Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Identity crisis

Sir, — This refers to the thought-provoking article `Identity crisis' (Feb. 17) by Malini Parthasarathy. Since Independence, never have the minorities felt so threatened and insecure as in the last few years. The Hindutva zealots have been campaigning to undermine the patriotism and nationalistic feelings of the religious minorities. History will tell us about the role played by the Christians and Muslims in liberating India from the foreign yoke. As has been rightly termed by Ms. Parthasarathy "the merchants of Hindu majoritarianism" have taken upon themselves the pernicious job of miseducating the Indian population by falsified, manipulated and saffronised Indian History. The "ethnic cleansing" is but a subtle attempt to create a "Hindu India" where the religious minorities could be treated as unwanted guests.

It is indeed a paradox that the merchants of Hindu majoritarianism are attempting to create a saffronised India to implement their hidden agenda. It is heartening that the Prime Minister has taken a politically neutral stand, disappointing the followers of the VHP and the RSS. The attempt of VHP and Sangh Parivar to turn India into a Hindu nation would be futile. No attempt by any religious chauvinist administration either in the immediate or the remote past proved to be a success. The future prosperity of India as a nation lies in the way we integrate the minorities as a part of India, realising their rightful place as assured in the Constitution.

R. Daniel Jayakumar,

Nellikuppam, T.N.

* * *

Sir, — Ms. Parthasarathy's article only confirmed the Prime Minister equating Bharateeyam with Hindutva. Even in dealing with terrorism, the PM was selective during the BJP yuva morcha conclave, by isolating minority terrorism from across the border while ignoring the terrorism witnessed in the country. The PM's selective condemnation of terrorism with visuals of the Godhra incidents at the meet confirms the BJP's desire to cash in on minority terrorism at the hustings and play to the Sangh Parivar gallery. It is strange that the BJP's allies like the TDP see nothing wrong in the PM's utterings.

Jugal Kishore,

Hyderabad

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