I picked up the book casually in our library and got deeply engrossed with it as I started reading it….

First of all, the book evinced interest in me because of the catchy statement ‘ … Globalization making India more Hindu’! However, on reading the book, I formulated my own messages that the book conveyed:

? The behavior of the majority religion of a country is bound to reflect the superiority or inferiority of the nation. I find no compulsion to feel more humble or ‘more broadminded’ so as to attribute the credit of this behavior to all (in other words, to include minorities too)! I am bound to credit this behavior to the ‘majority’ only! There are no specific instances or events quoted by you which have stood out wherein an act of the minority has been distinctively proven to be of creditable value (something of the kind you can say about the Parsis who have distinctively shown to have outshined in performance).

? A society can claim to be more evolved based on the behavior and conduct of the majority towards minority! Here, I agree with you that the norms and the law of the land should ‘actively be seen’ as being equal and considerate to all!

? You may be right to have come to the conclusion that human beings are more conscious / aware of the religion / group to which they belong after 9/11. But can this ‘awareness’ be denied or wished away? The broadmindedness of mankind in the process of evolution / civilization development has been deeply affected by such morbid events. Trust is lost. Mankind can no longer survive based on good words, kind deeds, and intellectual methodologies.

? The common statements amongst the intellectual purists are that there are evil elements in every religion, in every society. Yes! But whose philosophy prevails in that society? It is the philosophy of the majority! That’s how the concept of majority-ism has come into being!

? You have made a strong usage “The new culture of political Hinduism is both triumphalist and intolerant in equal measure….. “. To feel triumphalist may not be a bad attribute – it is essential for every society to feel happy, confident of their philosophy. That’s what gives the fodder for every society to be continuously evolving! But to say that Hinduism is ‘intolerant’ is improper and incorrect. You have not shown anywhere in the book that Hinduism is ‘intolerant’. That you keep saying that Hinduism makes every effort to show ‘how tolerant and non-violent’ they are contradicts your own usage of the word ‘intolerant’! Aberrations that keep occurring within our society (like the Gujarat issue quoted by you again and again) are not being acknowledged by the majority! There is no chest thumping behavior by any group to proudly claim the ‘greatness’ of such events in our majority-ism society!

? You have finely elucidated the pluralistic nature of Hinduism as compared to monotheistic religions of the world. By these explanations I wonder whether you too (deep within your conscience) admire the superiority of the majority-ism (nothing wrong about it though)! These intellectual discussions would be for eternity for each thought to keep saying that they are superior … nothing more than that!

nevermind, it’s a good idea to take your own advice and apply it to your views, before you ask others to follow it.

Link posted by Raghavendra on Toxin thread,
http://expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Ethnic+violence+in+Mizoram:+Thousands+displaced&artid=i4sFrXZ65vc=&SectionID=b7ziAYMenjw=&MainSectionID=b7ziAYMenjw=&SectionName=pWehHe7IsSU=&SEO

First Published : 15 Nov 2009 12:56:16 PM IST
AIZAWL / AGARTALA: Mobs have set fire to over 225 huts of Reang tribals in Mizoram, displacing several thousand people……

The mob mentioned are the followers of christian mythology.

The whole South Asian region seems intractably backward and unstable – a failed region. The region, part of the British Empire for some 200 years, seems not to have recovered from its colonial hangover. The rest of Asia – West, Central, South East and especially the East – is generally flourishing. In particular, Japan, S Korea, China and Vietnam which have gone through fiendish American aggression have emerged dynamic and vibrant.
This suggests that much of the blame for South Asian chronic poverty and underdevelopment may well lie with its inadequate leaders, their lack of vision and flawed policies. India, the largest member in the region, has shown little leadership or diplomatic or intellectual acumen to hold the region together and move it forward. It hardly gets on with its neighbours and Pakistan has been an implacable foe for over 60 years. Worse still, the state cannot unify the (ethnically and culturally) diverse communities – in Kashmir, the North-East and the Adivasi areas (like Chattisgarh, Jharkhand and Orissa). It simply makes harasses and attacks non-Hindu minorities.

So what ails India and holds it back?
The following reasons are suggested:
- historical inferiority and the spirit of defeatism,
- the grip of caste and rigid socio-religious practices,
- unending poverty, failure to provide basic needs to the people,
- Hindu nationalism (Hindutva) and the BJP,
- internal unrest and state repression,
- decaying institutions, flawed democracy, lack of moral vision

Hey Chris, Meera “Panda” Nanda, at the end of the day is just an unscrupulous seller who wants sell the stuff she produces no matter what it takes. She is neither bothered about the quality or facts and is ready to stoop to any level to make a few bucks. Hinduism is open to criticism doesn’t mean we show the other cheek when slapped on one (thats so medieval, it worked when people were physically rough but mentally still had lot of integrity). Supporting pluralism (Hindusism) doesnt mean forgiving dogma, falsehood and negative propaganda. So whats your problem, get your logic straight dude.

Really? Your review of Meera Nanda’s critique is hardly what I would call welcoming.