Sunday, June 24, 2007

A few questions to Sashi Tharoor

This is one more blog to discuss and debate about which Sashi Thaoor is nostalgic in his artilce in Sunday Times today. I will neither denigrate him nor agree with him but simply pose a few questions.

a) Does he think that there are only fanatic and moderate hindus? What about the secularists who muddy the Hindu waters more than the fanatics?

b) Does 'Staying away' amount to running away from law or not? What is the difference between Q and H?

c) Does the fact that 'nudity was a staple of Indian Art and sculpture for millennia' gives licence to artistes now to create an atmosphere not conducive at the present juncture of 'communal' and 'secular' politics? Is there a voice of sanity or a towering personality who can pull this country out of the present mess? If our traditions of bygone era are to be replicated now, even by a fringe, will it not lead to prosecution or law and order problems? For example Can certain classes of people denied entry into temple as that was the case then? Are we to go into a time wrap or be aware of current tensions and avoid them.

d) In Sashi's opinion, if demolition of Babri Masjid was denigration of Hinduism, then demolition of thousands of temples in India was denigration of which religion? Demolition of Bamian Budha is denigration of which religion?

e) Sometime back, 'The Hindu' today's champion of secularism, started a comic strip in its weekly children's section on the teachings of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). This was not a caricature but a healthy and interesting way of imparting moral education to young minds through parables. There were protests on portraying the Holy Prophet. The secular 'The Hindu' promptly stopped the feature and on top proferred a grovelling apology. Sashi, what is your stand on this episode?

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