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Hindu
Pandering of Minority Votes
In order to gain the support of Muslims in India,
Hindu politicians have tried to ignore the history of Islamic
aggression against Hindus. Many Muslims have tried to ignore it as
well because it is hardly flattering in the modern age. Some Hindu
politicians in their attempt to woo Muslims claim that it was only
the British who divided the Hindus and Muslims in India, who were
always one people.
They want to forget the centuries of Islamic wars
against Hindus in India and the thousands of destroyed Hindu
temples. This is promoting what is if not a lie at best only a
partial truth. There were some instances of Hindu-Muslim unity in
the history of India. These occurred when Muslims adapted a more
secular model and ceased to follow the aggressive models of their
religion that was seeking to Islamicize India.
Such moments were exceptions
and cannot be used to nullify long term conflicts between the two
groups. While a history of conflict may not be a pleasant thing to
face, denying history cannot resolve the problems that it has
created, which must surface again eventually if they have not been
adequately dealt with.
In order to gain minority votes Hindu political
groups should not pretend that Hinduism is only a culture and not a
religion. They should be politically secular and broad minded, but
can at the same time remain strong and devoted Hindus in their
private lives and demonstrate this in public as well.
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