Dr Vedapratap Vaidik
The unsavory remarks by some BJP functionaries about Prophet Muhammad and Islam have created commotion with in India and in the Islamic countries. Of course, the BJP has taken action against its spokespersons. But certain Muslim organizations and some Islamic nations are still agitated. Some overzealous people vociferously demand capital punishment for the two saffron leaders
Interestingly, neither those who try to whip up religious sentiments nor the Islamic nations and Islamic who have made acidic reactions never bothered to know the content of the comment or the context. I am sure those who have realized the facts would have cooled down by this time.
To my understanding the remark was made during an emotionally charged TV debate about the Gyanwide Mosque. Nowadays party-spokespersons are invited for all sorts of debates and discussions by the news channels.
Drifting away from the core subject, even on slightest provocation, the participants start attacking each transgressing all limits of decency and decorum. They may go to any extent to overpower their opponents. It is worrying, a sense of civility is often compromised during the TV debates.
One speaker made some denigrating remarks on Shivling and to the opponent retorted with some unpleasant observations on Prophet Muhammad, which was baseless.
Such senseless debates have become so common. Such provocative and damaging verbal wars have compelled most levelheaded people to turn off the TV. It is my endeavor not to go into the debates in which party-spokespersons are made to sit.
It is natural for the Muslims of India and Islamic countries to be angry at such remarks. Similarly Hindus across the world could be infuriated at the insulting observations on Shivaling. I feel, through such protest you are giving undue importance to these irresponsible characters. As far as the displeasure of Muslim nations is concerned, they should also introspect on how they treat other religions. How do they treat Christians, Jews, Hindus, Shias, Bahá’ís and Ahmadis living in their countries? What do they think of revered souls like Moses, Jesus, Buddha, Mahavira, Shiva, Krishna, and Maharishi Dayanand? In fact, those trying to depict themselves as religious and pious are more political and less believers. They are less devotees of God, more devotees of power. That’s why they attack other religions. They also forgo the teachings of their great men.
It is clearly written in the Qur’an Sharif, “Forcing is not good in matters of religion” (2/256). Were the invaders who demolished churches and temples true Muslims? Let me quote an incident that explains the generosity Prophet Muhammad; when a Jewish old woman who used to throw garbage at him every day fell ill, the Prophet got worried and went to her house to inquire and took care of that lady who ill-treated him regularly.
Are those Taliban who destroyed the Buddha statues in Bamiyan true followers of Muhammad? How many Islamic nations condemned these iconoclasts?
Is the Brahmin cook who poisoned Maharishi Dayanand to death a true Hindu? Such people are not religious, they are fanatics. I can understand individuals turning fanatics, but how can we justify nations being influenced by illogical religious sentiments?
*Dr. Vaidik is a widely travelled scholar-journalist. He has visited more than 80 countries on diplomatic and educationalmissions. Dr. Vaidik has won more than a dozen National and International awards for academic and journalistic excellence. He has been a member of several Advisory Committees of Government of India.
