tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1244292116722597763.post8323884848533486474..comments2009-02-05T08:01:57.631-07:00Sherry Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17428918256547725187noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1244292116722597763.post-71344325569537893972008-10-07T13:36:00.001-06:002008-10-07T13:36:00.001-06:00That's a good summary. What it leaves out is that there are political roots as well: demonizing Muslims has lead to electoral gains for the BJP in Gujarat, and this is an expermiment to see if this can pay off elsewhere, especially with national general elections on the horizon in 2009. One priest friend in India wrote this week: "Yes, what is happening is truly horrendous. Basically it is a political strategy of the Sangh Parivar, who want to find another target before the elections (the Muslims are becoming too hot to handle (to raise up communal divisions in order to win the Hindu vote bank))." <BR/><BR/>Muslims have been targeted for decades, though this decade has been particularly horrific. It seems that Christians are the next in this scheme of "religious cleansing" (Ethnic is not really an accurate a term. Indian religions are rarely mono-ethnic). It's also easier to demonize and brutalize an ~30 million strong Christian minority, politically powerless, historically peace loving and low profile, and perhaps even dream of eliminating it, than, say the ~130 million Muslim minority, which, while not monolithic, is a lot more vocal, has better political patronage, and post 9/11, always risks treading into larger questions embroiling the Islamic world. <BR/><BR/>What's also heartening is that there is increasing coverage of the attacks in Orissa in the national media, on the 24/7 TV networks (which do a lot to shape public opinion), as well as the English-language press. Several notable non-Christian commentators have condemned the attacks, including at least one Hindu religious leader, and finally the Central government seems to be making more than just perfunctory noises at the State government to do something about the crisis. I think there's a slow realization that this kind of barbarism does nothing for the global image of India as an aspiring regional power. <BR/><BR/>Here's an <A HREF="http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl2519/stories/20080926251900400.htm" REL="nofollow">article</A> from The Frontline, a respected weekly, from a recent issue, on the political angle. <BR/><BR/>GAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1244292116722597763.post-82312744613896369192008-10-07T13:36:00.000-06:002008-10-07T13:36:00.000-06:00That's a good summary. What it leaves out is that there are political roots as well: demonizing Muslims has lead to electoral gains for the BJP in Gujarat, and this is an expermiment to see if this can pay off elsewhere, especially with national general elections on the horizon in 2009. One priest friend in India wrote this week: "Yes, what is happening is truly horrendous. Basically it is a political strategy of the Sangh Parivar, who want to find another target before the elections (the Muslims are becoming too hot to handle (to raise up communal divisions in order to win the Hindu vote bank))." <BR/><BR/>Muslims have been targeted for decades, though this decade has been particularly horrific. It seems that Christians are the next in this scheme of "religious cleansing" (Ethnic is not really an accurate a term. Indian religions are rarely mono-ethnic). It's also easier to demonize and brutalize an ~30 million strong Christian minority, politically powerless, historically peace loving and low profile, and perhaps even dream of eliminating it, than, say the ~130 million Muslim minority, which, while not monolithic, is a lot more vocal, has better political patronage, and post 9/11, always risks treading into larger questions embroiling the Islamic world. <BR/><BR/>What's also heartening is that there is increasing coverage of the attacks in Orissa in the national media, on the 24/7 TV networks (which do a lot to shape public opinion), as well as the English-language press. Several notable non-Christian commentators have condemned the attacks, including at least one Hindu religious leader, and finally the Central government seems to be making more than just perfunctory noises at the State government to do something about the crisis. I think there's a slow realization that this kind of barbarism does nothing for the global image of India as an aspiring regional power. <BR/><BR/>Here's an <A HREF="http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl2519/stories/20080926251900400.htm" REL="nofollow">article</A> from The Frontline, a respected weekly, from a recent issue, on the political angle. <BR/><BR/>GAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com