Demonstrations punctuated by cracker blasts have marked the first leg of Pope’s whirlwind tour of India. The free world has for the first time directly experienced the uncompromising fundamentalism of Hinduism which, in essence, is nothing but an ostensibly agreeable appellation for Brahminism. It is religion that has two contradictory faces which it artfully alternates according to the changing political climate. It develops the most charitable and compassionate aspect when out of power and assumes the most diabolic character when through some quirk of fate or through a cunning maneuver it stumbles upon power. Like the proverbial blade of grass, it can lie dormant during long spells of drought. In adversity it feels no hesitation in recognizing, reconciling and ‘sanctifying even the most antagonistic of the religions. The moment power comes its way, it retaliates with a savage fury. Throwing all ethical pretenses to the winds, it sheds blood with a satanic frenzy and insane revengefulness.
Buddhism flourished in India only as long as it enjoyed state patronage. The day Brahmanism reasserted its supremacy; Buddhism was uprooted from the soil of its origin. Similarly, Jainism was forced to surrender its distinct identity and was made to reconcile to the position of a mere offshoot within the Hindu pantheism. Even though both these religions have a far more sound philosophy than the vague and mythological jumble of Hinduism. Buddhism strives to achieve supreme felicity through psychological and ethical self-culture and Jainism advocates’ ascetic renunciation of worldly desires and it was founded as a revolt against the caste system and the vague world spirit of Hinduism. Brahminism on the other hand is an incomprehensible mixture of irrational formulations and postures.
In the commonwealth of its densely populated gods, there dwells meek and docile ascetics; arrogant and cruel drunkards, licentious and epicurean revelers, haughty and hypocritical scholars. Each god is a world unto himself and there is no consciousness. and no recognition of the one Supreme Lord the all-pervading, all powerful, all embracing God whose presence can be palpably felt in ‘each motion of this infinite universe. In Brahminism, there is no God, no ethics, no spirituality other than what flows out of its own ‘supremacy. Exploitation and intolerance constitute its distinctive features.
‘The treatment meted out to Pope is no surprise to the Muslims, Sikhs, Dalits and Christians living in India. They are painfully aware of the inhuman degeneration to which Hindus often stoop to ‘suppress these minorities. The free world would do well to draw its ‘win conclusion from the way the cracker incident was explained by the Indian Authorities. One police official put the blame on some ‘demented person. Another explained it as the expression of joy by a Catholic. Yet another called it a mischief by some street urchin.
The hollow explanations of this ugly specimen of Hindu intolerance should serve as mirror to the outside world to understand the grim fate of the minorities. The reality of the fiction that the Indian Government created to paint the Sikhs as “separatists” and “4errorists” should now dawn upon the free World.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 7, 1986
