Why is the M-Word Taboo?
by Maneck Davar
When the BJP candidate from Mumbai North Central, Mahesh Jethmalani, was trying to establish voting patterns in his constituency to buttress his belief that the ballot box favoured him, he said one of the reasons was that the percentage of voting amongst Muslims, the so-called secular Congress’s traditional vote-bank, was lower than the constituency average. Arnab Goswami, on whose Times Now Channel Jethmalani was appearing post-poll eve, immediately cut him off saying he was being communal. All efforts on Mahesh’s part to point out that he was but stating facts, were brushed aside brusquely as is the wont of all those pompous anchors who don’t entertain unpalatable views, which means anything that does not conform to their narrow definitions.
Yet no objection would have been raised if Jethmalani would have put it differently - the “minority community” which consistently reposes its faith in the Congress and is still uncomfortable with the BJP, did not vote in strength as is their practice. Mahesh’s very sensible argument was that they were dissatisfied with the Congress, and decided to stay at home rather than vote for the BJP which they still viewed with some suspicion. This would have been lauded as incisive analysis but uttering Muslim in the same sentence as vote bank offended Mr. Goswami’s ’secular’ sensibilities.
If we are to progress towards a truly pluralistic and all-inclusive society, it is time we dropped these silly pretensions. The victims of a riot are Muslims, but if benefits are to be given to them they are the minority community. And in no sense is calling someone who believes and professes the Islamic faith a Muslim derogatory, as much as someone who adheres to Hinduism a Hindu.
In Jethmalani’s North-Central constituency where I worked on the campaign, it held little surprise, when Muslim jari workers (or should I say jari workers of the minority community) of the Bharatnagar slum affirmed their total faith and allegiance to their local corporator Bala Sawant of the Shiv Sena because he attends to their problems and is available to them 24 hours. (There were a number of Christians who acknowledged the work done in protecting their churches by the BJP’s Ashish Shelar and Parag Alavani, but that’s another story)
And yet look at the hypocrisy of these same news channels. When Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, at a nationally televised press conference, reaffirms that the poor Muslim had the first right to the resources of the country, there was no uproar. To give the poor man some benefit of doubt he stuttered about the minority community, but then in the pursuit of votes and appealing directly to his vote-bank, uttered the M word. The Congress was let off without even a slight rap on the knuckles and the BJP candidate, pilloried as communal for calling a Muslim a Muslim. Some of you may say what’s in a word and why the brouhaha. The reason is that this is not just semantics but betrays an attitude, one that is dangerous for the Indian Muslim. For years, Congress has used the nomenclature minority community for its selfish use. The effort has been to portray to the Indian Muslim that he enjoys a special status under the Congress that of a “minority community”. But this is just an empty term - the Congress in all these years has done nothing, in fact even perpetuated, the illiteracy, economic backwardness and poverty in the community, increasing its insecurity in a world that is passing it by.
It is time we called the Muslim a Muslim and give him the dignity bestowed on him by his religion and his culture. And it is certainly time that we treat him as the simple Bala Sawant and many of his kind do treat him, not as a vote-bank scared into falling in line, but as a vote which can only be secured by service and by working for his betterment and benefit.
Comments
13 Responses to “Why is the M-Word Taboo?”
The gameplan of the media and congress is wellknown now for too long. What counter strategy does the BJP plan? Or it just sits back and lets the dynasty rule us generation after generation.
If Muslims started voting on the platform of Development, BJP can form government on its own…
media has always been biased against the bjp. especially ndtv and times now.
@ Mansa
Media has been biased not only against BJP but against HINDUS too ,especially NDTV and TIMES NOW.
The one and the only way to win the electorate is the Bala Sawant way. It is also the one and only way to retain the confidence of the electorate. Do work for your constituency,its people and IT IS BOUND TO SHOW. Any amount of splurging later on ads, doles or whatever is only a wsste of precious resources. Instead`deploy these funds in a scientific and systematic way on each of the CONSTITUENCIES and see the result. I have written earlier and I repeat now. Concentrate on 300 Constituencies, deploy people (the right people, this is the crux of the whole plan) to work diligently in their respective constituencies round the year and see for yourself. It is the most in expensive and sure shot answer to win the electorate and keep him with you. More can be detailed if sought by the Central Leadership. But let there be some response from them. Hope they are listening. It is quite frustrating to go on sending blogs, comments and inputs, without any feedback. It appears to be heading towards dead walls.For heavens sake please —- if you expect feedback so do we. It has to be a TWO WAY TRAFFIC.
It is not just Mahesh who is of that opinion. Even M.J Akbar has said the same as well and guess what, he has used the M word, but I bet Arnab won’t term Akbar to be communal!! Afterall a muslim can call himself muslim, but when a Hindu does that, he gets branded communal! For that matter, if a Hindu calls himself Hindu, he would be termed Communal!
Arnab G is a dangerous criminal. He needs to be arrested on NSA.
I agree with Rajesh on Arnab G. Previous day when some idiot lawyer called Gautam Navlakha wanted self determination in Kashmir and the dorky Arnab didn’t dub Gautam as Communal or Anti-Indian. Arnab is fast lossing ground as top anchor. watch for his downfall soon
Myself a Maneck Davar follower right from his Sting Operation against then CBI chief Mohan Khatre and reliance,in 1988 along with Jethmalani junior.I’m really thrilled to see that the duo is back in action in a nationalist platform.Davar ji where have you been after the eclipse of ‘Gentleman’magazine?
Its all about association, sangha. If one with a good sangha, becomes good even earlier was bad. If one in a bad sangha, becomes bad, even earlier was good.
This fella Arnab Goswami spoiled himself by being with bad sangha of Pranoy Roy and gangs. He come from a good cultured family, I know some of his family members. Perhaps, they are ashamed of this fella.
We don’t need to get agitated, we just need to expose these self-haters to the masses, viewers. These are bhasmashurs, they will get their own bitter lessions. Imagine, how they destroying their own family, childrens.
One thing, these self-haters and Hindu haters only awakening the Hindus by default.
Being in power for over 50 years, the Congress party, the ruling Monarchy (gandhis) enjoyed the spoils of power alongwith their cronies - UNLIMITED MONEY POWER and the capacity to dole out favours.
The English media is one of the beneficiaries of such favours besides getting funding from anti Indians abroad. ( The financing of English media should be investigated). No wonder that they are willing to lick the boots of the gandhis - it is so naked and blatant that we wonder where the fair and impartial media reporting has disappeared. Is it the old Indian weakness of white skin or is there is something more deeper and sinister?
Barkha Dutt - interviewing Bianca Vadera ( shy does she still write Gandhi? Is she ashamed of her new identity Vadera or people will not recognise her - Vadera WHO?)
Arnab Goswami, Prannoy Roy - gives time on his shows to all except BJP speaker - interrupts him all the time and doles out one liners as if he sits as the judge of all actions of the speakers specially the BJP. This guy must really be a Hindu hater - a Goswami? Impossible!!! Some mistake there.
Sagarika Ghosh - the shrill voice gets on our nerves - she too is as bad. Watch Ram Jethmalani give her a hiding on you tube.
Worst of all Hindu and BJP basher - Rajdeep Sardesai. His father must be turning in his grave, poor chap. How could he have fathered such a son? His name suggest he is a Hindu but his actions are a dirty mix of Muslim and Christian blood.
Similarly , Vir Singhvi ( a Hindu?) and so many writers in the English print media.
Looking at their smug faces and nasty smirks and smiles, the only thought that comes to mind is to smash them!
All TV channels have the great advantage of editing interview - show selective clips, add blatantly biased and communal remarks and one liners
All these guys need to be kicked where it hurts the most. Investigate them for their funding and jail them being anti nationals.
The systemic and continued loot of this nation made all Indians poor.
The muslims are poor becasue they have remained uneducated, produced more children than can feed or give a good upbringing to, fought Hindus at the behest of dirty Congress politicians fro over 50 years and they are still dumb enough to vote for the Congress.
A small study revealed to me that only the STATE can be SECULAR - not an individual. All Indians are either Hindus or Muslims etc. but the Indian state msut be secular. That unfortunately is also not true. The Indian state too is not secular - why pay Haj subsidy to Muslims at all? The word secularism clearly means anything that is anti Hindu and pro muslim. If a muslim can call himself a muslim and feel proud, why can’t a Hindu? The moment someone utters the word Hindu, he is branded as communal. The BJP must speak more eloquently on this - we are all proud Hindus and there is nothing to be ashamed about.
All news channels discuss muslim vote banks, muslims voting en bloc, analyse percentage of muslims voters in particular constituencies etc. and are all SECULAR?
The Congress has used the stupid and uneducated muslims as vote banks for over 50 years and still the community does not learn. Their religious leaders do not speak out against acts of terrorism, openly profess their love for pakistan, follow such anti nationals as the Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid and similar religious leaders who only preach hate.
Hindus will someday stand up and fight back. We are being hounded in our won country and we are treated as second class citizens with pririties for muslims, reservations for backwards - how have we come to such a pass?
Something that comes to mind that I must share with you friends:
Sunil Dutt, the championed SECULAR HINDU leader fo the Congress party went on a Hunger strike at HUTATMA CHOWK to protest against the riots, accompanied by muslims.
He diappeared when we had bomb blasts wehre only Hindus were targeted.
So much for Secularism in India.
All this bloody false sympathy for the killers of the 58 Kar Sevaks in the Sabarmati express must leave all right thinking Hindus very angry with the pseudo secularists and “pretenders as protectors” of the muslims in India like Teesta Setalvad ( Hindu or Muslim?)
If Narendra Modi is to be hanged for the riots in Godhra, then every Congress leader must be hanged at least 10 times over for the hundreds of riots that have taken place in their rule of over 50 years - starting from the President of the Congress party and her family ( when a large tree falls…..!!) and chamchas like Tytler, Sajjan Kumar etf. not to forget the people in power during the Mumbai riots - the Congress was in power then. It will be a small price to pay to get rid of the crap - Congressmen.Finally GANDHIJI’S dream of disbanding the Congress, will come true!
The Congress is worried that NAMO will overshadow the false “yuvraj” - with zero credentials and zero performance, except being a Gandhi ( he could not even re-organise his own party and hold elections!) - PM in waiting for 2014. His grovelling for alliances on TV y’day was very shameful but made me hold my sides and I nearly fell of my sofa laughing. So much for the “yuvraj” beging of the left, Naidu and Nittish! How they must have all relished the “yuvraj’s” discomfort, shorn of all arrogance!!!!
The TV channels call it - the coming of age of the “yuvraj”!! REALLY? is begging coming of age?
If yes, then he will need to do a lot more of it. HAPPY BEGGING!
Instead of always lamenting on the fact that the media is anti hindu/anti bjp why don’t somebody starts a pro hindu channel. Even i am ready to take shares in it.
Hi
I too believe that media is strongly anti-BJP and anti-Hindu in general, its high time we have a ‘right’ view on TV. We all know about this problem but then whats the solution? we need supporter(s) of truth to buy out either existing channel or launch a new one. Lets throw in suggestions and take some steps. Like Mr Prashant, I will be more than happy to buy shares in such a company.