A terrible man who is largely responsible for a pogrom that killed 1000 Muslims is the most-likely next prime minister of India, but the United States is stupidly dropping its opposition and already starting to “engage” with him. How will India’s 138 million Muslims – and other Muslims around the world – react as America lets Narendra Modi in from the cold?
The election begins in India on April 7, and Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party is well ahead in the polls. In the campaign, Modi is downplaying his aggressive Hindu nationalism, and appealing to voters who are understandably disgusted by the ruling Congress Party, which they blame for corruption and economic slowdown.
Modi is the long-standing chief minister – the equivalent of a governor – of the northwestern state of Gujarat. It was there, in 2002, that he presided over what the Indian writer and activist Arundhati Roy has called “a carefully planned genocide of Muslims in the state.”
Here’s what happened: under murky circumstances, Muslims allegedly attacked a train, killing 59 Hindu pilgrims. As “revenge,” Hindu mobs murdered at least 1000 people; women were gang-raped and burned alive; some 150,000 Muslims were forced from their homes. Whether Modi actually ordered the reprisals, or simply directed his police force to stand by as the killings continued, is unimportant; either way, as the state’s chief executive, he is guilty.
One of my Indian friends in Mumbai, a young middle-class man who is otherwise sympathetic to Modi’s “free market” economic doctrine, pointed out: “Modi might plausibly argue that he lost control of the state for the first day or two. But the mass killings of Muslims went on for a week.”
In 2005, the United States took the principled step of refusing Modi a visitor’s visa. But this February, as his support grew, America reversed course and asked to meet with him. The New York Times, in a foolish editorial, endorsed this as a “pragmatic step.”
By contrast, The Economist, which would normally gush over Modi’s economic approach, has just blistered him in its main opinion piece. The magazine said: “But for now he should be judged on his record – which is that of a man who is still associated with sectarian hatred.”
The New York Times, in a foolish editorial, endorsed this as a “pragmatic step.”
I’ve noticed that for some people, their dedication to the party in control of the IP conflict has bled over into other areas like hatred of Muslims in general, while 70 years ago they probably would have promoted all round interfaith tolerance.
On another note, I heard someone suggest once that there is more to Ghandhi’s death than just a “lone nut” or two. Would anyone have knowledge about those claims?
“How will India’s 138 million Muslims – and other Muslims around the world – react as America lets Narendra Modi in from the cold?”
they’ll have further evidence of our complicity and hypocrisy.
Even the train fire has never been fully explained. There were reports of th fire starting from within.
Other day there was a demand from the Hindu BJP of Modi to censor the screening of a documentary exhibiting the well orchestrated month long training on the use of explosives,climbing,use of camouflage ,and throwing of grenades and use of dynamite by the Hindu religious figures leading to the demolition of the historical mosque in north India in 1992. BJP has orchestrated some of the ” Muslim-initiated” attack to create the excuse for the political aims.
But it was 911 that allowed Modi to embark on this massive fraud . He knew that the attitude of the US after 911 would help Modi irrespective of the truth . He knew that he could bank on the neocons and AIPAC as well. He took advantage of the situation .Aroind same time China also crushed Xinxiang ‘s nascent political agitation.
Hindu mobs murdered at least 1000 people; women were gang-raped and burned alive
“Aneesa Begum, 40, recounted how rioters “hacked” the legs of her husband as she huddled under a blanket.
“They are not outsiders, they are village people. How can we face them again?” she said between sobs as she prepared to visit her husband in hospital.
…
“Some of the rape survivors have shown courage and approached the police. But when they see that no action has been taken against their attackers, others also get demoralised,” said Sehba Farooqui of rights group the All India Democratic Women’s Association.”
http://tribune.com.pk/story/616107/rape-victims-suffer-in-silence-after-india-riots/
entire villages of criminal rapists and their protectors ( in peaceful India.)
In the Muslim world, the US has already earned the reputation of being killers of Muslims in Afghanistan and Iraq, and interfering in Muslim nations, so this too, will add to that (deserving) negative image. Way to go US.