Kerala Story - A Horrifying Tale of Supremacist Ideology in Practice

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Kerala Story - A Horrifying Tale of Supremacist Ideology in Practice

7 July, 2023

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ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, Daesh) came out in favour of PFI (Popular Front of India), after the Government of India banned PFI. This is a screen shot from the ISIS magazine 'The Voice of Khurasan', page number 4

“A belief in the equal truth of all religions is equal ignorance of all religions.”

Sitaram Goel

“Hinduism is said to divide people and in contrast Islam is said to bind people together. This is only a half-truth. For Islam divides as inexorably as it binds. Islam is a close corporation and the distinction that it makes between Muslims and non-Muslims is a very real, very positive and very alienating distinction. The brotherhood of Islam is not the universal brotherhood of man. It is brotherhood of Muslims for Muslims only. There is a fraternity, but its benefit is confined to those within that corporation. For those who are outside the corporation, there is nothing but contempt and enmity. The second defect of Islam is that it is a system of social self-government and is incompatible with local self-government, because the allegiance of a Muslim does not rest on his domicile in the country which is his but on the faith to which he belongs. To the Muslim ibi bene ibi patria [Where it is well with me, there is my country] is unthinkable. Wherever there is the rule of Islam, there is his own country. In other words, Islam can never allow a true Muslim to adopt India as his motherland and regard a Hindu as his kith and kin.”

Dr B. R. Ambedkar

“Everything beyond that (in Islam) not only is bad, but must be destroyed forthwith; at a moment’s notice, every man or woman who does not exactly believe in that must be killed; everything that does not belong to this worship must be immediately broken; every book that teaches anything else must be burnt. From the Pacific to the Atlantic, for five hundred years blood ran all over the world. That is Mohammedanism!

Swami Vivekananda

He (Gandhi) lamented that the sword is too much in evidence among the Muslims despite the message of the Prophet. He advised that it must be sheathed if Islam is to be what it means - peace. (Gandhi, 1949, 131) He clarified that however good Islam may be in abstract the only way it can be judged is by the effect produced by each of its votaries considered as a whole. (Gandhi, 1949, 63) He told the Muslims that they cannot protect Islam with the lathi (stick) or sword. The age of lathi (stick) is gone. A religion will be tested by the purity of its adherents. He argued that if a religion is left to the goondas (criminals) to defend it, it will do serious harm to that religion including Islam. Islam will in that case no longer remain the faith of fakirs (mendicant monks) and worshippers of Allah. (Gandhi, 1949, 78)

Gandhi

We have forgotten what Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and Gandhi have said about Islam (and Christianity). We have forgotten what Svāmī Vivekananda has said about both these religions. We have all but forgotten the Ajmer Scandal. We have blinded ourselves to the terrible plight of Nadia Murad and the Yezidis. All this would have continued to be blindsided but for this one film. It has indeed woken us up from our deep slumber, now it remains to be seen what we do with what we know.

As such Hindus mentally and psychologically enjoy high levels of freedom that are unimaginable for the rest of the world. This freedom to accept, allow, include all forms of diversity stems from the belief that all is One, and that One has many forms. That Bhagavān is transcendent and immanent both. As long as one adheres to dharma, one is allowed to appreciate and revel in artha and kāma; in economic prosperity and pleasures, within the boundaries of the said culture.

This gives Hindus unprecedented levels of emotional and psychological independence bordering on self centred individuality, which can prove detrimental in the long run. On the other hand, Hindus are simply unable to grasp how close-minded even Westerners are in their outlook, despite the tag of being ‘developed’ or ‘modern’. Thus this dichotomy causes problems only for the Hindus; we are unable to forge communities and networks solely on the basis of being Hindus (as do others) and we assume ‘others’ think, feel, and interact in a similar fashion as we do, which is far from true. We cannot conceive of the hatred for the ‘other’ that is in-built in Abrahamic theologies, especially in Islam, which sanctions even murder and rape of kafirs/ non-believers.

A simple but stark difference lies in the ultimate destination and goal of various panthas and matas, think for a moment what the final destination is for a Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jew, and a Muslim. This exercise in itself will answer a lot of unspoken questions. Suffice to say that sex and sexual perversions are a great temptation for people of baser instincts for whom spirituality and elevated levels of consciousness are anathema. While a Hindu has theology, epistemology, and ontology to work with, towards liberation, Abrahamic Religions are all about theology and servitude to a male god in heaven. Dr. Aravinda Rao’s write up hereis a good primer on essential differences, a starting point for all discussions.

We would not have been able to watch the Kerala Story but for this man Ameet Naik, who battled hard in the courts to make sure it got a release in the theatres. While the Supreme Court has stayed a ban on the film’s screening in West Bengal, there continues to be shadow banning of it both in Tamil Nadu and in Mamata Banerjee’s domain. And this film which was finally released in the U.K. had to face violent disruptions of its screening by Islamists who were also involved in the recent Leicester riots and mob violence against Hindus there.

Kerala Story is already an all time blockbuster, collecting more than Rs. 200 crores at the box office just after twenty days of its release. One was assured that one or the other OTT platforms would soon acquire it and it would continue its successful run even after it left the movie halls, but that has not been the case, this hit film has found no OTT buyers yet.

One would wonder what is so appealing about this film? Is it so unique, so well made, does it have star actors, the Khans or the Kapoors? Is it a very high budget film with all the latest technology roped in, enabling its success? Briefly, the Kerala Story shows how recruitment is done for ISIS (Daesh), how men and women are used as sex slaves and human bombs in the name of a sickening ideology. But if ISIS is not Muslim as many claim, what is there to object? If it is, surely it is time to reflect.

One cannot hold a grudge if the victims want to speak out aloud, at what they have suffered at the hands of a discriminatory ideology that uses rape as a weapon of conversion to bring in more numbers into its fold. Not on the strength of its beliefs or philosophy but by fear tactics, coercion, and/or inducement which is sanctioned by Islam, “And when the forbidden months have passed, kill the idolaters wherever you find them and take them prisoners, and beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they repent and observe Prayer and pay the Zakat, then leave their way free. Surely, Allah is Most Forgiving, Merciful (Chapter 9 verse 5). Meanwhile, a quick look at the crimes committed shows us that each day the noose tightens around unsuspecting Hindu girls for no fault of theirs, apart from following sanātana dharma which believes in the truth of all paths. Islam on the other hand teaches very clearly that women are worth less than men in every instance.

Kerala Story is a well made film exploring the above issues cinematically and not in an amateur manner. Visually it depicts bhībhatsa and bhayānaka rasās, yet appeals to us with its drone shots of mesmerising lush green Kerala and foreboding arid brown Afghanistan. The film’s lead actors essay important roles with conviction, and its high production values are a sure shot draw. Which could explain the pull. Despite its success many have agitated against it for various reasons.

The Kerala Story: Is this art or fact?

If this is simply art, if a film is an expression of artistic tendencies, then just as Hindus were told to be tolerant and be accepting of M. F. Hussain’s nudes of revered goddesses for the sake of art, so too must others accept this film as art, and let it be. Watch it if you are keen, if not ignore. If it is about facts, there really should be no reason to object, unless one is afraid that heretofore unknown facts will be revealed in public. That the agenda of making India, especially Kerala, an Islamic state will now wake up the- forever-in-slumber Hindus.

Many objected to the title saying that it demeaned a whole state with its negative portrayal. Yes, the Kerala Story is also of the arts and keeping alive traditions and culture. But none of these arts will be alive without the people who practice them. Dharma lives in the dharmī, without the practitioner there is no practice. Kerala has much to offer to Bhāratadeśa but first we must tackle this Hydra of forced religious conversion by its head that has spread its poisonous tentacles there.

Whether it is Kashmir or West Bengal or North East or Kerala, the modus operandi is to occupy, populate, and marginalize the previous indigenous inhabitants - convert them or use scare tactics to make them vacate their land and houses, from Bhainsa in Telangana, to Mewat in Haryana, and Kairana in Uttar Pradesh, this has been the case in history, and also in recent times. Many such towns have turned into No Go zones with arms and ammunition stashed away, with youth thoroughly radicalized in madrasas and mosques, while their women forced to succumb to mediaeval norms of patriarchy. Where riots are engineered and the perpetrators walk away crying victimhood both at the national and international stage.

Kerala Story is not simply a story or a film, it is a mirror to what is happening across the world be it in France, Sweden or U.K or in India. Closer to home one only has to look at the number of abduction, rapes, and conversions of young underage Hindu girls in Pakistan and Bangladesh to comprehend the big picture. Conversions (to Islam) by young Christian and Hindu women in Kerala reached such a level that even the Chief Minister of the State had to speak up against it, as did the Church. Many women victims too have come out in support of the film Kerala Story stating that everything depicted in it is based on true events and that they too underwent coercion and brainwashing by their Muslim friends.

‘Love Jihad’ is a ridiculous name for the perversion and depravity that forces young women to undergo unspeakable psychological, physical and emotional violence to their own person and to their family members. Sexual grooming and trafficking would be more appropriate. In Kerala, ‘Sathya Sarani’ in Malappuram district and ‘Therbiyathul Islam Sabha’ in Kozhikode district are headquarters of such rampant conversions.

Whereas for us Hindus the very idea of conversion, is violence. In this hard hitting piece, Kalavai Venkat describes the ideology behind the innocuous term in horrifying detail: “Warraq cites Sheikh Nefzawi’s The Perfumed Garden as a typical example of Muslim attitude toward women. Nefzawi considers women’s sexuality as a grave danger and asserts, “Do you know that women’s religion is in their vaginas? They are insatiable as far as their vulvas are concerned, and so long as their lust is satisfied they do not care whether it be a buffoon, a Negro, a valet, or even a despised man. It is Satan who makes the juices flow from their vaginas.” (chapter The Arab Conquests and the Position of Non-Muslim Subjects, pp. 214-240) Warraq argues that the combination of Islamic attitudes toward women and non-Muslims contributed to the Islamic subjugation and sexual enslavement of Hindu women.”

A good Muslim and citizen ought to surely have an issue with such coercive tactics and not cry victim at the slightest pretext, a good Muslim ought not be entitled to violent behaviour and supremacist tendencies. If one is so it begs the question, are such values inherent to Islam, if they are not then why is Nupur Sharma in hiding? For stating facts? Why was the tailor Kanhaiya Lal Teli or the doctor Umesh Kolhe beheaded by their own customers, neighbours, friends? What is this terrifying horrifying thought process that is okay with such gruesome murders in the name of the deen, why is sar tan se juda an acceptable slogan? Why do we witness more and more incidents of Shraddha Walkar and Nikita Tomar in our society today? Should this not be called out especially by those who profess to be practising Muslims? Especially if all this has nothing to do with Islam and it is indeed a religion of peace? Thanks to a few sane voices (Arshia Malik) which state that it is high time Muslims grew mature, and developed confidence to tackle difficult subjects and not fall for the agenda of ‘vulture activists’ who want to sustain their jet-setting lifestyles based on the outrage industry while keeping the Indian Muslims’ mentality stuck in medieval times. And that (Jawad Iqbal) if someone of a particular religious persuasion doesn’t like a film they don’t have to watch it. Freedom of expression on religion — the right to debate religious ideas and beliefs without fear — is too important to barter away in a fruitless attempt to placate the perpetually offended.

There is no place to hide anymore, no more fences to sit upon. Meanwhile Hindus must be vigilant and not let 1923 or 1947 be repeated. Unfortunately disinterest to comment on such important issues, or a plain disregard for what Hindus are going through, has given rise to people venting via satire and comedy on such dark topics.

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What is the Kerala Story:

The state of Kerala (along with Tamil Nadu, West Bengal) has the dubious distinction of hosting Shari’a compliant villages. In the northern districts of Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur, Kasargoḍ and Wayanad; the Malabar lands which were once forcibly converted by the infamous plunderer and rapacious zealot Tipu, radicalization has caused many areas to conform to a strict Islamic code. Here democracy and its directions hold no water. Of course the benefits that a democracy provides to ‘minorities’ is delightfully consumed, without contributing to the idea of democracy either in trust or in act. One such village is Attikad.

Such villages and townships are an attempt to create Dar-ul-Islam, the house of Islam within Dar-ul-Harb, the house of War i.e., the land which is not yet conquered by Islam nor lives per its tenets. It is therefore incumbent on every Muslim to either convert others into their fold for the D-day of Qayamat, or kill them if they refuse to see reason. Or force them to flee. This is what was announced from the mosques - raliv galiv ya chaliv - in Kashmir in the 90s, forcing the Kashmiri Pandits to flee their ancestral land. Convert, Die, or Leave.

That was the Kashmir Story.

We being Hindus and idolaters, we will always be kafirs, people whose women are religiously sanctioned for rape (Quran 4:24) being ‘maal e ghanimat’ and the men for slaughter, ‘wajib-ul-qatl’, per Shari’a. One has to only read up the horror stories of what ISIS did to the Yezidi women (and men) to comprehend the perversions that are allowed in the name of an ideology. This status of being dhimmis/ zimmis is what is permitted at the most under such laws wherein Hindus pay jizya for the right to exist. Of course all this is mediaeval ideology, but unfortunately there are many strict adherents of this ideology and yes, most are very well educated and come from the most literate state of the country; Kerala.

This is the Kerala Story.

Globally, neither France or the U.S., often touted as examples of functioning democracies, have any notion of special minority rights. The Kerala Story in reality not the film is made possible by the Constitution of India which enables the two most powerful, global, and predatory ideologies to rule the roost in a land which has for aeons followed an inclusive and accepting philosophy.

The Nation-State of Republic of India practises apartheid and rewards ‘minorities’ at all levels, scheme after scheme, for just being Christians or Muslims at the cost of the Hindus. Ironically both Christians and Muslims were former rulers, holding power and wealth under various Mughal and British dispensations up until 1947. It controls Hindu temples, schools, festivals, all this in the name of secularism. Thus India actively incentivizes conversions of Hindus out of sanātana dharma.

While ‘minorities’ get more than their share of rights where they are fewer in number (but otherwise rich global conglomerates), Hindus do not get the same ‘minority rights’ where they are fewer in number (Ladakh 1%, Mizoram 2.8 %, Lakshadweep 2.8 %, Kashmir 4%, Nagaland 8.7 %, Meghalaya 11.5 %, Arunachal Pradesh 29 %, Punjab 38.5 %, Manipur 41.3 %). Who is a minority needs a clear definition. Mainly because Hindus are treated as third class citizens by the polity at every juncture:

For example: While Article 28 says that no religious education can be imparted in any government or government aided school, Article 30 quickly exempts ‘minorities’ from such rules. ‘Minorities’ are also exempt from implementing RTE (Right to Education Act, 2009) in their schools (not to talk of owning their places of worship without paying taxes or being audited unlike the Hindus subject to HR&CE (Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department Act 1951)). It is as though ‘minorities’ exist simply to bleed the Indian State of all resources without contributing anything back to it, at the cost of the ‘majority’, at every single step. “…Articles 25, 26 and 27 of Constitution that respectively (i) give license to proselytising religions (Christianity and Islam) to launch conversion war on Hindus; (ii) allow State take over of Temples denying institutional capacity and resource ability of Hinduism; (iii) does not stop governments from spending thousands of crores of secular public funds exclusively for the benefit of non-Hindus to the detriment of Hindus. Thus, it is not at all an exaggeration to say that the anti-Hinduness of the Constitution is encapsulated in its Article 25 to 30…..”

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Table credit : Sanjeev Nayyar and Hariprasad Nellitheertha

Given such a preferential treatment, why does a mere film rattle so many non-Hindus, especially those as far away as in Jammu, and Kashmir? If ISIS is not Muslim, what is this irrational fear and anger that makes you collect a mob and beat up your fellow students? Kerala is so far removed geographically from Kashmir, why should Kashmiri Muslims feel responsible to prove or disprove a film, and that too by street thuggery?

@KhajuriaManu

Reportedly ”#TheKeralaStory - A must watch” message shared by a Hindu med student in#Jammu leads to his mob lynching by Kashmiri students. Shocking revelations of harassment & conversion of Hindu students in GMC.#HindusUnderAttackInJammu Full video -https://fb.watch/kxOQ69cLgd/

Shri Pratheesh Viswanath, a lawyer, activist, and founder of Hindu Seva Kendram, has been rescuing and helping victims of ‘Love Jihad’ for the past twenty two years. He has saved countless non-Muslim girls from the clutches of jihadis. For starters Hindu women need to appreciate what they stand to lose when they convert into Islam both in terms of their rights and personal freedom. This is not about elite Bollywood types marrying one another irrespective of religion or community, thus encouraging their fans to follow suit. People who live middle class or lower middle class lives get affected in untold ways which are neither glamorous nor romantic. Especially if a man wants his wife to convert while he continues to keep his religion (in this day and age where one can easily marry under the Special Marriage Act, 1954), then he must surely be fanatical at some level.

And then there is also the slight issue of Islam as is largely practiced, lacking in philosophical moorings and spiritual praxis. The Hindu woman would actually be choosing a blind, stuck in the 7th century belief system, which is completely irrational, sexist, and infantile, over a mature intelligent civilization which takes one to the most sublime heights of self actualization and self knowledge in various ways. Apart from the freedom that sanātana dharma imparts to individuals, it also treats women as humans and not simply chattel meant only as sex objects, whether here or in heaven. Women do not enjoy an inferior status as they do in Islam (originating from the rib and dependent on the man for protection and what not). They are instead worshipped as devis, as embodiments of power, wealth and knowledge. Where else has any civilization continued to celebrate and worship women so in 2023? Once a Hindu woman agrees to become Muslim, she loses rights over her children and her person. The husband gets the upper hand in the relationship automatically.

Arsha Vidya Samajam (AVS) has been working on the ground since 1999 to reverse these conversion attempts. Nearly 7000 Hindus have been taught what sanātana dharma actually means and have reverted back to being Hindus. This is a very small number compared to the lakhs of rupees poured into the conversion racket by the Islamic agencies from within and without. Yet 250 volunteers work full time in handling calls and cases with deep conviction. And after the Kerala Story broke out, they are dealing with a deluge of desperate phone calls from parents and family members. Why do we not have more such centres? When do we get out of our disbelieving mindset to take this issue more seriously? Here victims are clearly telling us how potential converts are taught to disobey and disrespect their kafir parents, how they are fed with narcotics to ease up the conversion process, on how if the battle is purely ideological Hindus win hands down, but if there is a ‘love’ angle then the emotional connect and youthful attachment prevents the victim from thinking rationally. Many of the current volunteers are erstwhile victims of ‘Love Jihad’ and have dedicated their lives to educating gullible young girls.

Atheism, Communism, Wokeism all are seen as egalitarian and positive, while only Hindu practices are equated with social issues such as caste, dowry, sati, to make us feel guilty for being Hindu. We are made to feel apologetic for following our family customs and traditions, which they quickly term as superstitious or backward. This modernism, and its new avatāra wokeism is an unworthy descendent of an equally unworthy Abrahamic theology. Which deems that progress is possible only linearly, since time is linear; that culture is better in modern times, as the future or Judgement Day will be better than what was in the past; that all actual difference and diversity is to be squashed (but sexual perversions must be placed on high pedestal); that there is only one truth, one god (male only sitting in heaven), and one book.

This type of immature thinking passes off as rational and scientific in today’s day and age (and these terms themselves deserve deep scrutiny. Why is being rational so sought after? What is so great about being rational or scientific?) But most importantly, if being rational, logical, and scientific is the order of the day then what is so rational about irrational belief systems that evoke only blind faith, such as Christianity and Islam?

Forced Conversions, the Modus Operandi: befriend a Hindu woman using fake Hindu names, establish physical relations, record the act, blackmail and force for conversion and/or marriage. It is all a numbers game for Christianity and Islam, ultimately it is about Qayamat or Judgement Day where everyone must be Christian or Muslim for it to take place. Towards ensuring this no act is considered wrong, including taqiyya (deception) if it brings in more people into its fold.

Here is a two part video series on how young gullible young women are brainwashed, sometimes fed on narcotic pills to keep them under control. Offices and colleges are used as recruitment centres to get pally with unsuspecting Hindu and Christian girls, targeted systematically by Islamic squads. One such is the Sathya Sarani’s Da’wa squad. In this unsavoury mix there is the utterly disgusting and regressive matter of the ‘rate card’ for various girls that they manage to trap; with Sikh, Punjabi, Brahmin, and Christian girls fetching top dollar. All this is consistent with the teachings: Quran (4:24) and Quran (33:50) - A man is permitted to take women as sex slaves outside of marriage. Note that the verse distinguishes wives from captives (those whom their right hand possesses).

We can deny it all we want, bury our heads in sand, or shout ‘fascist’ or ‘bhakt’ from rooftops, but ISIS in India is something even the National Intelligence Agency talks and worries about. People have written papers on its recruitment in India. Instead of decrying the film, why don’t we hear moderate Muslims decry ISIS, its practices and its core ideology? Conversion to Islam, especially in Kerala, is in fact not simply restricted to religious beliefs but involves active recruitment to ISIS by brainwashing impressionable girls that ‘jihad’ is what Allah loves the most. Thanks to the movie (and the ground work done by Acharya Manoj ji of AVS) twenty six women came out in the open to talk of their ordeal in dealing with this social malaise.

Eminent Intellectual

@totalwoke

Muslim denial of #LoveJihad is 100% consistent with their tactics. Same applies to ISIS too. Before ISIS was defeated under Trump, they did absolutely horrible things in the name of Islam. These include:
1 Slaughter of POWs & civilians
2 Burning people alive
3 Sex slavery & slave markets
4 Beheadings
5 Genocide of Yezidis & Shia
6 Terrorist attacks globally
7 Murder of children & babies
8 Burying people alive
9 Destruction of pre-Islam buildings
10 Chopping off hands
11 Throwing gay men from rooftops
(This stuff is so horrific, Twitter won’t let me post pictures of it, despite Twitter being the most permissive platform of all SM.)
This did not happen 300 years ago, did not happen for gold from temples, this happened less than a decade ago, in almost 100% Muslim areas. It happened for Islam. Every single ISIS member fought for Islam.
Lakhs of people joined ISIS or tried to join. The Muslim response to ISIS was muted at best. More people protested against Nupur Sharma for her 20 second speech than for murder of lakhs by ISIS in the name of Islam. A Kafir woman speaking the truth of Islam defamed Islam more than unthinkable atrocities in the name of Islam. Think.

What we see now as the response to #TheKeralaStory is in fact an extension of the response to ISIS type behaviour. Converting Hindus using any means is fully encouraged in Muslim society. And a movie which exposes these unholy tactics used will be panned under Islamophobia. This simply shows us how much tacit support there is for ISIS and Love Jihad within Muslim society.

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@taslimanasreen, Dhaka University Students. 1967 and 2022.

Converting others to increase one’s flock is not a recent practice. It enjoys theological sanction both in Christianity and Islam, whose adherents have waged wars for it. As Prof. Vamsee Juluri states I read Susan Jacoby’s epic history of religious conversion (“Strange Gods: A Secular History of Conversion,” Pantheon Books, 2016), Jacoby writes about the Inquisition, and one of its less-known later manifestations, the clandestine conversions and kidnappings of Jewish children in Italy till as late as the 1850s. A Christian nanny could “convert” a Jewish baby secretly, and the State could now claim that child as property of the dominant religion. One parent might convert to the dominant religion, and the children would now go with them to the new faith unilaterally; a situation that seems to have arisen in the case of a family in Malaysia even as I write. This explains why the support from the global community which otherwise cried buckets over human rights is a whimper at best.

As per S. Gurumurthy ji, in a paper titled,“Demographic Islamization: Non-Muslims in Muslim Countries”, Philippe Fargues explains how Islamic nations have been Islamising through love and marriage. Fargues concludes: “Love was now playing the same role in the continuing process of Islamization that coercion played in the remote past.” (In Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies [SAIS] Review, Johns Hopkins University). Philippe Fargues’ view, in contemporary times, love has substituted coercion in spreading Islam is affirmed by Munir. In tune with Fargues, Munir gives historical testimonies to show how marriage was the foundation of conversion of not just individuals but countries to Islam……his book titled Christian Martyrs under Islam: Religious violence and the making of the Muslim World (Princeton University Press), says, “Islam spread through the Christian world via the bedroom.” The love of Muslim men for non-Muslim women seems loaded with religious drive.

In his seminal paper titled “How Islam Spread Throughout the World”, Hassam Munir counters the view that Islam spread only through the sword and says that domestically and internationally, inter-religious marriage was one of the four methods by which Islam spread. Munir writes: “Intermarriage between Muslims and non-Muslims has been historically important for the spread of Islam in many contexts. This is an area of research that only recently has begun to receive attention, as most converts to Islam via this process were women.” Munir adds that in British-ruled India, several Dalit women converted to Islam as part of intermarriage with Muslims, writes Munir. He adds that “intermarriage has continued to play an important role in conversion to Islam in more recent times” and gives examples.

Love marriage is one way traffic, be it in the film industry or in politics. In 2012 Oommen Chandy the then Chief Minister of Kerala stated that during 2009-12, 2,667 young women of other faiths were converted to Islam, whereas only 81 converted out of Islam (India Today, 4.9.2012). And also that the number of non-Muslim women married into Islam is 33 times more than Muslim women married outside Islam.

Coming to us Hindus, despite suffering enormously at the hands of the invaders and colonialists we do not dwell on our past too much, we do not whine or complain, all of which are wonderful psychological tools to move on, but we also do not learn from history. It is not in our svabhāva. Not in our nature. We have internalized that whatever is happening to us is of no consequence as this is simply mithyā and not the actual reality or truth. Those who are not advaitins will take solace in the fact that bhagavān knows best, that everything is as per bhagavān’s order. There is a definitive lack of śatrubodha as Pankaj Saxena, co-founder Bṛhat, often mentions in his writings. We have done svayambodha well, even that seems to be decidedly waning in the past few decades post 1991, but when it comes to drawing boundaries, we have been totally remiss.

Ten years ago, Hindu-Muslim engagements were at the minimum, it was not considered ‘cool’, on the contrary, and with right reasons. Our ancestors suffered horrors and humiliation at the hands of a bigoted ideology and this memory was passed on, thereby not encouraging inter-dining or intermarrying with the practitioners of such bigotry. After all, by engaging deeply the ultimate losers would be us Hindus, this was understood thoroughly. This understanding took a heavy beating with the glamour of Bollywood cheering such inter-mixing, which is always one sided. Hindu women marrying Muslim men, converting for nikaah, giving their children Islamic names and forsaking the whole sanātana dharma paramparā in the name of ‘secularism’, which sadly seems to be a burden that only Hindus carry.

We have given up on collective celebration, community prayer, and joint families in the pursuit of economic fulfillment. We have forsaken dharma, especially mokśa as an ideal, to satiate our artha and kāma needs. We have let our intergenerational trauma go to waste in the rat race to modernity. Hence we have been the sole reason why the continuous Hindu suffering at the hands of the Islamists is never taken up by the global press, on the contrary. Given this situation, it is incumbent upon us to be more vigilant and voice the truth even more vocally.

Professor Vamsee Juluri rightly asks Why is it difficult for Hindus as individuals to face the reality that hostile and hateful beliefs and forces exist that threaten Hindus indeed as a collective? Do we lack a sense of collective harm, or collective anything for that matter?

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