Tripuraneni Hanuman Chowdary on Islam

Speaking at a meeting, Dr Tripuraneni Hanuman Chowdary, Chairman of Pragna Bharati, appreciated the assertion of Muslim intellectuals that Islam is a religion of peace and that there is no compulsion in religion and that Islam holds the taking of life of innocent people as a very serious crime against God. He has however noted that in contrast to these noble expressions contained in the Holy Koran and reiterated by Muslim intellectuals, every time a terrorist act is perpetrated by those claiming to be waging a jihad against the tormentors of Muslims, no concerted action has ever been taken by Muslim leaders and Muslim organizations to isolate these deviants from true Islam. These terrorist activities and insurgencies spread around the globe and of which India has been paying a heavy toll are at total variance with the noble expressions expounded by Islamic intellectuals. He enumerated some issues on which Muslim intellectuals expounding Islam as religion of peace must clearly come out and wage a movement to sensitize the Muslim masses against the deviants and aberrants.

Saudi Arabia and its ruler are the protector of Islam and its holy places. Why is it that such an Islamic state, while welcoming Hindus and Christians as workers, engineers and doctors, does not allow these people to carry pictures or images of their gods, goddesses, saints, prophets etc. and why does it not allow the practice of any religion other than Islam? Is it right of it to expect freedom of religion and worship in non-Muslim countries for Muslims, while denying the same for non-Muslims in its own country?

If Islam is so tolerant, why was jizya (see wikipedia on Jizya, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jizya ) imposed upon Hindus at different times under Muslim rulers? What is the meaning of dhimmies (see wikipedia on Dhimmi, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhimmi ) and what were the disabilities imposed upon them by the Muslim rulers in India?

It is said that the Prophet declared that in his land there should be no second religion. If that is true, can the upholders of other religions in the states they are in majority reciprocally say that in their lands, there should be no Islam? Is not reciprocity a symbol of peaceful co-existence and mutual respect?

In countries such as USA, France, Russia and China, there is common civil code for all citizens irrespective of religion. Article 44 of the Constitution of India also envisages a common civil code. But, the Indian Muslims are opposing common civil code. Why? Why are some of the Indian Muslims demanding that the relevant Article 44 of the Constitution should be repealed?

While government wants that every marriage should be registered in the Government Registrar of Marriages in order to ensure that women are not cheated and defrauded, Muslim organizations are opposing this and say that what they practice is good enough. We often learn terrible things about minor girls given in marriage for as little as Rs. 10.00 (rupees ten only) to already several times married octogenarian aliens.

Azan or call for prayer is given out from several loud speakers several times even at the dead of night or early morning. Is not that loudness offensive? Is not the assertion that Allah is the only God and Mohammed is his prophet amount to denial of other Gods and therefore offensive to others? Will broadcasting of bhajans be allowed in Pakistan, Iran, Bangladesh as frequently and as loudly as the Azan?

A Judge of High Court in Patna had begged for a transfer because his requests to the near-by mosque not to blare the Azan when the Court was in sitting was not only ignored but also he was threatened with dire consequences.

The Calcutta High Court ruled that the loudness of the Azan should not exceed a certain decibel strength. The mosques declared that the Calcutta High Court ruling will not be obeyed and it can not be applicable to mosques.

The United States of America is leading a war on Iraq, but the protesters here are demanding that the Government of India (GOI) should not have any alliance with it. GOI, in national interest, is voting in a particular way in regard to Iran in the meetings of the IAEA. The Muslim citizens of this country are demanding that GOI should not vote against Iran. How can India's interest be sacrificed for the interest of Islamic countries?

Whenever there is some trouble between Palestinian Muslims and Israeli Jews, demonstrations are held in India. India is asked to support the right of Palestinian Muslims to return to Israel, but the Muslim citizens of India are totally silent about the total ethnic cleansing of Hindus and Sikhs from Kashmir. 99% ethnic cleansing of Hindus and Sikhs took place in Pakistan. In the Islamic state of Bangladesh, the Hindu and Buddhist population reduced from 28% to 9% and is reducing further. Do they see ethnic cleansing as wrong if it affects Muslims, but right if it affects Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists in India and other countries? Is this conducive to fraternal co-existence?

Why is it that the Muslim minority populations took to insurgency and secession in Philippines, Thailand, Myanmar, China, Russia, Cyprus, Kosovo (Yugoslavia), Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kashmir? Do these insurgencies and the movements for separation from the nation-states spread all over the world support the view that Islam is a religion of peace and can co-exist with other faiths?

The Muslim citizens in Kashmir want autonomy but they deny autonomy to Hindus of Jammu and Buddhists of Ladakh. Why? If any Muslim woman in Jammu and Kashmir marries somebody outside the state, she forfeits the right of inheritance. Why?

In Saudi Arabia, the famous mosque where Prophet Mohammed himself prayed had been removed to make way for some reconstruction, but here in India Muslims oppose any shifting of their places of worship. For example, on the Tank Bund road, right in the carriage way, there is a mazar and there are so many such constructions in many cities. Why their removal is made into an issue of religion and not of the welfare of citizens? (The opposition of Hindus, Sikhs and Christians for removal of such places of their veneration from the pavement and carriage ways is equally reprehensible. They are not being removed as the followers of these religions insist that unless the Muslim mazars are simultaneously removed from the pavements and carriage ways, their sacred places alone can not be removed.

The statement created a great stir. Many did not believe that Mr. Mohamed Ali, who testified to so much veneration for Mr. Gandhi, was capable of entertaining such ungenerous and contemptupus sentiments about him. When Mr. Mohamed Ali was speaking in a meeting held at Aminabad Park in Lucknow, he was asked whether the sentiments attributed to him were true. Mr. Mohamed Ali without any hesitation or compunction replied: "Yes! According to my religion and creed, I do hold an adulterous and fallen gentleman to be better than Mr. Gandhi."

Terrorism, suicide-bombing and killing of innocents are all said to be prohibited by Islam. Why are fatwas not issued against the leaders of the organizations and their followers who are publicly claiming and taking pride in carrying out such terrorist activities?

M. F. Hussein has been repeatedly painting the Gods and Goddesses of Hindus and lately, even Bharat Mata in the most repulsive nude. While Muslims here are protesting against blasphemy against the holy Prophet in Denmark, did they organize even one demonstration or issue even one fatwa against M. F. Hussein? What does this convey to Hindus?

Dr Tripuraneni Hanuman Chowdary appealed to the Muslim intellectuals to kindly and truthfully address the issues raised and come out in a very strong demonstrable way to establish that Islam is indeed a religion of peace, that it respects other religions and that it values reciprocity of treatment. In fact, the terrorism and the jihadi acts that are being carried out by people with Muslim names claiming that they are doing for the glory and defence of Islam are bringing bad name to a religion and its civilization, which during these things Baghdad Cali[hate was the greatest in the world. In order to defend that real glory of Islam, it would be even appropriate if just like the Border Security Force, an anti-jihadi terrorist force is raised under the leadership of Muslims and the un-Islamic acts of the terrorists are put to an end by that specially tasked force.