Communal problems at home
@positiveminded1977 (7072)
India
September 16, 2008 4:36am CST
We, the people of Mangalore, wouldn't have dreamed that one day, we would face communal riots in our lovely city of hills and palms and beaches. But it has happened.
Two years ago, it was a Hindu Muslim clash, in which several people lost their lives.
Now, from three days, it is a Hindu Christian clash. The roots of this clash can be found in the incidents of Orissa. Venerable Hindu elders, who were social workers, working to preserve Hindu culture in the face of conversions to Christianity, were murdered in cold blood by a group (so far unknown but suspected to be either Mao or Christian). This led to a communal clash in Orissa, which left a few Christians and a few Hindus dead. Around the same time, we had floods in Bihar, which killed thousands, but the world was more worried about the communal clash in Orissa than the killer flood in Bihar.
The Roman Catholics of Mangalore protested against the communal clash in Orissa. At around the same time, a book published by the New Life denomination, in which the Hindu religion and Hindu gods were condemned, came to light, and this upset the feelings of Hindu activists, who attacked New Life Prayer halls. From a long time, they were unhappy about the way certain Christian groups were converting people to Christianity. I read in the papers today that it is a big racket. The converting family gets Rs 25,000 for converting to Christianity, and the person who converts them gets Rs 5,000. The poor become Christian for the money. It is something like network marketing.
In the recent clash, Roman Catholic churches were not spared either. Section 144 was declared immediately to bring the situation under control. Yesterday, there was a lot of unrest as several parishes got together to block roads and protest. Some Muslim youth got together with Christians to stone the policemen. And well, there were a lot of problems.
Today the shops were closed. No milk! No eggs either! Luckily, the paper arrived later. Just a few vehicles dare to run on the roads. As a climax, political parties are beginning to take advantage of the situation.
Gosh, I really wish Mangalore gets back to normal again and soon.
Cheers and happy mylotting
1 person likes this
9 responses
@sudiptacallingu (10879)
• India
16 Sep 08
Hi positive,
Yes it’s a very very volatile and extremely sad situation. As an Indian, you would know very well that our country is perhaps one of the few nations of this world which has witnessed such myriad cultural and religious influences for so long and yet managed to hold on to a distinct Indian identity. Hinduism has also been able to survive inspite of its own inherent drawbacks and outward allurement of other religions. Its only recently, that I am witnessing such alarming communal strifes with distinct religious flavour. It goes to say a lot about our state and national political leaders and the various parties that are supposed to rule our destiny.
I sincerely wish that we could all live together in peace and understanding…how boring would life be if we didn’t have so many different people!
1 person likes this
@positiveminded1977 (7072)
• India
17 Sep 08
It is so scary, especially for no-religion people like me. I have been thinking about it. I don't go to church anymore, so Christians don't like me, but Hindus think I am a Catholic. And I show so much interest in Hinduism that Catholics already suspect I have converted to Hinduism, which isn't the case. I am just an agnostic, who might get murdered by any of these groups should there be another communal clash here. :(
Do you know that in Orissa they murdered a Hindu family because they got converted to Christianity? They did not know that the same family had gotten reconverted to Hinduism. It is all so scary.
Cheers and thanks for the response.
@sudiptacallingu (10879)
• India
19 Sep 08
Thnx for the BR…one thing I know that poverty, unemployment, lack of social security, all such things allure young disoriented youth to resort to such mindless violence. But be sure that for every such frenzied hooligan, there are hundreds of sane Indians like me who love the plurality of this nation. Hope everything cools down fast and take care.
@rexuzroma (17)
• India
17 Sep 08
hey! dont jus say what you think is reality. Do you people think Christians have no hands , legs and muscles to respond? Attacks and counter attacks are not the Christian way and thats why we would like to stick onto our principles. The Maoists have already claimed responsibility for the murder of that Swami. Still u people codemn Christians for that. No christian missionary would do such a thing, coz killing for any reason how good it is is not justified in Christianity , even for God's sake. Those hooligan groups like Bajrang Dal and VHP think they can stop Christian growth by killing them... IM SURE IF IT WAS A MUSLIM GROUP, INDIAN GOVT, WOULD HAVE NAMED THEM TERRORISTS, THE VERY NEXT DAY. ONLY IF MUSLIMS DO , IT IS TERRORISM..WHAT BOUT HINDUS? These are the real terrorists....Remember, India is not a Hindu country , maybe they are the majority..The Constitution of India grants no extra rights to Hindus than given to the rest...So see your limits..India is a soverign country and everyone has the rights to practice their religion....
@positiveminded1977 (7072)
• India
17 Sep 08
Hope you feel better after this long rant.
First, I never said "what I think is reality." I read this in the papers, not any rag paper, a real standard newspaper.
Christians are free to respond, but what will they gain by it? Do they want to toss bombs about like Muslims? Again they are free to, but to what end?
Investigations are still on for the Swami's murderers. I did not accuse anyone. I only said who was being suspected, a fact that again came in the papers.
I don't remember condemning Christians.
The hooliganism of one group doesn't justify the hooliganism of the other. If you are better, you should show you are better. Not act as hooligans just because someone else does. You should show in what way you are superior.
This country is majority Hindu, and as far as I have noticed, they have managed the situation in Mangalore very well.
I am an Indian, and as an Indian, nobody has denied me the right to practice my religion. But you don't have to spread your faith by criticizing other people's faiths.
Cheers and happy mylotting
@pearloyster (717)
• India
16 Sep 08
I knew you will post a discussion on the violence in your city and you did as guessed lol. Thanks for bringing to light the root cause of trouble of which i was not clearly aware as to what exactly happened in your city. I hope life will return back to normal in Mangalore and more so history will not be repeated again.
1 person likes this
@positiveminded1977 (7072)
• India
17 Sep 08
LOL! I was wondering whether to post or not, but then wondered why not. I really know the facts here. I know them very well because I have a journalist friend from whom I got the information. He was an eyewitness and was actually was at the site of the trouble and was almost flattened by a rain of stones.
Cheers and thanks for the response. :)
@Pose123 (21635)
• Canada
16 Sep 08
Hi positiveminded, I am greatly saddened to hear this news, if only people would realize that we are all one, and stop fighting each other. The idea of paying people money to convert to Christianity is terrible, I wonder how much of this is happening. Hopefully things will change soon. Blessings.
1 person likes this
@tamarafireheart (15384)
•
16 Sep 08
Hi positiveminded,
I am so sorry to hears about those religous riots in your country, that how was starts and its all to do with religion, I am appalled that so called christains are doing it never mind the Hindus, why can't the christains leave them alone so I think christains are the worse culprits eve to pay people to convert to christains, its disgusting. I do feel for your country.
Tamara
1 person likes this
@positiveminded1977 (7072)
• India
17 Sep 08
Section 144 was declared on Sunday evening, following unrest at a gathering on Sunday evening. Now Section 144 means that you are not to have any gatherings, not even meet in groups of more than two or three. In spite of this, they gathered in churches and blocked roads. The Section 144 is for our protection, and they broke it. And when the police went there to bring peace, they threw stones at them. And then the police began lathi charging and tossing tear gas shells. Then they scream that they are being "persecuted." I just don't understand this!! Around 166 people have been imprisoned and FIR has been filed on some of them for assaulting government officials on duty. As far as I know, nobody is being persecuted in this country. It is just a chain of reactions.
@positiveminded1977 (7072)
• India
17 Sep 08
I think we need to become aware of all these things. Most people don't even know.
Cheers and happy mylotting
@zigzagbuddha (4601)
• United States
16 Sep 08
Sheesh! No wonder you haven't been around much lately! I guess now would not be a good time to blast Russill Paul's music out your windows?
Maybe you should move to Goa?!? Hahaha! I would!
@positiveminded1977 (7072)
• India
17 Sep 08
I still did it though. Blasted Indian classical dance music through the window. Then when I realized it had names such as "Krishna" and "Devi" and "Namostute," I really wondered what I was doing. Here was a Hindu Christian clash, and I am blasting this music in my house, and that too, in a Christian locality. Did I want to get stoned by the Christians or what? As it is, they glare at me whenever I pass by. What have I done to become so unpopular? 
All this because I don't go to church and because I am fond of anything to do with Hinduism!!
All this because I don't go to church and because I am fond of anything to do with Hinduism!!1 person likes this
@zigzagbuddha (4601)
• United States
17 Sep 08
Why are you living in a Christian community? I am too. You did not answer me about moving to Goa... not this time and not the last time I mentioned it either!!
You did not answer me about moving to Goa... not this time and not the last time I mentioned it either!!@zigzagbuddha (4601)
• United States
17 Sep 08
PS: I am glad to hear that it's over and that you didn't get stoned or killed!
@positiveminded1977 (7072)
• India
17 Sep 08
Mangalore is now slowly crawling back to normalcy. Thanks for your response, Ellie!! :)
@savypat (20216)
• United States
16 Sep 08
I am so sorry your country is going through this kind of thing. It seems taht humans are not yet ready to evolve beyond war. It certianly is not the religions,
both embrace peace, it's just the power seekers who twist the teachings to support their views. Good Luck to you and stay clear if you can.
1 person likes this
@positiveminded1977 (7072)
• India
17 Sep 08
I am still to find out why people are so touchy about God and religion.
Cheers and thanks for the response.
