There is a tendency in English Media to play down violence against the Hindu Majority.

However, as a card carrying member of the English Media, and having been involved peripherally in the television coverage of the event, let me rise to my channel’s defence.

We said very clearly on CNN IBN

#1
Islamic Terrorists were responsible for the attack based on initial reports.

#2
It was an attack at the very heart of Hinduism

#3
According to the government, the Lashkar E Tayyabba were responsible

#4
The need of the hour is that peace and calm be maintained … and we drove this point home repeatedly.

#5
The attack needs to be condemned by everybody … (and then we went and found people from all religions … and especially Muslim leaders)

#6
Various people were asked pointed questions about support for Islamic terrorism (like the Hurriyat, who incidentally condemned the attack)

#7
Appeasement as a policy was addressed both in stories and in various studio chats.

But through it all … we did not paint a bullseye on every Muslim in the country … and unfortunately, I am left with the feeling that that is exactly what you would have wanted us to do.

Here’s the difference between Gujarat and Varanasi:

Varanasi was a planned attack by a group of terrorists.

Gujarat — it all started with a horrible tragedy: people dying in a burning train. What made it worse was the government’s role is saying the town’s muslims were reponsible for the attacks. They did this without ANY proof. And then made it worse by fanning hatred.

And maybe you will find it in you to hate the act of fanning hatred as much as you do appeasement. They are two sides of the same coin.

Probably because the majority has it’s own voice.

How do I know!? Do you read? Did you read what I wrote? Actually you don’t even need to read what I wrote. Commonsense and a knowledge of current affairs will do.

For instance: several temples were destroyed in J&K. No serious consequences. Security forces surrounded Hazratbal to flsuh out terroritsts: protests all over India.

Babri mosque: a defunct structure being used in fact as a temple. Destroyed. Riots and killings all over India.

Somewhere somebody paints prophet “offensively”. Riots and killing in India.

If Modi was denied Visa why was a Pepsi warehouse burnt?

Indians protesting against American action against an Indian. I don’t necessarily agree with the manner of protest, but what have Danish cartoonists got to do with India? And why are Hindus being killed in “protest” against Danish cartoons?

But what “bloodbath” followed the destruction of Babri Masjid? By your token, we should have seen a lot more casualities.. on the ratio of the Gujarat riots - 200 Hindus to 800(?) Muslims all over the country. But that did not happen.

What are you smoking friend? Every incidence of communal trouble in India is blamed on that destruction of Babri masjid by your pals the Marxist-Islamist mediawallas. Ask them, don’t rely on my word.

The “maximum bang for their buck” is achieved when the terrorists have managed to get both Hindus and Muslim communities to riot and turn on each other, not when they just kill members of their rival community

Precisely, which is what they achieve when they enrage the Muslim faithful; not the Hindus. Look at the reactoin to cartoons published in Denmark. Muslims in India riot and kill!

“Hard” questions? No “hardly” questions.

Supposed to be a smart comeback, I guess.

After the Hindus burnt the Sikhs in the 1984 riots, they started living with them “peacefully”.

No, no, no, the very secular congress workers, who are a big friend of Muslims, killed Sikhs. Incidentally, the media is a big friend of this sikh-killing congress party too.

And the Buddhists are fighting the Hindus in Sri Lanka

nonsense

And who are the muslims living peacefully with in which part of the world?

“I think you are contradicting yourself here. The “maximum bang for their buck” is achieved when the terrorists have managed to get both Hindus and Muslim communities to riot and turn on each other, not when they just kill members of their rival community.”

Communal incitement is a secondary object, primary object is to dispatch infidels to the maker.

“After the Hindus burnt the Sikhs in the 1984 riots, they started living with them “peacefully”. And the Buddhists are fighting the Hindus in Sri Lanka and the Muslims in Thailand. ”

1984 riots were handiwork of Secular “Congress”, Hindu “BJP” saved sikhs.

Srilanka conflict is an ethnic conflict not a religious one.

In thailand it is Muslims who are killing buddhists, buddhists are just defending themselves.

“If Modi was denied Visa why was a Pepsi warehouse burnt? ”

Last time I checked Modi was not from Denmark, I have yet to see Hindus rioting and killing for Denmark.

How would you know? It appears to me you have “transmigrated” your soul with that of the Lashkar cadre. So that is why the BD/RSS/VHP targetted the Babri Masjid.

If cartoons published in Denmark could lead to the killing of Hindus by ‘protesters’ in Lucknow, imagine the bloodbath that will follow if a Muslim place of worship is targeted in India

If Modi was denied Visa why was a Pepsi warehouse burnt?

But what “bloodbath” followed the destruction of Babri Masjid? By your token, we should have seen a lot more casualities.. on the ratio of the Gujarat riots - 200 Hindus to 800(?) Muslims all over the country. But that did not happen.

When the “media” reports that the LeT was behind the bombing, I scarcely think they are referring to some misguided “Hindu” fundamentalists.

Yet, knowing fully well as to what would give maximum bang for their buck, terrorsits bombed a temple and they killed Hindus.

I think you are contradicting yourself here. The “maximum bang for their buck” is achieved when the terrorists have managed to get both Hindus and Muslim communities to riot and turn on each other, not when they just kill members of their rival community.

DRam is gonna tell us, with his intimate knolwedge of the Lashkar mindset, that no, these poor terrorist vermin don’t really believe that they get those houris:, they are only fighting for freedom; 72 houris is all just Hindu-Zionist propaganda, right?

Nope you just did. After all, you seem to know “why” they bombed the temple.

Why do these hard questions make the likes of DRam very uncomfortable?

“Hard” questions? No “hardly” questions.

Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis ARE living peacefully with each other. But Muslims are fighting Buddhists in Ladakh!!

After the Hindus burnt the Sikhs in the 1984 riots, they started living with them “peacefully”. And the Buddhists are fighting the Hindus in Sri Lanka and the Muslims in Thailand.

Why does truth induce severe palpitations in DRam’s knee? If terrorists wanted to incite communal riots, bombing a mosque is the easiest way out. Riots are bound to follow. But they didn’t choose that route. Look at the ant-cartoon fracas. If cartoons published in Denmark could lead to the killing of Hindus by ‘protesters’ in Lucknow, imagine the bloodbath that will follow if a Muslim place of worship is targeted in India. Yet, knowing fully well as to what would give maximum bang for their buck, terrorsits bombed a temple and they killed Hindus. Why? Horror of horrors: Could the terrorists have a soft corner for Muslims and mosques? Could that be because the terrorsits are Muslims? Worse yet: Could that be because according to the terrorists’ doctrine, killing a practising Muslim is sinful whereas killing practising infidels fetches rewards, inclduing 72 houris and “boys like pearls”? Oh wait. DRam is gonna tell us, with his intimate knolwedge of the Lashkar mindset, that no, these poor terrorist vermin don’t really believe that they get those houris:, they are only fighting for freedom; 72 houris is all just Hindu-Zionist propaganda, right?

Why do these hard questions make the likes of DRam very uncomfortable?

By the way, the simple idea that our wonderful nation is built on all religions coexisting peacefully is working for the most part. Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis ARE living peacefully with each other. But Muslims are fighting Buddhists in Ladakh!!

The difference between the Pioneer edit and the other edits is that the other “media” have not chosen to play up the Muslim link although all news reports reported factually correct information regarding the killing of the Lakshar terrorists.

I just don’t see how you can defend “silence means acquiescence”. Are you issuing a statement in your blog for every rape and killing? I did not see a condemnation of rape in this article. Does that mean you support rapes?

Let it be known that this act is an attack on Hinduism: people were murdered precisely because they were infidels. If the intent was merely to create terror, the Soldiers of Allah could choose a hundred other places in Benares.

This attack was an attack on Indians - innocent women and children that should not go unpunished. Our nation is built on a simple, yet lofty idea - that people of different religions, languages and cultures can live together peacefully in a democratic country with respect for each other. The moment this idea fails, India fails as a nation. So the people were murdered not because they were infidels, but ,because they could count on certain people to turn communal and incite the Hindus to riot, killing the Muslims. In that one respect, there is no better place than Benares.

Sure misguided people who slit babies throats. how do we guide them? Let us negotiate with them. Maybe they do not have opportunities. Let us give them some.-Reserve seats for the minorities so that people do not become terrorists.

Do they feel that their religion is under siege?
Let us keep them under retrograde laws so that fatwas are issued by mullahs that are more appropriate in the 7th century.

There are more problems - our foreign policy - we are getting close to US that has invaded Iraq and afghanistan. This has antagonised many misguided people. Let us tailor our foreign policy to pacify these misguided people. Damn the nations interests. Let us go back to talking about Palestine, Anti -US etc. This should pacify the misguided people.
Maybe the lucknow riots could be prevented if the Hindus had shut down their shops in protest. But you see they are fascist and fundamentalist.
I ead in your blog about the Shiva phallus and how the entire secular order will be displaced just because an RSS type did not agree with your world view.
Long live Secularism. Modi should be damned for all genrations to come. The congress has apologized for 1984 massacre of Sikhs. So they should be absolved.
By now if the sarcasm button on your browser is not flashing, please ignore this post. I agree with your world view.

Second, terrorists are not misgudided enemies. The choice of your words reveals your own prejudice. They are very much guided enemies. One ‘guide’ they have is their own scripture, which rewards them for killing the infidels. Which is why they are targeting temples. eventhough targeting mosques would even more easily accomplish their alleged objective of fomenting communal tensions.

It is these terrorists who are of our own making. We have fomented a climate in which to talk of terrorism as “misgudedness” or as reaction to “injustice” is not only fashionable, but opposition to such talk is shouted down as ‘hate’ and ‘communalism’. No wonder the terrorsits are feeling emboldened.