Bangladesh, Fabindia episodes show Hindus are easy targets; they need to learn to defend themselves

There is no doubt in my mind that the Narendra Modi-led BJP government was elected with at least 97 percent Hindu votes. No more than 3 percent Muslims and Christians would vote for him even today, though he has gone out of his way to show that he is the Prime Minister of all Indians. Modi also tried to woo the Western media, but it made no difference, particularly abroad (in my country France, the Indian Prime Minister is hated so much that I cannot find a publisher to write a biography of him in French). Thus it is so far only Hindus who respect and revere Modi. Why is it that despite so many momentous decisions taken by PM Modi, on economic, social and political fronts, quite a few Hindus are of late dissatisfied with him? Well for one, Hindus feel that they are as much the target of the NGOs, media, intelligentsia and even courts, as they were under the Congress regime. Hindu temples continue to be under the government and their funds are siphoned, as is the case with the Tirupati temple in Andhra Pradesh or the Ayyappa temple in Kerala, while minority institutions remain free from any government interference. Hindus’ festivals continue to be targeted: Fabindia’s advertisement, which has been withdrawn after protests, is just the latest attack. Hindus are easy targets, as they never retaliate. What else can explain the fact that the festivals of other religions where lakhs of innocent animals are slaughtered mercilessly are never the subject of public scrutiny, whereas harmless Hindu festivals such as Holi or Diwali are constantly under attack? But even more disconcerting is the deafening silence on the part of the government when Hindus are killed, such as the two sadhus in Maharashtra. I have great respect for PM Modi. He is the Prime Minister that India has been waiting for 75 years. His tireless work for his country, his utter honesty, his great reforms, the removal of Article 370, and the building of Ram Mandir have earned praise from all quarters. Yet, the Congress and the Opposition have shown us two things: First, that once you are in power, you need to cater to the minorities (or the majority) that elected you, so that they vote for you the next time — Mamata Banerjee has been a champion of this trend. Second, that realpolitik is most important: While in power use it 100 per cent, even if it is in a cynical and ruthless manner, for you do not know how long you will hold it. That is to put your own people in place, particularly in culture, education and media, so that they stay even when you are voted out of power! Make sure, for instance, that you take advantage of it to push for your perception of history and education. Even after seven years in power and four Education Ministers, the BJP government is yet to remove from history books the Aryan invasion/migration theory that has been proved false long ago! More than that, history books and curriculums still give pride of place to fanatics like Aurangzeb or Tipu Sultan, and downgrade heroes such as Shivaji Maharaj or Maharana Pratap. There is another area where I think the BJP government is lacking: Catering to the expatriate Hindu community. The Chinese have shown that when they favoured the American Chinese, they repaid them by investing back in China or even returning to China, bringing back their skills learnt abroad. It started well with the OCI schemes and Modi’s blitzkrieg visits to the US and the UK. But today, so many restrictions have been put on OCI passports that it has become just a glorified long-term visa. If this is put in place to put curbs on some Christian missionaries and journalists with OCI passports, then the government should find some other, more effective way to deal with the issue. Post-election West Bengal is another example of how the BJP abandons its voters. The violence unleashed on Hindus after Mamata Banerjee’s victory, mostly by Muslim goons linked with the Trinamool Congress, was horrendous. And again not a word from the Centre. The ethnic cleansing of Hindus in Bangladesh, where PM Modi just paid an official visit, should warrant a threat of strong action by any self-respecting government — but no. As someone who witnessed the ethnic cleansing of Hindus of Kashmir Valley, I am shocked by the government’s silence. Finally, we can’t put all the blame on the BJP government: Hindus are still the overwhelming majority in India and 1.3 billion worldwide, one of the most educated, affluent, law-abiding communities in the world, one that does not riot or ram planes full of innocent people on highrises. If the Jews, despite being such a minuscule community, are not only able to have a powerful political lobby worldwide, but also remind the planet of the genocide unleashed upon them during World War II, why can’t Hindus defend their rights, their festivals, their temples, their sadhus, and their brothers and sisters in other countries? I have spent my life defending Hindus, but let me say this openly: They have become selfish and self-centred, cowering at the very sight of any danger, thanks to undue influence of Buddhism and Gandhism. Hindus have lost their spirit of Kshatriya-hood. Yet, it is not too late for them to wake up. The author is a French journalist and author of ‘A History of India as It Happened’ (Garudabooks.com). He is also building a museum of true Indian history in Pune. Views expressed are personal.