[Imc-india] The Fuhrer is Here, Gujarat Elections

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Hi=20

I am sending you an update from www.countercurrents.org.=20

with warm regards

Binu

The Fuhrer is Here
By Binu Mathew =20

A few months back, a German friend of mine was here to visit me. His =
name was Martin D'costa. He was a 27 year old documentary film maker. He =
was here to document the life of young Indians. By the time he came down =
to Trivandrum, he had travelled across the country meeting and =
interviewing young people. One common refrain, he said, he heard from =
the youngsters he talked to, cutting across cultural, class, caste and =
linguistic barriers was that India need a 'STRONG LEADER', some one who =
can lead the country  with iron hand.
He was  surprised and shocked too as he was from Germany, descendent of =
a people who dreamed likewise of having a  'STRONG LEADER'. He knew all =
too well the hidden meaning of that desire. India is ready to welcome =
fascism in a big way. India is waiting for its 'Fuhrer'.
Yesterday, as i was watching on TV  the jubilant and arrogant face of =
Narendra Modi celebrating his victory in the gujarat assembly election  =
I knew India had found what it was looking for. Hindutwa had found its =
Messiah. India had found its 'Fuhrer'. And he is coming on a  wave of =
hatred.

There was another man in history who rode high on a  wave of hatred and =
who swept away the lives of millions as he came crashing down. History =
is never learnt in class rooms ! If jews, gypsies, communists, trade =
unionists etc were the objects of Hitler's hatred, here in India it is =
the Muslims and the Christians at present and to find out whose fate is =
next we will have to wait and see.

In Gujarat the hate wave was unleashed by the Godhra train burning. =
Though many pointers directed otherwise, without making sufficient =
enquiry into the disaster Narendra Modi took the blame on Muslims and in =
a chilling reminder to the November 9-10, 1938 Nazi pogrom against =
Jews,known as Kristallnacht (night of broken glass), masterminded a  =
genocide  in which more than thousand lives were lost and crores of =
rupees worth muslim property were looted or burnt.=20

That caught the imagination of the population which was well conditioned =
by the propaganda machinery of Hindutwa and was  looking on the horizon =
for the arrival of the man with the iron hand, someone who payed back an =
eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. For the people of Gujarat =
disillusioned by years of congress rule and then followed by the =
inefficient  BJP rule, economically destroyed by one of the worst =
earthquakes in the history of India  and starved by frequent droughts, =
Modi was their salvation. He told them a simple reason for their misery, =
a reason that all could understand. He told them MUSLIMS are the reason =
why they do not have enough to eat, enough to drink and do not have a =
roof over their head.

That did the trick. Godhra was just a spark. People rioted. Just like =
the Nazi Kristallnacht Muslim establishments were pinpointed, destroyed =
and then boycotted. The aim was to destroy them economically and =
politically. Independent fact finding reports reveal that like the Nazi =
experiment the Gujarat pogrom also was planned well in advance.=20

With the successful completion of the pogrom, for the hard core hindutwa =
section Modi became their champion and for the sympathising bystanders =
he became a hero. During the election campaign he was appealing to the =
masses to vote for the "Gujarati Pride". Only he knew what was the =
problem with the Gujarati pride. He told them this election was fought  =
against Parvez Musharraf, the president of Pakistan, and almost all =
Muslims were in "Mian" Musharraff's corner. He seethed with communal =
venom. " Godhra" would be avenged only in one way: vote him and his =
party back to power. People were ready to believe anything their =
champion had to say.=20

In his election rallies national leaders like Prime Minister Vajpayee =
and Deputy Prime Minister Advani were reduced to mere shadows of Modi. =
In some election meetings people were seen walking out on these leaders. =
People were clearly disillusioned by the NDA kind of Hindutwa. They =
wanted something stronger and Modi was there to provide them. As Harish =
Khare of The Hindu wrote " At least in Gujarat, Modi has become larger =
than the BJP. And the likes of Advani are reduced to rationalising this =
profile."

VHP leadership were saying that Gujarat is going to be an experiment for =
Hindutwa and it has proved that the experiment was a resounding success. =
And with it a new brand of Hindutwa is born. If the Advani brand of =
Hindutwa was  cunning, treacherous and covert the Modi brand of Hindutwa =
is open, aggressive, and murderously violent. With the resounding =
victory in Gujarat Modi has stolen a march on the Advani brand of =
Hindutwa. Death bells are already ringing for NDA. Modi has taken BJP by =
the scruff of the neck and he is going to lead it wherever he want to. =
It wont be long that Modi is going to eye for the Prime Minister's =
chair, or even, like every dictator would like to, the President's =
chair.

The Sangh Parivar is jubilant. It has shed its modesty and is coming out =
with venomous public utterances. It is only with a chill running down =
our spine that we can listen to  Praveen Thogadia of VHP as he says, =
"Hindu Rashtra could be expected in next two years.... We will change =
Indian history and Pakistan's geography by then. Today, it is Gujarat, =
tomorrow it will be Delhi and also all other states. We will not leave =
any corner of the country untouched."

Are they really going to make India a Hindu Rashtra? Are they really =
going to alter the borders? Only with tears in our eyes can we ask these =
questions. What concentrations camps are they preparing for us and for =
our children? Will they lead the Indian subcontinent to a nuclear war? =
Will we survive if it happens? I really dont know.

But  I know one thing, if the concerned citizens of India do not come =
out and fight this dragon of hatred we will be forced to say like  =
Pastor Martin Niemoeller as he said about his Nazi experience

"First they came for the Communists,
And I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.=20
Then they came for the Jews,=20
And I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.=20
Then they came for the trade unionists,
And I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.=20
Then they came for the Catholics,
And I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant.=20
Then they came for me,
And by that time no one was left to speak up."

=20

Binu Mathew is the Editor of the web journal www.countercurrents.org
He can be contacted editor@countercurrents.org

=20

=20


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<P class=3DMsoNormal=20
style=3D"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Hi </SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal=20
style=3D"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial"></SPAN><SPAN style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: =
Arial"></SPAN><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">I am sending you an update from <A=20
href=3D"http://www.countercurrents.org">www.countercurrents.org</A>. =
</SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal=20
style=3D"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial"></SPAN><SPAN style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: =
Arial">with warm=20
regards</SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal=20
style=3D"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial"></SPAN><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Binu<?xml:namespace prefix =3D o ns =3D=20
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal=20
style=3D"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The Fuhrer is Here<BR>By Binu Mathew<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal=20
style=3D"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">A few months back, a German friend of mine =
was here=20
to visit me. His name was Martin D'costa. He was a 27 year old =
documentary film=20
maker. He was here to document the life of young Indians. By the time he =
came=20
down to </SPAN><?xml:namespace prefix =3D st1 ns =3D=20
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" =
/><st1:City><st1:place><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: =
Arial">Trivandrum</SPAN></st1:place></st1:City><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">, he had travelled across the country =
meeting and=20
interviewing young people. One common refrain, he said, he heard from =
the=20
youngsters he talked to, cutting across cultural, class, caste and =
linguistic=20
barriers was that </SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: =
Arial">India</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> need a 'STRONG LEADER', some one who can =
lead the=20
country<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>with iron =
hand.<BR>He=20
was<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>surprised and shocked =
too as he=20
was from </SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: =
Arial">Germany</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">, descendent of a people who dreamed =
likewise of=20
having a<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>'STRONG LEADER'. =
He knew=20
all too well the hidden meaning of that desire.=20
</SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: =
Arial">India</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> is ready to welcome fascism in a big way.=20
</SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: =
Arial">India</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> is waiting for its 'Fuhrer'.<BR>Yesterday, =
as i was=20
watching on TV<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>the =
jubilant and=20
arrogant face of Narendra Modi celebrating his victory in the gujarat =
assembly=20
election<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>I knew=20
</SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: =
Arial">India</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> had found what it was looking for. =
Hindutwa had=20
found its Messiah. </SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: =
Arial">India</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> had found its 'Fuhrer'. And he is coming =
on a<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>wave of =
hatred.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal=20
style=3D"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">There was another man in history who rode =
high on=20
a<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>wave of hatred and who =
swept away=20
the lives of millions as he came crashing down. History is never learnt =
in class=20
rooms ! If jews, gypsies, communists, trade unionists etc were the =
objects of=20
Hitler's hatred, here in </SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: =
Arial">India</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> it is the Muslims and the Christians at =
present and=20
to find out whose fate is next we will have to wait and=20
see.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal=20
style=3D"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">In </SPAN><st1:place><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Gujarat</SPAN></st1:place><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> the hate wave was unleashed by the Godhra =
train=20
burning. Though many pointers directed otherwise, without making =
sufficient=20
enquiry into the disaster Narendra Modi took the blame on Muslims and in =
a=20
chilling reminder to the November 9&#8211;10, 1938 Nazi pogrom against =
Jews,known as=20
<I style=3D"mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Kristallnacht </I>(night of =
broken=20
glass), masterminded a<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;=20
</SPAN>genocide<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>in which =
more than=20
thousand lives were lost and crores of rupees worth muslim property were =
looted=20
or burnt. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal=20
style=3D"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">That caught the imagination of the =
population which=20
was well conditioned by the propaganda machinery of Hindutwa and =
was<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>looking on the horizon for the =
arrival=20
of the man with the iron hand, someone who payed back an eye for an eye, =
a tooth=20
for a tooth. For the people of </SPAN><st1:place><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Gujarat</SPAN></st1:place><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> disillusioned by years of congress rule =
and then=20
followed by the inefficient<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; =
</SPAN>BJP=20
rule, economically destroyed by one of the worst earthquakes in the =
history of=20
</SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: =
Arial">India</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; =
</SPAN>and=20
starved by frequent droughts, Modi was their salvation. He told them a =
simple=20
reason for their misery, a reason that all could understand. He told =
them=20
MUSLIMS are the reason why they do not have enough to eat, enough to =
drink and=20
do not have a roof over their head.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal=20
style=3D"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">That did the trick. Godhra was just a =
spark. People=20
rioted. Just like the Nazi <I=20
style=3D"mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Kristallnacht</I> Muslim =
establishments were=20
pinpointed, destroyed and then boycotted. The aim was to destroy them=20
economically and politically. Independent fact finding reports reveal =
that like=20
the Nazi experiment the </SPAN><st1:place><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Gujarat</SPAN></st1:place><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> pogrom also was planned well in advance.=20
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal=20
style=3D"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">With the successful completion of the =
pogrom, for the=20
hard core hindutwa section Modi became their champion and for the =
sympathising=20
bystanders he became a hero. During the election campaign he was =
appealing to=20
the masses to vote for the "Gujarati Pride". Only he knew what was the =
problem=20
with the Gujarati pride. He told them this election was fought<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>against Parvez Musharraf, the =
president=20
of </SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: =
Arial">Pakistan</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">, and almost all Muslims were in "Mian" =
Musharraff's=20
corner. He seethed with communal venom. " Godhra" would be avenged only =
in one=20
way: vote him and his party back to power. People were ready to believe =
anything=20
their champion had to say. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal=20
style=3D"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">In his election rallies national leaders =
like Prime=20
Minister Vajpayee and Deputy Prime Minister Advani were reduced to mere =
shadows=20
of Modi. In some election meetings people were seen walking out on these =

leaders. People were clearly disillusioned by the NDA kind of Hindutwa. =
They=20
wanted something stronger and Modi was there to provide them. As Harish =
Khare of=20
The Hindu wrote " At least in </SPAN><st1:place><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Gujarat</SPAN></st1:place><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">, Modi has become larger than the BJP. And =
the likes=20
of Advani are reduced to rationalising this =
profile."<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal=20
style=3D"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">VHP leadership were saying that=20
</SPAN><st1:place><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Gujarat</SPAN></st1:place><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> is going to be an experiment for Hindutwa =
and it has=20
proved that the experiment was a resounding success. And with it a new =
brand of=20
Hindutwa is born. If the Advani brand of Hindutwa was<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>cunning, treacherous and =
covert the Modi=20
brand of Hindutwa is open, aggressive, and murderously violent. With the =

resounding victory in Gujarat Modi has stolen a march on the Advani =
brand of=20
Hindutwa. Death bells are already ringing for NDA. Modi has taken BJP by =
the=20
scruff of the neck and he is going to lead it wherever he want to. It =
wont be=20
long that Modi is going to eye for the Prime Minister's chair, or even, =
like=20
every dictator would like to, the President's =
chair.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal=20
style=3D"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The Sangh Parivar is jubilant. It has shed =
its=20
modesty and is coming out with venomous public utterances. It is only =
with a=20
chill running down our spine that we can listen to<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>Praveen Thogadia of VHP as he =
says,=20
"Hindu Rashtra could be expected in next two years.... We will change =
Indian=20
history and </SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: =
Arial">Pakistan</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">'s geography by then. Today, it is=20
</SPAN><st1:place><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Gujarat</SPAN></st1:place><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">, tomorrow it will be=20
</SPAN><st1:City><st1:place><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Delhi</SPAN></st1:place></st1:City><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> and also all other states. We will not =
leave any=20
corner of the country untouched."<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal=20
style=3D"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Are they really going to make=20
</SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: =
Arial">India</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> a Hindu Rashtra? Are they really going to =
alter the=20
borders? Only with tears in our eyes can we ask these questions. What=20
concentrations camps are they preparing for us and for our children? =
Will they=20
lead the Indian subcontinent to a nuclear war? Will we survive if it =
happens? I=20
really dont know.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal=20
style=3D"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">But<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; =
</SPAN>I=20
know one thing, if the concerned citizens of=20
</SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: =
Arial">India</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> do not come out and fight this dragon of =
hatred we=20
will be forced to say like<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; =
</SPAN>Pastor=20
Martin Niemoeller as he said about his Nazi =
experience<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal=20
style=3D"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">"First they came for the Communists,<BR>And =
I didn't=20
speak up because I wasn't a Communist. <BR>Then they came for the Jews, =
<BR>And=20
I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. <BR>Then they came for the =
trade=20
unionists,<BR>And I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. =
<BR>Then=20
they came for the Catholics,<BR>And I didn't speak up because I was a=20
Protestant. <BR>Then they came for me,<BR>And by that time no one was =
left to=20
speak up."<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal=20
style=3D"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal=20
style=3D"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Binu Mathew is the Editor of the web =
journal <A=20
href=3D"http://www.countercurrents.org">www.countercurrents.org</A><BR>He=
 can be=20
contacted <A=20
href=3D"mailto:editor@countercurrents.org">editor@countercurrents.org</A>=
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal=20
style=3D"mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: =
Arial"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></SPAN></P></FONT></DIV></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTM=
L>

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