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In March 2006 Varanasi was attacked by the Islamic terrorists, in which more than 30 people died. Further in the holy city one of the most revered Hindu temples, Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple was attacked.

It is said in India with considerable pride that Hindus are very peaceful and patient and they never attack anybody, and even do not respond back to the assaults made on them. It is said that this is their unique characteristic and their plus point. Whether it is unique or not is a matter of debate, but history shows that it has not been their plus point, and has been doing them considerable harm for centuries at end. Current trends in the global as well as Indian politics are testing the legendry Hindu Patience. Its time Hindus answer whether their patience is infinite the ever expanding Universe, or it has some limits?

Here we analyse some of these points.

The very first thing Hindus hear from the Secular politicians after an Islamic terrorist attack, is not to panic. They are told to maintain communal harmony in the society. Strangely this advice is given exclusively to Hindus. Muslims are never asked to keep their anger in check, however small or non-existent may be the cause of their outrage. And Muslims are not stingy when the venting of violent outrage is concerned! You never have to go far in history to find a Muslim outrage. The issue of the publication of Prophet’s caricatures in Danish daily and the subsequent mayhem made all over the world by Muslims is not a thing of the past. The issue has not cooled down yet, and almost daily one hears that in this or that part of the world Muslims hold protest, run violent, burn shops, houses and cause damage to life and property. No politician dares to suggest them peace and to maintain communal harmony. No media blames them for disrupting peace and creating mayhem in the country. The tone of our Seculars, Politicians and media persons even seems to justify the Muslim hooliganism and blames it all on the favourite whipping boy, Uncle Sam, or in case the Western Europe. These Seculars sometimes go so far in justifying the Muslim violence that they even condone the offer of UP Haj minister Haji Yaqoob Khan to give an award of 51 crore to any Muslim who beheads the Danish cartoonist. No Manmohan Singh and no Sonia Gandhi reprimands Yaqoob Khan and his party, and no one suggests him not to whip the communal sentiment.

So the all out appearance this exercise gives is that the Muslims are entirely justified in indulging in any kind of violence and that the fault always lies with the West and Hindus, both of them generally the victims of Islamic terror.

On the other hand after every Islamic attack on Hindus and Hinduism, politicians rush forward to suggest Hindus to maintain communal harmony and not indulge in anything which may hurt the all too volatile sentiments of their Muslim ‘brothers’. (the burden of brotherhood seems to lie entirely on the shoulders of Hindus, Muslims are never suggested to the Hindus are brothers) the impatience and immediacy with which these politicians and journalists rush forward to suggest peace to Hindus, gives an impression that the temper of Hindus is too volatile and they are very prone to violence. However in reality it rarely happens that Hindus retaliate any violence perpetrated on them and any ignominy hailed on Hinduism. Post-Godhra riots are the only case of Hindu retaliation in the entire modern era.

After the India Gandhi assassination Congress workers ran amuck all over India butchering innocent Sikhs wherever to be found. At that time nobody seemed to suggest to the Congress cadre not indulge in violence and not to disturb the communal harmony. There are many such instances I history when the ‘doubletalk’ and ‘double standards’ of our Seculars journalists and politicians lie exposed.

The Babri Masjid demolition was followed by severe retaliation by Muslims all over India. Mumbai was ripped apart with the serial bombings in which several Hindus were massacred. But no one blamed Muslims for what they did in Mumbai. Here the reaction of Muslims in Mumbai was justified by the action of Hindus in Ayodhya. So the action was blamed and reaction condoned.

In another incident the S-5 coach of Sabarmati Express was set on fire and 59 Hindus were burnt alive in it, as they were not allowed to emerge from the coach by the Muslim mob. After two days of lull, retaliations began in Gujarat. Here the action was of Muslims and reaction of Hindus. So, logically if the Mumbai serial blasts are pardoned by arguing that the Muslims were encouraged by Hindus at first place, then post-Godhra riots must also be pardoned because here the onus of action lay with Muslims. But no! Our Seculars have their own strange logic. In this case the reaction as blamed at and action condoned, just the vice-versa of the Babri Masjid demolition case.

Hindus are damned if they act, damned if they react!

Indian history is replete with many such instances when the sentiments of Hindus have been hurt and their gods, temples and culture attacked and desecrated. But Hindus never seem to retaliate. Their patience seems to be infinite. They never take umbrage when their gods and temples are desecrated and defiled. They never retaliate when some of their fellow Hindus are massacred. They never retaliate when their festivals are attacked.

Hindus did not retaliate when for one thousand years Islamic armies broke Hindu temples, desecrated the idols, butchered the Brahmins, massacred Hindu civilians as well as soldiers, pillaged their cities, villages and homes, raped their wives, daughters, mothers and sisters, and destroyed which Hindus held dear and which was necessary for life.

Hindus did not retaliate when Christianity heaped innumerous calumnies on Hinduism, slandered its gods, broke its temples, and insulted Hindu civilization, dharma, history and culture.

Hindus did not retaliate when Moplah Muslims went mad in 1921 after the abolition of Caliphate in Turkey and massacred Hindus brutally, destroyed their homes, raped Hindu women, ripped apart their bellies and took out their fetuses.

Hindus did not retaliate when some great Hindu movements were silenced by the political assassinations of its main stalwarts like Swami Dayananda, Swami Shraddhananda and Pandit Lekhram.

Hindus did not retaliate the Direct Action of Jinnah, the Noakhli riots and numerous other atrocities committed to them and their brothers in 1947.

Hindus did not the retaliate the Akshardham attack, the Parliament attack, the Delhi carnage at last Diwali, and numerous other terrorists attacks.

Hindus tend to forget every insult heaped over them, their culture, their dharma, their nation and their history. It seems that they have neither will power, nor the strength to retaliate and respond back to their enemy. Some Western scholars say that Hindus have no sense of history. The forgetful behaviour of Hindus makes one believe in this Western dictum. But it is said that the nation which forgets its history rarely succeeds in future.

Hindus’ indifference to any insult and violence committed to their religion and society makes one wonder whether Hindu tolerance is infinite? Are there no bounds to it? Hindus were given a historic chance to regain their lost glory in 1947 when they got freedom from the British and the country was to be partitioned in the nation of Hindus and Muslims. But they squandered that golden chance. Almost all of the Hindus were made to flee from Western Pakistan but not even 10% of the Indian Muslims leave. Western Pakistan had around 8% of Hindu population at the time of Partition. Now it has less than 1%. Eastern Pakistan and now Bangladesh had 28% of Hindus at the time of Partition and now it has only 8% of them. While in India they have decreased from about 87% to 84%. They were 80% in Indian sub-continent in 1947, and now they are only 66%.

After that yet another chance were given to them in 1990s with the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. But yet again Hindus were ‘tolerant’ and ‘patient’ and yet again they failed. Until 1990s Islamists were more vigilant in their attacks but after the failure of Ram Janmabhoomi movement they have been emboldened in their resolve as they have become convinced that Hindus cannot retaliate not matter how much violently they are harassed. Islamic terrorists have stepped up their attacks after 1990 and now seldom does a major event and occasion goes when there is not an Islamic attack on Hindu society.

If Hindus go on to practice tolerance and do not respond to teach a lesson to their enemies then the Islamists will keep on stepping up their attacks and the day is not far when Hindu society will be overwhelmed by Islam.

The attack on Varanasi seems to ask Hindus a question. Is Hindu tolerance infinite? If it is so then they are doomed and if it is not so then they will have to show soon that they can defend themselves from their enemies and they can also respond and retaliate.

Prabhat Varun

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