Pseudo-Secularism

Hindu dharma is implicitly at odds with monotheistic intolerance. What is happening in India is a new historical awakening... Indian intellectuals, who want to be secure in their liberal beliefs, may not understand what is going on. But every other Indian knows precisely what is happening: deep down he knows that a larger response is emerging even if at times this response appears in his eyes to be threatening.

Saturday, May 27, 2006

Double Standards of Intelligentsia and Media in Kerala

5/25/2006 6:29:17 AM vijayan.pal@gmail.com

Kamala Suraiya's latest gimmick for publicity is yet another instance of what she is worth for. It is the pseudo secular self-styled intelligentsia group of the third-rate writers in Kerala who have given Suraiya this level of publicity (or notoreity?). Known for her nymphomania-driven writings, she cannot be expected to do anything wiser than this.

But the saddest aspect of the story is that of the so many members of the Sahitya Academy there was only one bold man, namely Mr. Yousuf Ali Kechery to honour the ancient culture of the land. We must salute him for his concern for the values and ethos of the great religion called Hinduism. But what has he obtained in return? No media has given any space for him to express what he has to say in detail. After watching yesterday's news cast I was thoroughly disappointed and shocked by the partisan and grossly cowardly attitude of many of the TV channels in that they were so eager to give live phone-in programs with everyone except Mr. Yousuf Ali! They were diligently airing out opinions of pseudo secularists like Sukumar Azhikode, Thomas Mathew (do not remember the name correctly), etc., etc. But it was complete black out for Mr. Yousuf Ali!! What is the reason? He has committed a heinous crime - the crime of honouring the five thousand year old religion which surprisingly is still the religion of the majority and of Azhikode himself.

Desabhimani reported an article by Azhikode titled 'I am ashamed of the stand taken by Yousuf Ali'! In this article he strongly criticized Mr. Yousuf Ali for his respect for Hindu culture, decrying it as Hindu appeasement! Is it an appeasement to bring out a fact before the public? The answer in current India is yes, if it is for the sake of the majority and a categorical no if it is for the sake of the minority.

It was made clear by (Dr. Suvarna Nalappat), one of the family members of Suraiya herself that the said land is a Sarpakkavu and that they used to offer poojas there once in a year. This was a quintessential proof for the fact that Desabhimani is a news paper reporting total lies. (Desabhimani had reported that it was the local BJP and RSS activists who offered pooja, and that too only after Suraiya declared to hand over the land!) It sounded a joke to me that Azhikode still has a feeling called shame!

I remember an incident reported by the Indian Express a few months back. The news was about the brutal killing of hundreds of school children in Russia (the name of the exact place was Beslan, if I remember it right) by the Chechen Muslim terrorists. When the whole world was shocked and aggrieved by the inhuman cruelty, the Indian Express correspondent tried to contact this pseudo secularist to know his opinion about the incident. Unfortunately his mobile was always switched off! When his home number was contacted, the reply was that he was out of station! Finally, he incarnated from thin air four days after the massacre was reported. But the Indian Express correspondent was curious enough to catch on to his trail for an opinion. Then his reply was that there was no point in commenting on the same, as the incident was in Russia!! The correspondent did not leave him, and questioned why, then he used to pass his opinion on issues like Bush’s policy on Iraq, American policy on Cuba, etc. Then he started singing a different story. ‘Since the incident took place four long days back, it is now too late to comment on it’ was his reply then!!! See how shrewd, shameless and hypocritical he is! This man is now generously ashamed for the sake of Yousuf Ali, because this free flowing shame does not require to be paid for in democratic and secular India. I don’t know whether this hypocrit ever gave an opinion about this incident since.

It is not difficult to understand that his abruptness and eagerness to attack Hinduism is because of the firm conviction that he will never get a retaliation for the same. Whereas he would think twice before criticizing the Muslim fundamentalists because he knows pretty well that the retaliation will be in terms of his life itself (and the live scenes of which would most probably be available on Al Jaseera).

1 Comments:

At 6/04/2006 05:28:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am Dr Suvarna Nalapat.Since I saw my name in the article I have to write a reply,I think.The said land is belonging to Nalapat family for more than 200 years and is a private property.It has gone to kamala,the eldest daughter of Balamani amma,since my mother Nalapat Ammini Amma so wished it,and she gave her share of the property to kamala.The understaanding was,that she will keep part of it as a memorial for granduncle nalapat narayanamenon.And till my mother's death in 2004 she used to offer pooja at the snakeshrine,which she had been doing since her birth.The pooja was usually on ayilyam,in kanni,but sometimes also on ayilyam in karkitakam,which is the birthday of balamani amma,her sister and Kamala's mother.whenever someone in the family is ill she used to offer pooja/light lamp there.The other family members also were doing the same .Including kamala suraiya's sister.Now ,Kamalasuraiya has given the land for a cultural department functioning under the Govt of Kerala, so that everyone can enter the premises and see the environment where nalapat poets and philosophers lived and worked.The protection of tangible and intangible relics of culture (including tangible sacred groves)is good for protection of ecosystem,relics of old civilizations ,and the sahitya academy ,under the cultural department would be doing a service ,by protecting a sacred grove ,for protecting the ecosystem, and since Nalapat family has an important role in the cultural,literary ,social history of India,protection of the site for the posterity by the department is ideal.It would also be honouring the last wish of my mother Nalapat Amminiamma,if the site becomes a protected site,and the snakeshrine,trees around it,the tank etc kept as such,.(without those structures,it is just another piece of land,and nothing to keep as the tangible heritage of Nalapat family or of the prehistoric/little traditions of India.
Being an advocate of valuebased education,environmental protection,and of the cultural heritage of India(mainly the intangible heritage ),I would like to remind that one of the hallmarks of Indian culture and of valuebased education is the caring for the roots of life.A sacred grove and prakrithi being the root of life of all living things,is to be protected.And it is better that a Government protects it rather than private parties,so that any one can visit it.The property has always been a private property,and now it is becoming a public property open to all..There is a time for everyone and everything.I feel kamalasuraiya has done a good thing in handing over the property to the cultural department and to the literary family.That was the last wish of my mother too.And that is the proper thing to happen to that land.It had been a private property and it is now becoming a public property for all to enter and see and enjoy and learn.We should celebrate the event rather than making hasty comments on it.By keeping the tangible heritage of the Nalapat family under the cultural department and making a research center there to protect the intangible heritage of nalapat poets/philosophers(Nalapat Narayanamenon,Balamani Amma,Ammini amma)sahityaacademy can do great service to society and to the nation.

Dr Suvarna Nalapat

 

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