One line "a section of Muslims may turn against the Congress if it was seen to be going in for strategic partnership with the US" is quite misleading and worrisome. It is worrisome since even Karat is supposed to have warned Mulayam Singh Yadav that his party agreeing to support the Nuclear deal would have impact on its Muslim vote bank!
The nuclear deal has nothing to do with Muslims. It has to be assessed based on its pros and cons. There is nothing to suggest that Muslims in India has something against USA. Even Saudi Arabia the birth place of Islam has a very close relationship Bush’s USA.
Yes there would be extreme fundamentalists who would suggest that USA is inimical to Pan Islamic aspirations and hence must be rejected. But to understand how ridiculous this is ask Karat if he would accept the cancellation of the Iran pipe line project based on the fact that Bajrang Dal or the VHP don’t like it?
Let us remain secular at least when it comes to issues of great national interest.
The odds of the common Muslims of India appreciating that is quite high.
Your concerns are unfounded..... I mean why do you want us to remain "Secular" at least when it comes to issues of great national interest?
By towing the Muslim vote bank's line (whether right or wrong) no body is becoming communal. Guess why? Coz the definition of Communal in this country is "Are you giving even an inch to a Hindu?"... If you are giving a mile to the "secular" religions, it's okay.. :-)
Don't you see all jokers coming together AFTER the elections (which they have fought each other like dogs in) with one single objective of keeping BJP away from power? Why? Coz that's their definition of keeping secularity running.. The current jig and dance between Congress, xyz, abc, and Left is nothing but a manifestation of that mentality...
So once again, when in India, revise your definitions of secularism, and you shall be all right
RE:Confused
by PKN on Jun 24, 2008 03:22 PM Permalink
All Right, you have got it wrong!
But what you got right is the fact that in 60 years we have decided that secularism means minority appeasement. Secularism means that Taslima cannot write what the Mullahs don’t like but Hussain can paint what the Hindus don’t like. Secularism means you can give subsidy for Hajj Pilgrims but you cannot give forest land for Amarnath Pilgrims to halt.
But for me secularism means when the state can decide on the Nuclear deal without having to worry about an angry Mullah somewhere in UP because America pulled down a Taliban outfit in Afghanistan.
I am in India still my definition doesn't change for secularism. The crap that people like Karat, Arjun Singh, Karunanthi, Lallu Yadav and Mulayam is peddling is "minority appeasement”.
Hope you now know what I meant by taking a "secular" decision on the Nuclear Deal. I meant secularism as defined by the Webster’s English Dictionary and not by dogmatic India politicians scrounging for minority votes!
