terrorist" plan, funded by outside groups, where good looking Muslim boys are trained to be fashionable (wear "brand" jeans and tee, speak English words, be conversant in current song/movie etc..), given motor cycle, with the objective of making Hindu girls fall in love for them; make them convert and marry. They are given a script to follow, and if the girl does not fall for him (in two weeks), he is supposed to move to the next target. The parents of the three girls (who either got married or about to be married this way) filed a writ in the High Court; and High Court has asked the state government to investigate whether there is an organized group doing this. The press report said they ("LOve Jihad" organization )has targeted all colleges in Kerala, and selected colleges in other parts.

    BTw the girl u met in the movie theater is right about hindu/Muslim marriage. Very rarely a Hindu Muslim marriage happens in Kerala (I will say may be less than 10 in a year); however, hundreds of Hindu/Christian marriages happen. My guess will be if it does not happen in Kerala, with its tolerant history, coexistence, education (of Muslims and Hindus) levele tc; it is not going to happen in otehr parts of the country.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Farzana,
    If Maithily or Bhojpuri is the language of Bihar, Urdu too is there. How can Marathi or Malayalam can be. Urdu is not the language of the elite bu the common man of India. In fact there is no language namely Hindi but Urdu spoken deleting the niecities and usage of Sanskrut is called Hindi. Just like there is nothing like Hindusism but name given by outsiders, so is Hindi. Those who claim that they are not able to speak Hindi are forced Hindi wala. Any number of English school is not going to uplift the poor not remove discrimination. Unfortunately, Farzana is in habit of bringing non issues like Urdu or ASI trying to grab mosques. Her support to ASI while they leave Temples untouched while the mosques they acquire ruin due to neglect and claim that Urdu is a elitist langauge are two of the many things which need her positive approach. All the people of India speak Urdu but the Hindus claim they speak Hindi. Now how come دودھ and پانی Hindi and not Urdu??

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  4. Hi Farzana ,
    First of all in India most parents do not want their children to marry outside their caste,region,religion and sect.
    I know muslims who were heart broken because their children were thinking of marying a Shia.They could have accepted a white Christian spouse more easily.

    Many years ago when i lived in north carolina many local people considered marying a hindu lesser evil than marying a yankee even 100 or so years after the civil war.
    Only autonomous people can choose their spouses.

    As far as Islam is concerned(please correct me if my assumptions are wrong) muslim woman can not marry a non muslim without incurring the wrath of society.It is clear in Islam.A muslim man can marry a non muslim (jew or christian) not hindu or communist.All children have to be raised as muslims.Did this woman know that if she converted to islam her husband could divorce her without any recourse . Even in India ,he could marry several other women and she would not be able to do anything about it.
    Besides if living in any islamic country if he converted to any other religion he could recieve death penalty for it .In Pakistan and Afganistan several men have been killed for that.
    Did she know that In Islam marriage is a contract .Are most of us even able to negotiate a major binding contract without having whare wittels about complex issues .At sixty it would not be easy for me in good conscience to advise her on this matter.My hope is that if they love each other they can marry each other in civil ceremony and give each other equal rights.If they have children ,they be taught languages and prayers of both faiths and are allowed to choose their faith at the age of majority with free will.

    Is it a lot to ask .I BET.WEAK IN ALL CONTRACTS NEED SPECIAL PROTECTIONS OF SOCIETY AND STATE.

    cheers
    kul bhushan
    rxri.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Girls_disappearance_from_Mangalore_raises_terror_fears/articleshow/4003319.cms

    http://www.dailypioneer.com/200241/Jihadis-target-Kerala-women.html

    http://www.hindu.com/2009/10/07/stories/2009100755400500.htm

    http://lite.epaper.timesofindia.com/mobile.aspx?article=yes&pageid=3&edlabel=TOIM&mydateHid=09-10-2009&pubname=&edname=&articleid=Ar00300&format=&publabel=TOI

    Some recent articles on vigorous enforcement of Doctrine of Love and Peace.

    But then I believe this must be a giant Yehudi-Yemriki-Hunoodi Kansipracy.

    Damn those Conniving Joos. They don’t know that there is an even better conniver.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Khalil:

    I’d go a step further and say that one should not even circumscribe languages to regions although knowledge of the regional language is important but not to score points.

    Ashish:

    Thanks for expanding on the ‘Love jihad’ original stimulus, but the Rama Sene is not merely interested in this issue. The fissures go deeper if you look at it closely. Remember the Rizwan-Priyanka case in Kolkata?

    And I find it strange that Muslim boys have to be trained to be fashionable, wear jeans, and speak English, ride motorcycles not only to be terrorists but also to be terrorists on a mission to woo Hindu girls. I think many guys of a certain age try these little stunts. Parents of girls from most communities have problems with inter-caste, forget inter-religious alliances. The terrorist angle could be just added for extra effect. Terrorists have more on their plate than conversions.

    Kerala is no more what it used to be and the hundreds of Hindu-Christian alliances do not really count up to much unless we have proper statistics as compared to population figures.

    M:

    How many common men and women speak in Urdu? Or Sanskrit? Hindi is an amalgamation because languages evolve and the fact is that it does have its own script.

    For the rest of your comment, I am afraid I fail to understand how the ASI comes in here. I am sure there must be something and it is lost on me. And Bhojpuri and Maithili are the state languages of Bihar. Simple.

    Kul Bhushan:

    The problem is we take random cases and make them to be the larger reality. There are caste, sect differences, but how many Muslims will prefer a Christian to a Shia? Very few. And it will not be an arranged alliance anyway. Are those choices politically driven always? I’d say, yes, in some cases.

    As far as Islam is concerned(please correct me if my assumptions are wrong) muslim woman can not marry a non muslim without incurring the wrath of society.It is clear in Islam.A muslim man can marry a non muslim (jew or christian) not hindu or communist.All children have to be raised as muslims.Did this woman know that if she converted to islam her husband could divorce her without any recourse . Even in India ,he could marry several other women and she would not be able to do anything about it.

    Every religion mentions certain rights and wrongs, and it is true that a Muslim cannot marry a Hindu; a Muslim is not supposed to do many things that s/he does. I wonder why the clarity is only obvious in certain cases. How many Hindus happily opt for inter-caste marriages? Regarding the woman I mentioned, she may not have studied the details about conversion. No man can pronounce talaq the way they show in films or portray without certain very stringent reasons and rules. Also, a Muslim woman does have recourse to divorce as much as a man.

    Let us get the misconceptions about polygamy out of the way. I think you do know that until 1956, in India, the Hindu Marriage Act permitted bigamy. Figures reveal that there are very few Muslims who do practise polygamy and there are Hindus who do so as well. And if the couple decides to also register the marriage, then she can file a suit in the courts; besides, during the time of marriage, since as you rightly are aware it is a contract, she can lay down stipulations, including how much mehr must be put in her name, a monetary amount that is her security.

    I have already said I am against conversions, but what people choose to do is their business ultimately. Besides the conversions that are literal, a woman, even if she does not convert, is made to follow certain rules of her spouse’s family, and this includes Hindu families, just in case you are not aware.

    Besides if living in any islamic country if he converted to any other religion he could recieve death penalty for it .In Pakistan and Afganistan several men have been killed for that.

    Several? Do you know that due to the blasphemy laws in Pakistan, there have been more Muslims who have been indicted than those of any other faith?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Ex-royals face ire for same-gotra marriage

    Avinash Kalla | TNN

    Jaipur: It isnt the Haryana khaps alone that are notorious for daring to ban samegotra marriages; Rajasthan, with its long honour tradition , too, has persisted with the gotra rule, which keeps rearing its ugly head from time to time.
    The same gotra marriage of princess Diya Kumari with Narendra Singh continues to haunt Jaipurs ex-royals who have been served a showcause notice by the Rajput Mahasabha for felicitating Narendra Singh and Diya Kumari during a padyatra organized by the sabha . Diya Kumari is the daughter of Bhawani Singh, the seniormost member of the family.
    Narendra Singh was expelled from the community of Rajputs in 1997 along with his father for Narendras marriage with Diya which, according to the sabha, was unlawful as both belonged to the same gotra. Then, on August 27 this year, the princess and her husband were invited to padyatra of Jamwai Mata, the kuldevi (clan goddess) of Kachhwaha Rajputs by Bhawani Singh Rajawat of the Rajput Sabha without its members being informed .
    When the couple were called on the dais for felicitation , the general secretary of the sabha, Giriraj Singh Lotwara , walked out along with other members saying he was kept in the dark about the ceremony and that inviting the couple was against the sabhas diktat. Lotwara announced his resignation on the spot and mailed it to the sabha top brass.
    When Lotwaras resignation which gave the reason for quitting reached the sabha on September 7, it issued a show cause notice to Bhawani Singh Rajawat asking him to explain his decision to have Narendra and his wife felicitated when the exroyal had clearly broken same-gotra rules.

    http://mobiletoi.timesofindia.com/mobile.aspx?article=yes&pageid=7&sectid=edid=&edlabel=TOIL&mydateHid=24-09-2009&pubname=Times+of+India+-+Lucknow&edname=&articleid=Ar00703&publabel=TOI

    ReplyDelete
  8. Farzana,
    I am really enjoying your blog.Specially your input.

    My comment about Shia was in America not in India or Pakistan.

    Regarding Polygamy today Hindu Marriage act does not allow it , while it is allowed for Muslims.

    Thanks for bringing abuse of Blasphemy laws in Pakistan and i know many have been killed .

    ReplyDelete
  9. Farzana,
    I know it is little late for this blog post but still couldn't restrain myself from commenting....

    From the discussion here, elsewhere and the media reports here is how a typical Love Jihadi's day would look like :
    1> Morning 6:00 A.M. wake up. Pray (Namaaz) - resolve to God (Allah) to task some more infidels with a liberal dose of - LOVE .
    2> 8:30 A.M. Review the list of Love Targets. Ohh wait, contact the "Area Commander" before starting "Work Day" - the freak insists to not to use "Khas" perfume . Use AXE instead. OK, whatever . Revv up the bike to College / Mall / Any Public Place.
    3> 11:00 A.M. Coffee with Love Target 1 - This is crap. The girl can't differentiate between characters from Mahabharata and Ramayana. Give Up.
    4> 2:30 P.M. More Crap follows. The girl has a cousin sister who had eloped with a Muslim. They have been leaving happily since, he a chartered accountant - she a dental practitioner. What ? WHAT ?? WTF ???
    5> 4:30 P.M. More WTF coming Love Jihadi's way. She made him review and redo her professional resume for a job interview. The girl is very keen about job. Love Jihad not quite what it was made out to be. Disappointment.
    6> 8:30 P.M. Love Jihad group meeting missed today - again. Never mind. But then, iss dil kaa kya kare - bekaabu hone ke liye raaji hi to nahi hotaa !!!
    7> 10:30 P.M. Log on to *any_favourite_chat_site_here* . This Love kind of jihad can be fun. More anonymity on chat sites - more fun.

    Love Jihad - you gotta be joking Guys.

    On a more serious Note - about the Urdu in Bihari schools. Methinks, Urdu as the favoured lanuguage of Islam faithed Indians has been as mythical as pan Indian Muslim identity. The correct question to ask here should be - why isn't a Islam following person referred to as , say, a "Marathi Maanus" or a "Bong" or a "Bhayya" or a "Tambi". While Urdu has influenced several Indian languages such as Marathi it is a language on its way to extinction - leave alone a favoured and popular medium of communication among the masses.

    Cheers,
    Mahesh.
    P.S.: Have a nice and festive weekend. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Mahesh:

    This is hilarious! Nice comedy of errors to be staged at secular Prithvi theatre...

    Re #2 Axe...gotcha. Watching a lot of TV. Are you rooting for the chocolate fragrance in the absence of Rooh Afza?

    #4 CA and dental practitioner is suspect. If she can do a root canal she can manage subterfuge.

    #7 logs on to Is it halal to think of haraam.com?

    Alas, none at this blogsite...

    Yup. No one realises that Muslims also belong to regions and have different eating habits. And that Urdu is a dying language; giving Ghalib a tomb after years cannot take that away.

    Would a female Maharashtrian not be Marathi maanasi?!

    You have a great Diwali while I stuff myself with kafir mithai and, yes, light the diyas...ayodhya door ast :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. FV

    I understand when you say why Muslim boys should be trained in speaking English etc.I did not mean that as a negative or stereotyping.

    What the affidavit said was that there is an organized "Love jehad" activity as a part of the overall jehadi activity. Believers are trained, and indoctrinated and given script book (and motor cycles) to attract girls who will easily fall for the charm. There are three cases filed, and the High Court has asked the police to investigate.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Ashish:
    From your earlier post on the topic of Love Jihad... "It seems it is a "terrorist" plan, funded by outside groups, where good looking Muslim boys are trained to be fashionable (wear "brand" jeans and tee, speak English words, be conversant in current song/movie etc..), given motor cycle, with the objective of making Hindu girls fall in love for them; make them convert and marry." .

    How is this supposed to spread Terror ? Or, are the terrorists flirting with another "Business Model" ? Just asking.

    BTW, it appears that VHP and some Christian association are "collaborating" in kerala against the Love Jihadis. Here is the link : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Love-Jihad-racket-VHP-Christian-groups-find-common-cause/articleshow/5117548.cms

    My guess is VHP is back in the game at fomenting trouble. Again.

    Cheers,
    Mahesh.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Mahesh

    It is another "business model". The affidavit filed is that it is a branch of "Islamic Jehadi Group" to convert people (assumption being these girls, once they fall in love with the boys, will convert for marriage).
    It has nothing to do with VHP; in fact the Ezhava (a caste) group, SNDP, has said that most of the girls who converted (whom they know of) belonged to that community; and people should not discount this as an "RSS/VHP hoax.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Ashish :
    You said - "It is another "business model". The affidavit filed is that it is a branch of "Islamic Jehadi Group" to convert people (assumption being these girls, once they fall in love with the boys, will convert for marriage)."
    Can you please enlighten me on how is this going to aid the business of spreading terror ?
    On your VHP / RSS hoax point : Please read my response carefully. I never said it is VHP/RSS hoax. All that is there to it is few marriages or love affairs between people following different faiths. VHP has used and publicized this to their own advantage. Given VHP's past record I foresee VHP stirring trouble using these relationships.
    BTW, just in case you are not clear about this, Indian constitution guarantees freedom for consenting adults to choose their partners irrespective of the faith they are following.

    Cheers,
    Mahesh.

    ReplyDelete
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