I
am a Hindu, and a Patriot
Prabhakar Timble
2 October 2002
January
30, 1948
5.17 P.M.
BAPU SHOT DEAD
The
man who ignited the masses
Championed non-violence and ahimsa
The man who first practiced and later preached
An embodiment of love, not an iota of hatred
For
the Mahatma, Ramrajya was wiping every tear from every
eye
Not killing of innocent children
In the name of Ram, Allah and Deshbhakti
He
was proud to be a Hindu.
Hinduism for him was tolerance
He believed that Hinduism can be destroyed only by
Hindus
And Islam by Muslims
And by nobody else
Why
this apostle of peace had a violent end?
Who assassinated the Father of the Nation?
The name is not important
What "interests" stained with blood the
swadeshi khadi-clad Mahatma?
I
am a Hindu and proud to be one.
I believe in democracy, in dissent, dialogue and discussion
I believe that democracy is rule by majority but not
for majority alone
I believe in swaraj but not just from British raj
But freedom from man-made boundaries of caste and
religion
From exploitation by politicians, landlords and the
powerful
From hunger, dirt, disease and starvation
Freedom of life, liberty, speech and expression
Freedom of Religion, Culture & Language
Are guarantees for all the citizens of free Bharat
I
am aware of my nation's diversity
18 major languages
1600 minor languages and dialects
6 major Religions
6,400 castes and sub-castes
52 major tribes
29 major festivals
28 States
7 Union Territories
I enjoy and respect this diversity
This beauty and richness of my country
This protective cover from fanaticism and fundamentalism
I
am a Hindu and proud to be so
I also know that teachings of all Religions are Universal
Religion is a human need
But I cannot forget that
Religious practices give sanction to caste
Organised Religion propagates hatred
Religion is faith and not reason
Religion is gender discriminatory
Religious knowledge is not self-corrective and progressive
Blind faith frames, cages and imposes boundaries
On individual freedom, thought, imagination and action
I
am a patriot
I detest Muslim fundamentalists and Immams
Exploiting Indian Mussalmans in the name of Islam
But to me patriotism does not mean
That a Hindu should not rescue Muslims and Christians
when
Attacked with "trishuls" and petrol
That my children should not speak to Muslim classmates
That I should select and murder inter-religiously
married couples
That I should prepare religion-wise lists of children,
workers, shopkeepers
That I should rape women before their sons and daughters
That I should burn and destroy homes and shelters
That I should pierce the foetus of pregnant women
That I should decree "death by rape" and
urinate on their bodies
And bask in this glory on a "rathyatra"
Sermonising on family planning
Patriotism
My religion, my parents and my teachers taught
Is not mere love for physical boundaries of the nation
But Love and Respect for People
Patriotism is not Geography
Neither using History to teach and learn the art of
hate
But it is oneness, togetherness and belonging with
people
Secularism
is not appeasement of minorities
It is tolerance, freedom, democracy.
Secularism is freedom of Religion and Culture
Secularism is Indian nationalism
A secularist is a nationalist
Secularism is my value
It cannot come in the way of teaching values
Secularism is humanism
Secularism means justice to all
2nd
October
The birth of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
For me is a non-event
You consign Mohandas to "Safai Abhiyan"
I have nothing to say
Have we not pushed Ambedkar and Jyotiba
From mainstream to downstream?
But
if 2nd October is the birth of Cleanliness
Let the death of the Father of My Nation
Be the birth of Values
Of Tolerance, Compassion, Fraternity, Harmony, and
Secularism
Let the birth of Mohandas be forgotten
The death of the Mahatma should be remembered
By all Countrymen, educationists, politicians and
bureaucrats
