Why the tirade against ‘Hindus’?
Does this point to intellectual bankruptcy of ‘The Guardian’ or part of an agenda driven journalistic pursuit that needs to be debunked Hindus neither spew hatred nor Chauvinism ever. By belief, Hindus are tolerant and all inclusive in nature, thought and practice. ‘Vasudaiva Kutumbakam’, entire humanity across world is a large family is the concept which Hindus in India and elsewhere have believed and are wedded to. In blatant diatribe, ‘The Guardian’ editorial “Modi’s India: the danger of exporting Hindu Chauvinism” (Sunday edition of November 27, 2022) is an unacceptable position on Hindus that have lived for ages peacefully and contributed socio-economically in about 100 countries including US, the UK and Europe. India and Hindus over the years has had been a victims of radicalization and imperialistic aggression of every shade and variety including that from United Kingdom for over two centuries. Plunder, abuse and destruction of the entire Hindu civilization was at the root of this anti-human invasion that happened all in the name of business. In fact, these historical facts were hidden from the younger generations in UK forcing a few British youngsters to recently take up a project to explore afresh the abuse that was heaped on Hindu civilization over centuries by Britain. Whether ‘The Guardian’ as a media house likes it or not, India’s leadership at G-20 and its lead in cleaning up the environmental mess created by industrialized western economies cannot be questioned. This ‘clean up’ act of India continued immediately after Paris accord was concluded by the then COP 26 though the much promised $ 100 billion funds and technology in support from the western polluters never happened. With regards to state of Muslims in India, ‘The Guardian’ editorial board and the management seems to be clueless on tremendous strides made by 200-odd million people (State of Religious Minorities in India) across sectors including political spectrum. Muslims are neither intimidated second class citizens as claimed by ‘The Guardian’ nor have they been targeted as suggested in the edit. Hindus have never ever supported hatred of any kind in stark contrast to what has been pushed as ‘agenda’ based writing through ‘The Guardian’ editorial that lacks basis, evidence or testimony. Blowing out of proportion, a few handful incidents to denigrate the entire Hindu civilization, India and its political leadership by extension is rather bankruptcy of worst kind seen in recent times. While BBC had pursued a similar ‘anti-Hindu’ and ‘anti-India’ editorial line, the British broadcaster had to face huge protests from otherwise peace loving Hindus living in United Kingdom. ‘The Guardian’ has built its reputation over decades and moving towards disrepute through such flippant commentary does not augur well for British media at large. Denying Prime Minister Narendra Modi visa while he was chief minister of Gujarat was an unpardonable mis-adventurism that US administration had resorted to. Realizing its mistake perhaps was understandable to say the least. ‘The Guardian’ did not care to recognize the sequence of Godhra riots of 2002 when peaceful Hindus that included women and children were burnt alive by a frenzy misled radicalized Muslim mob. US Commission on International Religious Freedom has been on an anti-India and anti-Hindu trip over the years. Why should Hindus become the whipping boys in managing larger political posturing by political parties in US? Hindus and India are well within their right to debunk biased and inaccurate observations made in the reports dished out periodically to suit the predominant US diatribe. Birmingham and Leicester attacks were clearly aimed at Hindus that were executed in a premeditated fashion by design. Whether ‘The Guardian’ acknowledges or not, harsh reality is that targeted attacks on Hindus and fermenting Hinduphobia is on the rise. Several media houses including ‘The Guardian’ have peddled half-truths and lies that masjids were attacked by Hindus. Henry Jackson Society’s centre on radicalization and terrorism in its detailed report has exposed this ‘false narrative’ on Hindus in the Leicester attacks by Muslims. Tolerance and forgiving the perpetrators of colonial rule and radicalization has been trademark of Hindus and not the other way.
