Why Hindus are upset with minority scholarships
Two recent moves of the Central Government with respect to “minorities” in Bharat has got many Hindus totally riled up. These moves are:
- Scholarship to minorities (declared during the festival of Ramzan as an Eidi) with a reach of 5 crore students over a period of 5 years.
- 100% government funding for building schools and hospitals on Waqf properties.
During the UPA govt., Sriprakash Jaiswal, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, had made a statement in Parliament on July 14, 2004, that there were 12 million illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators living in India, and West Bengal topped the list with 5.7 million Bangladeshis. More recently, Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State for Home Affairs in the NDA government has put the figure at around 20 million
Why is it that Hindus are opposing what on the face of it seems to be very noble deeds? Let us take a look at some of the valid concerns of the Hindus who are opposing on both counts above:
- First and foremost is the fact that either we have to accept that we are a ‘Secular’ country or that we are a ‘Hindu’ Nation. In any case we cannot accept that we are a Nation for Minorities. No country in the World can accept such an anomaly. But in Bharat, our politicians have always had this notion that Minorities, especially Muslim Minorities should have the first right to resources, to subsidies and to Government favours. This was because of our faulty system of Democracy where in exchange for votes, the party which wanted to come into power always resorted to ‘Appeasement policies’. In fact, it is an open fact that the CPI(M) allowed illegal immigrants from Bangladesh to enter West Bengal so that they could remain in power, something that was perfected in the present TMC rule with the inclusion of Rohingyas to the list of illegal immigrants. Needless to say, most of these immigrants were Muslims. During the UPA government, Sriprakash Jaiswal, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, had made a statement in Parliament on July 14, 2004, that there were 12 million illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators living in India, and West Bengal topped the list with 5.7 million Bangladeshis. More recently, Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State for Home Affairs in the NDA government has put the figure at around 20 million.
It is anybody’s guess as to how many of these illegal immigrants have valid (or fake) Aadhar cards and Voter Ids. Can anyone from any political party claim that these illegal immigrants, most of who are Muslims, are paying any Income Tax or are contributing to our Exchequer in any manner? From the 5 crore students who are expected to get these scholarships, is there any check on whether they are illegal immigrants with a valid Aadhar card? Also, if the parents are illegal immigrants, but the child is born in Bharat, does that child automatically get the scholarship, is the question.
- It is a well-known fact that less than 4% of the population pays Income Tax. While the religion-wise breakup of the taxpayers is not known, an educated guess can be made that most of the collections are received from non-minorities. In such a case, it is reasonable to expect that the community which pays the highest taxes hope that when scholarships are paid to students, no division based on Religion should be made. It should always be either merit-based or income-based. That is to say, that those needing the scholarships based on their economic status, should be granted scholarships. In this case, why are Hindus, the largest tax paying community, left out of the scholarships, even if they belong to the economically weaker class? Every time this question is asked, we have a section of people telling us how those belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are covered. But what about those who study well, and want to do better, but are forced to give up because they are neither SC/ST, nor minority? Does the country not owe them anything other than the lame excuse of their forefathers’ guilt?
3) If we are indeed a ‘Secular’ country, then on what basis are we having any divisions based on Religion? We have:
a) Loans given to those who are Christians/Muslims, by the respective State Governments. But no State Government gives loans because one is a Hindu. Any loans given to Hindus are general loans given to all others, subject to qualifying the terms and conditions.
b) Universities / Colleges / Educational Institutions giving seat quotas based on religion, but none given because one is a Hindu. In a recent case, Christian Medical College, Vellore put out a note that only 12 students of the open category would get admission to their college. In 2017 it was 1 student and in 2018, it was none. Of course they have quoted various Court judgments and Government rules, but the fact of the matter is that mostly, only Hindus bear the brunt of having to pay exorbitantly for admission into colleges for post-graduation studies. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/cmc-gets-100-exemption/articleshow/69696782.cms
c) Loans given to minorities for studying abroad. Did you know that there is a “Padho Pardesh” scheme, where the Government pays the initial interest for those minorities taking the educational loans? This was started by the Congress government.
d) The Maharashtra Government last year, had passed a law that Muslims won’t have to register the properties given as a gift, and they are excluded from paying stamp duty and registration fees.
A straightforward fall out of this is that all of this encourages conversions into the Islam or Christianity. As one can see the scholarships (or any other subsidies or rebates) provided only to minorities (mainly Muslims) is completely unjust especially when we want to carry the burden of being a Secular Nation. In the event of the scholarships (or any other subsidies or rebates) being for all equally, based on the economic status of the recipient, my opinion is that no one would object to such burdens being borne by the Government.
- With respect to the development of Waqf properties, it is a known fact that most of these properties are those which have been forcibly taken away from the Hindus by the Invading Islamic rulers. Among these are the Babri mosque in Ayodhya, Keshav Dev Temple in Mathura, Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, Atal Dev temple in Jaunpur (All in Uttar Pradesh), Rudra Mahalaya temple in Batna, Gujarat, Bhadrakali temple in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, Adina Mosque in Pandua, West Bengal, Vijaya temple Vidhisha, Madhya Pradesh and Mosque Kuvutul Islam Qutub Minar, Delhi. Our Sanatan Heritage is under the unjust occupation of the Muslim population just because we had no Government which valued the sentiments of the Hindus enough to return to them or free, their most prized temples and places of worship. Our courts too have played their part in keeping Hindus away from their heritage, one way or the other.
It is now more than 70 years since our Independence from the British rule, but Hindus have no rights over their Temples. We do not even have rights over our own contributions to our Temples, to our Gods, to our Saints. Even that amount is Taxed and then plundered by our State Governments and the monies used to fund non-Hindu works. No country which prides its Heritage would have allowed for this. But in Bharat, Hindus have been routinely looted and we have fallen into a court-induced stupor.
To then say that such looted property will now be used to build institutions meant only for the Muslim community, and that too with 100% funding by the Central Government, is equivalent to saying that Hindus will never be allowed to come out of the Jizya tax imposed by the erstwhile Invaders. This is not expected of a Secular Government at all. It is not fair either.
The majority community of Hindus has waited more than 700 years to be counted as the Indigenous people with a right over this land. Do not make them wait further.
While blaming the Central Government is easy, it is also true that the Modi Government really wants to ensure the success of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas” and now “Sabka Vishwaas”. To gain the Vishwaas of the Hindu majority I would like to give some suggestions to the earnest Modi Government:
- Ensure that while Rights and Privileges are enjoyed by the minority communities, they adhere to duties too. When Azaan being blared out of mosques are prohibited via High Court orders, why is it that they do not adhere to the orders? It should be implemented. Causing civic nuisance by blocking roads and railway tracks for reading of Namaz should be stopped forthwith. The other minority communities do not believe in causing discomfort to other citizens. Why should muslims think that causing discomfort to other rightful citizens of the nation is part of their privilege? Duties should be enforced lawfully and punishments meted out where necessary, for that is the duty of the Government, isn’t it?
- Hindu Temples should be free of payment of taxes, like in the case of Churches and Mosques (Zakat received is not taxed). Also, State Government should not be allowed to have any control over the Hindu temples or their Incomes. No State exchequer should be allowed to have a contribution from the temples, unless done so willingly for any express purpose as accepted by the devotees of the temple. When this is followed by all other places of worship in Bharat, why are Hindus alone targeted for their ‘daan-dakshina’?
- Ensure that any subsidy, any scholarship, any development activity is done, based on economic considerations alone, NOT on the basis of religion or caste.
- Please free our sacred temples from forcible occupation by those who do not believe in our Temples, Puja vidhis and Vigraha Murtis. Maintaining the temples subsequently can be given to other temples which have their own income (provided the income is not siphoned off by the State or Central Governments).
- Please show commitment to preserving our Culture and Heritage by banning induced or forced conversions.
- Allow Hindus to run their educational institutions with exclusive quotas for Hindus (like Minority Educational Institutions) and with Government subsidies (again, like Minority Educational Institutions).
- Muslims and Christians have other countries which help them via various organizations run by people following their religion, but Hindus (including Jains and Sikhs) only have Bharat and other Hindus to help them. This has to be kept in mind while being generous to the minority communities.
In Bharat, we have the unfortunate situation that when anything is introduced by the government, it is mentioned that it is for a specific period – for example, the scholarships are supposed to be for the next 5 years. But history proves that these doles or temporary solutions become permanent without an end in sight. Whether it was the quotas for the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes people, or the Article 370 which was supposed to be temporary, these things have a habit of becoming very difficult to shake off. This is definitely because no political party wants to lose power by dismantling the freebies or the quotas. It is time, this Modi Government did the unexpected by ridding our country of all such temporary solutions. The majority community of Hindus has waited more than 700 years to be counted as the Indigenous people with a right over this land. Do not make them wait further.
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