Can Hinduism Survive so much attack?

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Can Hinduism survive so much attack?
By J.G. Arora

A unilateral war against Hinduism is being waged by anti-Hindu forces
to wipe out Hinduism from the face of the earth the way other native
cultures and religions have been obliterated from the world.

It is tragic that Hinduism, the faith proclaiming universal brotherhood
and oneness of humanity is the target of vexatious attacks, and is
threatened with extinction.

Bharatvarsh comprising the present day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh,
Nepal, Afghanistan and even Zabol in Iran was Hindu land till Muslims
attacked the subcontinent in the 8th century. Hindus lost Afghanistan
to Muslims in 987 in a fiercely fought battle. After many centuries,
Muslims got Pakistan in 1947.

In 1971, East Pakistan became Bangladesh. Though India is a secular
republic, Pakistan and Bangladesh are Islamic republics and have driven
out most of the Hindus and Sikhs from their land.

And in independent India, Hindus have undergone genocide and eviction
from Kashmir to become refugees in their own country. And even this
tragedy has not stirred India's secular soul.

Besides, Pakistan's ISI and Bangladesh are determined to create one
more Islamic country on Indian soil for which they have sent many
terrorists, Pakistanis and crores of Bangladeshis into India. Moreover,
ISI has planted numerous madrasas on India's border with Bangladesh,
Nepal and Pakistan.

Since secularism implies separation of State and religion, government
control over Hindu temples is anti-secular, and deprives temples of
their income. Besides, it is discriminatory since only Hindu places of
worship have been brought under government control.

Missionaries' Target
If Pakistan and Bangladesh are focussed to Islamize India, missionaries
are determined to Christianize India. While addressing bishops and
priests in New Delhi on November 7, 1999 (which happened to be Diwali,
an important Hindu festival), Pope John Paul II gave a call to convert
Asia to Christianity as follows:-

"Just as the first millennium saw the Cross firmly planted in the
soil of Europe, and the second in that of America and Africa, so may
the Third Christian millennium witness a great harvest of faith on this
vast and vital continent."

Hindus and India are favourite targets for this harvest of faith.
Missionaries have already conquered the north-east India. Every where
else in India, missionaries and their non-government organisations
(NGOs) having large funds at their disposal are aggressively busy
converting poorer Hindus to Christianity under pretence of charitable
social service.

Reinhard Bonnke, the global evangelist famous for his crusades in
Africa, is reported to have stated that during 20 years of his activity
in Africa, Christian population rose from 2 per cent to 40 per cent,
and now India tops on his conversion agenda.

With each passing day, India is becoming more Islamic and more
Christian; and less Hindu.

The Only Solution
Though for several centuries, Hindus fought the invaders bravely to
defend their faith and motherland, Macaulay's education has made
Hindus ignorant of their religion, heritage and history; and
indifferent to attacks on Hinduism.

Hindus have to re-invent themselves, become pro-active, and tackle this
attack at political, social and religious levels.

Following steps must be taken immediately if Hinduism is to survive the
ceaseless onslaught.

Genuine Secularism
Though a sublime concept, 'secularism' has been wrongly equated
with anti-Hinduism in India. Since in the name of secularism, sectarian
and anti-Hindu agenda is being followed, Hindus and their organisations
have to assert themselves and force the government to act as follows:

Article 30 of the Indian Constitution giving special privileges to
minorities regarding educational institutions is fragmenting Hindu
society since various Hindu sects claim non-Hindu status to get benefit
of Article 30. Vide the Supreme Court's judgement reported as
Bramchari Sidheswar Shai & Others versus State of West Bengal (AIR 1995
Supreme Court 2089), even Ramakrishna Mission, a leading Hindu
organisation, unsuccessfully claimed a minority (non-Hindu) status to
fall under Article 30. Justice demands that fundamental right under
Article 30 must be extended to every community, whether majority or
minority.

Government control over Hindu temples is another aberration. Since
secularism implies separation of State and religion, government control
over Hindu temples is anti-secular, and deprives temples of their
income. Besides, it is discriminatory as only Hindu places of worship
have been brought under government control.

In a truly secular country, all religious communities must have
identical rights. Accordingly, constitutional direction as per Article
44 regarding Uniform Civil Code has to be implemented urgently. And
none can have any objection to Hindus being treated at par with other
communities.

Conferring a special status on Muslim-majority Jammu and Kashmir,
Article 370 has led to genocide of Hindus and their eviction from
Kashmir. To bring Jammu and Kashmir at par with other states, Article
370 has to be abrogated.

And instead of having passport and visa-free Muzaffarabad-Srinagar bus
services which would open floodgates for Pakistani infiltrators, all
steps to deport Bangladeshi and Pakistani infiltrators have to be taken
immediately. Besides, terrorist training camps in Pakistan and
Bangladesh have to be smashed; and if necessary, an all-out war with
these nations to make them see reason has to be undertaken.

Hindus have undergone genocide and eviction from Kashmir to become
refugees in their own country. And even this tragedy has not stirred
India's secular soul.

Anti-Hindu Media
In India, many of print and electronic media are indulging in blatant
anti-Hindu propaganda. They are denigrating Hinduism, spreading
misinformation about Hindu scriptures, dividing Hindu society and
hurting Hindu sentiments. Though deliberate and malicious act intended
to outrage religious feelings of any community is a non-bailable
offence punishable with imprisonment of upto three years and/or fine
under Section 295-A of the Indian Penal Code, Hindu reluctance for
legal action has emboldened anti-Hindus to continue their tirade.

Besides taking legal action against malicious propaganda, and
boycotting anti-Hindu media, Hindus must have unbiased daily newspapers
and television channels in various languages to defend Hinduism, and to
enlighten the readers about Hindu religion, heritage and history.

Why Conversions?

Any attempt at conversion from one religion to another by fraud,
inducement or coercion is horrible, and must be defeated.

Apart from helping the needy sections of society, Hindus and their
organisations have to confront and thwart those who are bent upon
converting Hindus to Christianity by deception, enticement or force.
Inflow of foreign funds meant for subversion and conversion has to be
barred. Conversion by fraud, allurement or coercion must be banned.
Besides thwarting questionable conversion, all efforts to welcome the
converts back to Hindu fold have to be made.

Hindu Unity
Only a united Hindu society can tackle anti-Hindu forces. Besides,
there is an urgent need for a strong global Hindu forum covering all
Hindu sects.

Four Vedas containing 20,416 verses, many Upanishads, Ramayana with
24,000 stanzas, Mahabharata with 1,00,000 stanzas, and several other
holy books are the sources of Hinduism. Codification of Hinduism in one
book is indispensable to widen its reach. For this codification,
appropriate Vedic mantras and shlokas of the Ramayana, the Mahabharata
(which contains the Bhagvad Gita), and Tirukkural etc. will provide
basic material.

As per the Mahabharata, samvibhaga (sharing of wealth) is an important
attribute of Dharma. Many Vedic mantras direct humans to share their
wealth with others. Rig Veda (1-15-8) stipulates, "Let us become
God's instruments and distribute fortune to the poor and needy."
Similarly, the Atharva Veda (3-30-7) commands humans to share their
comforts with others. Apart from helping the needy, practice of
samvibhaga will unite Hindu society. If affluent Hindus utilise one per
cent of their income to help vulnerable sections, expansionist
religions will be unable to prey upon Hindu society.

Besides, every Hindu family has to devote time to defend Hinduism. As
per the Mahabharata, Dharmo rakshiti rakshitaha (Dharma protects those
who protect Dharma).

Remember Your History
Hindus need to remember valour of Dahir, Lalitaditya, Bappa Rawal, Raja
Bhoja, Jayapala, Vidyadhar Chandel, Bhimadeva, Govindachandra,
Prithviraj Chauhan, Lakshman Sen, Pratap Rudra, Hakka (Harihara), Bukka
(Bukkaraya), Kota Rani, Rana Pratap, Chhatrapati Shiva Ji, Hari Singh
Nalwa and many others who defended their faith and every inch of
motherland.

Now or Never
Lulled into complacence, many Hindus feel that since Hinduism has
survived for thousands of years, it will continue to flourish for ever.
But they overlook the worst ever attack threatening Hinduism now.

Unless Hindus confront their tormentors, and take the above-mentioned
measures immediately, Hinduism, also known as eternal religion (Sanatan
Dharma), will vanish from this earth just in a few decades.

Any further delay or reluctance in fighting the attack will hasten
disappearance of Hinduism from the world.

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