B. Raman, former additional secretary, and director of the Institute of Topical Studies, Madras, in Outlook:
In the Hindu diaspora in the West, more young people admire Narendra Modi than grown-ups. Many of his young admirers in the US were born and brought up there and had the benefit of the best of secular education. In spite of this, there is a sense of pride in them that the Hindu community has at long last produced a leader of the calibre of Modi.
What is it they see in him?
His simple and austere living? His reputation as an incorruptible politician? His style of development-oriented governance? The fruits of his policy, which Gujarat and its people are already enjoying? His tough stance on terrorism? His lucid-thinking on matters concerning our national security? His defiance in the face of the greatest campaign of demonisation mounted against him the like of which only Indira Gandhi had faced from her political opponents and sections of the media in the 1970s?
All these are factors, which influence their favourable perception of him, and which have already been highlighted and analysed in the articles on his impressive election victory. But there is one factor, which is more important than these and which has not found mention in the analyses…
That is, for large sections of the Hindus—young and old, even more among the young than among the old—he gave them a sense of pride in their identity as Hindus. They feel that he removed from their minds long habits of defensiveness as Hindus carefully nurtured by the self-styled secularists.
Bharathiyar, the Tamil poet who inspired millions of Tamil youth to join the independence struggle under Mahatma Gandhi, wrote: “Tamizhanenru Chollada, Talai Nimirndhu Nillada (Say You Are a Tamil, Hold Your Head High).”
The growing legion of Modi’s admirers in the Hindu community all over the world are saying: “Hindu Enru Chollada, Talai Nimirndu Nillada. (Say You Are A Hindu, Hold Your Head High).”
Read the full article: The secular hypocrisy
Tags: Bharathiyar, BJP, Elections, Gujarat, Indira Gandhi, Modi
28 December 2007 at 1:42 pm
I am a young Indian in India and I admire Modi. Who ever says Hindutva is communal have no idea about Hindutva.
Hail Hindutva.
Denounce Pseudo secularism.
Nice article by Arun Shourie-
http://www.indianexpress.com/story/254969._.html
“Say You Are A Hindu, Hold Your Head High”.
28 December 2007 at 3:07 pm
I know loads of young Indians in the West. They are too busy to be bothered to find out who Modi is. It is no use quoting Bharathiyar as most of these youths born and brought up in the West are citizens of the respective countries. The moment they do otherwise as Tamils in Srilanka do, there will trouble. More appropriately, Bharathiyar would be twisting in his grave looking at Thiru Karuna’s pathetic politicking and machinations.
28 December 2007 at 3:51 pm
Mr Raman writes
They would have noticed that Modi is becoming the icon of a growing number of Hindus not only in India, but also in the Hindu diaspora spread across the world. The support for him is not confined only to the Gujarati-speaking Hindus of the world. It is spread right across the Hindu spectrum–whatever be the language or ethnicity or place of origin of the Hindus concerned.
OK, Mr Raman, I’ll take your word for it. But, please slip in a scientific survey sometime soon, rather than just depending on projection.
28 December 2007 at 7:30 pm
I agree that for long Hindus have been demonized by so called secularists. It is the need of the hour that we realize that this is our nation too and not the minorities only. We need to club together to form a VOTE BANK cause that is the only way anyone will care for us.
The BJP is the only party which gives a damn about us. Hope it comes to power soon.
28 December 2007 at 8:28 pm
Hey I am a young Indian- at least of Indian Origin- I live in the West and I think the demagoguery of Modi is a pretty dangerous thing- a lot of my peers think the same. In the PIOs that I know its actually the elderly and middle aged men who actually seem to loke this Modi and what they call his disciplined ways ( possibly they are compensating for somethings they lack or miss but hey its mine role to psychoanalyse).
Bharatiar has said many other things some of them not totally complimentary to Tamilians ( Tamil is not identical to Tamilian- and Bharati was a Tamil poet not a Tamilian poet ).
PS Just becoz I dont like Modi doesnt make me eligible for the titles of Pseudo-secular/ anti-nationalist or even Congress supporter!!!!
28 December 2007 at 9:01 pm
Young Indian,
‘Hail Hindutva.’
Reminds me of another slogan – Seig Heil!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sieg_Heil
28 December 2007 at 9:03 pm
Gaby,
Shouldnt you be out doing what young people do, instead of trawling these forums like elderly and middle aged men?
28 December 2007 at 9:06 pm
Hindus should be very proud . Hindu Dharma is the only one that produced a healthy enviormently form of living the planet. No Hindu can be a fundamentalist because Hindus never had an organized religion . Certainly it clashes with Abrahamic cult that we currently see has no respect fro people envoirment
28 December 2007 at 9:14 pm
Gandhi, Aurobindo, (to an extent) Savarkar, Krishna Verma….. all were NRIs.
Today, if you go to any Ivy League University- you will find a Hindu Students Organization. This was not the case even 2 decades back.
Regular Summer camps for Hindus kids in USA- these are attended by 100s of kids/families every year. Hindu Charities generate lots and lots of money and use for (say) tribal education in India.
There are many reasons:
1. Hindutva started as an urban phenomenon- its founding fathers were almost always western educated Hindus:
Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Swami Dayanand, Swami Vivekanand, BG Tilak, Aurobindo Ghosh, Savarkar, Lala Lajpat Rai, Bipin Pal……
So, its very natural, Young Hindus living in the West will become follower of Hindutva.
2. Relocation- whether to West, or to an urban area in India, definitely contributes to the homogenization, concerns. That contributes to Hindutva. This is the reason, BJP is always strong in Urban areas.
3. Caste barrier is broekn in Indian Urban areas as well as amongt them who live in the West. This is a major factor for homogenise Hinduism- Hindutva.
4. Thanks to Western media’s unbiased coverage, people are acutely aware about Islamic Fundamentalism, and terrorism which is tearing India apart. Unfortunately, due to its shortsightedness, Indian press very rarely publishes original piece on terrorism, or Islamization though we are the biggest victim.
5. Indians living in the West have more time to use internet, media, read books and contemplate about happenings in India, than those live in India.
Lastly, I used to be a hardcore CPIM supporter, but became BJP supporter while living in the USA. So, that proves what Raman has written as true.
The significant change come to Hindu society is: now they proudly proclaim they are Hindu, unlike the earlier Nehruvian generation.
“Proudly proclaim that you are a Hindu”- Thus spoke Swami Vivekananda.
Something very big is going on in the Hindu Society- Indian English Press is unable to fathom it.
28 December 2007 at 9:17 pm
Abrahamic cults have caused so much bloodshed on this planet, it’s funny to see them picking on VHP and Modi.
28 December 2007 at 9:49 pm
“Western media’s unbiased coverage”
And I am assuming you mean Fox News, CNN etc.?
28 December 2007 at 11:01 pm
no AG, think chris hitchens.
28 December 2007 at 11:03 pm
for example
28 December 2007 at 11:46 pm
No TS, I think BC means Bill O’Reilly. Or maybe even Pat Robertson.
And maybe even Chris Hitchens when he talks the neo-con talk.
BC, enlighten us – who is the paragon of unbiased coverage you were alluding to?
28 December 2007 at 11:55 pm
All the hindus that I know of support modi!!
29 December 2007 at 12:12 am
Dear AG,
Its very easy to become cynical and blast Western media. But what role Indian media has played?
Has any Indian media/journalist ever visited Pakistan, Bangladesh, spent some time with Islamists/Jehadis and reported their inner-working? What do they want, what inspires them? What are their immediate Goal, what are their long term goal? etc etc.
The Indian media starts with bashing Hindus, and ends with that. There is no RSS/VHP outside India, but why Islamism is growing like Wild-fire amongst large section of muslims whether its Muslim land or the West or even in India?
For an authentic report on “Bangla-Bhai”/Taliban/Islamic Brotherhood, you have no option but to fall back on the NYTimes whose reporters spend days and months and bring report to the world.
Jehad/Islamism will not cease to exist just because Indian Psuedo cabal is blind to that.
And yes, the world is grateful to Western Press for highlighting the immediate, longterm danger from islamism, Jehad. Even if you deny it.
29 December 2007 at 12:22 am
I should add:
* you have no option but to fall back on the NYTimes whose reporters spend days and months ON THE GROUND in Bangladesh/Pak/Egypt and talk with Islamists/Jehadis….
29 December 2007 at 12:24 am
“Regular Summer camps for Hindus kids in USA- these are attended by 100s of kids/families every year. Hindu Charities generate lots and lots of money and use for (say) tribal education in India”.
Many ‘natives’ in the West say that immigrants bring their religion, beliefs and politics of their countries to West and fight a proxy war USA. In my days of 1960s and early 70s USA used to be place not crawling with so many thousands of Indians with their politics and prejudices which doubless will draw the attention of FBI. The above congregation sounds like RSS junior sakha to me which caused so many problems then in India. Practising religion at home is one thing and proudly proclaiming it in the midst wooded landscape i the style is another. I never understood the term Hindutva (I studied sanskrit and scriptures in my younger days. The Sanskrit bard Kalidasa was a broadminded person ), which I guess is going to assume notoriety. If anything, the Indian youngsters I know in the West are broadminded and do not accept the narrow compartmentalisation.
There is no medium in the West which is not bias-free.
Chris Hitchens the Englishman had no takers when he was spewing out his
delirious verbage, and he migrated to USA where he has audienc of neocon nutters. His brother Peter Hitchens not unlike BC transformed from being a communist to a right-wing rubble raiser but unlike his brother
his verbage seems to be tempered with commonsense, albeit neocon overtones appear here and there.
29 December 2007 at 11:54 am
Hoysala: Its post-colonial world today- nomore Harvard/Oxford defines what our culture/religion are. We define what we are. And slowly, we will also define what is theirs. After all, the world is ‘flat’!
Yes, the way ‘Hindus’ conduct themselves in the West today is different from your ‘old’ days of 1960s/70s. Because there is a qualitative difference between what they do/achievement, and that of your generation.
Hoysala>>I never understood the term Hindutva, which I guess is going to assume notoriety.
The Indian Supreme Court has looked into “Hindutva” and pronouced their verdict. You need not to always to suffer from “Dhimmitude”. Please go and read that verdict. If you have objection to it, proceed with a counter appeal to the learned court.
With rise of Indian Economy, Indians are gradually proclaiming their rightful place under the sun. And its the Hindus themselves who will define their religion, culture, history – not some vested interest from Harvard or JNU.
29 December 2007 at 9:05 pm
Any sensible man who condemns violence , wants to live peacefully, allow others to live peacefully will definitely think of Hinduism, it is not only the case with Indians in the west , even in India it is happening. Need not necessarily be a follower of BJP. Be proud to be an Indian, and Hindu.
29 December 2007 at 9:41 pm
Bhaskar Chatterjee,
If you are living in the West, do not pontificate sitting in a comfortable society about Hindutva, go to India and practise it. Then we will listen to it just as Vivekananda did
About supporting Modi: If you are in the USA, I guess you are, careful about how much you utter. You know the ‘patriot act’ I suppose.
30 December 2007 at 12:31 am
dhanwantri: What matters most today, we belong to a globalized Middle class community (the only bong pride I have is, first asian middle class was created there due to historical reasons).
So, its time, people like you stop thinking like antiquited Hindu Seers who stopped people from crossing sea. Its time for global Hindus. There were people who opposed Swamiji’s going to Chicago. He was given permission to go by an ‘uneducated, illiterate woman’- Sarada Devi. Rest is history.
By the way, Hindus are more organized in the UK than in USA. As long as you follow rule of Law in USA/Europe, which thanks to long liberal tradition and true Christian root, is not a deterrent for practising one’s religion/culture.
Western Press is not hypocrite like Indian English Press.
30 December 2007 at 6:18 pm
Bhasker Chatterjee:
Careful with your Hindutva Jihad call. Again I remind you about the ‘patriot act’ operating in USA. If you do not stop this ‘Hamas style’ statements about Global Hindus and Global Hindutva nonsemse, and concentrate on the reason why you went to USA in the first place , which is to further your career prospects and contribute to the country of your adoption, I guess the cold arms of the law will get you.
5 January 2008 at 5:06 am
It is a shame that some politically motivated people in our country don’t like to be call Hindu just because they are self-centered. If a Muslim person has a right to call them Muslim in any part of the world then why if we call us a Hindu in our country.
9 January 2008 at 7:44 pm
The so-called secular Congress and the leftists are to be blamed for all the mess. They have done shameful acts in the name of secularism, they would even open their pants and stand naked just to get some more cheap votes.
Modi is a hero, at least he has a sound vision for India unlike Leftists who just want Muslim appeasement. Modi can’t tolerate terrorism, there’s no such thing in Gujarat, the Congress led states have been facing acute corruption all the time. Contrast it to Gujarat, clean water, roads, sanitation.
Hang the pseudo-secularists. Its high time now :x
12 January 2008 at 6:14 pm
” Modi can’t tolerate terrorism”
WHAT A JOKE ….IF THAT IS TRUE THEN WHY DIDNT HE OPPOSE ADVANI WHEN HE ESCORTED TERRORISTS TO KANDAHAR??