A2LET TERS India Abroad December 11, 2015 11 The International Weekly Newspaper founded in 1970. Member, Audit Bureau of Circulation
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We reserve the right to edit Letters to the Editor.
The Western media coined the term Islamic terrorism, dumping millions of Muslims into one
bucket, and I am afraid they are
doing the same thing to Hindus.
After last month’s Paris attacks,
attacks against Muslims and
mosques have been reported all over
the United States, but in this case
there is no reference to religion. The
perpetrators of such crimes are
always ‘vandals,’ ‘miscreants,’ ‘
right-wingers,’ but never terrorists.
Likewise when anything bad happens in India, the Western media
often needs only some comments by
some Hindu leader, talk about a climate of intimidation and violence,
and Indian Prime Minister Narendra
Modi’s silence to create an article.
The recent incident where a
Planned Parenthood facility was
attacked by a gunman and three people
lost their lives is being called ‘domestic terrorism.’ How many want to bet that if the gunman had been Muslim it would be
Islamic Terrorism, and if it had happened in India it would be called Hindu Terrorism? When it happens here, it is put
down to a lone wolf, someone not connected to religion (even though in this case we all know who is directing the hate
against Planned Parenthood). But when it happens in our countries, a much broader brush is being used.
Vanamali Thotapalli Chicago, Illinois
The burden of
the ‘lone wolf ’
terrorism
Religion, politics &
the great divide
Religions and politics are organized around polity. Organized religions define themselves by emphasizing differences rather
than similarities; organized religions are like political parties.
Cow worship and ban on cow slaughter became a political
movement in the struggle for independence. The Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh and its protégé, the Bharatiya Janata Party,
later adopted this policy as vote bank politics.
All legalized bans are doomed to failure like prohibition earlier.
Such legal bans invariably make the beef industry a profitable
business for criminals and politicians.
Politics and religions go hand in glove. As long as religions
divide people, they are no holier than politics.
Udayshanker By email
II It is regrettable to see in the letters published in India Abroad that some people are still reproaching the Indian government
for the riots against Sikhs in 1984. What happened 31 years
ago has no relevance now, when there have been many changes
of government, with Dr Manmohan Singh, a Sikh, as prime
minister for many years.
Do we gain anything by causing more and more estrangements in communities?
I am 97, and remained married to a Sikh lady for almost 60
years until she passed away. We never found any discrimination
between Hindus and Sikhs. If one boy was Hindu his brother
could be a Sikh.
Guru Nanak Dev, who was loved by people of all religions,
would never have imagined that one day some politicians would
try to create distrust and difference between Hindus and Sikhs.
And during India’s Independence struggle I have witnessed
Hindus and Sikhs fight together for freedom. When Lala Lajpat
Rai, a Hindu leader, was killed by the British, a young Sikh
named Bhagat Singh avenged his murder.
It is the time for all Hindus and Sikhs to forget rivalries and
prejudices.
Om Julka Moreland Hills, Ohio
The gunman at the Planned Parenthood clinic is moved to a police vehicle in Colorado Springs, Colorado November 27. RICK WILKING/REU TERS
Criticize Jindal’s policies,
not his religion
have always admired Bobby Jindal.
His qualifications and achievements are numerous. At
age 20, he graduated from Brown University with honors in
two majors: Biology and Public Policy. He was admitted to
both Harvard Medical School and Yale Law School. He was
a Rhodes Scholar. In the realm of public service, he has had
a distinguished career in public health (beginning at age 25)
and in elected office, culminating in his becoming the
Louisiana governor.
Jindal converted to Christianity when he was 13. It is difficult to imagine that a person would embrace any faith at the
age of 13 with ulterior motives. Criticize his policies and his
platform if you wish. But to those who criticize his religion,
I say, let the man worship whomever and whatever and
however he wishes.
Though his dream of the Presidency appears to be over,
the man is only 44. Perhaps he can still contribute greatly in
the realms of public policy, public health, and economics.
I wish him Jindal the best.
P K Souri By email
I
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal speaks to guests at the Point of Grace Church in Waukee, Iowa, while on the campaign trail.
SCOT T OLSON/GE TT Y IMAGES