(Thanks to B Nath for  this letter)

Dear Mr. Stephen Segaller,

PBS is airing a documentary on September 19th under its Wide Angle program titled "Soul of India". The program extract on PBS website sounds ominously biased against Hindus. While Killing is wrong, irrespective of religion and provocation, it is important to understand the issues before you venture making films and giving the viewers a one sided (read Muslim) perspective.

Gujarat and Gandhi: Gujarat was not born the day Gandhi was born on October 2, 1969. Gujarat is not personal fiefdom of Gandhi nor the Gujaratis Gandhi's serfs. There was Gujarat long before that. There was Gujarat when the Arabs and early Muslims came and settled there -- were given land grants to build their mosques and preach Islam. Gujarat was there when the Parsis haunted from their ancestral land came to Gujarat to seek succor and sustenance. Gujarat was also there when Mahmud of Ghazni demolished the temple at Somnath and plundered the land and killed thousands of Gujaratis. Gujarat was also there when Khilji plundered it. Gujarat has been through all this and more. It is not only disingenuous but also dishonest to remember the Gujarat of Gandhi and forget all other Gujarats.

Let us also not forget Gujarat is not only the land of Gandhi -- it is also the land of Jinnah. The same Jinnah who called for Direct Action Day in Calcutta. And what happened that day is all well documented -- only people don't want to recall. Their memory is only etched with the Gujarat of March this year. How short and convenient memories can be? Vinod Kumar"

Why is it that in India the riots are always in response to Muslim fundamentalism? While killing is wrong irrespective of religion, in the case of the recent Gujarat carnage, it was a reaction to the train killings of 58 Hindus (including 30 women and children) in Godhra by a mob of 2000 Muslims. If at all there is a Hindu "fundamentalist" movement, it is only reactionary and an attempt as self preservation, due to.

1. Centuries of Tyrannical Muslim Rule: Hindus have suffered enough of Islamic fundamentalism and barbarism by Muslim looters, plunderers marauders. Every beautiful and ancient temple in India (mainly all of North India except pockets in South India) has been desecrated, plundered, looted, beautifully idols carved in stone, with their hands and legs hacked off, their faces destroyed, their proud noses cut off (a symbolic sign of being defeated)....by fanatical barbaric Islamic invaders . The ruins of the temples still stand today to remind Hindus everyday of the barbarians. These same barbarians are revered by the Indian Muslims and these ideological difference are bound to result in conflict.

2. British rule and Christianity in India : Hinduism is a tolerant religion, but Islam and Christianity have abused our tolerance. The spread of Islam and Christianity in India with massive foreign funding has forced Hindus to react. Read Francois Gautier's, "Will Hinduism survive the present Christian offensive?" http://www.rediff.com/news/2000/oct/25franc.htm and "Are Hindus cowards?"
http://www.rediff.com/news/2000/jul/27column.htm

3. Secularity is not a one-way street for the benefit of just minorities. Until Hindus are treated equally in India, the problem will not be solved.
· Ethnic/religious privilages given to Muslims will continue to cause problems in India. Muslims are given a subsidy for Haj pilgrimages to Mecca. There is nothing similar extended to Hindus.
· Uniform Civil Code - The Govt of India has been unable to introduce the Uniform Civil Code because Muslims oppose it, hence in India we have different personal/common law for different religions.
· Hindu Temples and their funds/charities are managed by the Government of India. Muslims, Christians are free to manage their own funds. Islam and Christianity are spreading with the influx of foreign funding using every means fair and foul.
· Politics- Muslims are an important vote bank for India’s corrupt politicians including the BJP resulting in special treatment for Muslims.

4. Integration and Patriotism: There is enough damning evidence against the Muslims and their activities in India. Despite more than equal treatment and opportunities in India, a majority of Muslims live in ghettos and do not try and integrate into Indian society unlike any other minority in India. No Muslim in India has condemned the systematic ethnic cleansing of Hindus in Kashmir, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Bombay bomb blasts, fundamentalist Islam. To make matters worse, Muslims are often not patriotic and will waive Pakistani rather than Indian flags, they have been known to have links with Pakistani’s ISI etc.

5. The Hindu movement is REACTIONARY and an attempt at self preservation.
· http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/aug/26varsha.htm
· http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/jul/18franc.htm

If you want to do a show on "Hindu fundamentalism" then it is imperative you discuss the whole range of issues instead of pointing fingers at Hindus.

Thank you.
Sincerely,
Your Name/Address/Phone #
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