YES, I am ashamed to call myself an INDIAN. My heart is so full of grief and emotions. I am a Christian but I can sense the feeling of dejection, helplessness, betrayal and anger in the eyes of my Hindu brethren. The reason being “Amarnath Shrine”.

It is true it was discovered just 100-200 years back but now it holds the highest reverence in the hearts of millions of Hindus worldwide. Amarnath is as dear to Hindus as Mecca is to Muslims. I am not a writer, neither professional nor freelancer but I feel so agitated over the happenings of Jammu that I am forced to write something.

Mark my words, this incident is going to be a watershed in the lifetime of our Ancient but newborn Country. Government has crossed the limits of pseudo-secularism. Let us first clear some facts one-by-one so that we may have better understanding of the situation at our hands.

• India is a multi-cultural, multi-lingual country with people of many faiths and religions living harmoniously.
• India has an ancient history and has been ruled by Harappans, Dravids, Aryans, Moghuls, British and now worst of all ’Politicians’.
• In India, every religion/faith has been given constitutional right of practicing and propagating their faith.
• Government gives millions of rupees as subsidies to Hajj Pilgrims.
• No other religion has got any such concessions from Government.
• Since Amarnath Shrine is located high in the mountains, it is very difficult for the elderly, sick and children to visit it.
• People use their hard earned money (for poor among them, it may be their lifelong savings) to visit the Shrine without any Government assistance.
• It was thought by the J.K.Assembly that some land be provided to Shrine Board on temporary basis so that they can provide necessary amenities to the Pilgrims during the season (i.e. only about 3 months), thereafter the land would again be handed over to the Forest Department. It is
  to be noted that the land too is barren and cannot be for agricultural purposes.
• This angered the hardcore elements of Kashmir Valley who misinformed and spread rumors that it is a ploy to settle the non-kashmiris in Kashmir. (makes me feel that they want to say that all Indians are foreigners to them)
• They started agitations and protests. Government succumbed to their pressure tactics and withdrew the land from Shrine Board.
• Hindus were deeply hurt over this decision as Amarnath Shrine is highly revered by them. They are asking why Muslims are given millions of rupees for Hajj pilgrimage but Hindus not given even a dime; forget that small stretch of land even for 3 months.
• The unrest in Jammu was simmering for a long time as they always feel that Jammu region gives 75% of revenue to State Government but in return it gets back just 25% government aid. Rest of it goes to the Kashmir valley alone. Do not even talk about Laddakh region, the lesser said-the better.
• This incident has vented open the simmering anger over this grave injustice to the region in general and non-Muslims in particular.

If my worst fears come true, then the majority Hindu votes of the Country will be polarized and in coming elections, Congress may be facing the heaviest defeats ever. Have we forgotten the price-rise/inflation issues? No !

Being a person of minority religion myself, I am apprehensive as to what it will bring to the minorities. God save the country.

If we really want to get out of this quagmire and want to make a prosperous India, we have to immediately take these steps ASAP.

• Order the transfer of land to Shrine Board
• Either there should be Pilgrimage subsidy to all or none. Under best scenario, line of poverty should be the criteria for subsidy.
• We are Indians first; not Kashmiris, Punjabis, Tamils, Bengalis etc.
• No Article 370 in Kashmir which allows separate ‘Prime Minister’, ‘National Symbol’ etc. to them. When I understood the true meaning of Article 370, I was shocked as to how this black Act was allowed in the first place.
• No more new Mandirs, Masjids, Gurudwaras, Churches etc. We already have millions of such homes for him in our country. God is omnipotent/omnipresent, so stop providing shelter to HIM.
• Proven terrorists should be terminated without any delay, otherwise there will be abduction of some Airplane or Minister’s son/daughter and we will be forced to free dreaded terrorists.
• Criminals should be banned from entering politics. Enough of these lathi-weilding, expletive throwing, paan-chewing ministers !
• Politicians should be graduates. Comeon boys! Even in Pakistan it is a rule now.
• Military personnel involved in purchasing poor quality equipments, hardware, warcrafts and traitors should be hanged to death.
• All political party formed on the basis of caste, faith, state should not be allowed to contest elections.

My fellow Contrymen, if you agree with me or want to add your suggestions, you are most welcome. My advice to all is to dream the dream of our Ex.President A.P.J.Abdul Kalam.

THE WONDERFUL INDIA OF 21^ST CENTURY.

JAI HIND !

ALEX THOMAS

Vande Mataram Song:
vande maataram (8)
sujalam suphalam malayaja sheetalam
shasyashyamalam maataram, vande
sujalam suphalam malayaja sheetalam
shasyashyaamalam maataram, vande maataram !!
vande maataram (8)
shubhra jyotsna pulakitayaaminim
phulla kusumita drumadalashobhinim
suhaasinim sumadhurabhaashhinim
sukhadaam varadaam maataram
vande maataram (8)
(sapta koti kantha kalakalaninaada karale
nisapta koti bhujaidhruta karakarvale) 2
abalakeno maa eto bale
bahubaladhaarinim namaami tarinim
ripudalavarinim maataram, vande maataram !!
vande maataram (8)
tvam hi durga dashapraharanadhaarini
kamala kamaladala vihaarini
vaani vidyaadaayini, namaami tvam
namaami kamalam amalam atulam
sujalam suphalam maataram
shyamalam saralam susmitam bhooshhitam
dharinim bharanim maataram, vande maataram !!

————–
Meaning of the Song:
Mother, I bow to thee!
Rich with thy hurrying streams,
bright with orchard gleams,
Cool with thy winds of delight,
Dark fields waving Mother of might,
Mother free.
Glory of moonlight dreams,
Over thy branches and lordly streams,
Clad in thy blossoming trees,
Mother, giver of ease
Laughing low and sweet!
Mother I kiss thy feet,
Speaker sweet and low!
Mother, to thee I bow.
Who hath said thou art weak in thy lands
When the sword flesh out in the seventy million hands
And seventy million voices roar
Thy dreadful name from shore to shore?
With many strengths who art mighty and stored,
To thee I call Mother and Lord!
Though who savest, arise and save!
To her I cry who ever her foeman drove
Back from plain and Sea
And shook herself free.
Thou art wisdom, thou art law,
Thou art heart, our soul, our breath
Though art love divine, the awe
In our hearts that conquers death.
Thine the strength that nervs the arm,
Thine the beauty, thine the charm.
Every image made divine
In our temples is but thine.
Thou art Durga, Lady and Queen,
With her hands that strike and her
swords of sheen,
Thou art Lakshmi lotus-throned,
And the Muse a hundred-toned,
Pure and perfect without peer,
Mother lend thine ear,
Rich with thy hurrying streams,
Bright with thy orchard gleems,
Dark of hue O candid-fair!
In thy soul, with jewelled hair
And thy glorious smile divine,
Lovilest of all earthly lands,
Showering wealth from well-stored hands!
Mother, mother mine!
Mother sweet, I bow to thee,
Mother great and free

As we can see from the last two paras of the song, it is amply clear that the song acquires religious overtones. This is preventing people from other religious communities from accepting this song.
R.C. Majumdar, a renowned Historian, has written an objective account on the song.
“During the long and arduous struggle for freedom from 1905 to 1947 ‘Bande Mataram’ was the rallying cry of the patriotic sons of India, and thousands of them succumbed to the lathi blow of the British police or mounted the scaffold with ‘Bande Mataram’ on their lips. The central plot moves round a band of sanyasis, called santanas or children, who left their hearth and home and dedicated their lives to the cause of their motherland. They worshipped their motherland as the Goddess Kali;… This aspect of the Ananda Math and the imagery of Goddess Kali leave no doubt that Bankimchandra’s nationalism was Hindu rather than Indian. This is made crystal clear from his other writings which contain passionate outbursts against the subjugation of India by the Muslims. From that day set the sun of our glory – that is the refrain of his essays and novels which not unoften contain adverse, and sometimes even irreverent, remarks against the Muslims” (emphasis added). As Majumdar pithily puts it, “Bankimchandra converted patriotism into religion and religion into patriotism.”
Some people, specially from the RSS Brigade are adamant to force it among all citizens without seeing any rhyme or reason. This song is entirely acceptable to all if only the first two paras are accepted as the final song. As we can see, even the third para has got a population of mother India as 70 million, which is factually incorrect and is bound to change every year.
This makes the song periodic in nature and it can be made perpetual only if we make some changes in the basic song.
If change is so necessary, then why not change it in such a way so that it is acceptable to all.