THE DAMNED OPPRESSED AND THE HEROIC OPPRESSORS

The Famous English weekly “Outlook” recently made “Radical Islam Vs The World” the title of its cover story. It vividly conceptualizes two fighting groups; a handful of ‘radical’ Muslims and the rest of the world with no consideration to the ‘non-radical’ Muslims.

Whether or not such a situation exists or ‘radicalism’ in itself is harmful can be questioned. ‘Holding or following principles advocating drastic political, economic, or social reforms’ to which radicalism refers, may sometimes be the need of the time. Ours is a history not barren from ‘reformers’ in various fields.

The violent acts categorized under radicalism in the eyes of the ‘radicals’ constitute a step towards reformation in the system which heaped ‘injustice’ and ‘brutality’ on them. To make a few Muslim radicals an enemy to the rest of the world cannot be a correct journalistic approach where being unbiased is one of the basic principles.

It will be inappropriate on the part of media to make a statement like “radical Christianity” or “radical Hinduism” or any other religion against the world.

Dozens of Christian organizations believe in violence. They are at work in many, even Christian, countries to overturn the present governments. Their desire to replace these governments by the ones they call will be established on the principles given by Jesus Christ.

It was just some months back that nine members of a Christian militia group named Hutaree were charged for conspiring to levy war against the United States. Hutaree or Christian warriors, as they call themselves, claims to be preparing to defend themselves upon the arrival of the Antichrist. A website devoted to the cause reads that they are ‘preparing for the end time battles to keep the testimony of Jesus Christ alive’.

In a video uploaded on the site they were seen replacing a burning United Nations flag with their flag after pretending to kill soldiers wearing blue helmets. Anyone who does not share their belief and participates in the ‘new world order’, they consider him their enemies. Many other Christian outfits having the similar state of mind are found in Canada, Nether Land, Romania and Russia among others. But we never say Radical Christianity Vs The World.

We are also cautious of not saying Radical Jews Vs The World. It is not because we do not know that the Jewish Israel has been in a constant habit of defying all international rules and regulations. Media knows but it dares not say so, perhaps because Israel dares stand against the whole world to protect its interests.

Nor do we say Radical Hindutva Vs The World viewing the anti-government activities of RSS, Bajrang Dal, VHP, Abhinav Bharat, Sanatan Sansatha, Hindu Munani, Shiv Sena, Ram Sene in India and Nepal Hindu Janata Party in Nepal. Their collective aim is to end the political system of democratic India and secular Nepal and replace them by Hindu Rashtra.

Besides Nepal, it is only India where Hindus constitute majority and there are so many outfits working against the government. What if Muslims who are in majority in at least 57 countries start practicing violence against non-Muslims? Majority of Muslims are practicing, peace loving whom the media tries to portray as ‘radicals’. As of now only Al-Qaeda and some other organizations have taken up arms.

While Islam has time and again been equated with ‘extremism’ and ‘terrorism’ by members of every other community, Muslims have avoided labelling the adherents of other religions as ‘extremists’ or ‘terrorists’. They are first in the row to denounce terrorism and propagating peace.