India, Muslims and a new anti-terrorism fatwa

[jeypore]

was another sign of how Muslim organisations in India appear to be taking the initiative as the country suffers from a string of bombings, often blamed on suspected Islamists, that has raised tensions between majority Hindus and minority Muslims.

The Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, one of India’s leading Islamic groups which has been active in the country since the start of the 20th century, endorsed on Nov 8 a fatwa against terrorism.

More than 6,000 clerics signed the edict, which follows a similar one issued earlier in the year by India’s top Islamic institution Darul Uloom Deoband. The fatwa follows a series of police crackdowns on Muslims after bomb blasts across Indian cities this year in which more than 200 people have died.

Muslim organisations are worried.


Previously Indian authorities had generally blamed Pakistan for most attacks, but evidence that these attacks were home grown has put India’s Muslim community under the eye of the police. Muslim leaders say innocent Muslim youths are being targeted by police.

So, there was no doubt that Muslim groups were reaching out to the rest of the country.

The Times of India quoted the weekend motion as saying that that “jihad is a constructive phenomenon and a fundamental right of human beings whereas terrorism is based on destruction”.

“It is required to define `jihad’ and `terrorism’ in the right perspective, which stand poles apart. Terrorism is the biggest crime as per Quran,” the resolution said.

“Here more than six thousand clerics from across the country have signed it to involve more people in spreading the message that there is no place for terrorism in Islam,” Jamiat’s senior leader and Rajya Sabha member Moulana Mahmood Madani told reporters.

It was interesting to see the response of the conference to news of the arrests of some right-wing Hindu militants and a military officer in connection with two recent blasts, originally blamed on Muslims.

Rather than make any political capital out of it, Madani said he disapproved the use of term ‘Hindu terrorist’ saying his organisation was opposed to linking terrorism with any religion.

“We are against linking terrorism to Hindus or Hinduism just as we are opposed to linking it to Muslims or Islam,” he said.

An act of political maturity, perhaps, that Indian politicians should learn from?

India: A billion aspirations Blog Archive India, Muslims and a new anti-terrorism fatwa | Blogs | Reuters.com

 

[daredevil]

A step in right direction. I hope concerned people will heed to their fatwa.

 

[muse]

From the IHT - Fatwa required??

India police say they hold 9 from Hindu terrorist cell
By Hari Kumar

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

NEW DELHI: For the first time in this Hindu-majority nation of 1.1 billion people, the police have announced the arrest of people who are accused of being part of a Hindu terrorist cell.

Police officials in western Maharashtra State said they had arrested the nine suspects and charged them with murder and conspiracy in connection with the bombing in September of a Muslim-majority area in Malegaon, a small city. Six people, all Muslims, died in the explosion, which was among a string of terrorist attacks in Indian cities in recent months.

Blame for several of these attacks has been placed on radical Islamist groups; one group, which calls itself Indian Mujahedeen, claimed responsibility for several attacks. But the arrests of the Hindu suspects in the Malegaon bombing raised the possibility of another source of terrorism, this one involving a radical Hindu fringe.

"This is a very dangerous trend," said Ajit Doval, former chief of India's Intelligence Bureau, who added that it could undercut efforts to bolster pluralism in India.

Among those arrested by the police antiterrorist squad in Maharashtra over the past two weeks is a Hindu nun with links to the principal opposition party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, and an army colonel, who is suspected of having supplied ammunition and provided training to the bombers.

The Indian Army has long viewed itself as being free of ideological or political bias, so the arrest of an army officer was deeply troubling to the military. "I can tell you that we are taking it seriously," said the defense minister, A. K. Antony.

The arrests reinforced growing suspicions over the last few years of a potential threat from Hindu extremists. In August, two members of a rightist Hindu group called the Bajrang Dal were killed while assembling bombs in the northern industrial city of Kanpur. In 2006, two people who were thought to belong to the same group died under similar circumstances in what turned out to be a bomb-making workshop in Nanded.

Officials in the Central Bureau of Investigation told reporters in New Delhi on Saturday that investigators had established a link between the Nanded group and the Malegaon bombing.

Bal Thackeray, the leader of another Hindu hard-line group, the Shiv Sena, wrote in June in the group's weekly magazine that Hindus should defend themselves from Islamist attacks by forming their own squads of suicide bombers.

"The threat of Islamic terror in India is rising," Thackeray wrote, according to a translation from the Marathi language that was published in The Hindu, a national English language daily. "It is time to counter the same with Hindu terror. Hindu suicide squads should be readied to ensure the existence of Hindu society and to protect the nation."

Prosecutors said that investigators of the Malegaon bombing on Sept. 29 traced a motorcycle at the site of the explosion, apparently used to plant the bomb, to a Hindu nun named Pragya Singh Thakur, 37, who lives nearby in Gujarat State. While in college, Thakur was a member of the student wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party, according to Vishnu Dutt Sharma, a senior leader of the student wing.

Sharma described Thakur as "aggressive in her speeches and work." She was religious and studious, Sharma said, and did postgraduate work in history.

During a pilgrimage in 2007, Thakur renounced a worldly life and became a nun, or a sadhvi in Hindi, cutting her hair short and donning orange robes, the sacred color of Hinduism, according to a brother-in-law, Bhagwan Jha. After she became a nun, her name was changed to Purnachetnanand Giri, which means complete consciousness.

Thakur's lawyer, Naveen Chomal, said she had done nothing wrong and that the police had arrested her only because her motorcycle was found at the site of the bombing. The police have said they also have taped telephone conversations in which Thakur wondered aloud why the Malegaon bombing did not inflict a bigger death toll.

Some people have begun to treat the suspects as heroic figures. Several Hindu organizations have rallied to Thakur's side, contributing to a fund for her legal defense.

Her father, Chandrapal Singh Thakur, told The Times of India, a national daily newspaper: "If the government doesn't act in time, common people will have to do something about their own safety. I pray that she succeeds in her endeavors."

Thakur has placed a photograph of his daughter on the family altar. The Bharatiya Janata Party has issued statements defending Ms Thakur.

Her arrest led police investigators to several other suspects, including Lieutenant Colonel Shrikant Prasad Purohit. At the time of his arrest, Purohit was posted with the Indian Army's education corps, studying Chinese.

A prosecutor, Ajay Misar, said that Purohit had helped the bombers obtain money, arms and training. "He supplied six pistols and 196 cartridges to the other accused," Misar said in a telephone interview.

Dinesh Aggarwal, an inspector in the antiterrorist squad, said that the suspects were part of a larger conspiracy. "Their precise role will be known after the investigation is completed," he said.

The opposition party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, initially distanced itself from Thakur, but was forced to acknowledge that she had been part of its student wing after photographs of her with prominent party leaders were published. Recently, the party has defended Thakur. And the opposition party's chief minister of Gujarat State, Narendra Modi, accused the government of maligning the army's image by arresting Purohit as a pre-election ploy.

 

[vish]

Muse:

What are you trying to say here?

 

[Flintlock]

Muse:

What are you trying to say here?

What he's trying to say is that Hindu leaders should issue fatwas on the lines of Islamic clerics.

This would be quite difficult, because frankly, there are no standard scriptures to interpret which would either authorize or condemn terrorism.

If you listen to Bal Thackeray, he says that hindu terror squads should take "revenge" on the muslims. This is obviously not a religious justification, there are no "infidels" to condemn in Hinduism, it is simply a case of a more base human desire for, well, revenge, the usual "us versus them" principle of tribalism.

Islami clerics hold considerable sway over muslim thinking. Quite obvious since we all know that Islam is not just about pleasing the gods with rituals. Its a complete socio-political system.
In Hinduism, people would wonder who has the authority to issue the "fatwa", and on what basis they would issue it.

I would personally be shocked if the priest of a famous temple rented a stage and a microphone to make political statements. I sincerely hope that day never comes.

 

[muse]

What are you saying??

That it is a mistake to propose that since apples and oranges are fruit, apples must be oranges.

The problems of hindu terrorism has similarities with it's islamist variety, both see and identify themselves primarily in terms of confession, in India, it is my impressionn that muslim and hindu societies are mirror images , however; there are significant and alarming differences, both political support and influence in th armed forces. Indian friends would be well advised to take the issue with not just alarm but to act to undercut public support for these ideas in hindu society.

If the issue of terrorism becomes a political football, Indian observes of the Pakistani scene should have much to cause sleepless nights



Look for something about Samjota Express -

Bhonsala army school officials quit
Gulfnews: Bhonsala army school officials quit

11/12/2008 11:43 PM | IANS



Mumbai/Nashik: Two officials of the Nashik-based Bhonsala Military School (BMS) have quit from their posts after they were interrogated in connection with the Malegaon bomb blasts, a school authority said yesterday.

BMS commandant Lt Col (retired) Shailesh S. Raikar and official Rajan Gaidhani submitted their resignations, without assigning any reasons, to the school management, Central Hindu Military Education Society (CHMES), BMS principal R.R. Kute told IANS in Mumbai.

The resignations, which have not yet been accepted, shall be discussed at a CHMES meeting scheduled in Nashik today before a final decision, he said.

School management secretary Diwakar Kulkarni said: "They were with us yesterday [Tuesday]. If the subject had come up then, a decision could have been taken then and there."

Raikar had been appointed BMS commandant barely six months ago, while Gaidhane had been working in the school for nearly seven years, Kute said.

Raikar, 42, and Gaidhane, 55, were detained and interrogated by the Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) regarding their involvement in the September 29 bomb blasts in Malegaon, which left six dead and 20 injured. The BMS is under the ATS scanner as a suspected meeting point for a number of Hindu activists arrested in connection with the blast.

Raikar and Gaidhani were subjected to intense interrogation by the ATS following revelations that they had attended a crucial meeting of the Hindutva group Abhinav Bharat in the school's premises on September 16, where the bomb blast plan was allegedly hatched. Both of them reportedly admitted that they had attended the meeting.


Congress and BJP joust over Malegaon blasts
Gulfnews: Congress and BJP joust over Malegaon blasts

11/12/2008 11:43 PM | IANS



New Delhi: The involvement of Hindu radical leaders in the Malegaon bombing that killed six people on Wednesday turned into a political slugfest between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress, but BJP leader L.K. Advani refused to speak on the issue.

BJP President Rajnath Singh went ballistic during a tour of election-bound Chhattisgarh, calling the police action against Hindu activist Sadhvi Pragya "a conspiracy hatched by the Congress to target Hindu leaders".

In sharp contrast, BJP's prime ministerial candidate Advani, who had earlier stated that action should be taken against the sadhvi if she was indeed involved in the terror attack, kept quiet.

No comment

When a television channel asked him in Chennai about the involvement of Hindu radicals in the Malegaon blasts, Advani said: "At present I would not like to say anything. I am here to release the Tamil translation of my book [autobiography]."

Congress leader M. Veerappa Moily and spokesperson Shakeel Ahmad shot back, asserting that BJP leaders were sheltering Hindu radicals. "The BJP is going soft on terror," Ahmad said. The involvement of "rightwing organisations in terror activities is no longer a secret", Ahmad said. Besides Rajnath Singh, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Ashok Singhal and former BJP president M. Venkaiah Naidu also hit out at the government.

Singhal threatened "massive protests ... if Hindu religious leaders are insulted like this". "It is an insult of a religious leader to subject him or her to a narco analysis test; this is too much."

The tone of the BJP's outburst was set by Rajnath Singh, who said the Congress was framing Hindu leaders in the Malegaon case with an eye on the upcoming assembly elections in six states.

"I ask the UPA [United Progressive Alliance] government - is it necessary to communalise terrorism to win elections? If this government is really serious about tackling terrorism, then why is it not enacting a tough law to rein in terrorists?" he asked.

"In fact, this government failed to execute the death sentence of Afzal Guru, the man convicted for masterminding the attack on parliament."

Lucknow (IANS) A man, whom police believe to be the vital link among the nine people arrested in connection with the Malegaon bomb blast, was held in Kanpur yesterday, a top official said.

A joint team of the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) of Mumbai Police and its Uttar Pradesh counterpart arrested Dayanand Pandey, also known as Amritanand Swami, whose name had surfaced during the interrogation of those arrested earlier in this connection.

"The arrest was made from the Kakadev locality in the afternoon. According to our information, Pandey headed a religious body in Jammu Tavi," Uttar Pradesh ATS head and Additional Director General of Police Brijlal told reporters here.

With his arrest the number of people in custody has risen to 10.

 

[su-47]

What he's trying to say is that Hindu leaders should issue fatwas on the lines of Islamic clerics.

This would be quite difficult, because frankly, there are no standard scriptures to interpret which would either authorize or condemn terrorism.

If you listen to Bal Thackeray, he says that hindu terror squads should take "revenge" on the muslims. This is obviously not a religious justification, there are no "infidels" to condemn in Hinduism, it is simply a case of a more base human desire for, well, revenge, the usual "us versus them" principle of tribalism.

Islami clerics hold considerable sway over muslim thinking. Quite obvious since we all know that Islam is not just about pleasing the gods with rituals. Its a complete socio-political system.
In Hinduism, people would wonder who has the authority to issue the "fatwa", and on what basis they would issue it.

I would personally be shocked if the priest of a famous temple rented a stage and a microphone to make political statements. I sincerely hope that day never comes.

In india priests may not have influence like Muslim clerics, but political leaders do have a great deal of influence. if these leaders would step up and ask their followers not to engage in violence, then there would be a significant downturn in Hindu extremism.

The concept for an eye for an eye will leave the whole world blind. If people like Thackeray advocate violence against innocent Muslims for what scum like Indian Mujaheddin did, then other Islamic terrorists groups will pop up and use the Hindu extremism as an excuse to get their revenge on innocent Hindus, and the cycle of violence will continue.

i can't believe that people like Thackeray who openly support terrorists are not thrown in prison. As far as i am concerned, he is nothing short of a traitor since he works against peace and stability in the country.

 

[Flintlock]

In india priests may not have influence like Muslim clerics, but political leaders do have a great deal of influence. if these leaders would step up and ask their followers not to engage in violence, then there would be a significant downturn in Hindu extremism.

The concept for an eye for an eye will leave the whole world blind. If people like Thackeray advocate violence against innocent Muslims for what scum like Indian Mujaheddin did, then other Islamic terrorists groups will pop up and use the Hindu extremism as an excuse to get their revenge on innocent Hindus, and the cycle of violence will continue.

i can't believe that people like Thackeray who openly support terrorists are not thrown in prison. As far as i am concerned, he is nothing short of a traitor since he works against peace and stability in the country.

You are completely right, and I fully agree with your post.

Here is what an RSS supporter would say to justify himself (I know because I have talked to quite a few of them).

"Muslims look out for each other and consider it their duty to protect the faith. They consider us as infidels and do not respect us. They consider it their duty to fight against 'idol-worshipers'. We must react and build a strong and united hindu society, if we are to survive".

Now, I can see the merit in his argument, because muslim societies are notorious for their militant attitude as well as their refusal to assimilate among the local population.
Not only that, such thinking would definitely reinvigorate hindu society, as is apparent in Gujarat. I myself have observed RSS shakhas, held in villages all over India. They teach very simple stuff - equality of all hindus, self-defence, basic physical training, etc. etc. There are no prayers or religious rituals, only Vande Mataram or some other patriotic songs.

The problem however, is that we are trying to build a strong India, and not a strong Hinduism. And that's where the clash happens. If your identity is hindu, and you preceive a threat to your identity, then the most natural reaction is to protect it. The same thing can be applied to muslims.

Reacting to hostility with hostility is the most natural human reaction. However, changing minds and building bridges is the more difficult thing to do.

Unfortunately, another problem is that human perception is not very good. For example, if one sees the trunk of an elephant through a window, one assumes that there is an entire elephant in the house. What we don't generally consider, is that perhaps there is only the trunk and no elephant, or perhaps its just a cow with an elephant's trunk! We force ourselves into the most obvious conclusion, i.e. trunk == elephant.
This is where stereotyping and sweeping-statements set in, which leads us to make false conclusions about other people, and ultimately lead one society/religion to reach false conclusions about another society/religion.

 

[Flintlock]

The fact is that Islamic ideology is based solely on the upliftment and growth of their own community, usually at the expense of non-Islamic people.
It is also highly committed to increasing the size of their "flock" - which means aggressively converting as many people as possible by any means. This is a common facet of the Abrahmic faiths - they thrive on converting people to their religion.

I have read a number of articles in local newspapers over the years, where when muslim leaders are elected to the panchayat, they favour people of their own religion and refuse to provide civic amenities to people of other religions. Such stories however, remain buried in the local media and never really make it to the national newspapers.

A small town in Tamil Nadu had the same tale - the majority muslim panchayat refused to provide civic amenities to the hindu citizens - like garbage collection, roads, irrigation water or power, unless they converted to Islam. In another town, the muslim representative refused to accede to any requests unless they were written in urdu. These incidents are usually not registered in any major newspapers because nobody gets killed. It is passive, it does not grab headlines. However, these go a long way in denting the self-respect of hindus across the country.

Unfortunately, such behaviour is repeated in towns all across India, wherever muslims are in significant numbers. They tend to ghettoize - which means that they will refuse to mix with non-muslims, and if possible, restrict their dealings and business transactions to muslims only.

This was the reason behind the germination of Hindutva - the idea that Hindus should also form strong bonds and look out for each other. Till recently, there was no such common sentiment among hindus. We were ruled by muslims and foreigners for 700 years, but since we did not have a common identity or a common understanding of "us versus them", we did not realize that we were a colonized people.
The idea of an Indian nation and consequently that of a Hindu nation came about only at the end of the 18th century or so.

However, my gripe with Hindutva is that it is not the ideal solution. The ideal solution is the formation of a common Indian identity that transcends the barriers drawn up by religion. This is only possible when religion ceases to play a significant role in the lives of people, and becomes a small part of their identity, and not their only, or main, identity. An Indian should be an Indian first, a farmer/worker/teacher second, and a hindu/muslim third.

This is exactly what China is doing - it is placing heavy restrictions on religion and brainwashing their masses into a single ideology - China first. Everything else second, including yourself.
China's restrictions on Islam and Christianity are especially strict, because they realize that these religions are built to proselytize and expand. They cannot lie still and coexist easily. They need to be coerced into doing so.
China, being an atheist country, has all the more reason to ensure that religion, the "opium of the masses" is discouraged as much as possible.

Unfortunately, India has always been a very rich country as far as religions are concerned, and any attempts to ban religious activity will end in disaster. Which is why I recommend that aggressive conversions be banned as soon as possible.
Religions should not be allowed to organize and broadcast their message on a large scale.
Only those converts who can prove that they approached the religious organization, rather than vice-versa should be allowed to change their religion.

 

[muse]

Assasino

The kinds of ideas you hold about Muslims are not exclusive to you, many Hindus think the same way - indeed, it is this deep prejudice dressed up as "volunteer" organizations that is responsibile for much terrorism in India:


Indian colonel admits bombing Samjhota

By Iftikhar Gilani

NEW DELHI: Indian Army Lieutenant Colonel PS Purohit procured the explosives used in the 2007 Samjhota Express train bombing and 2008 Malegaon blast, Indian police told a court in Nashik city on Saturday.

Maharashtra police said the colonel had obtained 60 kilogrammes of the explosive from Jammu and Kashmir in 2006 according to a witness in the Malegaon blast case. The court remanded the colonel in police custody until November 18.

Meanwhile, Hindu ascetic Sadhvi Pragya Singh and Lt Col Purohit tested negative in narco tests on direct involvement in the Samjhota Express bombing, but gave important clues about their clandestine network. The Mumbai Police ATS is now tracing two followers of Sadhvi and an Indore-based Hindu Jagran Manch that they believe are the ‘missing link’ in the Samjhota Express bombing, said a senior security official who is part of the investigations.

The suitcases that were used to blow up three carriages of Samjhota Express were traced to Indore, which has emerged as a hub of clandestine activities of Hindu militant groups

 

[Flintlock]

^Wow....he confessed eh? That was pretty quick. Usually these things go on for years.

 

[Flintlock]

Assasino

The kinds of ideas you hold about Muslims are not exclusive to you, many Hindus think the same way - indeed, it is this deep prejudice dressed up as "volunteer" organizations that is responsibile for much terrorism in India:

How about this Muse - how about telling exactly how and why these ideas about muslims are wrong - instead of accusing me of prejudice.

 

[muse]

Assasino

To suggest that Hindu terrorism - and I use this term to point that confessional content - is a result of Muslims seeking to better their lot or to assert their identity, is, at least to me, a result of prejudice.

We can argue that on a national level, the subject of Muslim identity and in particular the demand of the kashmiri administered now by the Idian government has done much to raise in the minds of Indians the notion that "Muslims" seek to better themselves at the cost of the Indian (read hindu) - Do you imagine that a mirror image of such a idea does not enjoy space in the thinking of Muslims in India? After all, they way some of our Indian friends present history, it would seem that only Hindu have a right to action and that Muslims are in India but for the largesse of the Hindu - look, there is a real problem of competing notions of nationals and identity - to negate one, is to challenge and really, whether you are comfortable with it or not, it suggests that 1947 issues remain unresolved - a huge mistake for both India and Pakistan.

Hindu Indians are a overwhelming majority, to say that Hindu terrorism has arisen because of Muslim demands for political concessions is a reflection of the idea that "India" (read Hindu) is "Our" country (read Hindu), now, why must this be acceptable to those muslims who are unwilling to be part of a political process wherein the perpetrators of Babri Masjid outrage, the Gujrat Pogroms and such outrages not only go unpunished by rewarded with political power in a democracy? What does it say about the content of majoritarian thought?

Singing "Vande Mataram" and offering "self defensive" training? Imagine if a lorganization went about the length and breadth of India, organizing Muslims, singing Muslim nationalist songs and teaching "self defense" techniques? terrorists?

India are not my country, however; relations with india will have can have, favorable and unfavorable impact on Pakistan - I offer you again the caveat, that this Hindu terrorism and Hindutva ideology is reckless and better stomp ou this fire now before it is raging uncontrolably all over India, which may recreate 1947 - law of unintended consequences.

 

[Flintlock]

Assasino

To suggest that Hindu terrorism - and I use this term to point that confessional content - is a result of Muslims seeking to better their lot or to assert their identity, is, at least to me, a result of prejudice.

I did not actually say that. What I said I think, was that the rise of Hindu-centric organizations was borne out of the desire to organize hindus on the lines of muslims - because the active and aggressive practices of conversion and assertion of a distinct (and more importantly, "foreign") identity was seen as a threat to hinduism (and the idea of a single, united India)

The Vishva Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council) is a spanking new development. There was no overarching organization for Hindus before this.

We can argue that on a national level, the subject of Muslim identity and in particular the demand of the kashmiris administered now by the Indian government has done much to raise in the minds of Indians the notion that "Muslims" seek to better themselves at the cost of the Indian (read hindu) - Do you imagine that a mirror image of such a idea does not enjoy space in the thinking of Muslims in India? After all, the way some of our Indian friends present history, it would seem that only Hindu have a right to action and that Muslims are in India but for the largesse of the Hindu - look, there is a real problem of competing notions of nationals and identity - to negate one, is to challenge and really, whether you are comfortable with it or not, it suggests that 1947 issues remain unresolved - a huge mistake for both India and Pakistan.

Indeed, the problem is competing notions of identity. However, let us remember that any patriotic Indian would be compelled to oppose any ideas that are contrary to his vision of a united India.

Hindu Indians are a overwhelming majority, to say that Hindu terrorism has arisen because of Muslim demands for political concessions is a reflection of the idea that "India" (read Hindu) is "Our" country (read Hindu), now, why must this be acceptable to those muslims who are unwilling to be part of a political process wherein the perpetrators of Babri Masjid outrage, the Gujrat Pogroms and such outrages not only go unpunished by rewarded with political power in a democracy? What does it say about the content of majoritarian thought?

It shows that the wounds have history have not healed, for one.
Gujarat has been a hindu-muslim flashpoint for many centuries, and not without reason.

On the mirror side, what does it say about muslim thought that they are demanding political concessions and special treatment even though India seeks to be a secular country?

It is interesting to note that the ill-feelings towards muslims aren't based on theology, whereas the attitude of muslims towards non-muslims is based on their interpretation of the "word of god".
This suggests that the problem with muslims attitudes is far more permanent, and far more lasting, than the prejudices of hindus towards them, which would disappear if not for the attitude of muslims.

Singing "Vande Mataram" and offering "self defensive" training? Imagine if a lorganization went about the length and breadth of India, organizing Muslims, singing Muslim nationalist songs and teaching "self defense" techniques? terrorists?

Well, considering that this is India, singing Indian nationalist songs should be acceptable, whereas singing "Muslim Nationalist" songs should be strongly discouraged.
I fail to see the connection here.

Nobody ever discouraged Muslims from singing Vande Mataram - it is our national song.

If Muslims cannot accept India as their homeland and motherland - which is what the song is about - then we have some serious issues here.

India are not my country, however; relations with india will have can have, favorable and unfavorable impact on Pakistan - I offer you again the caveat, that this Hindu terrorism and Hindutva ideology is reckless and better stomp out this fire now before it is raging uncontrolably all over India, which may recreate 1947 - law of unintended consequences.

Lets wait and watch, I suppose.

 

[muse]

Indeed, the problem is competing notions of identity. However, let us remember that any patriotic Indian would be compelled to oppose any ideas that are contrary to his vision of a united India

Please be real, recall Jinnah, recall iqbal and Sare jahan se ...patriotism does not mean and has never meant accepting second class status.

Well, considering that this is India, singing Indian nationalist songs should be acceptable, whereas singing "Muslim Nationalist" songs should be strongly discouraged

There you have it, India = Hindu (thank you, Ali thanks you, all readers thank you for your honesty -- Music to ears of some. Now, it may be emotionally satisfying, but I do not think you have thought through this idea, after all, if India is Hindu and not a secular, pluralistic democratic society, what's left? And remember, without Muslims to hate, "Hindus", a recent convention, will have multiple "groups" (caste not politically correct) to fall upon - Indian Hindu history is not without communal conflict within these "groups".

It is interesting to note that the ill-feelings towards muslims aren't based on theology, whereas the attitude of muslims towards non-muslims is based on their interpretation of the "word of god".
This suggests that the problem with muslims attitudes is far more permanent, and far more lasting, than the prejudices of hindus towards them, which would disappear if not for the attitude of muslims

What is interesting is that you seem to create "facts" by asserting them as such.

Attitudes of Muslim towards Hindus are no different from the cast attitudes that are prevalent in India - for instance, which Brahmin will uses the same cup or plate that the shudra just used?

I realize it was emotionally satisfying, but you are required to think responsibly.