Desicritics Comments on Narendra Modi for Prime Minister

Comment by Amit

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 01:15:02 EDT

Our leader --Mr Modi has been given a clean chit. Not that I needed to know that ..since it was plain common sense for many of us. For the rest...all I can say that a slap that is not heard hurts more. For all those who accussed me and had a doggy time..I pity you all. It was only Mr Modi and his efficient team of cops were the ones who've always been able to track down the culprits , even the ones behind the delhi bomb blasts. It was Mr Modi's team who had all the information and even after that the congress govt sat on their asses. The report on the carnage that killed 59 people, mainly Hindu activists, absolved the Modi administration of any lapse in providing "protection, relief and rehabilitation to the victims of the communal riots". Cheeerss....

Comment by commonsense

Mon, 8 Sep 2008 19:04:10 EDT

on second thoughts, the weather is so nice in barcelona that i will leave kerty and Ms to their own devices!

Comment by kaffir

Sun, 7 Sep 2008 19:59:34 EDT

It matters though, if there is a genuine change of heart and if the offender apologized for it since. Kumar, is that the new definition of justice? Let's do away with courts and rule-of-law and set up contrition booths where criminals can apologize for their past mistakes and profess change-of-heart, share hugs with the plaintiffs and go home scot-free. Never mind thousands of Sikhs who are still looking for justice - after all, they're a minority and who cares for them. If tomorrow, Modi apologizes, then by your definition and standards, he is forgiven, right? Or will he be held to a different standard? How long did it take for Congress to "apologize" and shouldn't we give Modi same amount of time? Is it really so difficult for you to hold Congress and BJP (and all other political parties) to the same standards for the same actions? If so, why? Seems to me that concepts like "secularism" and justice are being looked at through a partisan lens instead of objectively, and different standards being applied to different political parties.

Comment by kaffir

Sun, 7 Sep 2008 19:59:23 EDT

Comment by commonsense

Sun, 7 Sep 2008 10:31:30 EDT

in barcelona, enjoying the nice weather, the beaches and gaudi. will be back to rip into kerty and man singh in about a week.

Comment by Man Singh

Fri, 5 Sep 2008 19:25:57 EDT

#168 "As long people do not fight it out in the streets, indulge in communal riots etc, all differences/diversity is fine." Look what leads to riots: Missioneries with huge funds enter the villages and lure poor people to convert to christianity under guise of charities (orphange, medical help or many others). These missioneries are like `Conmen' and never disclose their hidden crooked design to convert people. They act like conemen and involve people in glamour of their money. They never tell this poor person in the beginning itself that they are christians and contacting you to convert you to christianity using this charity money. They rather slowly intrude in community using charities and trap the by making them economically dependent on church. When they become dependent on church slowly they are threatened of withdrawing the facilities provided free for them so far by Church and mission to them and their kids. These poor helpless innocent weak people have no choice but to convert. As such missioneries attack villages and communities as conmen. They are not honest enough to declare honestly that look we are christians and want to spread christianity as much cited Hare Krishna people do in western countroes honestly and openly. Chruch traps the poor people and uses economic duress. Other community members will naturally get annoyed. Church uses internation political and economic might and governments in general never act againt their illegal activities. Church even goes to level of murdering community leaders who oppose conversion as done in case of 85 years old saint who served community 10 times more then Mother Teresa. Native communities become despearate and helpless as there is nobody to protect them clutches of these vulture missioneries. When dacoits attack the villagers, helpless villages sometime beat back the dacoits and their local associates. Therefore whatever riots you see in Orrisa are like natives beating back the associate of invading dacoits. It will happen Kumar. More educated Indian become, more awareness about conversion will occure. It will lead more opposition. In such a case either Government has to act againt these crooked associates of foreign Invaders ie Missioneries engaged in conversion otherwise people will take law in their hands and beat back the dacoits and their associates themselves. You will be surprised to know that officially only 6 people have converted to christianinty in Kandhmal area. Though there are 450000 christians are there in reality. That measn rest of 449994 are illegal conversions. Would you like to punish the missionery who baptised all these illegal converts? No community with little bit of self respect can allow dacoits and invaders to loot their house freely. They will react and they will do everything within their reach to protect their cultural and religious values attacked by conerting vultures. The only simple way to stop this nonsense is catch the dacoits (I mean missioneries) and put them in jail. Challenge of the situation is that these missioneries are agents of Colonial powers and no government can dare to touch them even if having strong proof of their illegal activities. Society itself has to be vigilant and deal with these modern day invaders our governments are unable to deal with.

Comment by kerty

Fri, 5 Sep 2008 18:17:47 EDT

Morris I got following link from Google serch that has picture of Rs 2 coin with a cross - UPA called it 'unity in diversity' coin. http://newstodaynet.com/2007sud/mar07/210307.htm Following is a link for KVS. I did not find picture of new logo there as the logo is not implemented yet. KVS is bunch of schools all over India that are affiliated to Central Board of Secondary Education. Its mission statement says " To cater to the educational needs of children of transferable Central Government including Defence and Para-military personnel by providing a common programme of education" http://kvsangathan.nic.in/

Comment by Desh

Thu, 4 Sep 2008 22:24:40 EDT

And since we are on this topic still and commenting.. there is one point that I completely forgot. The hanging of Satwant Singh along with Beant Singh. Beant Singh was personally involved in killing. Satwant Singh was not. He was hanged on the insistence of RG purely from circumstantial evidence! It was probably the first time that the most basic rule of death sentence was wilfully neglected by the highest court of law: the proof of the crime has to be "BEYOND ANY SHADOW OF DOUBT" before giving the sentence. RG was NOT to be done with this. He went on to meddle the courts through Shah Bano as well! This is the picture of Secularism - and what was that? Awwww.. that little insensitivity of RG that Kumar (and the self-righteous seculars) is in such a hurry to forget! Hypocrisy and shamelessness does come in cute packages these days.. huh?

Comment by Morris

Thu, 4 Sep 2008 22:19:04 EDT

kerty Very interesting but just curious about the last one. My first reaction was You must be joking. Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathen What is this? Department of education? 'the UPA government had released coins of Rs 2 denomination with cross on them' Did they ever mint any coin with any symbol of hinduism? If not, then why put religious symbols on coins?

Comment by kerty

Thu, 4 Sep 2008 18:29:37 EDT

UPA government has just changed the emblem of the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan from Lotus and shining Sun to Cross and Crescent. The Board of Governors of KVS approved the new logo and a circular was sent last month to all the offices and schools of the Sangathan, to change the emblem in all the publications and communications. HRD Minister Arjun Singh approved the new emblem. The circular issued by the KVS said "in order to give a broader reflection of national ethos and ought (sic) to be inclusive of challenges, opportunities, rationalistic, scientific and global thinking, advances in science & technology and social changes taking place in the society" (sic) the new emblem has been created. A few months ago, the UPA government had released coins of Rs 2 denomination with cross on them. There was reportedly even a surreptitious move to change national national motto 'Satyameva Jayate' which was buried because the government felt that it would earn eggs on its face over the issue. What can I say. I am speechless.

Comment by kerty

Thu, 4 Sep 2008 18:26:23 EDT

Comment by kerty

Thu, 4 Sep 2008 15:36:06 EDT

#173 Additional point. We have to judge the ideologies and political outfits by their ideas, politics and support base, and not by namesake family names of leaders. Otherwise, one can sell Modi to be a Dalit leader, and Congress a party of Brahmins and that would be totally misleading the people. I would term it snake-oil salesmanship.

Comment by kerty

Thu, 4 Sep 2008 13:35:52 EDT

Kumar "Marxists are still mostly class-based rather than caste-based. Most of the leadership are brahmins." Being brahmin by birth means nothing if the person does not practice what he is, or at least professes what he is. I prefer to call such persons namesake pseudo-hindus - because they are hindus by birth only and hindus in name only - they offer no love, allegiance or importance to being hindu and to what makes a person hindu. Their primary and often sole allegiance is with ideologies that are hostile and down-right antagoist to Hinduism and hindu way of life. They often pose as critics or reformers of Hindu society, easily prone to be ashamed of fellow hindus, and insist on posing a sole interpretors of Hindu history, Hindu society and matters that are for the Hindus to define and interpret. I say they are useful idiots for the anti-hindu ideologies - like in a typical musical marching band used in marriage processions, the first thing one sees leading the band would be a person with the biggest trumpet that can only make one kind of musical note - dho dho dho, while the person who makes the real musical notes and directs the band to have music in tune with his notes, the guy with a flute, remains at the back of the marching band. In India, these useful idiots man all political and ideological outfits that are anti-hindu. And they come out in droves when Hindus need to be bashed or to be ashamed. These stooges also give good alibi to anti-hindu outfits. So now failures of Marxism is not really failure of Marxism, but failure of Brahminism. The failure of socialism is really failures of Hindu economics. Failure of development model is really failures of caste system. This is how anti-hindu ideologies evade accountability for their failures while blaming the chaos they create on Hindus. Politics of victimization and exploitation and evading accountability - thy name is secular humanism?

Comment by kerty

Thu, 4 Sep 2008 11:04:50 EDT

Kumar "The feeling of being 'under siege' is just a feeling and an imagination in the minds of some people." Just like all the issues and problems secular humanism is trying to see and solve in society? Aren't they imagination of some people too? Aren't they all political and ideological constructs with existence only in propaganda and activism, for the purpose of seeking to create imaginary utopias? See, how easy it is to deny and see only what one wants to see. And how easy it is to be in denial and acknowledge only what one wants to acknowledge - it is all mental, it is all in the mind, and it is all political, if it does not suit one's agenda, but becomes very real when it suits one's agenda even when they may be imaginary and far-fetched perceptions. So issue is reduced to be a partisan one and debate merely a partisan grand-standing and bickering - and you say secular humanism is inclusive transcending all divides and politics - when it can not transcend even ideology or politics, you want people to believe it can transcend religion, caste, etc. Volume of bandwidth has been spent on this thread to debate why secular humanism you tout is a big fraud, it does not exist in theory or reality or practice, it exists only in the imagination of the few who are essentially wolves disguised as sheeps, but like a true snake-oil salesmen, they keep selling it, and keep arguing theoretical and imaginary secular humanism to gloss over real issues and real skeletons - that tells me it exists only as talking points and its votaries have blinkers on, oblivious to scoundrels that rides on it and havoc it unleashes on it swake - and why not when it all can be blamed back on those Hiterish Modis, hindutvawadi VHPs, fascist Rsswallas, willy Bramhins and communal caste system whose experiences and concerns can be trivialized as imaginary and mental - It is not just laying of siege, but accompanying denial and obstinacy that radicalizes Hindus into Hindutvawadis. You still do not get it why they have no where to go but to take to the streets when they have a concern to address or public opinion to mobilize - secular humanists would predictably feign indignation and shock every aftermath of it - but you know psecular humanism is the real author and architect of it. You can wash your hands off saying it is all imagination and politics - but perceptions and ideas that are grounded in reality and experiences have power that can not be wished away.

Comment by Kumar

Thu, 4 Sep 2008 07:16:46 EDT

kerty (#170) >> This is not to suggest Hindu society is perfect, but like all other societies, it can address its problems when it is in a position to do so and allowed to do so - if Hindu society is constantly attacked and kept under siege .. No one is 'attacking the hindu society or keping it under siege. It is all in the mind and imagination of some sections - further instigated by the RSS. All or most of the the people trying to reform and build an egalitarian society are hindus of differnt hues and shades and castes etc. If some people are feeling uneasy and restless about it, that is their problem. Yes, there will be some critique on the religious doctrines which led to the blemishes, some will blame the blemishes squarely on hindu religion/scriptures etc and one has to learn to face up to it. This phenomenon was seen in the Christian reformation too. >> None of them want to give up their caste or tribal identity. True. To some extent it is driven by reservations, to some extent by identity politics, and some extent by the natural fact that traditionally people lived in close-knit societies based on castes (inter-mingling/inter-marrying etc within the caste). But on the other hand Ambedkar and many dalit leaders talk about erasing the dalit/lowercaste identity (in the long run at least) >> Marxists have found in caste a good substitute for class for its politics of class war it needs to advance its ideology. Marxists are still mostly class-based rather than caste-based. Most of the leadership are brahmins. Many dalit organizations criticize the Marxists not recognizing the caste-based realities/problems. >> Missionaries have found a perfect wedge to legitimize their conversion missions. A mission to proclaim/preach religion is legitimate in itself and does not need a caste system to legitimize it. The caste system is just cited as a reason why some dalits want to erase the dalit/lowcaste tag. >> Socialists have found a perfect platform to pose as saviors of the weak and poor. There may be some who are merely posturing for votes, but we cannot brand everyone who is fighting for social justice, upliftment of poor/dalits etc as mere posturing. >> All the while blaming it all on caste system, brahmins, hindus etc and keeping them on the defensive Even the dalits, backwards, tribals etc are also hindus (at least, that is how india is claimed to be a hindu majority country), how can hindus push hindus on the defensive? That is why I am saying it is all in the mind and imagination. >> Castes were never graded or ranked .. Many hold that view and can be proclaimed. That can be a stream of reform. Secular humanism in governance does not oppose it at all (in fact it supports it). But there will be others who may disagree also. Ambedkar for had a different take on it and the right to have a different view cannot be denied either (like there are those who say that Christianity is responsible for slavery, racism etc) >> Secular humanism that you advocate can only create slavery and colonialism.. On the contrary, it builds an egalitarian society, removes the fault-lines, fosters reform, creates freedom/dignity for one and all – slowly but surely. >> Grim reminder that reforms within Hindu society can only come from within, only with the cooperation and goodwill of Hindus, and only when Hindus feel the need for it. I agree with this, but decision of when/how cannot be left solely to a few people who call themselves hindutvavadis. Reform will come for different quarters - dalit leaders, tribal leaders, backward caste leaders, human rights activists etc. The feeling of being 'under siege' is just a feeling and an imagination in the minds of some people.

Comment by kerty

Thu, 4 Sep 2008 04:17:16 EDT

Kumar "If India ends up at the bottom of the charts in the number of uneducated, below poverty line, disease, lack of access to drinking water, health-care etc it is due to these large sections." Lack of development is precisely due to leftist phobia of Hindus and its ideological compulsions of not allowing hindus to grow stronger and united (read my post #168). If you put Hindu society thru colonial grinder and than socialist/communist grinder, sure you can create all kinds of dislocations within Hindu society - and than blame Hindu society for them, and pit once section against another - and that is kind of politics secular humanism specializes in. This is not to suggest Hindu society is perfect, but like all other societies, it can address its problems when it is in a position to do so and allowed to do so - if Hindu society is constantly attacked and kept under siege, than its priorities shift to self-defense and self-preservation rather than maintaining its vitality. I call it hindu-baiting - attacking hindu society, and than exploiting the negetive fallout created within hindu society to demonize and further attack hindu society, thus creating a vicious cycle of attacks and exploitation. This tactic is a gift of missionaries to our leftists. "We also need to understand these large sections think they had a raw deal for generations (due to caste) and they blame certain religious doctrines for the social gradation etc." None of them want to give up their caste or tribal identity. They love their castes and cling to them, often fiercely - some of them, instigated by missionary and leftist propaganda, just happen to hate other castes, and they think that is their surest ticket to earn special privileges in society. But they do not want to give up their caste. When caste system is put thru socialist grinder, all castes feel they are under siege, being attacked, persecuted, not well off - leftist politicians exploit such landscape of discontent to unleash a blame game and mutual persecutions among castes. Marxists have found in caste a good substitute for class for its politics of class war it needs to advance its ideology. Missionaries have found a perfect wedge to legitimize their conversion missions. Socialists have found a perfect platform to pose as saviors of the weak and poor. All the while blaming it all on caste system, brahmins, hindus etc and keeping them on the defensive. Castes were never graded or ranked - each caste was important to maintain society - just like all jobs are important in capitalist order even though some jobs are valued more than others and they pay differently, but concept of superior and inferior jobs steadfastly rejected in its political or social discouse - the communist injection of classifying people as upper and lower classes is vehemently opposed even though both set of classes do exist in a capitalist order - however such ranking of classes is considered an injection of alien ideology and opposed. The idea of superior and inferior castes and ranking within caste system remains an alien missionary construct, adopted also by leftists in post-independent India . That secular humanism relies on the same tactics shows it is just another hat for leftists and missionaries. "Secular humanism seeks to build an egalitarian society where there are no such social ranking as higher or lower." This is like communist claiming to build a class-less society - but what actually disappears is people, individual, private, property etc from its lexicon. This is like missionaries claiming to love the tribals and save them - but they get saved so thoroughly that they disappeared altogether everywhere missionary went. Secular humanism that you advocate can only create slavery and colonialism by vanquishing both upper-castes and lower castes, and pulling both of them down to the status of persecuted and down-trodden, like communists equalize all classes to the lowest denominator of poverty. The reason India could survive alien rule is that rulers had to win over so many castes, one at a time, countless of them, winning one or few was never enough, there were lot more still maintaining hostility and thus the task of conquest remained endless, that could go on for centuries, by which time, the rulers fell and faded. Missionaries know why they failed in India while they succeed everywhere they set their foot - so they have made divide and destroy of caste system a corner stone of their strategy to succeed in India in colonizing India, the same strategy has been dutifully shared by secular humanists. However, they are confounded because most people do not want to give up their own castes even though some of them hate all other castes, and some of them have converted to other faiths, and some of them belong to most backward castes. Grim reminder that reforms within Hindu society can only come from within, only with the cooperation and goodwill of Hindus, and only when Hindus feel the need for it.

Comment by Kumar

Thu, 4 Sep 2008 01:54:13 EDT

kerty (#166) >> There is an unmistakable undercurrent here and it is very much part of current secular humanist coalition - that because hindus are akin to 'Hiters', Hindus should not be allowed to become stronger, united, prosperous, efficient or allowed to gain access to state or power or media >> To keep India 'Bimaru' has been its only agenda and it has succeeded so far to get away by diversionary tactics of constantly keeping their focus on minorities, poor, weaker sections etc Like it or not, the so-called poor, dalits, tribals, backward castes etc constitute the largest chunk of India. If India is to progress, these sections have to progress. If India ends up at the bottom of the charts in the number of uneducated, below poverty line, disease, lack of access to drinking water, health-care etc it is due to these large sections. We also need to understand these large sections think they had a raw deal for generations (due to caste) and they blame certain religious doctrines for the social gradation etc. In talking about prosperous India, one cannot just ignore them as if they do not count. Secular humanism seeks to build an egalitarian society where there are so such social ranking as higher or lower. To the extent a version of hindusim/hindutva is generally supportive and not opposed to such social order/grading, it is seen with some caution.

Comment by Kumar

Thu, 4 Sep 2008 01:28:29 EDT

Man Singh (#156, #157) >> Does Christinity and Islamic scriptures `officially' not spread hate about so called Idolators? They certainly reject idol worship. But there is no need to be paranoid about it. The way especially the Old testament and Quran see it, there is a God who has given law, moral commandments etc and asking people not to deviate from them. Idol worship in that context mean a rejection of God, the moral commandments etc and instead bowing down to some inanimate object in explicit/deliberate rejection God's moral commandments etc. Jews never bothered to preach their religion outside of Jewish community. Jesus did not talk about Idol worship, but overall New Testament also endorses the view that is not supportive of Idol worship. Many Hindu groups also do not endorse Idol worship. There is nothing wrong in different people holding to different views on it and expressing it (unless the view happens to be harming Idolators etc). Some people do go overboard, but the process of debate/dialogue meant to correct it. It is easy to go overboard in expressing on view, until it is challenged by others holding a different view. >> Path prescribed by jesus may lead to God. path prescribed by Mohammed may also lead to God.... But Jesus and Muhammad do not agree with each other! So what do we do? Mohammed clearly rejected the Christian belief about Jesus and Jesus' teachings most clearly reject/contradict Muhammad's teachings. Each religion has a set of doctrines about creation, nature of humanity, nature of God, nature of interface between God and humanity, what salvation means etc. All these are points of differences, and there is nothing wrong in holding different positions. May be all religions are false, may all are true to some extent or may be some are more true and than others. Whatever be the case Governance or rule of law need not have anything to do with people religious beliefs - whether the citizens are monotheist or polytheist or monist or atheist etc. That is why secular humanism is important. >> You are wrong when you say Hindus worship creation and abrahmic religions worship creator. I did not say that. I just said that there are different beliefs expressed in different ways. You can have your arguments, others have theirs. As long people do not fight it out in the streets, indulge in communal riots etc, all differences/diversity is fine.

Comment by richards

Thu, 4 Sep 2008 01:14:30 EDT

I have always supported Modi. All the talk about modi being hitler or a fascist are mere propaganda. The truth is that Modi is too proud an Indian for the comfort of all those here who want us to believe Indian culture and traditions are inferior. I had seen through the propaganda long time ago. I am glad to see many more are seeing the light at least late than never

Comment by kerty

Wed, 3 Sep 2008 22:36:21 EDT

Kumar "The killing of Jews by hitler is an outcome of an fascist/communal ideology." How about following as composition of Nazism? - Statism and socialism (Both ideologies are leftist in nature) - Racial and linguistic supermacism - belief in Xian supremacism and blaming of jews for Jesus's crucifixion - desire to unite all racial and lingusitic people under one republic - desire to create world empire modeled after British( British had done everything Nazis are accused of in order to build British empire) We know that monotheists have done just that thru out history - Hindus have been at their receiving end. The kind of intolerance and supremacism that seeks to convert the world by banishing all others originates from monotheism. Only other ideology that can match it even closely is communism - it simply dispatches any dissent or diversity to gulag. And what has your secular humanism picked to be its main mascots to ride on - same monotheism and communism, and all you can come up with is lame analogy of branding anybody who disapprove of this political hoodwinking as Hitler. There is an unmistakable undercurrent here and it is very much part of current secular humanist coalition - that because hindus are akin to 'Hiters', Hindus should not be allowed to become stronger, united, prosperous, efficient or allowed to gain access to state or power or media - any attempt by any Hindu organization or leader to do so is viewed with hostility and alarm and propagandized as rise of Hitler. To keep India, poor, divided, weak and powerless has remain the main ideological pursuit of this secular humanist coalition - by constantly framing negative issues and propaganda that show India in poor light, by shaming Indians at every forum and every opportunity, by blaming-Hindus-first for all social and economic malfunctions and dislocations created by their own politics. To keep India 'Bimaru' has been its only agenda and it has succeeded so far to get away by diversionary tactics of constantly keeping their focus on minorities, poor, weaker sections etc without really delivering a damn thing for anybody but create captive votebanks out of their captive conditions. If there is any greater evil than Hitler, I have to say it is this secular humanist coalition of the scoundrels.

Comment by Desh

Wed, 3 Sep 2008 22:03:24 EDT

Kumar #159! Yo truly amaze me and lay bare your shallow mind. RG/Buddha/Laloo make "insensitive remarks" while they kill with abandon... .. Modi is a Hitler reincarnate! Bravo! It is BECAUSE of you that neither Secularism nor Humanity will ever be peaceful! -d.

Comment by kerty

Wed, 3 Sep 2008 21:51:48 EDT

kumar "But I disagree with you that there is a hindu-flavor, monotheistic flavor etc." Weather you agree or disagree, it has no bearing on truth and realities. Whatever is, is. "One can be a monotheist or a polytheist or a pantheist or an atheist etc and can still support the positive secular humanism" Because of supermacist creed and intolerance for diversity inherent to monotheism, one can not expect positive secularism to come out of any nexus between secularism and monotheism. Similarly , because of state totalitarianism and negation of religion, one can not expect positive secularism to come out of nexus between secular humanism and socialism/communism. People accuse hindus of trying to overthrow secularism and create Hindu theocracy - but that is a big propaganda lie - theocracy is very much alien to hinduism and positive secularism is its life blood - hinduism's life depend on it. All that hindus are trying to do is to dislodge the unnatural political cocktail that secular humanism has created by its nexus with certain theologies and ideologies that are antithesis of secularism, diversity, multi-culturalism, tolerance - which has been the root cause of mission of positive secularism remaining unfulfilled. It does not mean hindus want to wipe out moslems or xians from India - it only wants to break apart unholy matrimony of secular humanism with leftists and monotheism.

Comment by kerty

Wed, 3 Sep 2008 21:04:39 EDT

Kumar "The Secular humanism that I support allows the freedom of diverse religion/culture/traditions/ethnicity etc." That sounds like snake oil salesmanship, trying to sell something that does not exist, is not part of anybody's deliverables, not in an agenda of those champion it. So enough of hookwinking.

Comment by Kumar

Wed, 3 Sep 2008 20:59:57 EDT

Ravi Kulkarni (#148) >> .. perceived imbalance of characters like the Nehru, Indira, Rajiv, Jagajivan Ram etc. Leaders like Nehru, Indira, Rajiv, Jagajivan Ram etc have had their faults, but in an overall assessment they tried to be and have been as fair as possible to all sections of Indian society. Many people still think that there is a "Indira Gandhi' still building houses for them somewhere. Nehru laid a strong foundation based on science/technology/social reform and so on. >> Intolerance grows out of the belief that one's path is superior and the only true path in comparison with all others. Do you mean, a writer who writes that Advaita is the greatest form of philosophy is necessarily arrogant etc? This is all part and parcel of the field of religion and philosophy. Everyone has their religious/philosophical beliefs, they have their reasons to believe them, they think that a particular philosophy is more conducive for human rights/dignity/peace/tolerance etc. There can be absolutely nothing wrong in that. In fact I will say a mutual assessment/critique of religious doctrines/ideas is very important. Should one have a right to critique the religious beliefs of a radical islamist or a christian crusader or a cultist who promotes sexual exploitation and mass suicide, or a hindu who believes that dalits are born so due to their past sins and hence deserve to be treated inhumanly etc? Most certainly! Presenting of religious ideas and their critique is a natural normal process that needs to be encouraged. It is paranoid to call it arrogance, superiority etc. >> The only blemish I see on Modi has been the 2002 incident. The killing of Jews by hitler is an outcome of an fascist/communal ideology. The ideology needs to be defeated.

Comment by kerty

Wed, 3 Sep 2008 20:55:49 EDT

Kumar "Modi comes from the school of thought that a certain brand of hinduism/hindutva and its followers should be the dominating factor in governance with the others being subservient" Doesn't psecular humanism have the same ideology to hold they their followers should be dominating in governance with others being subservent? That means 80% of population that is Hindu must be made subservient and sacrificed for advancing secular humanism. That faith of hindus must not be allowed to be expressed beyond private realm, riots and terrorism from anti-hindu groups should be used to demonize and banish Hinduism. It is secular humanists that act like Hitler in India.