Sangh Parivar's idol
I thank Ajaz Ashraf for explaining Deendayal Upadhyaya's philosophy of integral humanism ("Why Sangh Parivar’s great hero Deendayal Upadhyaya is no Nehru"). Most people had never heard of Upadhyaya before he became a national hero overnight..
I really don't think it's worth discussing his philosophy. According to him, everything is inevitably determined by "dharma". It's really disgusting that he supports the caste system and used the idea of body parts coordinating with each other to justify this inhuman and irrational division of society.
He also talks of individual states as separate motherlands and then says that we probably should have gone the US way – this, after condemning Western ideas throughout.
It's our country's misfortune that the present government wants to honour someone who was ready to divide the nation on communal or regional or caste lines. – Shruti Gupta
***
While seemingly harmless, there is latent intent to harm in Ajaz Ashraf's article. He did not present strong and valid points to back up his unrelenting criticism. This can only be justified by his personal prejudice against Deendayal Upadhyaya's ideas.
The dominant question is whether Upadhyaya was an "intellectual hero". The only point the author makes to enforce his opinion is how Upadhyaya's ideas were "no-brainers" He seems to be unaware that sociology is never dominated by strong discoveries or ideas. It is the science of the mundane in many ways.
Sociology is perhaps the only field where "no-brainers" or common ideas hold tremendous importance and are subjected to repeated scrutiny.
While his disagreement with many ideas hold sufficient ground, what is surprising and even senseless is the derisive intent in his article. Why bemoan and insult when you can make your disagreement known in a softer and yet much more articulate fashion? It serves no purpose other than to launch an attack on the so called 'Sangh Loyalists', which is very petty. – Arun Venkatraman
***
I liked the article. What Deendayal Upadhyaya is saying is on the lines of what MS Golwalkar said in the 1950s. Even though the Constitution of India rejected the concept of Hindu Rashtra in 1950, the Sangh Parivar is not ready to discard the concept 65 years on.
Communists, who are often accused of being bookish, eventually discarded the concept of dictatorship by the proletariat. But the RSS remains adamant. Is this the making or the unmasking of the India built over the last six decades? – Prakash Paranjape
Seeking facts
The media should be more responsible while reporting on Netaji's legacy and discussing national icons in general ("Declassification of all Netaji files is the only way to stop propagation of fantasies as fact"). Every Indian is curious about the classified files pertaining to Netaji. Questioning Narendra Modi's decision to follow up with Netaji's family members is not justified.
I am not concerned about whether Modi plans to get political mileage by meeting these family members. By supporting or opposing him, various individuals have used Netaji as political fodder over the last seven decades
What I and many others are concerned about is what exactly happened for these confusions and suspicions to arise with regard to Netaji's history. – Ratnadeep Deo
Historical misconceptions
The article clearly shows the gap between today's popular narrative and the realities of the freedom movement ("Netaji Bose or Nehru? Which one did Bhagat Singh believe was the greater revolutionary?"). In those days, every Indian fighting for independence respected each other and their views irrespective whether they supported peaceful or revolutionary means.
I am amazed that Bhagat Singh was so clear in his thinking at the age of 21 and wrote an article comparing the speeches of the two leaders. It's necessary to clear misconceptions about Subhas Chandra Bose, who is now revered as a hero because he did not face public scrutiny in independent India. It's clear that his thinking was very narrow and not progressive.
Jawaharlal Nehru's image, which has taken a battering since this government came to power, will get a boost from such articles and opinions. – Vishal Jindal
***
Thank you for this extremely well written article. I would, however, like to point out some minor shortcomings. Subhas Chandra Bose was a child of the Swadeshi movement that swept Bengal in the first two decades of the 20th century.
The Swadeshi ideology had multiple threads, but among others, it was influenced by many oriental ideas with regard to the uniqueness of Indian civilisation. There was an accompanying idea to the decadent and "materialistic" West. India had a great message to deliver and Swami Vivekananda was apparently highly successful in his mission to carry this message to the West.
Bose was deeply influenced by Vivekananda. But it would be wrong to think that Bose remained in that school of thought. During his long sojourn in Europe in the early 1930s, his views about Indian traditions underwent a sea change. He rejected much of the Brahmanical patriarchal baggage. In 1938, his ideas were not very different from Marxists and other radicals.
Jawaharlal Nehru had a clearer vision but was also a politician who had to often compromise his principles. Neither Bose nor Bhagat Singh could read the historical situation like liberal BR Ambedkar and Marxist MN Roy, who both clearly saw that India was in the process of decolonisation eventually leading to independence. In this context, Bhagat Singh's revolutionary activities were as anachronistic as those of Bose a decade later. – Bhaskar Sur
Colonially clad?
I don't think it counts as saffronisation if one discards the old convocation robes ("Is replacing 'colonial convocation robes' with 'Indian attire' yet another case of saffronisation?"). It's a case of Indians showing pride in their heritage. Sadly, this pride is currently lacking.
We would rather wear a hired, smelly robe and hat as that's what is shown in photographs and movies depicting college graduation. Herd mentality is Indian mentality. – Sudha Malik
Inferiority complex
We still feel inferior and want to demonstrate that we are equal to Europeans and Americans, even as we are attracted to their civilisations ("At Delhi University's Vedic Chronology seminar, discussions on flying chariots, Mahabharat-era TV"). The assertion that everything in Europe and the US was known to ancient Indians is just a desperate attempt to show that we are equal, if not superior.
It is easy to laugh at the "Hindutvavadis". Much of what they say only deserves ridicule but their opinions reflect a broader tendency in our society. Many Indians seem to feel inferior when confronted by Europe. We need to find a way to address this inferiority without going the Hindutva way. Unfortunately, ridicule only reinforces the feeling of inferiority and leads to increased aggression.
It is a pity that the Left has no answers to this problem. Most leftists take pride in saying they are not Hindus, which is fine. But it also means that they cannot speak to believing Hindus who still constitute the majority. When they attempt to do so, they get nowhere as distinguished individuals such as Amartya Sen and Romila Thapar have discovered. – M Suresh
When Narendra Modi addresses scientists, he is talking about "faith" but scientists think he is talking about science. Also, historical analysis is not actually being conducted.
As religion is ultimately about "belief systems", all kinds of irrational and/or unscientific views come into the picture. In the US schooling system, there is an ongoing assault on the way is biology is taught. Efforts are on to replace the teaching of Charles Darwin with creationism. – Bhaskar Majumdar
Mob mentality
Unfortunately, it's the bane of India that there is no sanctity for the rule of law among the common man and this is evidenced everyday ("UP 'beef lynching': How the police have turned the victims into the accused"). There is no point blaming the police for it. People do not understand why the rule of law should prevail over sentiment.
Big brother
I have always enjoyed reading Scroll's articles as I have felt that they offer something more, unbiased, real and intellectually stimulating. However, your piece on the Nepal border issue and the blockade is a pathetic piece of writing ("India’s ‘blockade’ of Nepal border tears an already divided nation").
Hardik effect
The article fails to acknowledge that the measures being considered by the government are because of Hardik Patel's agitation ("How Gujarat government stole the thunder from Hardik Patel"). The failure to do so seems to come from a presumption that such movements should always be seen as driven by political ambition. While the movement may have been misguided, the grievance was legitimate.
I do not support the demand for quotas for Patels at par with SC/ST and OBC because that would go against the logic of reservation-based positive discrimination. However, the decision to consider positive discrimination for the poor among the general quota, including reservation within the general quota, is the right way forward.
This step forward is what Gujarat has gained from Patel's agitation and that's what we should remember, instead of dwelling only on the violent and repressive nature of power dynamics in democratic society. – Janmejay Singh
Harmed forces?
The establishment has not yet realised the potential damage that has already been caused to the ethos of the armed forces ("How an essentially senior citizens movement helped make OROP a reality"). There is no doubt that this government relies on bureaucrats. In the process, they have taken many decisions that are clearly anti-national.
It is time that politicians realise the repercussions of their ill-advised actions and take remedial measures while it's still possible. – Brig Ranbir Sethi (Retd)
Preserving Hindi
I feel that there are some missing links in Shoaib Daniyal's article ("Stop outraging over Marathi – Hindi and English chauvinism is much worse in India"). Firstly, I was surprised at the usage of the expression "Hindi chauvinism". It's the first I've heard of a language being chauvinistic like a person. I am not sure exactly what the author actually means.
The committee that drafted the Constitution was aware that India would need an official language. Hindi was the next viable option after English, but the language is diverse. Therefore, they made it obligatory on the part of the states to develop Hindi as an official language. Hindi needed to be groomed into its new role.
A live language keeps changing. There is nothing like "Shuddh Hindi" as mentioned by the author. A language is also affected by socio-political and technological changes. The better approach would be to develop and enrich contemporary Hindi rather than criticising the language. – Pradeep Saral
Defining literacy
I am surprised that those who conducted this survey on Kerala are so dependent on a child's knowledge of his/her "mother tongue" to determine whether that child is literate ("Once the most literate state in India, Kerala faces a serious crisis in education").
If 47% of Class 4 students could not read or write Malyalam, it does not reveal anything about their literacy. It just reveals another facet of Kerala: a lot of people send their children to English medium schools where Malyalam isn't taught.
I learned Malyalam only in Class 1. Thereafter, it was only reading at home that helped me retain the ability to read the language. Many do not care to do the same but that does not mean that they are illiterate.
Many parents in Kerala don't care about Malayalam, a language that offers no promise in terms of education or employment. The upwardly mobile in Kerala are poised to leave the state or the country at the first available opportunity. That's what should be worrying politicians.
And what about children of the Malayali diaspora in India and abroad? Only few of them would be able to read or write Malayalam. Those at the Centre should appreciate the unique characteristics of a state before conducting vital studies. – Philip P Eapen
Universal apathy
We do not live in the biggest democracy in the world. It is the worst hypocrisy in the garb of fake democracy ("What a protest against power tariffs says about democracy in Bengal"). I can't expect slaves to brave corporate cheating overnight. Indian society is suffering because of the inaction of idiots.
Saluting a legend
Thank you for the good coverage of MS Subbulakshmi's life ("Celebrating a legend: A century of MS Subbulakshmi through 10 songs"). I was surprised that your article did not mention her soul-stirring rendition of Baja Govindham and Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiar's poem, especially the patriotic songs and songs on Kannan. Also, her rendition of Kurai Ondrum Illai is a masterpiece.
It's surprising that neither the Indian government nor the Tamil Nadu government chose to officially celebrate the birth anniversary of this Carnatic music legend and recipient of India's highest civilian honour. – Jay Ramasamy
Jainism today
Another important aspect of Jainism relevant to the excellent piece by Devaki Jain is "anekantavada" – the school of thought which claims that any single point of view is by its very nature incomplete ("Why it is most unbecoming of those claiming to speak on behalf of Jainism to ask for a ban on meat").
We welcome your comments at
letters@scroll.in.
I thank Ajaz Ashraf for explaining Deendayal Upadhyaya's philosophy of integral humanism ("Why Sangh Parivar’s great hero Deendayal Upadhyaya is no Nehru"). Most people had never heard of Upadhyaya before he became a national hero overnight..
I really don't think it's worth discussing his philosophy. According to him, everything is inevitably determined by "dharma". It's really disgusting that he supports the caste system and used the idea of body parts coordinating with each other to justify this inhuman and irrational division of society.
He also talks of individual states as separate motherlands and then says that we probably should have gone the US way – this, after condemning Western ideas throughout.
It's our country's misfortune that the present government wants to honour someone who was ready to divide the nation on communal or regional or caste lines. – Shruti Gupta
***
While seemingly harmless, there is latent intent to harm in Ajaz Ashraf's article. He did not present strong and valid points to back up his unrelenting criticism. This can only be justified by his personal prejudice against Deendayal Upadhyaya's ideas.
The dominant question is whether Upadhyaya was an "intellectual hero". The only point the author makes to enforce his opinion is how Upadhyaya's ideas were "no-brainers" He seems to be unaware that sociology is never dominated by strong discoveries or ideas. It is the science of the mundane in many ways.
Sociology is perhaps the only field where "no-brainers" or common ideas hold tremendous importance and are subjected to repeated scrutiny.
While his disagreement with many ideas hold sufficient ground, what is surprising and even senseless is the derisive intent in his article. Why bemoan and insult when you can make your disagreement known in a softer and yet much more articulate fashion? It serves no purpose other than to launch an attack on the so called 'Sangh Loyalists', which is very petty. – Arun Venkatraman
***
I liked the article. What Deendayal Upadhyaya is saying is on the lines of what MS Golwalkar said in the 1950s. Even though the Constitution of India rejected the concept of Hindu Rashtra in 1950, the Sangh Parivar is not ready to discard the concept 65 years on.
Communists, who are often accused of being bookish, eventually discarded the concept of dictatorship by the proletariat. But the RSS remains adamant. Is this the making or the unmasking of the India built over the last six decades? – Prakash Paranjape
Seeking facts
The media should be more responsible while reporting on Netaji's legacy and discussing national icons in general ("Declassification of all Netaji files is the only way to stop propagation of fantasies as fact"). Every Indian is curious about the classified files pertaining to Netaji. Questioning Narendra Modi's decision to follow up with Netaji's family members is not justified.
I am not concerned about whether Modi plans to get political mileage by meeting these family members. By supporting or opposing him, various individuals have used Netaji as political fodder over the last seven decades
What I and many others are concerned about is what exactly happened for these confusions and suspicions to arise with regard to Netaji's history. – Ratnadeep Deo
Historical misconceptions
The article clearly shows the gap between today's popular narrative and the realities of the freedom movement ("Netaji Bose or Nehru? Which one did Bhagat Singh believe was the greater revolutionary?"). In those days, every Indian fighting for independence respected each other and their views irrespective whether they supported peaceful or revolutionary means.
I am amazed that Bhagat Singh was so clear in his thinking at the age of 21 and wrote an article comparing the speeches of the two leaders. It's necessary to clear misconceptions about Subhas Chandra Bose, who is now revered as a hero because he did not face public scrutiny in independent India. It's clear that his thinking was very narrow and not progressive.
Jawaharlal Nehru's image, which has taken a battering since this government came to power, will get a boost from such articles and opinions. – Vishal Jindal
***
Thank you for this extremely well written article. I would, however, like to point out some minor shortcomings. Subhas Chandra Bose was a child of the Swadeshi movement that swept Bengal in the first two decades of the 20th century.
The Swadeshi ideology had multiple threads, but among others, it was influenced by many oriental ideas with regard to the uniqueness of Indian civilisation. There was an accompanying idea to the decadent and "materialistic" West. India had a great message to deliver and Swami Vivekananda was apparently highly successful in his mission to carry this message to the West.
Bose was deeply influenced by Vivekananda. But it would be wrong to think that Bose remained in that school of thought. During his long sojourn in Europe in the early 1930s, his views about Indian traditions underwent a sea change. He rejected much of the Brahmanical patriarchal baggage. In 1938, his ideas were not very different from Marxists and other radicals.
Jawaharlal Nehru had a clearer vision but was also a politician who had to often compromise his principles. Neither Bose nor Bhagat Singh could read the historical situation like liberal BR Ambedkar and Marxist MN Roy, who both clearly saw that India was in the process of decolonisation eventually leading to independence. In this context, Bhagat Singh's revolutionary activities were as anachronistic as those of Bose a decade later. – Bhaskar Sur
Colonially clad?
I don't think it counts as saffronisation if one discards the old convocation robes ("Is replacing 'colonial convocation robes' with 'Indian attire' yet another case of saffronisation?"). It's a case of Indians showing pride in their heritage. Sadly, this pride is currently lacking.
We would rather wear a hired, smelly robe and hat as that's what is shown in photographs and movies depicting college graduation. Herd mentality is Indian mentality. – Sudha Malik
Inferiority complex
We still feel inferior and want to demonstrate that we are equal to Europeans and Americans, even as we are attracted to their civilisations ("At Delhi University's Vedic Chronology seminar, discussions on flying chariots, Mahabharat-era TV"). The assertion that everything in Europe and the US was known to ancient Indians is just a desperate attempt to show that we are equal, if not superior.
It is easy to laugh at the "Hindutvavadis". Much of what they say only deserves ridicule but their opinions reflect a broader tendency in our society. Many Indians seem to feel inferior when confronted by Europe. We need to find a way to address this inferiority without going the Hindutva way. Unfortunately, ridicule only reinforces the feeling of inferiority and leads to increased aggression.
It is a pity that the Left has no answers to this problem. Most leftists take pride in saying they are not Hindus, which is fine. But it also means that they cannot speak to believing Hindus who still constitute the majority. When they attempt to do so, they get nowhere as distinguished individuals such as Amartya Sen and Romila Thapar have discovered. – M Suresh
Faith vs fact
I agree with your views and comments ("When it comes to Indian history, Amar Chitra Katha is the new normal"). The fact is that Hindutva is the politics of religion and not the true religion of the Sanatana Dharma. It also has more to do with "faith" rather than science or historical facts.
I agree with your views and comments ("When it comes to Indian history, Amar Chitra Katha is the new normal"). The fact is that Hindutva is the politics of religion and not the true religion of the Sanatana Dharma. It also has more to do with "faith" rather than science or historical facts.
When Narendra Modi addresses scientists, he is talking about "faith" but scientists think he is talking about science. Also, historical analysis is not actually being conducted.
As religion is ultimately about "belief systems", all kinds of irrational and/or unscientific views come into the picture. In the US schooling system, there is an ongoing assault on the way is biology is taught. Efforts are on to replace the teaching of Charles Darwin with creationism. – Bhaskar Majumdar
Mob mentality
Unfortunately, it's the bane of India that there is no sanctity for the rule of law among the common man and this is evidenced everyday ("UP 'beef lynching': How the police have turned the victims into the accused"). There is no point blaming the police for it. People do not understand why the rule of law should prevail over sentiment.
In India, when someone is distressed because the rule of law is applied fairly, that person will get a lot of sympathy from the public. Take the case of when a driver is beaten up for causing an accident. A mob will support the lynching of the driver. People are not concerned about the rule of law, police and the fair way of fixing the blame.
We are still living in a world which has not fully graduated to being civilised and the results are there to be seen. Given the abject poverty and the overall state of the country, why would anyone bother about fairness in punishment, truth and justice, when the system treats them unfairly in their daily lives? Faith in the system is diminishing everyday and people are drifting into survival mode. – Jay Nair
Big brother
I have always enjoyed reading Scroll's articles as I have felt that they offer something more, unbiased, real and intellectually stimulating. However, your piece on the Nepal border issue and the blockade is a pathetic piece of writing ("India’s ‘blockade’ of Nepal border tears an already divided nation").
It comes from a "we are superior" mindset and suggests that India is right and Nepal must bow down because it's dependent on its neighbour. If you are the kind of writers and thinkers you project yourselves to be, then I am sorry that you are so limited in your thinking and once again you have proved your mettle by bullying Nepal.
I have studied in Mumbai and Pune and am well aware of the general Indian mentality, which is smug and superficial and not compassionate, much like this article.
Leaders and governance lack a lot of things. But people like us must understand on the grounds of humanity that what the Indian authorities are doing is wrong. I wish you had written this piece from a more humane, global citizen's perspective. Damaging someone's integrity and disrupting daily lives on the pretext of being stronger and more powerful is a basic form of oppression.
India's culture and mindset has not changed much despite the country having made great strides in "development". It's really sad. – R
Hardik effect
The article fails to acknowledge that the measures being considered by the government are because of Hardik Patel's agitation ("How Gujarat government stole the thunder from Hardik Patel"). The failure to do so seems to come from a presumption that such movements should always be seen as driven by political ambition. While the movement may have been misguided, the grievance was legitimate.
I do not support the demand for quotas for Patels at par with SC/ST and OBC because that would go against the logic of reservation-based positive discrimination. However, the decision to consider positive discrimination for the poor among the general quota, including reservation within the general quota, is the right way forward.
This step forward is what Gujarat has gained from Patel's agitation and that's what we should remember, instead of dwelling only on the violent and repressive nature of power dynamics in democratic society. – Janmejay Singh
Harmed forces?
The establishment has not yet realised the potential damage that has already been caused to the ethos of the armed forces ("How an essentially senior citizens movement helped make OROP a reality"). There is no doubt that this government relies on bureaucrats. In the process, they have taken many decisions that are clearly anti-national.
It is time that politicians realise the repercussions of their ill-advised actions and take remedial measures while it's still possible. – Brig Ranbir Sethi (Retd)
Preserving Hindi
I feel that there are some missing links in Shoaib Daniyal's article ("Stop outraging over Marathi – Hindi and English chauvinism is much worse in India"). Firstly, I was surprised at the usage of the expression "Hindi chauvinism". It's the first I've heard of a language being chauvinistic like a person. I am not sure exactly what the author actually means.
The committee that drafted the Constitution was aware that India would need an official language. Hindi was the next viable option after English, but the language is diverse. Therefore, they made it obligatory on the part of the states to develop Hindi as an official language. Hindi needed to be groomed into its new role.
A live language keeps changing. There is nothing like "Shuddh Hindi" as mentioned by the author. A language is also affected by socio-political and technological changes. The better approach would be to develop and enrich contemporary Hindi rather than criticising the language. – Pradeep Saral
Defining literacy
I am surprised that those who conducted this survey on Kerala are so dependent on a child's knowledge of his/her "mother tongue" to determine whether that child is literate ("Once the most literate state in India, Kerala faces a serious crisis in education").
If 47% of Class 4 students could not read or write Malyalam, it does not reveal anything about their literacy. It just reveals another facet of Kerala: a lot of people send their children to English medium schools where Malyalam isn't taught.
I learned Malyalam only in Class 1. Thereafter, it was only reading at home that helped me retain the ability to read the language. Many do not care to do the same but that does not mean that they are illiterate.
Many parents in Kerala don't care about Malayalam, a language that offers no promise in terms of education or employment. The upwardly mobile in Kerala are poised to leave the state or the country at the first available opportunity. That's what should be worrying politicians.
And what about children of the Malayali diaspora in India and abroad? Only few of them would be able to read or write Malayalam. Those at the Centre should appreciate the unique characteristics of a state before conducting vital studies. – Philip P Eapen
Universal apathy
We do not live in the biggest democracy in the world. It is the worst hypocrisy in the garb of fake democracy ("What a protest against power tariffs says about democracy in Bengal"). I can't expect slaves to brave corporate cheating overnight. Indian society is suffering because of the inaction of idiots.
I can't understand why the protesters didn't demand the revocation of Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation's licence. Pictures indicate that the CESC authorities are worse than street thugs. The chief minister of the state often claims that the law is equal for everyone. Why has she not taken action against CESC?
No political party wants to fight against corporate fraud. And if we want to free our motherland from marauders, then we must write against the hypocrisy of the media. –Tapas K Dutta
Notion of nation
An interesting analysis of the region. Modern nation states forged out of 19th century colonialism are unraveling all around the world ("Pashtunistan: A nation across Afghanistan and Pakistan may not be too far off"). Perhaps history repeats itself, but this is more a case of payback for our past mistakes.
An interesting analysis of the region. Modern nation states forged out of 19th century colonialism are unraveling all around the world ("Pashtunistan: A nation across Afghanistan and Pakistan may not be too far off"). Perhaps history repeats itself, but this is more a case of payback for our past mistakes.
The Afghans are a proud mix of tribes for whom this modern nation state holds no relevance. This is possibly the case for other nation states as well. There are lessons to be learnt for us in India too. The time has come for a more humane and liberating alternative to nation states as a way to organise societies. – Dharmajit
Saluting a legend
Thank you for the good coverage of MS Subbulakshmi's life ("Celebrating a legend: A century of MS Subbulakshmi through 10 songs"). I was surprised that your article did not mention her soul-stirring rendition of Baja Govindham and Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiar's poem, especially the patriotic songs and songs on Kannan. Also, her rendition of Kurai Ondrum Illai is a masterpiece.
It's surprising that neither the Indian government nor the Tamil Nadu government chose to officially celebrate the birth anniversary of this Carnatic music legend and recipient of India's highest civilian honour. – Jay Ramasamy
Jainism today
Another important aspect of Jainism relevant to the excellent piece by Devaki Jain is "anekantavada" – the school of thought which claims that any single point of view is by its very nature incomplete ("Why it is most unbecoming of those claiming to speak on behalf of Jainism to ask for a ban on meat").
This notion is said to have been proposed by Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara and Jainism's best-known spiritual leader. It forms the philosophical basis of pluralism. While Jainism does prescribe introspection as Devaki Jain describes, the religion as practised today has grown quite distant from its roots. It is well-known that the Jains in Gujarat support the BJP and VHP for their anti-Muslim stance, and it is quite likely that the Jains would not support the lifting of the meat ban on Samvatsari. – Poorvi Vora