Entry: The Vande Mataram controversy Thursday, March 18

   18 comments

Sanjay Vyas
April 16, 2004   02:01 PM PDT
 
If I am not mistaken, the issue is the word 'BOW' as in Islam prohibits bowing in front of anyone ecept Allah.
Twilight Fairy
March 25, 2004   11:06 AM PST
 
n i thot u sed, u blog once in 3 days!!
Asterix
March 24, 2004   01:17 PM PST
 
Hey! Been on ur blog after quite long :| ... found your March10th post to be hilarious :-)) Take care!
Sidharth
March 23, 2004   10:51 AM PST
 
People all over the world should stop bursting their arteries for their religion! Their country should always come first.

Muslims should stand up and kick this stupid moron for trying to bring a bad name to their community with such outrageous remarks.

People like this idiot should be banished for life.In the same way,Hindu fundamentalists like the RSS,VHP in our country should also be punished for some of the things they do in the name of protecting Hinduism.
Ravages
March 22, 2004   08:41 AM PST
 
A stupid viewpoint I guess, but I will still make it, at the expense of being chastised.

Maybe the muslim cleric was feeling pretty low the day, and wanted to do something about it.
AFter all, there is so much talk of a resurgent Hindutva and a Shining India and the rise of the great Indian Middle class and hindusim. The poor guy would have wanted to say something about Islam and hence those stupid comemnts made brashly. Dunno, just thinking.
Nikita
March 20, 2004   02:07 AM PST
 
First time here!

Fully back you, people who care so much about Islam can get the hell out of un-Islamic countries and carry out their radical activities in Arabia or Talibanised Afghanistan!
Priya
March 19, 2004   03:23 PM PST
 
Ranjan -- I think by giving in and expressing your 'outrage' - - - you only add to the cleric's intention -- which is to give more important to an issue that is baseless. It's not just muslim clerics who do it -- the shiv sena do it all the time..and in this run up to the election - the BJP have asked for a ban on "Discovery of India" - - DUMB, DUMB, DUMB- - there is no outrage here..just very DUMB people
Avlokana
March 19, 2004   01:57 PM PST
 
I agree with you. Simply since my schoolgoing days I coudn't think convincingly why Vande maataram isnt our national anthem.
I salute Janaganamana though...
Cheers...
Name
March 19, 2004   03:40 AM PST
 
live and let live........we have to make a difference individually with this attitude.
wandy
March 18, 2004   08:32 PM PST
 
Fatwa or no fatwa..does it really matter? People, hopefully, are not going to pay too much attention to this issue ~ like all other issues this will die it death in due course.
Yes! I agree its stupid ~ but then there have been other such things in the name of religion that have left scars that we are still trying to deal with...
Ritu
March 18, 2004   08:10 PM PST
 
Well...I don't think u are over reacting... Noone wud say u are over reacting if the fatwa bit were to come into force!!!!!

I think we are a bunch of hypocrites...esp us hindus... We have just stopped taking pride in ourselves...all in the name of SECULARISM.

I strongly endorse ur point of view...and believe that we shud throw them out who cannot respect us...rituals, customs, traditions, songs et al.....

Indians first!!!!! Always.....
Ranjan
March 18, 2004   02:16 PM PST
 
D-Brat: Respect your views. But there are limits to diagreements: one of the lines is that of nationhood. If you challenge nationhood or its intrinsic symbols, you are like the Palestinians or the Kashmiri separatists, and then you should be treated likewise, no?

And about the movie, remember its just a movie and hence fictional. Imagine Georgie making a statement like that? He will be kicked in the butt...

I agree fully with your concerns. But there too, the two broad responses are the ones I posted, and I do not foresee a healthy debate, especially with the spineless cowards that populate our leading opposition party...
Ranjan
March 18, 2004   02:11 PM PST
 
Alka: I agree!! My neck is on the chopper... hahaha!

Pallavi: Agree with you on the barking dogs part... but then where does this attitude go when the whole of Bajrang Dal is labelled "killers" just because one criminal Dara Singh happens to be a member?

W-Bug: Maybe my 'female' readership is too laidback? kidding!
W-bug
March 18, 2004   01:11 PM PST
 
Delhi brat, no one in their right minds would endorse (or pay any heed) to this silly attention seeking gimmick.
Delhi Brat
March 18, 2004   12:37 PM PST
 
If you will forgive a contrarian view .... here are two anecdotes.

1. Winston Churchill (?) said, " Sir, I disagree from the bottom of my heart with everything you say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it"

2. Michael Douglas' character of President Andrew Shepherd in the movie 'The American President' says, "The symbol of the freedom is the American Flag, which also carries with it the right to burn the flag in protest"

Every country gets the leaders (and the followers) it deserves. Let this gentleman say this about the national song - he has a right to do so.

The bigger question is - how will people react to this ? Will the concerned authorities within the Muslim clergy endorse this ? Will the average Indian Muslim pay any heed ? Will this issue generate a live, healthy debate ?

W-bug
March 18, 2004   11:01 AM PST
 
Considering that you write so strongly on so many issues, I am quite surprised that your reading audience (mostly women) always reacts tamely and favourably to all that you have to say. I once brought up the issue of the loopholes in Ayn Rand books and ended up having 2 whole posts with plenty of responses debating my point of view!!!! Oh and yes, not to forget the one when I said I lust for Ganguly. Plenty of indignant (male) responses there!

No indignant response to this post. I agree with the over all sentiment but you are also overreacting to it.
Pallavi
March 18, 2004   10:05 AM PST
 
I think the song was not meant to be of any religion and well there will always be some to stir up some controversy .. why bother to get stirred up ?

Barking dogs will always bark... :):)
Best not to react and well ignore it..
Alka
March 18, 2004   09:57 AM PST
 
Ranjan your secular credentials are at stake. You are no longer be considered a secular, what are you writing on your blog? Anything that questions so called minority community is non secular. :-).
:-) :-) :-) :-)

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