Religious freedom in India

All I can say is that Indians enjoy extra ordinary religious freedom. We can do anything in the name of religion. We can worship on roads, carry out processions on roads under police protection while all the traffic is blocked. We can call names to any religion particularly majority or even stage religious ceremony in the middle of roads without any restriction and I have not yet mentioned the religious buildings construction going on unabated in the center, right, and left or at the roadsides on government lands free for all religions.  What else one wants in the name of freedom of religion. 

Do you think there is another country in the world more liberal in the name of religion than we are? 

In USA there have been several incidents where a person and family have been caught and detained simply for wearing Hijab and looking like Arabs...Think of such a thing happening here ! The USCIRF is an independent advisory body , so one need not make much of them since they also like to play along Pakistan , which was seen last year too when they made some such observation or a few years earlier too. This is not the first time that they have made such a negative observation in 2005 , 2008 and 2012..

USCIRF's report on  Religious intolerance is uncalled for and didn't make any dent on Indian Government. I do not understand why such reports from a foreign body intervene and interfere in India's affairs.  The External Affairs ministry did a right thing by dismissing the report saying USCIRF doesn't have any Authority to point out the The Indian Constitution, that guarantees fundamental rights to all the Citizens including the right to Freedom of Religion.

@Suni I think Indonesia comes near to India in matters of religious freedom or chaos that is enjoyed by its citizens. For a populous nation of large diversity is it a strong or weak point. I think it is a strong point.

Indonesia is 98% Muslim and it's secular only if you don't criticize Islam.It has elements of bigotry and beauty contests were banned as "un-Islamic". I went to Jakarta and was there when evening Namaz took place. It frightened me. My rickshaw puller advised me to go back to the hotel as there have been cases of violent upsurge against non-Muslims. A few years back they killed thousands of Chinese Christians.

There is no doubt that the report by an American organization has no legal status as far as we are concerned. But even then we need to consider the report as this leaves some impression on people and affects our image.  There is no doubt that there have been incidents of killing of some rationalists/ atheists. The minorities have also been targeted by Hindutva lobby that is ruling.  False cases of beef eating and so called Love Jehad have been made for harassing and killing. Here it is irrelevant to talk of the constitution. It is not the constitutional guarantee but the actual conduct of the saffron lobby that matters.   

Indonesia and Malaysia both are predominantly Muslim nations and Hindus who have been living there for centuries are battling even property owning rights there ... In fact when we were living in KL , many Tamils were very critical of the policies which gave more rights to Bhumiputras, the Malays , then to the Chinese and lastly to the Indians living there since several generations.

So now are we better or we should follow Indonesia and Malaysia models.I would vote for our model.

vijay wrote:

So now are we better or we should follow Indonesia and Malaysia models.I would vote for our model.

Neither, we need to follow the model as laid down during the Golden Age of Hindu rule when the Guptasand Maurayas ruled. Every community was safe under aegis of Dharma. In the modern context the example of Kemel Ataturk can be followed, but it requires guts.

Today also every community is safe under aegis of its Dharma. It is the cocktail of Dharmas and the neutrality from Dharmas that are being opposed.

vijay wrote:

Today also every community is safe under aegis of its Dharma. It is the cocktail of Dharmas and the neutrality from Dharmas that are being opposed.

It is not Dharma (religion) that protects the human rights in India. The human rights are rather crushed in name of Dharma- namely Hindutva saffron style. It is the constitution- secular and democratic- that protects us all. 

 

I seriously doubt there is sch a thing as Hindutva Saffron style which is your own concoction, there are hardliners in every religion , so what name do you give to catholic hardliners and Islamic militants ? Simply because Hindus have tolerated anything and everything so far, does not mean that people call them names and insult the religion... This is typical communal party style of Hindu bashing !

usha manohar wrote:

I seriously doubt there is sch a thing as Hindutva Saffron style which is your own concoction, there are hardliners in every religion , so what name do you give to catholic hardliners and Islamic militants ? Simply because Hindus have tolerated anything and everything so far, does not mean that people call them names and insult the religion... This is typical communal party style of Hindu bashing !

Hindutva- was first coined by Vir Savarkar- who stood for Hindu nation. He is hero of the Hinduva lobby.  'Saffron'  is not an abuse. This is referred to Hindutva ideology. political outfits. Their favorite color is saffron. This can be seen on their magazines like Panchjanya and organizer and flags.  Incidentally, communists have been often described as 'Reds'  just because of their Red flag. They use the word 'Red salute'  while respecting somebody., This is not abuse.

Regarding Hindutva, just see the link.

http://www.irenees.net/bdf_fiche-analyse-878_en.html

 

if we talk especially about India then i think that there is no other country who gives such an open freedom to any other religion like India gives. 

Saffron is the color very much preferred by  followers of Hinduism. Therfore the term Hindutva saffron is not an insult to Hinduism.

I don't think I have any shirt, pant or even undies of color saffron, probably I am not a Hindu then @vijai

vijay wrote:

Saffron is the color very much preferred by  followers of Hinduism. Therfore the term Hindutva saffron is not an insult to Hinduism.

Color of cloth is matter of choice. If I look smart in saffron color than what is wrong in it. I like green and white with saffron.

 

suni51 wrote:

I don't think I have any shirt, pant or even undies of color saffron, probably I am not a Hindu then @vijai

If you have not saffron shirt buy it and used it with black trouser, nice combination.

well if anyone wants to wear saffron colour shirt then they are welcome but if not then, it is my humble request not to abuse it.

Gulshan Kumar Ajmani wrote:

usha manohar wrote:

I seriously doubt there is sch a thing as Hindutva Saffron style which is your own concoction, there are hardliners in every religion , so what name do you give to catholic hardliners and Islamic militants ? Simply because Hindus have tolerated anything and everything so far, does not mean that people call them names and insult the religion... This is typical communal party style of Hindu bashing !

Hindutva- was first coined by Vir Savarkar- who stood for Hindu nation. He is hero of the Hinduva lobby.  'Saffron'  is not an abuse. This is referred to Hindutva ideology. political outfits. Their favorite color is saffron. This can be seen on their magazines like Panchjanya and organizer and flags.  Incidentally, communists have been often described as 'Reds'  just because of their Red flag. They use the word 'Red salute'  while respecting somebody., This is not abuse.

Regarding Hindutva, just see the link.

http://www.irenees.net/bdf_fiche-analyse-878_en.html

 

 

Saffron is the color of denouncement , since the sadhus would wear it show they are close to nature (god) . Our flag too has Saffron as part of the tricolor. However  some people use the word Saffronisation and refer groups as saffron groups , which to them is a way of putting down the groups which just shows a bias ! There is nothing wrong if people are identified with Saffron, Green or Red color groups as long as they are not anti nationals and working against the interest of the nation.