Minorities Are Loyal to the Nation
Mohan Bhagwat said in Manipur. "The world will cease to exist without Hindus." Bewildering! Was he issuing an ultimatum to the Kukis? Why didn't he have a helpful word to the two communities in conflict? What effort did he make to soothe their hurt feelings? Will he learn to respect all Indians for their regional and cultural identities and genuinely love them in their contexts?

While in Assam, Bhagwat loudly proclaimed that Bharat and Hindu were synonymous, that Muslims and Christians were Hindus. Many Christian groups denied it immediately. Muslims would readily do so as well. At one point, he said, "Anyone who is proud of 'Bharat' and loves the nation is a Hindu;" at another place, anyone who "worships" Bharat as a Mother is a Hindu.

We love our mothers; we do not worship them. Our mothers themselves have taught us to worship only God, while venerating holy persons and respecting sacred places. But we have always remained absolutely loyal to the nation, and not a few of us have laid down their lives for their Motherland ... of late, at the Ladakh frontier too.

Hindu Millionaires Flee the Nation
What RSS-BJP leadership has systematically done is to alienate the Minorities and humiliate them in diverse contexts, while benefiting from their educational and health services. They have made the contribution of Minorities as difficult as possible, controlling their finances, banning donations, and imposing unreasonable regulations on their most valuable services. Meanwhile, Hindutva groups keep receiving unrestricted amounts from America or elsewhere to subsidise their 'religious warriors' who go around harassing minorities and vigilantes who kill people in cow defence.

In the meantime, Hindus themselves are in full flight from the 'nation' they claim to love. Millionaires and Billionaires compete in moving out of their "antiquated" land as soon as they have made a fortune, in search of a more "enlightened culture." Modi's Gujaratis head the list. Their target is not merely better economic opportunities. They want to shake off the burdens that the Hindurashtra has imposed on them: outdated cultural codes, 'close-minded' social relationships, old-fashioned family traditions, patriarchal domination, divisive religious prejudices, chaotic vigilantism, anarchic social order, obscurant beliefs, myth-based history, caste biases, and partisan politics.

Open-minded Hindus wish to move to nations where the Rule of Law is respected, where freedom of expression is ensured, where legal security is guaranteed for commercial dealings, and where no one interferes with one's choice of food, drink, clothes, intellectual pursuits, cultural ways, or religion. Many Hindus wish to escape from the RSS-BJP-created Hindu-rashtra.

India's Golden Age was Buddhist, not Hindu
Swaminathan Ankalesaria Aiyar argues that India's pre-Islamic "Golden Age" was Buddhist, not Hindu. Nalanda and other Universities were Buddhist-inspired. The Aryan forest dwellers had too little to give. They appropriated every indigenous concept: Buddhist, Jain and tribal values, traditions and symbols ... as they are attempting to do today in Northeast and other tribal and Dalit areas. All tribal totems and symbols of conquered communities came to be described as incarnations of Aryan deities or symbols of the Hindu religion. Everything was brought to the service of Brahminism.

Aiyar laments that while Sir Alexander Cunningham established the Archaeological Survey of India to discover India's glorious past, devotees from China, Japan, Thailand and Myanmar flock to the places that made India great, few Indians visit them. The contribution of Western intellectuals of colonial times is totally ignored by petty-minded cultural nationalists.

On the contrary, Devadutt Pattanaik says, the RSS-BJP-led India today seeks to identify itself with "Bulldozer Culture" that destroys the dwellings of Muslim settlers. In 2022, Indian Americans in New Jersey displayed a "Bulldozer-float as a symbol of rising Hindu Power", a force for destruction ... unfortunately, a negative symbol. However, this bulldozer culture is fiercely backed by the present regime, in particular by Yogi and Himanta.

Self-glorification Based on Manufactured Myths
Myth-creation has no limit in 'Hindutva India.' Obscurantist self-glorification is based on unbelievable fairy tales. Pattanaik refers to legends manufactured by Hindutva advocates: that the ancient Nagas flew to America in Pushpak Viman and built the Maya Empire. Similarly, Rajnath Singh says, he followed Krishna's advice for Operation Sindoor!

Pattanaik feels that Trump supporters know of Christian missionaries being harassed in Northeast and Central India. There is a possibility that Trump's enthusiasm for Modi weakened with increased reports of Christian persecution. Churches have expressed deep anxiety over the Chhattisgarh High Court's decision to uphold the village entry ban on religious leaders. The same State has curbed healing prayer services in view of controlling conversion.

For RSS: Hindutva First, Hindutva Last
Hindutva-wadis are at another wavelength. Yogi Adityanath seeks to flatter the RSS, glorifying it as an organisation that believes in the "Nation First" theory. Neutral observers are convinced that the RSS has no other concern than "Hindutva first and Hindutva last." National interests, regional concerns, and local community anxieties do not matter to them, except in words. Modi asks the 'Local to be Vocal,' but he gives them no possibility to do so. Who pays attention to Kuki's concerns or Meitei's worries? The media ignores them and their core anxieties and fears.

Everything related to our civilisation is used to promote the Hindutva cause: Hindi, Sanskrit, and play on words like 'Bharat' and 'Sanatana Dharma.' Priyanka Gandhi says that NEP is instrumentalised for brainwashing children ideologically. Stalin believes the same. Everything is made a tool to further Varnashrama Dharma interests, top caste domination and business caste assets. Every critic of the Brahminic order, like Buddha, Kabir or Ambedkar, is lionised, divinised and loaded with honours to divert the attention of the masses from their central message: "We are equal."

Consequences Follow
Individuals from humble levels in society or distant regions are appointed to positions of 'honour' as long as they do not interfere with Hindutva policy, but merely flatter the Main Leader and promote the interests of the dominant group. The problems of those very humble communities are clean forgotten. For example, the only eagerness of BJP MP Praveen Khandewal is to see Delhi renamed as "Indraprastha," the capital of the Pandavas.

In Amethi, Hausila Prasad, a Dalit, was killed for claiming his wages, which amounted only to ?2,500. In Gujarat, three accused of killing cows were given a "life term" in jail, in addition to a ?18 lakh fine. Jitu Vaghani, the spokesperson for the Gujarat Government, roared, "Cow is the centre of Indian culture and faith. The state government will not show any mercy for crimes like cow slaughter." Cows and dogs are protected, not Dalits! Any complaint against social justice is considered colonial mentality, Macaulay mindset, the result of a thousand years of slavery. What about 3500 years of slavery of the Dalits and other indigenous communities?

Now listen to a Lucknow woman, an ardent Hindutva zealot: "Give me just 5 minutes to create Hindu-rashtra." What does she mean? Will she eliminate all non-Hindus? She claims to be an expert in the use of weapons. Many animal lovers speak up in defence of animals. No one comes forward to defend the lives of Minorities and Dalits! Historian Irfan Habib says that any post on social media about Maulana Azad wins him 80% abuse. That is Hindu-rashtra!

"Jungle Raj" Returns to Harass the Inventors
Such aberrations in religious fervour plant seeds of hatred and social chaos. Over 40 sadhus and pujaris have been killed in UP during the last 6 years. Such killings were possibly connected with theft. People blame Yogi, a Sadhu. Certainly, he has to take responsibility for promoting religion empty of content, independent of value systems. He has sponsored 'religious warriors' in defence of what he defines as religion, but in reality, the self-interest of the dominant clique. This government-sponsored anarchy has returned to haunt the inventors.

Narendra Modi and Amit Shah compete to claim to have brought the Maoist Movement to a conclusion with the killing of Madvi Hidma, a Maoist commander. As with Muslim radicals in the Middle East, a humiliated enemy only gains strength and becomes more creative. Operation Sindoor boasters must remember that. As long as dispossession of tribal land and community marginalisation continue, Maoist radicalism will be replaced with some other form of radicalism.

Indian society must remember that 65 million tribals are living in "multidimensional poverty." They are denied forest rights and are frequently evicted to make way for corporate interests. Projects are pressed into their areas without Gram Sabha approval. Their suppressed energies will only find new expressions. Beware, friends!

Election Manipulations Will Return in Uglier Forms to Crush Their Inventors
Bihar elections can teach the winners a lesson. The RSS-BJP club is teaching the nation how to win an election in the unhealthiest manner. The sword unsheathed will return to pursue the Prime Mover.

Rahul had already alleged that vote theft had taken place in Haryana with the Election Commission's help. Seeing the Bihar election process, Mamata calls SIR the declaration of "Super Emergency." She says, behind SIR, there is a party of loot and jhooth. For Stalin, SIR is a political weapon. Rahul considers it 'vote chori' institutionalised. Objective social observers see it as bereft of proper rules, oversight, scrutiny, or audit.

Referring to the Bihar mass deception, Ruchir Sharma says: freebies have won, not NDA. Apart from manipulating votes, in a land of migrant workers where women voters are significant, Nitish knew how to please the latter group with a show of generosity.

But vote-buying has its own limitations, Sharma points out. The financial burden that Nitish has imposed on Bihar will weigh heavily for years, particularly in a state where economic inequality dominates. And do not forget, Bihar is six times poorer than Telangana. Election bribes will weaken future development schemes and slow down growth.

Prosperous Southern States keep changing incumbents, while poor Northern States choose to remain slaves of the bosses of their own uninformed selection, argues Ruchir Sharma. No wonder Mamata describes the BJP as a party suited best for the blind Hindi belt.

The Rupee keeps falling. Importers make enormous profits, while the masses struggle to make both ends meet. The national trade deficit widens to $41 billion, and the unemployment rate rises to 5.2%. No tears shed! Too few are adequately informed.

Tensions Mount at the World Level
"Stalwarts" like Mohan Bhagwat, Amit Shah and Adityanath Yogi are little aware that we are moving into a world of mounting tensions. Our top leaders' geopolitical perceptions are weak. China is active near the coast of Japan-administered Senkaku Islands. Japan is equally worried about China's designs on Taiwan. Sanae Takaichi, the Japanese Prime Minister, says an attack on democratic Taiwan by China may prompt a Japanese response. The Taiwan defence ministry has noticed 30 Chinese military aircraft operating around Taiwan, supported by 7 navy ships.

Meanwhile, Ukraine is active, arming itself further. France has agreed to sell 100 Fighter Jets to Ukraine.

The display of strength by the sturdy and mighty only provokes the poor and the weak for a reckless response in due time. Never overstep the limit! When we hear of some twenty of the so-called "militants, terrorists" being killed in Pakistan, it is merely news. When we learn that educated Kashmiris, including doctors, are arming themselves against defence forces, we get the message that even weak minorities should not be over-provoked; similarly, that Pakistan should not be humiliated.

When we see that the Middle East has given rise to "white collar militants," jihadists, we understand how in Myanmar, smaller communities have produced fiercely determined freedom fighters. The lure of the gun gives courage to the weakest when belittled. Recently, a suicide bombing killed 12 in Islamabad.

Good Sense Must Prevail
Nearly all are getting ready for bloodshed. Combat exercises have become routine: India-Lanka joint exercises, "Mitra Shakti," India-France "Garuda" air combat exercises; tri-service drills near the China border in Arunachal.

It is time we listened to the 5th-century BC Chinese General, Sun Tzu, who said that the best battle is the one avoided. Don't take seriously what Richard Dawkins said in good humour: in difficult times, those who die are the luckier ones. Eminem comments, "A lot of truth is said in jest." For sober-minded people, the real message is: Prevent wars! Let good sense prevail. Blaise Pascal says, "Man's greatness consists in his power of thought," not show, display or boast.

Possibly, Mohan Bhagwat wishes to be "inclusive" when he says that Muslims and Christians are Hindus. Indeed, we are happy to be Indians, not precisely Hindus. We are proud of our shared civilisation, as long as it is not the Hindutva version of the RSS-BJP. Let him see for himself. Let good sense prevail!