Not Hindu Enough

It was a new beginning, with a limb recently, violently severed on lines drawn by faith … so it was believed by many educated elite for secularism to thrive and flourish, a Hindu should not be Hindu enough, a Muslim should not be Muslim enough and ….so on….leaving the opiate of organised religion to the ‘rest’. 

If truth be told, seventy plus years later, in their zeal, enthusiasm and ever-eager-to-please spirit it is only this segment of the educated elite who is not Hindu enough and they either ignore or don’t notice that the others don’t suffer from such a dichotomy. 

What seems even harder for them to learn and accept is that those who chose to be unapologetic and comfortable in their beliefs do not have much time for their misplaced lectures and sanctimoniousness. 

Because the latter, uncomplicated in faith and patriotism has learnt to unpack the layers of both ideals and survive through the centuries. 

So when the flames engulfed our city the not Hindu enough stood up as if on cue to declare – How ashamed they were of being Hindu. 

Who asked them ? How did they reach that conclusion ? They alone understand their compulsions whereas we can only speculate why their existence depends upon brownie points accrued for such declarations. 

Mind you the other faith in question felt no such compulsion to apologise despite seventy days of inflammatory sloganeering, pure hate, arson, rioting and inconvenience to thousands of fellow citizens. 

Many of us crossed the bridge of secularism at different times in our life and when we look back at the tipping point, we understand so much about our own history – something no history book could teach us….

About the ones who surreptitiously opened the gates. 

About the ones who didn’t fetch up with the reinforcements. 

About the ones who for a few gold sou did the bidding of tyrants and oppressors. 

About The Role of The Compliant Not Hindu Enough.