I am currently staying in Malaysia, where Hindus are a minority in a Muslim majority country. The Muslims in Malaysia are extremely tolerant and polite. Yet the Hindu Indians and Chinese feel a sense of discrimination because the state itself discriminates against people of other religions. The experiences related by the writer are exactly the same experienced by Hindu minorities here, particularly the manner in which the police treat them. It made me realise exactly how Muslims feel in India. I feel that in India too Hindus should try to understand the anxieties of the Muslim minorities. I think we have an ostrich like syndrome. Granted that the Hindus are tolerant and accomodating, yet the recent rise of Hindus fundamentalists is giving the religion a bad name. There is no point going into the cause of rising Hindu fundamentalism; there could be numerous reasons. yet no reason can be valid enough to justify rioting and killing. Granted that Hindus sometimes get killed, but I thought that an eye for an eye was never part of Hindu philosophy. I think it is time that Hindus reach out to their Muslim friends and assure them about their safety.
