India, Religion and Riots

...or should i say "Riots, Religion and India" ?


Today, on 4th July 2008, my hometown Indore is buring in fire.
Why? Because Court ruled against transfer of forest land to Amarnath Shrine Board (ASB).
By Whom? VHP and BJP sponsored a "voluntary" bandh which turned into a violent communal riot.
On Whom? Obviously a common peace loving man is at the receiving end of these violent acts from extremists from both the sides. As of now some Muslim families were killed and few Hindu homes were burnt by the extremists.

Many issues to be addressed here.
First, bandh was not at all voluntary, todays newspapers were filled with images of (so called)activists , pelting stones at the shops. So, can someone explain it to me what a daily wage earner...be it a Hindu or a Muslim, has done anything in his whole life to get kicked when trying to earn his bread and butter. Who will be responsible if his little children won't get food tonight?

Secondly, why these so called activists (read extremists) always attack innocent unarmed families? If they really believe in their religion and are ready to go to any level (so as they claim), why don't they attack each other and decide it among the equals? At least my country will be far better off without some of these people.

Thirdly, If such issues still are haunting India and are resulting in serious consequenses then are we really a communally neutral nation? Sadly we are NOT, everyone including political parties are afraid to call spade a spade. Hindus and Muslims are not called so but are known as "majorities" and " minorities" in India which itself shows our high level of sensivity to even take the name of religions. See these examples:

"The Kashmir government backed down after protests by Muslims who said the land transfer was aimed at changing the demography of the Muslim-majority region. The reversal of the decision, in turn, provoked an angry backlash from Hindus.
On Friday, two more people were killed in Indore, and several injured when police clashed with both Hindu and Muslim mobs." (emphasis added)
Source: http://in.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idINDEL28689020080704

"Irked over the curfew clamped in the city since Thursday, a group of people pelted stones at the police in Khajrana area when body of one of the deceased, killed during the bandh, was being taken for last rites, police said. Police fired in the air and lobbed tear gas shells in the troubled area to bring the situation under control. Four persons were killed and 20 others injured in the violence on Thursday during the nationwide bandh called by VHP and supported by BJP on the issue of revocation of allotment of land to the Amarnath shrine board by the J&K Government. "
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Police_fire_tear_gas_shells_as_fresh_violence_erupts_in_Indore/articleshow/3197175.cms

I hope you see my point. The first example is taken from Reuters and second one is from TOI. And i saw many online newspapers to confirm the same. Even Indian media is "afraid" to "talk about that"
World is becoming truly global and "religious orientations" are just one's faith and not an identity but it seems India is a big exception.

But everyone is scared. Scared of few people who give bad name to their religions and their country. Even if they feel that they are doing this for religion, it is sad that they are putting religon over the development of the country. The passion, with which these people try to prove religious supremacy over others, i wish even if 10% of that is put for development of our country, India will touch new heights.
...but they won't, and they will even try to impair educated people who can make it. Another reason which can make talented people leave India.


I hope I am wrong.