The BJP has the habit of either keeping quiet under attack, or of overreacting with statements that are immediately seized upon by the Media and termed as intolerant, saffron, right wing etc. Yet, if the MP’s, MLA’s, spokespersons were groomed in workshops to speak in a cold, logical, statistical manner, their arguments could not be refuted and would not evoke these ‘intolerant’, OR ‘saffron’accusations. Here is a sample of what the BJP MP’s, MLA’s, spokespersons, could be groomed into.
BEEF. When questioned about the ban on beef, instead of being on the defensive or quoting some vague Vedic scriptures, use environmental arguments, which today are politically correct. For instance, tell your detractors that cows must consume 16 kilos of vegetation in order to convert them into 1 kilo of meat. Raising beef for food consumes more than half of all water used in the U.S. It takes 2,500 liters of water to produce a kilo of beef but only 25 liters to produce a kilo of wheat. Producing just one beefsteak uses enough fossil fuel to drive a small car 32 kilometers. Of all raw materials and fossil fuels used in the U.S., more than one-third is devoted to raising animals for food.
MINORITIES. When the Opposition or the Media says that minorities are persecuted in India, remind them that the first Christian community, that of the Syrians, settled in Kerala in the first century and have practiced their faith freely ever since; or that the Jews came to India, mostly in Cochin and Mumbai in the 6th century, after the sack of the temple of Jerusalem and that India is the ONLY country in the world where Jews were NEVER persecuted; talk also about the Parsis, who were welcomed in India after they fled Iran under Muslim persecution, and integrated beautifully in this country, producing stalwarts, such as JRD Tata; you can finish by saying that today Tibetan culture is mostly defunct at the hand of the Chinese in Tibet – but very much alive in India (Dharamsala), where the Dalai Lama and his followers were given refuge.
INTOLERANCE. When accusations of intolerance are thrown at you, just remind your interlocutor that a Hindu, still today, recognizes the fact that God manifests Himself or Herself at different times, under different names, using different scriptures. This concept allows Hindus from the villagers to the upper castes, to enter a church or even a Mosque with respect and devotion. Indeed, today Hindus still go to Darghas, such as one in Ajmer, and worship there. Point out to your detractors that the reverse is not true and that a Muslim or even an Indian Christian, may think that they are committing a sin by entering in a Hindu temple.
GUJARAT RIOTS. When Mr Narendra Modi is again violently targeted in relation to the 2002 Gujarat anti-Muslim riots, instead of being on the defensive, point out firstly that they were triggered by the horrible burning in the Sabarmati train of 59 innocents Hindus coming back from Ayodhya, 36 of them women and children, by a Muslim mob. You can add, that instead of always accusing Mr Modi, they should put on trial the tens of thousands of Gujaratis, from Dalits to upper middle class, who went down in the streets in fury. Add that Gujarat is one of the most ancient and noble states of India that gave Mahatma Gandhi to the world. And today, Gujaratis shine everywhere they go by their hard work and family values.
RSS. One of the most common ploys of anti-Hindu intellectuals is to always equate the RSS with the Taliban or the ISIS. Instead of being flustered,ask your accusers to provide you statistics – of say the last ten years – of how many innocent people the ISIS, the Taliban, the Lakshar-e-Taiba and others have been killed – and how many the RSS and variousHindu groups have. You will see that they will come-up with no numbers for the RSS, as even the Malegaon train blast have not been proved. You can also add the RSS is mostly a group of old fuddy daddies with their funny kaki shorts (trousers are coming now, smile at them!) and lathi sticks, and that most of them who would not harm a fly.
CASTES & DALITS. When pounced upon about Dalits being persecuted under the BJP rule, like recently after the suicide of RohitVemula in Hyderabad, point out that even though there are still intolerable castes abuses, mostly in deep rural areas such as UP or Bihar, and mostly between low castes(often between converted DalitsorTribals and non converted ones-. Highlight the fact that throughout Indian history Dalits have risen to the highest levels. VALMIKI – composer of Mahabharata, which also contains the Bhagavad Gita, was a fisherman (initially a highway robber).The composer of the Ramayana. Maharshi VED VYAS , was too the son of a fisherwoman. Chandragupta Maurya and theMauryaDyanasty, were all from theMuriatribe which used to collect Peacock (Mor) feathers. Queen Ahiliabai of Indore, one of the most enlightened rulers of Middle Ages India (she had an army of women), was adopted from a lower class by the king…
Say also that today there are many dalit chief ministers, such as Mayavati, or Presidents of India (Kocheril Raman Narayanan) and one of India’s most revered saints, Amrita Anandamayi, comes from the lowest caste possible, that of the fishermen of Kerala. Yet, she is worshiped by millions of Indians, many of them from upper castes who prostrate themselves at her feet. Many of the brilliant minds in the west, professors, doctors, scientists, have helped her, build the most modern hospitals in India, or top class universities, such as one in Coimbatore. ‘see below a more complete list of famous dalits)
BHARAT MATA KI JAI. When intellectuals or the Media object to the chanting of Bharat Mata ki Jai or VandeMataram, just quietly point out that the West has no qualms about being a Christian civilization. Barack Obama, for instance, though, partly of African Muslim origin,sworetwice on the Bible to become President of the United States. Many European countries have deep Christian roots and schools offer compulsory classes on the Bible, France although a secular state, has 80% Catholics who attend mass and put their children in Christian schools. Yet, we see in India, a country with 80% Hindu majority, where freedom of worship has always been the rule, that anything Hindu is frowned upon. This is totally wrong and it is a leftover of three centuries of British colonization. Point out, that Hinduism is the only religion in the world that never used its armies, like Islam and Christianity did, to convert others. It never even sent missionaries like the Buddhists, but instead Hinduism peacefully spread abroad, to the East, witness the grandeur of Angkor Vat, or the West, where yogaand meditation, Hindu practices,are today prevalent.
AYODHYA. Another constant argument of Marxists and enemies of India is that the razing of the Babri Masjid was a black day for secular India. Just calmly point out, that even if it was reprehensible, nobody was killed in the process, but that the retaliation of Muslims, with the support of Pakistan, killed 1000 Hindus in Mumbai. You can also add that there is archeological evidence that the Babri Masjid was built on a very ancient and sacred temple dedicated to Lord Rama.
MAHATMA GANDHI. One of the most common attacks against Hindus is to say that a Hindu fanatic, a RSS one, killed the great Mahatma Gandhi. If you want to throw your attacker off, just nod and say ‘yes, I agree – and I condemn it’. This will close the conversation. You can l also point out that he was judged and hanged. No need to go into the harm that Gandhi did to the nation by always pandering to the Muslim fanatic voices.
GURUS. Since the Independence, the Indian Media has been regularly attacking Gurus from Osho, Sai Baba, or even today Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, as it happened recently during the Word Cultural Festival of March 2016. Point out skillfully that guru-ship is a very ancient Indian tradition, that even pervades in the arts. Dancers for instance, have teachers that they revere as gurus, touching their feet or bowing down to them before starting their practice. Even great Muslim musicians have adopted and accepted this tradition. Instead of going after gurus, tell your confronters, they should target the millions of disciples that these masters have all over the world. The combined number of disciples of the great gurus alive today must be reaching a hundred million. If the Media or the intellectuals had any courage and common sense they would go after these –which they can’t, so that will silence them…
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