MY GOD IS BEST - WHY TO MAKE A FOOL OUT OF YOU?
Recently I had a chance to visit a small Vaishnavite (a sect under Hinduism) holy place in Uttar Pradesh, India. I was a guest of a known Vaishnavite devotee there. I enjoyed my hard earned holidays for a couple of days by sleeping and reading the books as internet connectivity was extremely poor to keep me in touch with the world outside. Television was also a big 'no'. The foods served were strictly vegetarian which I did not mind for few a few days.
ATTACK ON MUSLIMS
In a central Myanmar town, the local Buddhist mobs have set fire to homes and mosques of Muslims two days back leaving at least 20 people dead and about 6000 homeless. The President of the country has declared a state of emergency in and around the riot ridden town. The attacks on Muslims by Buddhist hardliners have been occurring off and on in Myanmar since some time. The new found democracy in the country after about fifty years of military rule is facing tuff challenge to maintain law and order. This recent violent atrocity against Muslims in Myanmar reminds last year's brutalities by Buddhists against Rohingya Muslims of the country.
The Spirits of 1971 and 2013 (Part III)
This is the third and concluding part of the titled article. For the first and second parts, please see https://enblog.muktomona.com/?p=1802 and https://enblog.muktomona.com/?p=1809.
MAUDUDI, JAMAAT & BANGLADESH
Bangladesh National Party (BNP) was formed as result of power hungry Ziaur Rahman's dream of becoming the "liberator of Bangladesh" and replace Mujib in the history of Bangladesh. To achieve that objective, connivance with Jamaat, Razakar, Albadr and Bangladeshi radical Ullema was a compulsion of Ziaur Rahman. After liberation of Bangladesh, Pakistani ISI was looking an entry point to control Bangladesh. In BNP-Jamaat combination it found the best ally.
The Spirits of 1971 and 2013 (Part II)
This article attempts to relate the events of 1971 and 2013 in Bangladesh, and to see how they compare and what we could learn from them. For the first part of the article, please see https://enblog.muktomona.com/?p=1802.
BNP-JAMAAT - WILL THEY HEAR?
BNP Chief Ms Khaleda (leader of opposition) declined to meet the President of India during the latter's state visit to Bangladesh this week. Such behavior on the part of Ms Khaleda not only speaks volumes about her political compulsion, but also gives her true face as fountain head of Jamaat.
The Spirits of 1971 and 2013
The movement that was started by a group of Bangladeshi youth at the Shahbag intersection in Dhaka on February 5, 2013, has grown tremendously. Initially there was just one podium in Shahbag. Now the youth all over the country have erected "Gonojagoran Manchas" (people's awakening podiums) in almost every sub-district of the country. The youth, led by internet savvy bloggers, have been joined by millions of ordinary people. The movement has been praised by noted intellectuals. It has also been supported by the government, even when the youth did not allow leaders of the governing political party to speak from their "Gonojagoran Manchas." The youth movement has now turned into a people's movement, and it has been coined as 'Spirit of 1971' by a section of the Bangladeshi intelligentsia/media.
SECOND LIBERATION WAR
Bangladesh is in turmoil. Shahbag has taken a conscious stand in favour of capital punishment for the main war criminals. In doing so it has come in direct conflict with Jamaat. Jamaat and its student wing have been fighting for amalgamation of religion and state. That is why they were against the liberation of Bangladesh and tried to cripple the liberation war by unlashing all types of major criminal activities. From Islamic point of view they were and are correct. On the other hand, Shahbad represents a policy to separate religion and state. Shahbag is correct from the present international socio-political perspective as much water has flown down the Buriganga in past 14 hundred years.
Is Shahbag the Solution?
The rally that was started on February 5, 2013, at the Shahbag intersection in Dhaka was against the sentences that were handed down to Abdul Quader Mollah by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT). The organizers and the participants of the rally felt that the sentences were too light for the crimes for which he was convicted.
DILEMMA OF ULEMA
Among the non-believers, the Western Christians and Jews in general used to have ignorance and indifference about Islam prior to 9/11. But after 9/11 they have become paranoid about Islam and Muslims. On the other side, majority Hindus of Indian sub-continent have been harbouring distaste and hatred towards Muslims since centuries. Many Hindus consider Muslims as crude, shallow, religion-centric and violent people who plundered their temples, violated their women and converted people at the point of sword or under the grinding heels of Dhimmitude. Whatever bad feelings the Hindus may have about Muslims, the Hindu religious scriptures do not support them to do so in specific terms. However, the majority Hindus continue to show hatred towards Muslims even today. In spite of this there are many Hindus who maintain a very cordial relationship with Muslims. The religion of Hinduism, however, follows the most notorious 'caste system' within it with all shades of untouchability, hatred and oppression even today.