Clouds of Tears, Valley of Hope - Indus

CLOUDS OF TEARS, VALLEY OF HOPE - THE INDUS

November 13, 1999 By Jay Mathur

The Puranic version of the seven segments of the globe, named the most fertile, heavenly abode of the humans as "Jambu-Dvipa". The Huge mass of land that had the protection of the sword shaped high wall of mountains in the north and the great seas on its southern three sides. This formation ensured the unrivaled fertility of the landmass. No other place on Earth provided the combination of rivers, the valleys, the mountains and the seas for prosperity and protection. Thus the Indus valley civilization was born at the banks of river Sindhu (Indu Greek), as if in the curled palm of God Himself. This configuration also provided it with diversity of plant and animal fauna from the creatures of the snowy Himalayas to warm south. And from the dry lands of Rajasthan, to the wet hills of Assam. It represented the diversity of Mother Earth itself, both in abundance and the beauty. So this land of Bharata became the library of living fauna and all elements "Tatwa" for sages to study and develop the Hindu philosophy to explain the Kingdom of God and its working. This term Hindu applies to all followers of various Gurus and Messengers, from Walmiki, Mahavir Jain, Gautam Buddha to Guru Nanak, bringing the basic philosophy of Hindu Tenets to the people. The law of Karma and evolution of soul through rebirths, is the basis of all faiths originating within the boundaries of the Pre-Partition India.

The Religion is a Latin word for re-again or back; Ligare is linkage or binding. Hence the meaning of religion is the conscious realization of Path of Our Link to Godhead. The evolution of the Sanatan Dharma (Eternal religion) took thousands of years and involved thousands of minds. The non-competitive souls, living in this blessed environment and geographical mass, could look beyond the need of the Esthoola Sharir (The physical body) and on to the four Yogas, the ways or paths of salvation.

The Rishis and Munis, as the researchers and investigators were known, saw the co-relation of the actions and intentions (Karma) to their outcomes in bodies and souls (lives, Yonis). They had this Archipelago, undisturbed for thousands of years, to study and analyze. These observations formed the foundations of the Hindu religion.

They could raise the visual curtains of bodies that separated souls and discovered the Legere, not only between the souls but also in the unison of the souls to the God Himself. Thus the tenet of Ahimsa may have taken roots. One could not harm others without harming himself. Give pain to others, without tormenting oneself. How deep an effect this tenet had on Hindus can only be exemplified by quoting Dr Majumdar at-el. in "Advanced History of India" where they write of the Jihads (Islamic Wars) of Mahmud of Ghazni from AD 1015 and the ultimate Hindu response to them;

"Mahmud's expeditions were mostly regular raids undertaken mainly with the object of destroying Hindu temples, desecrating Hindu idols and plundering the wealth of the country. Altogether seventeen expeditions are set to his credit by Muslim chronicles that describe with glee the wanton destruction and massacre on a large scale by Mahmud and the fabulous wealth carried by him to Ghazni after each expedition. It is said, from Nagarkot alone he plundered "700,000 golden dinars, 700 mans of gold and silver plates, 200 mans of pure gold ingots, 2,000 mans of unwrought silver, and 20 mans of various jewels, including pearls, corals, diamonds and rubies."

Further, the textbook says;

" Brim I, the Chalky or Saloon King of Gujarat, had failed to bar the route to the holy shrine of Somnath. After the invader was gone, he sought to repair the ravages, which the Turks had inflicted on the habitations of the Gods. He began to build at Somnath, a temple of stone in place of the former temple of brick and wood. His general Vimalaya, built the famous Jain temple at Abu, known as Vimala Vasahi. Other edifices were constructed in the time of other successors of Bhima, particularly in the days of Siddhaja Jayasimha and Kumarapala. Two later rulers Mularaja II Solanki and Viradhavala Vedhela, attained greater success than Bhima I in repelling the attacks of invaders. Two officers of Viradhavala, Vastupala and Tejahpala, have immortalized their names by the construction of magnificent shrines at Satrunjaya, Girnar and Abu. In course of time the feeling of hostility roused by aggression wore off to a certain extent and King Arjuna of Guajrat had the broadmindedness to endow a mosque erected by a certain ship owner of Ormuz, and provided for the expenses of certain Shnte festivals. He further laid down that under the management of certain Muslim community of Somnath any surplus was to be made over to the holy districts of Mecca and Medina,

Never before in the history of this world or after the above holocaust, had peoples displayed such divine response to a devilish act against them, not until the formation of Pakistan. Once again in response to the carnage inflicted on Hindus of the Indus Valley (now Pakistan) by the Direct Action ordered by Jinah, the Hindus provided a safe haven to Muslims in left over India, and have showered them with special rights and privileges.

The acid rain of various evangelisms has burnt the best of the Vedantic people of India. The blood of Hindu saints and sanyasi has not been able to dissolve the lure of power and easy wealth that comes the way of the aggressor against a docile and dormant society. This cloud of holy wars over the Indus valley civilization has shed the tears of sorrow for a thousand years now. The history, particularly because forgotten, is repeating itself with predictability. This in good part is due to the fact that we have confused Ahimsa with Ahinsa. The scriptures teach Ahimsa not Ahinsa. The other part is that we have been beaten so badly for so long that we have learnt to respect the power of the devil and align with it, than oppose it. Better to be the Ranas of Jaipur, than the poor Rajputs of Chittor. Walk around in Achkan than lie dead in Kafan. Wear the Tie than the Noose during British Raj.

However the fact is that short of mass suicide, there is no escaping, no place to hide from historical tyrants, who may remain dormant but never disappear. Jews have learnt it the hard way. Hindus have not, yet. This Indus Valley of Tears can become the valley of hope, if we once again imbibe the life and action of Marayada Prushottam Bhagwan Ram on this Diwali Day and follow the path that Krishna showed later again at the Kurukshetra.

It is the massage of Ahimsa hidden in the Paths of Karma (duty), Bhakti

(devotion), Raja (discipline of mind) and Jnana (divinity) that must be talked, taught, and transferred to the people of this planet. If this message of good earth has not to die at the hands of Danava's (devils) under any flag or form, then there should be no hesitation in sleighing the Ravana's of our days.

History repeats itself, particularly if forgotten.

The Proud Indian - By a Pakistani Writer

The Proud Indian- Article by a Pakistani Journalist

Bravo to Dr Saleem. The author, Dr Saleem of Pakistan, is one hell of a courageous person and so is the publisher.

It is quite interesting that Dr Saleem traces genetics, which is very educational and makes a very valid point. If we also look into the history of the sub-continent, his point becomes even more relevant and irrefutable.

India until sixty years ago was one country, one people for thousands of years. Before the partition, the part of India that became Pakistan was the most affluent and fertile part of India.

The author leaves one key question unanswered. Why is democracy such a rare commodity in Pakistan? Let me dare an attempt to answer it.

Pakistan has become an Ultra Islamic country because it was founded on the principals that a Muslim can only live under Islamic law. Democratic secularism is un- Islamic hence unacceptable*. Ever since, the politicians in Pakistan have found this slogan an easy road to popularity, and strengthened the cry.

Democracy is a rare commodity in Pakistan because when elections do occur, the key to the elected politician's success is the level of his or her anti India, anti West tirade. The deadly poison for the very seed of democracy in Pakistan.

Unless that segment of our world learns to accept all faiths and ideas as also true and acceptable, Pakistan is bound to implode in the ever-decreasing circles of rejection & hate. An Infidel is not just the "Idol Worshiper” any more.

" Let knowledge come from all Universe" and "The world is my family" are the old Indian text. Should continue to be good for humanity irrespective. The believer's psyche will have to be, one man without hunger on earth is better than all the glory in heavens. That is the solution for Pakistan. But the real hope of that region is intellectuals like Dr Saleem. People like him should be in the seat of power and educators in Madarsas.

The Dr Saleems of Pakistan are the ones who should fearlessly tell Pakistanis, Why democracy, because of its fanatical masters, has failed Pakistan. Not that Pakistanis have failed democracy. Like most tools of power, democracy too is a double-edged sword. Until religion is separated from the State, democracy will continue to elude them.

India's economical miracle is the result of some how succeeding in keeping the two, Power of State and the power of religion separate. It must be a constant struggle there because provocations are many and pacifiers so few. They can't afford to fail though. Otherwise this deadly mixture of religion and State power will explode on India too, in spite of the Gandhian advantage.

Warm regards,

Jay Mathur

Cc: Dr Farrukh Saleem, Pakistan.

Ref: * Speeches & Writings of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan and Mohammad Ali Jinah Exponents of the "Two Nations" theory and " The Homeland for India's Muslims".

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Subject: THE PROUND INDIAN - read an article by a Pakistani writer

This is written by a pakistani journalist..........
Capital suggestion
By Dr Farrukh Saleem
12/9/2007

Twenty-five thousand years ago, haplogroup R2 characterized by genetic
marker M124 arose in southern Central Asia. Then began a major wave of human
migration whereby members migrated southward to present-day India and
Pakistan (Genographic Project by the National Geographic Society;
http://www.nationalgeographiccom/ ). Indians and Pakistanis have the same
ancestry and share the same DNA sequence.
Here's what is happening in India:

The two Ambani brothers can buy 100 percent of every company listed on the
Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) and would still be left with $30 billion to
spare. The four richest Indians can buy up all goods and services produced
over a year by 169 million Pakistanis and still be left with $60 billion to
spare. The four richest Indians are now richer than the forty richest
Chinese.

In November, Bombay Stock Exchange's benchmark Sensex flirted with 20,000
points. As a consequence, Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries became a $100
billion company (the entire KSE is capitalized at $65 billion). Mukesh owns
48 percent of Reliance.

In November, comes Neeta's birthday. Neeta turned forty-four three weeks
ago. Look what she got from her husband as her birthday present: A
sixty-million dollar jet with a custom fitted master bedroom, bathroom with
mood lighting, a sky bar, entertainment cabins, satellite television,
wireless communication and a separate cabin with game consoles. Neeta is
Mukesh Ambani's wife, and Mukesh is not India's richest but the second
richest.

Mukesh is now building his new home, Residence Antillia (after a mythical,
phantom island somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean). At a cost of $1 billion
this would be the most expensive home on the face of the planet. At 173
meters tall Mukesh's new family residence, for a family of six, will be the
equivalent of a 60-storeyed building. The first six floors are reserved for
parking. The seventh floor is for car servicing and maintenance. The eighth
floor houses a mini-theatre. Then there's a health club, a gym and a
swimming pool. Two floors are reserved for Ambani family's guests. Four
floors above the guest floors are family floors all with a superb view of
the Arabian Sea. On top of everything are three helipads. A staff of 600 is
expected to care for the family and their family home.

In 2004, India became the 3rd most attractive foreign direct investment
destination. Pakistan wasn't even in the top 25 countries. In 2004, the
United Nations, the representative body of 192 sovereign member states, had
requested the Election Commission of India to assist the UN in the holding
elections in Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah and Dowlat-e Eslami-ye Afghanestan.
Why the Election Commission of India and not the Election Commission of
Pakistan? After all, Islamabad is closer to Kabul than is Delhi.

Imagine, 12 percent of all American scientists are of Indian origin; 38
percent of doctors in America are Indian; 36 percent of NASA scientists are
Indians; 34 percent of Microsoft employees are Indians; and 28 percent of
IBM employees are Indians.

For the record: Sabeer Bhatia created and founded Hotmail. Sun Microsystems
was founded by Vinod Khosla. The Intel Pentium processor, that runs 90
percent of all computers, was fathered by Vinod Dham. Rajiv Gupta
co-invented Hewlett Packard's E-speak project. Four out of ten Silicon
Valley start-ups are run by Indians. Bollywood produces 800 movies per year
and six Indian ladies have won Miss Universe/Miss World titles over the past
10 years.

For the record: Azim Premji, the richest Muslim entrepreneur on the face of
the planet, was born in Bombay and now lives in Bangalore.India now has more
than three dozen billionaires; Pakistan has none (not a single dollar
billionaire).

The other amazing aspect is the rapid pace at which India is creating
wealth. In 2002, Dhirubhai Ambani, Mukesh and Anil Ambani's father, left his
two sons a fortune worth $2.8 billion. In 2007, their combined wealth stood
at $94 billion. On 29 October 2007, as a result of the stock market rally
and the appreciation of the Indian rupee, Mukesh became the richest person
in the world, with net worth climbing to US$63.2 billion (Bill Gates, the
richest American, stands at around $56 billion).
Indians and Pakistanis have the same Y-chromosome haplogroup. We have the
same genetic sequence and the same genetic marker (namely: M124). We have
the same DNA molecule, the same DNA sequence. Our culture, our traditions
and our cuisine are all the same. We watch the same movies and sing the same
songs. What is it that Indians have and we don't?

Indians elect their leaders.
=========

...The writer is an Islamabad-based freelance columnist. Email:
farrukh15@hotmail.com

The organised Religions

IN PRAISE OF THE ORGANIZED RELIGIONS

	Baha'i		Islam
	Buddhism		Jainism
	Christianity		Judaism
	Catholic		Nation of Islam
	Christian Science		New Thought
	Eastern Orthodox		Pagan & Earth-based
	Latter-day Saints		Reconstructionist
	Protestants		Scientology
	Evangelical		Secular Philosophies
	Mainline		Shinto
	Progressive		Sikhism
	Quaker		Taoism
	Falun Gong		Unitarian Universalist
	Hinduism		Zoroastrianism

Just to name a few, here are some names of the recognised religions, practiced through out the world. All religions had and have an unquestionable socio- economic relevance, which gave its congregations their political might. The moment that clout weakened, their fate was sealed. Some probably did not make the above list, because of that.

A few years ago, I was “shooting breeze” with a Jewish colleague of mine, while waiting to catch a delayed flight. He was surprised to know that we have no social obligations to Hindu temples. The Hindu Sunday schools are non-existent for Hindu children. Most consider politicising the Hindu religion as very low priority thing.

He asked me a very pointed question. How did I learn my religion?

After scratching my head (Don’t even think about it), My answer was a very confused one. I struggled through the answer, “my mother use to talk about it” to “the rituals we had at home”. His second question was, “who teaches the children about Hinduism? How Hinduism will survive?” When one does not have an answer, one becomes a long-winded philosopher. To my rescue, came the announcement of our flight.

As a Jew, his questions were very valid. His religion has marched from total oblivion to the mighty state of Israel, by shear cohesion and the organisation of their faith.

Since then I have learnt quite a bit about the benefit of an organized religion through my golf buddies, to name one of a few sources. My golf team consists of a Parsi, a Christian, an Ismaili and me- a typical talking non-practicing Hindu. There are also two Hindus that I occasionally play with as well.

What I have learnt is that an organized religion is essential to the long-term survival and the benefits are invaluable. To name a dozen;

1. You don’t have to spend $400.00 dollars on an invitation. All meet every week. On occasions even more often.
2. No postal delays, the delivery is guaranteed.
3. Advertising is free and trust-worthy.
4. While adults do adults’ things, children learnt the faith.
5. You don’t have to be running mad at finding a doctor or a carpenter. They are all there. Net working, an essential part of human existence, is there for the taking. From reference checks to family counselling is available in hours.
6. Events are organized; funds are raised in a matter of days.
7. Volunteering becomes a part of life. Seniors’ skills are not wasted in watching soaps behind closed doors.
8. From marriages to business deals are brokered with trust.
9. It is one of the best employment agencies that I know of.
10. Children not only learn their religion, they learn of power behind the congregation.
11. Children learn the art of volunteering and leadership.
12. One of the best-run day care centres and seniors’ homes are with in the confines of the organized religions.

I can go on and on. Can any body answer why there are more MPs or candidates for political parties, whose voters don’t even come close to the Hindu population in Toronto and vicinity? There are faiths whose candidates are contesting from both sides, guaranteeing one faith representation in parliament.

If a region does not organize, who will give its children the edge of an organized religion? The power of an organize religion?

When I look around, read around, religion is becoming the road to social, political and economic power more then it was during the financing of Columbus’ voyages for colonization of Americas. In present day, the election of the Bush dynasty speaks volumes. Be it Pakistan or Australia, it could not have come around but for the power of the organized religion.

Are there down sides to organized religions? Yes of course there are!! But benefits surely out weigh the risks. A seat in the Parliament is certainly better than a kick in the seat of one’s pants.

Jay Mathur

Novenber 6, 2008.

The Light of Deepavali

DIWALI

A traditional diya

“Tamsoma Jyotir Gamaye”
(Take me, oh! Mother, from the darkness of il-mind to the light of true knowledge)

Hinduism is a philosophy, evolved on the banks of river Indus in the Indus valley over thousands of years. Known in the west as the Indus valley civilization. Hence the name of the inhabitants, Hindus pronounced with a silent H. Sanatan Dharma, Arya Samaj, Nanak Panthy, Jainism and Budhism etc are ways of life for the living. They base their devotional rituals and prayers on two broad paths of the Hindu philosophy:

1. Nirgun-Nirakar Brahm i.e. God’s worship in formless meditative way.
2. Segun-Sakar Brahm i.e. God’s worship in fecultative form, represented by deities, reflecting the various faculties of the divine identity.

Both believe that God has neither a form nor qualities or properties of any mortal or immortal being.

Nirakar and Nirgun, all-encompassing transidental link with the soul.

Sakar and Drista, ever present within and without.

God is seen as a father, mother and a friend. Imagine making sketches of all the qualities in those three, on a canvas. You will see you will sketch pretty close to the idols that are worshiped. Mind guides the action. Actions formulate our life and the final destiny. Concentrating a mind on these deities help concentrate mind on the faculties that these deities represent. Hence helping actions or Karmas remain on tract to a divine life. The closer the actions are to the righteous living, Hindus believe, the closer they are to the Nirwana.

On Diwali day, God is worshipped as Female Goddess Laxmi, blessing the livings with progressive lives as a mother would. Blessing her children with prosperity and peace through righteous deeds, following the path of *Dharma.

*Dharma is defined as an alloy of laws and duties governed by moral Vedic values.

Happy Diwali!!

Jay Mathur

November 9.2007

Before The Judgement on France

Before the judgement on France!

By

Jay Mathur

There have been many a guesswork and political commentaries in media, both print and the TV, on the subject of “France on fire” today. All casual analysts essentially hypotheses the following causes,

1.Victimization of Muslim is at the root of rioting in the public housing areas.

2. Muslim areas are chronically poor.

3. Unemployment amongst Muslims is high, youths in particular.

4. French racism is responsible for non-assimilation of Islamic society in France.

5. French Muslims are poorly educated and cannot compete with mainstream French for the high paying and prestigious jobs.

6. They were brought in as cheap labour after the war and later a blind eye was turned when illegal aliens of the more or less same makeup flooded France.

Out worldly it looks like the American model. Here we can substitute Arab-afro Muslim for a black African American. QED. Causes found and problem is solved.

However the reality is as far from the truth as the suggested causes are. The truth is, there is no country in the world with high Muslim population where the above six points don’t apply, period. There never was a time in history in any country, with sizable Muslim population, when these points did not apply.

To understand the phenomenon, we will have to go back in history and find a country where the Arab or other Muslims were not taken as cheap labour but entered the country as holy warriors (Jihad), occupied, mass murdered or converted the natives to Islam and ruled the country for hundreds of years and yet the above six points are the banner causes of Islamic unrest there. Be it Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Sudan, Chechnya or the all broken up Czechoslovakia.

India probably is a textbook example of the above. To understand the phenomenon, we must understand the psyche of the Islamic leadership.

Year circa 1865, following the 1857 first war of independence in India, the British were trying to pacify the Indians, inviting input and participation from Indians in the running of the British occupation. Although selectively, low and middle management jobs were contemplated for Indians. Competitive examinations for these positions were in the works in theory. While all these were considered cosmetic by the patriots and wanted British out of India, it was nevertheless considered a positive move. However the Islamic leadership, hand in glove with the Islamic clergy, had a different agenda, which of course suited the British very well.

“Writings and speeches of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan”, the most coveted Islamic leader of 18^th century in India, edited by biographer Shan Muhammad, make picture quite clear:

Sir Syed Ahmed Khan in circa 1880, while opposing democracy in India, Says “ I ask you to pardon me for saying something which I say with a sore heart. In the whole nation there is no Muslim person who is equal to the Hindus in fitness for the work…(210-11)

For the same reason competitive examinations for posts in government must be fought: Indians are not one nation. Muslims being unable to compete on equal terms with Hindus.” He goes on:

Now, I ask you, O muhammadans (Muslims)! Weep at your condition! Have you such wealth that you can compete with the Hindu.”

Muslim population has, more often than not, considered themselves as part of the Global Islamic Nation rather than the nation they inhabit. Like the communism, Islam is considered a nation and “the borders are where Islam is”. Quoting Sir Syed Ahmad Khan again:

“ At this moment, when all us Mohammedans (Muslims) have come together the assembly itself has an effect on our hearts and an involuntary emotion gives birth to the thought- “Our Nation!’ “Our Nation”! But when we separate the effect vanishes If you will reflect on the principal of religion, you will see the reason why our Prophet ordered all the dwellers in the neighbourhood to meet five times a day for prayers in the mosque and why the whole town had to meet on Friday in the city Mosque, and in the Eid all the people of the district had to assemble. The reason was that the effect of gathering should influence all and create a National feeling among those present and show them the glory of the nation.”

Let us move to 1940, Muhammad Ali Jinah, is credited with the partition of India & creation of a “Home land for India’s Muslims”, Pakistan. He had this to say before the partition on-Islam, the Nation:

“We are a nation, and what is more, we are nation with our own distinctive culture and civilisation, language and literature, art and architecture, names and nomenclature, sense of value and proportion, legal laws and moral codes, customs and calendar, history and tradition, aptitudes and ambitions. In short, we have our own distinctive out look on life and of life. By all canons of international law we are nation.”(5)

So for India’s Muslims, an Islamic nation was created. All other religions within its borders were extinguished. By all counts the secular India, in theory, should not have any Islamic dissatisfaction, special status or demands since the homeland was already there for them. Surprise! Surprise!! Despite of Gandhi and Nehru’s Congress in power, there were and are deadly problems with Islam in India. Riots, bombings, and demands for reserved seats in professional colleges, universities & governments are all there. Some provinces have them in place to calm the Muslims. A court challenge is now taking place in the Supreme Court of India. Muslims themselves enforce a separate civil law, Sharia, with iron fists but still like France, India is burning. Some of the most common causes put forward are the same that are being theorized for France:

1.Most Riots are related to the Indian Muslim’s dissatisfactions. Causes could be any, Rusdie writing, Satanic Verses in Britain or a newspaper’s use of a derogatory word about a man whose name happened to be Muhammad.

2. Geographical areas of religious conflicts are Muslim majority localities.

3. Unemployment amongst Muslims is high, youths in particular.

4. Hindus are responsible for non-assimilation of Muslins in the Indian society.

5. Indian Muslims are poorly educated and cannot compete with mainstream Indians for the high paying and prestigious jobs.

6. India is taking a technical leap forward but Indian Muslims are being left behind.

Sounds familiar? Yes, because no matter where in the world you go:

1. Madarsas and Islamic schools, as the basic source of knowledge, are pushing them into inadequate quality of education for today’s job market.

2. The Dictum of Imams for Muslims to have high birth rate is thinning Muslim family resources, pushing them into lower per capita income.

3. Vote banking or “Mercenary Politics” as Stockwell Day, the foreign policy critic of Conservative Party in Canada brands it, puts the worst people in Muslim and

some minority communities, as their leaders. Goons are leading them down the slippery slope of despair and religious bondage.

Now coming to the subject of terrorism whether al-Qaeda sponsored or home grown, like communism, Islam as a nation has no borders. Therefore cross border interventions, we call them cross border terrorism, is fully justified. Read the following declaration by Mohammad Ali Jinah, even before the partition of India:

“ Pakistan cannot (will not) remain a passive spectator. If Britain in Gladstone’s time could intervene in Armenia in the name of the protection of minorities, why should it not be right for us to do so in the case of our minorities in Hindustan (India)..”

Sir Syed Ahmad Khan had no reservations about getting the soldiers of Islam from anywhere, particularly Afghanistan (Former Hindu Kus), He writes:

“ Then our Mussalman (Muslim) brothers, the Pathans, would come out as a swarm of locust from their mountain valleys, and make rivers of blood to flow from their frontier on the north to the extreme end of Bengal.”(184-50).

true, Islam asks that the faithful rest not till they have converted the “Dar-ul-Harb, the land of war, into the Dar-ul-Islam, the land of Islam.”

Thomas Moore in his best Seller, Care of Soul, writes:

“ Care of the soul, looking back with special regards to ancient psychologies for insight and guidance, goes beyond the secular mythology of the self and recovers a sense of the sacredness of each individual life. This sacred quality is not just value-All lives are important. It is the unfathomable mystery that is the very seed and heart of each individual.”

Islamites have completely submerged themselves in the pipe dream of the Perks of Heaven. The Prescribed route by Koran, they believe, is through their active participation in the decimation of the non-believer the idol worshipper, a Kafir of the worst kind. In doing so, they have drowned their soul and the society.

Beside the Diwali blast in which 60 died celebrating the Hindu festival in the Indian capital, the news of five Hindu leaders, including an MPP, murdered in Gazipur District, Uttar Pradesh, India is on the TV screen here in Canada, as I type. It is alleged that the murderers were trained in the terrorist’s training camp in Muzzafarabad, Pakistan. May be what France needs today is a lesson from pre and post partition India. Before judging France, shouldn’t we determine if France and other countries today are not Dar-ul-Harb with an eye on Dar-ul-Islam?

Acknowledgement:

All Quotations are taken from Arun Shorie's eye opening book, Indian Controversies. The writer expresses his deep gratitude along with profound respect for the Author, Arun Shorie’s and his work in “Indian Controversies”.

November 6, 2004

From Yellow Star to The Orange Tag

From Yellow Star to The Orange Tag

Jay Mathur

(The diyas* and the lighting of candles on Diwali signify the victory of the light of enlightenment, the Sumati, over the darkness of ignorance, the Kumati. This article is one humble attempt by the author to light a Diya and dedicate it to the thousands of Sitas, who are still imprisoned in Afghanistan)

*Ceremonial oil lamp

Doctrines dictate the behavior of a society. Such is the influence of a doctrine that even the most docile of the societies can be transformed into vicious hordes of humans.

“No one loves poetry as a Russian does”, wrote Boris Pasternak but the Communism was no poetry for the people of Russia or the world. Similarly Hitler will be born in the land of Mozart, was hard to imagine. How could German Nazis legislate Jews to wear a yellow star in preparation for their slaughter, while the world stood by? However, the followers of these doctrines did what they did. They created the evil network of followers across national boundaries with a global cause for the heinous objectives. These doctrines turned perfectly decent people of Germany into Hyenas.

The lure of political, military and the economic gains by the powers of the day often fueled the growth of even subhuman doctrines like the ones sighted above. For example, the British Empire, despite its might, found it easy to form an alliance with Nazis than to stop them from invading its Neighbors with tragic consequences. Same way, United States did not get actively involved against the Nazis, until Pearl Harbor became the ground zero of that era.

In case of Indian subcontinent, Pakistan was not only created but also gained virtual immunity from prosecution even after the extermination of Hindus in Pakistan and the occupied segment of Kashmir. The “West” in return gained precious access for a military base in Peshawar, to encircle the Soviet Union. As a result of this alliance, the doctrine of Islamic fundamentalism flourished in Pakistan unabated, playing havoc with the millions of lives in South East Asia. Even in today’s world, the history is repeating itself. Hindus are made to wear an orange tag and murdered in Afghanistan while the world drops tears for Afghanis. Not a world of protest against Orange tagging of Hindus from any quarter, anywhere in the world. Mass murders and rapes of Hindus are not important from the global point of view. Deplored & sanctioned before September 11 for military dictatorship and setting up of Talibans, Pakistan today has become darling of the “civilized world”.

In all three cases, the short-term national interests have taken precedence over long-term interest and the foresight. There were plenty of arguments given, to justify the existence of both, Communism and the Nazism. Today again, there is no dearth of justifications for the terrorism of the Islamic Holy Warriors.

For a long time, the nations and cultures have been ravaged by the doctrine of Islamic fundamentalism. William Johnson’s article of October 11, 2001 in The Globe & Mail asks; Why are Muslims involved in so many conflicts;

“ Whether as majorities or large minorities, Muslims have disproportionately been involved in violence, in wars between Pakistan and India, rioting against the affluent Chinese minority in Malaysia and Indonesia, against a Buddhist government in Thailand, against Catholics in the Philippines and East Timor, against Russia in Chechnya, against blacks in Sudan, Nigeria, Chad, Kenya and Tanzania”.

This doctrine is not new. Like communism’s Stalin and Nazi’s Hitler, Islamic Fundamentalism has had well known names to its credit. However it has survived and even flourished because of the short-term interest of powers of the past and the present.

Following the September 11 disaster, there are leaders who are awakening to memories of the London Blitz and the burning Pearl Harbor. At the same time the followers and the defenders of Islamic fundamentalism are leaving no stone unturned, to ensure that Osama Bin Laden’s directive for the use of both” Bullets & Letters” are carried out in full. The campaign of spreading misinformation is flying as high and fast as Mohammad Atta’s flight towards the Twin Towers.

How powerful is this lobby of misinformation, can only be judged by unearthing the facts. Just for an example, let us analyze the first conflict sighted in the above Globe and Mail’s article. “The conflict between India and Pakistan”. The articles & interviews of the sympathizers of the Islamic fundamentalist doctrine make one to believe that UN passed a resolution on Kashmir that a plebiscite should be held and that is that. But nothing could be farther from the truth. The chronological facts are;

* Midnight August 14 - 1947 Pakistan was born as a result of the partition of India. The Act that created Pakistan also gave the Princely State of Kashmir in British India, the option to join India or Pakistan. Maharaja Hari Singh requested that some time be given to him so that a decision out of a consensus could be reached.

*Midnight August 15 - 1947 India wins Freedom.

*September 1947 - Maharaja Hari Singh signs the “Stand Still Agreement” with the newly created Pakistan, formalizing that the Prince does not have to decide one way or the other for now.

*October 2, 1947 – Despite the “Stand Still Agreement” Pakistan suddenly cuts all supplies to the Princely State (Roads to the State of Kashmir from India now went through Pakistani territory), depriving the population of food and other essentials.

*A week later, Pakistani military in Kabailly dress (tribal clothes of Afghanistan) invades the State. The then President of Pakistan, Mohammad Ali Jinah, gambles and loses on assumption that the Kashmiri Muslims will join the invaders and massacre the Hindu population and the Prince. On the contrary, Pakistanis meet with tough resistance from the locals. Pakistan denies that those were her troops. Blaming it on Afghani tribesmen.

*October 24, 1947 - Maharaja Hari Singh formally requests accession to India and asks for Indian troops to stop the Pakistani invasion.

*India turns down the request, advising Maharaja to get the approval of the Council first. Council consisted of The Maharaja and the elected, National Conference Party. This supreme council consisting of both Maharaja Hari Singh and Shaikh Abdulla, the head of the National Conference of Kashmir approve the accession to India

*October 26, 1947 -Accession papers are submitted to Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India. Lord Mountbatten signs and seals the final accession of Kashmir to India.

*India airlifts its troops to Srinagar to stop the advancing Pakistani army in Kabayali dresses.

*January 1, 1948. India goes to U.N.O. and lodges a complaint

*June 1948 - U.N. passes the following resolution;

1. Ceasefire.

2. Pakistan to quit Kashmir.

3. India to establish normalcy and then hold plebiscite in the State.

*Pakistan delays its withdrawal time after time. Changes international boundaries between Pakistan and Kashmir. Hands over chunks of Kashmir to China and forms silent military alliance with communist China. Ethnically wipes out Hindus and Kashmiri Muslims from occupied Kashmir. Signs into pacts like SEATO of the Western Powers. Peshawar of the North West province of Pakistan becomes an American base. Spy planes (U2s) fly over the Soviet space from there. UN resolution is crushed and forgotten by the Pakistani refusal to obey, with the backing of the west and its Vito.

*Despite the ever ready armies of Pakistan equipped by the west, Indian Kashmiri flourishes as a secular parliamentary democracy and through a constitutional article, maintains the demography wherein all Non–Kashmiris are prohibited from owning the land even till today. Unlike the Pakistani occupied segment, rest of India for all that enjoys Kashmir forms provincial governments on the same principal of freedom. However, Kashmiris can share neither in the progress nor the prosperity that the rest of India enjoys. The so called “Soldiers of Prophet Mohammad”, “Lashkar-e- Kashmir” and other fundamentalist ISI’s organizations from Pakistan, continue to attract the “faithful from Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia to Sudan. Strapped to the teeth with arms, they constantly crash into the Kashmiri Twin Towers of beauty and serenity-The beauty of the people and the Land.

*1957 - The elected government of Pakistan is thrown out, military gains full control and the UN Observes conclude in their written report that the changed demography has made the whole issue redundant.

*1972 - Pakistan signs the “Simla Accord” with India to maintain the line of actual control. To allow the right of transit, free movement & trade.

*By 1986- with renewed fundamentalism in the form of Taliban, Pakistan uses her powerful intelligence agency, ISI, for cross border terrorism. The weapons flowed free with jealous American backing. It proves to be very cheap to wage a “Jihad” and the funds from Islamic nations pour in blessed by the west. Drug trade further increased the revenue.

Today, the Media has been very skillfully used as a tool of the Islamic Fundamentalism to maintain and justify the occupation of Kashmir. The funds from all over the world ensure that bullets and bulletins farther the doctrine of the Holy War. The fear of losing the support of Islamic nations, the war against global terrorism, is providing immunity to Pakistan once again. Since the first air strike on Afghanistan, the Kashmiri legislature building has been smashed by suicide bombers with 17 elected members dead and the death toll, as a result of the cross border terror, has never been higher. “Soldiers of Prophet Muhammad” organization, based in Pakistan, has once again claimed the responsibility. Once again the existence of a secular democracy is taking back seat to the appeasement of the bloody military dictatorship.

Sighting Harvard’s Samuel Huntington in the 1996 Book, The Clash of Civilizations, William Johnson of The Globe and Mail quotes;

“Islam’s borders are bloody, and so are its innards”

Despite this knowledge, Islamic fundamentalists have been able to negotiate its survival and growth. The same forces of history that negotiate time and again with such doctrines, also ensure that the Yellow Stars and Orange Tags flicker back and forth in the dark skies of the fanaticism.

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October 6, 2002