"Throw them out of the country?"

The recent blasts in Mumbai sparked a lot of debate all over the country. One aspect of it greatly talked about was the fact that this was the first time that the upper cream of society was so directly affected by the violence. And they have been quick to respond with anger against the government, for regarding issues of safety and security with less concern than should have been done. Blasts have happened before, and every time they happen, people try to move on and settle back to their lives with minimum loss of mental and emotional energy, no matter how much they lose in terms of lives and property.

Who carried out these attacks? Another Islamic fundamentalist group. They all want to drive the country crazy. They are succeeding in it too. I observed one small scale example of it, right in my vicinity, and if that is the attitude of educated, supposedly sensible people, I'm not surprised this country is facing such problems.

What happened was a friend of mine, who I have known for five years in school and now four years in college, happened to be in my room discussing the matter with me and my roommate. Her solution was to throw out all the Muslims from the country, to put it in very rude, frank and exact terms. Those were the words she used. All these attacks are being carried out by Muslims. If it comes to a decision, even Muslims living in India would rather support their community than the nation as a whole. They all want to leave anyway. Why not just throw them out? Why sacrifice the security of the nation just for one single minority community?

WHAT KIND OF A SOLUTION IS THAT? I was shocked, but since her question demanded an answer, I had to answer her there. There are enough reasons why someone would actually want to throw them out, but you just can't do that. There are plenty of reasons why you can't do that.

First of all, you can't exactly pick up every Muslim in the country and throw them out. Where will they go? You can't say put them in some Muslim country, there are plenty of those. It simply isn't practically possible to hunt down every Muslim man, woman and child in the country and ask them to leave. Imagine if the same were done to the thousands of Indians living in different countries all over the world. You can't just ask someone to pick up, leave and start a new life all over again somewhere else.

Doing something like that would also mean insulting the good that has been done to the country by Muslim people, in recent times as well as over the centuries. Some of our most beautiful buildings and arts were created and encouraged by the Muslim rulers of old. Several of the top celebrities of the country, in movies, politics, sports, science, are Muslims. Imagine asking Dr Abdul Kalam, Sania Mirza, Shah Rukh Khan or A R Rehman to leave the country, simply because they are Muslim.

Secondly, if such a step were carried out, it would inevitably be accompanied by more violence. We as a people are driven by our sentiments and emotions, and there are no lack of young frustrated people who would think nothing of picking up a dagger or gun and chasing the nearest Muslim person they know, with the threat of killing them unless they left. I told my friend, that with the idea of "throw them out of the country", she would become the next fundamentalist, picking up a knife during the next riot, to kill the first Muslim she sees. Partition of the country in 1947, though meant to be peaceful, was nevertheless accompanied by extreme violence. My generation perhaps does not realize the seriousness of it, simply because it all occurred decades before we were born, but the tale of the train arriving at its destination filled with dead bodies who were killed and then dumped on the train was not a fabrication by some sadistic mind; it was truth that was brought to reality by the collective anger of a huge population of brainwashed people.

The claim that Muslims want to ruin the country is ridiculous. If Muslims presently in India had really wanted to leave, they have all freedom to do so. Muslims do have a great sense of community, but that is enhanced because they are a minority here, and despised only for their religion. Moreover, their sense of community would indeed teach them, that to live successfully in this country means to work towards integrating it, not destroying it. And for every Muslim who has taken up arms and joined a terrorist camp, there are ten more who live peacefully with their Hindu neighbours, celebrating festivals and eating meals together.

Thirdly, throwing an entire community out of the nation is precisely the sort of step that if carried out can set a horrific precedent for the 'throwing out' of other communities as well. Violence against Christians is something that has happened recently in Orissa. Today you'll throw the Muslims out. Tomorrow you'll throw the Christians out. After that will come the turn of Sikhs and Parsis, followed by Jews. Next somebody will suggest throwing Jains and Buddhists out. Finally we'll be down to the SC/ST/OBC category. Or it may even be the general category which is thrown out, depending on who is more powerful or more numerous.

This idea of exterminating an entire community simply because they are held responsible for the troubles of the country is not happening for the first time. It was the same idea propagated by Adolf Hitler in Germany during the Second World War, the targetted community being Jews. He started out with segregation of Jews from the rest of the population, with the next step being restrictions on movement and business, followed by random deportations for "questioning", and finally ending with outright extermination in concentration camps. Anyone who wants to know any further, should read The Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank. This wasn't written with the idea of being published, it was the honest recording of thoughts and feelings by someone who was growing from a child into an adult during that tumultous period. Maybe then will these proponents of "throw them out of the country" understand what is really meant by human rights and humanity. Such extreme measures are not the answer to terrorism problems.

A letter to prime minister

Prakash B. Bajaj
Chandralok 'A" Wing, Flat No 104

97 Nepean Sea Road

Mumbai 400 036

Phone 98210-71194

LETTER TO PRIMEMINISTER

Dear Mr. Prime minister

I am a typical mouse from Mumbai. In the local train compartment which has capacity of 100 persons, I travel with 500 more mouse. Mouse at least squeak but we don't even do that. Today I heard your speech. In which you said 'NO BODY WOULD BE SPARED'. I would like to remind you that fourteen years has passed since serial bomb blast in Mumbai took place. Dawood was the main conspirator. Till today he is not caught. All our bollywood actors, our builders, our Gutka king meets him but your Government can not catch him. Reason is simple; all your ministers are hand in glove with him. If any attempt is made to catch him everybody will be exposed. Your statement 'NOBODY WOULD BE SPARED' is nothing but a cruel joke on this unfortunate people of India.



Enough is enough. As such after seeing terrorist attack carried out by about a dozen young boys I realize that if same thing continues days are not away when terrorist will attack by air, destroy our nuclear reactor and there will be one more Hiroshima. We the people are left with only one mantra. Womb to Bomb to Tomb. You promised Mumbaikar Shanghai what you have given us is Jalianwala Baug. Today only your home minister resigned. What took you so long to kick out this joker? Only reason was that he was loyal to Gandhi family. Loyalty to Gandhi family is more important than blood of innocent people, isn't it?



I am born and bought up in Mumbai for last fifty eight years. Believe me corruption in Maharashtra is worse than that in Bihar. Look at all the politician, Sharad Pawar, Chagan Bhujbal, Narayan Rane, Bal Thackray , Gopinath Munde, Raj Thackray, Vilasrao Deshmukh all are rolling in money. Vilasrao Deshmukh is one of the worst Chief minister I have seen. His only business is to increase the FSI every other day, make money and send it to Delhi so Congress can fight next election. Now the clown has found new way and will increase FSI for fisherman so they can build concrete house right on sea shore. Next time terrorist can comfortably live in those house , enjoy the beauty of sea and then attack the Mumbai at their will.



Recently I had to purchase house in Mumbai. I met about two dozen builders. Everybody wanted about 30% in black. A common person like me knows this and with all your intelligent agency & CBI you and your finance minister are not aware of it. Where all the black money goes? To the underworld isn't it? Our politicians take help of these goondas to vacate people by force. I myself was victim of it. If you have time please come to me, I will tell you everything. If this has been land of fools, idiots then I would not have ever cared to write you this letter. Just see the tragedy, on one side we are reaching moon, people are so intelligent and on other side you politician has converted nectar into deadly poison. I am everything Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Schedule caste, OBC, Muslim OBC, Christian Schedule caste, Creamy Schedule caste only what I am not is INDIAN. You politician have raped every part of mother India by your policy of divide and rule.



Take example of former president Abdul Kalam. Such a intelligent person, such a fine human being. You politician didn't even spare him. Your party along with opposition joined the hands, because politician feels they are supreme and there is no place for good person.



Dear Mr Prime minister you are one of the most intelligent person, most learned person. Just wake up, be a real SARDAR. First and foremost expose all selfish politician. Ask Swiss bank to give name of all Indian account holder. Give reins of CBI to independent agency. Let them find wolf among us. There will be political upheaval but that will better than dance of death which we are witnessing every day. Just give us ambient where we can work honestly and without fear. Let there be rule of law. Everything else will be taken care of. Choice is yours Mr. Prime Minister. Do you want to be lead by one person or you want to lead the nation of 100 Crore people?



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