New Yorker story about Modi's India is disturbing reading

Having been an active member of an India-based spiritual organization for 35 years, I have a fondness for that country. (Including its food!) 

I've spent a lot of time with Indian people. I've visited India twice. Heck, I even volunteered to write a book about the karmic rationale for vegetarianism, Life is Fair, which is still being sold by the group I used to belong to, Radha Soami Satsang Beas.

But I've paid much more attention to Indian spiritual philosophies than to Indian politics.

Sure, I'm aware that Narenda Modi became the Prime Minister of India, and that he's a Hindu nationalist. That's worrisome to me, since Modi seems to bear some resemblance to our President Trump -- which isn't a compliment.

Since I'm a subscriber to The New Yorker, a terrific publication, a few days ago I got an email about stories in the upcoming issue. This one caught my eye. I've shared some excerpts from the lengthy story below.

It's disturbing reading for a variety of reasons: such as, how Muslims are being treated in Kashmir and elsewhere; how Modi and his political party are intimidating journalists; Modi's involvement in the killing of Muslims.

Of course, there are two sides to every story. But The New Yorker is known for quality writing and accurate journalism, so I'm confident that this story is quite truthful.

Download Blood and Soil in Narendra Modi’s India | The New Yorker

UPDATE: Here's a comment I left after other people have commented on this story.
---------------------------------
So I've seen several mentions of "fake news" from commenters on this post, but no one has pointed out what, specifically, is fake or untruthful in this New Yorker story. I have zero patience for people who cry "fake news" but can't back up that claim with facts.

Show your facts, if you have them. If you don't, then stop calling this well-researched and well-written story fake news. If you like that Modi is a Hindu nationalist, that he's been involved in mass killings of Muslims, that he attacks Indian journalists, that he's doing bad things in Kashmir, that he's requiring Muslims in India to prove that they are citizens -- that's fine.

I disagree with your view, but at least you're recognizing facts. What I find most distasteful is claims of "fake news" that aren't backed up with "true news." Share links to reputable sources that rebut what the New Yorker says. Or stop with the fake news claim.

...The change in Kashmir upended more than half a century of careful politics, but the Indian press reacted with nearly uniform approval. Ever since Modi was first elected Prime Minister, in 2014, he has been recasting the story of India, from that of a secular democracy accommodating a uniquely diverse population to that of a Hindu nation that dominates its minorities, especially the country’s two hundred million Muslims. Modi and his allies have squeezed, bullied, and smothered the press into endorsing what they call the “New India.”

...Muslim-Hindu harmony was central to the vision of India’s founders, Mohandas Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, who laid the foundation for a secular state. India is home to all the world’s major religions; Muslims constitute about fourteen per cent of the population. As the British Empire prepared to withdraw, in 1947, Muslims were so fearful of Hindu domination that they clamored for a separate state, which became Pakistan.

The division of the subcontinent, known as Partition, inspired the largest migration in history, with tens of millions of Hindus and Muslims crossing the new borders. In the accompanying violence, as many as two million people died. Afterward, both Pakistanis and Indians harbored enduring grievances over the killings and the loss of ancestral land. Kashmir, on the border, became the site of a long-running proxy war.

...After the riots, Modi’s government did almost nothing to provide for the tens of thousands of Muslims forced from their homes; aid was supplied almost entirely by volunteers. Asked about this, Modi said, “Relief camps are actually child-making factories. Those who keep on multiplying the population should be taught a lesson.”

Although some Hindu rioters were arrested, just a few dozen were ultimately convicted. Mayaben Kodnani, a B.J.P. minister, was the only official to be punished significantly; she was convicted of murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy. When Modi’s government later came to power in Delhi, she was cleared of all charges.

In the following months, there were indications of substantial government complicity. According to independent investigations, the Hindu mobs had moved decisively, following leaders who appeared to have received explicit instructions. “These instructions were blatantly disseminated by the government, and in most cases, barring a few sterling exceptions, methodically carried out by the police and Indian Administrative Service,” concluded a citizen-led inquiry that included former Supreme Court justices and a former senior police official.

...India’s female journalists are often subjected to an especially ugly form of abuse. The threats that Ayyub received were nearly identical to those sent to Gauri Lankesh, a journalist and book publisher from the southern state of Karnataka. Like Ayyub, Lankesh had reported aggressively on Hindu nationalism and on violence against women and lower-caste people.

She had also published Ayyub’s book in Kannada, the predominant language in the state. “We were like sisters,” Ayyub told me. In September, 2017, after Lankesh endured a prolonged campaign of online attacks, two men shot her dead outside her home and fled on a motorbike.

Neha Dixit, who has done groundbreaking reporting on the B.J.P., told me that she receives death threats and sexual insults constantly: “Every day, I get three hundred notifications, with dick pics, and with conversations about how they should rape me with a steel rod or a rose thornbush or something like that.” For Dixit and other targets of these campaigns, it is especially galling that the abuse is apparently endorsed by prominent Modi allies.

Ayyub showed me a tweet about the porn video from Vaibhav Aggarwal, a media personality who often speaks on behalf of the B.J.P. It read, “U want to dance in the Rain, get all wet & not want to then have pneumonia”—a suggestion that she deserved whatever abuse she got. In June, the fake Ayyub quote about child rape was retweeted by a prominent B.J.P. member named Ashoke Pandit. The quote, which originated in English, was translated into Hindi on a Facebook page for the so-called Army of Yogi Adityanath—admirers of the B.J.P.’s Chief Minister in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

...As Modi consolidated his hold on the government, he used its power to silence mainstream outlets. In 2016, his administration began moving to crush the television news network NDTV. Since it went on the air, in 1988, the station has been one of the liveliest and most credible news channels; this spring, as votes were tallied in the general election, its Web site received 16.5 billion hits in a single day.

According to two people familiar with the situation, Modi’s administration has pulled nearly all government advertising from the network—one of its primary sources of revenue—and members of his Cabinet have pressured private companies to stop buying ads. NDTV recently laid off some four hundred employees, a quarter of its staff. The journalists who remain say that they don’t know how long they can persist. “These are dark times,” one told me.

...Modi’s government has targeted enterprising editors as well. Last year, Bobby Ghosh, the editor of the Hindustan Times, one of the country’s most respected newspapers, ran a series tracking violence against Muslims. Modi met privately with the Times’ owner, and the next day Ghosh was asked to leave. In 2016, Outlook ran a disturbing investigation by Neha Dixit, revealing that the R.S.S. had offered schooling to dozens of disadvantaged children in the state of Assam, and then sent them to be indoctrinated in Hindu-nationalist camps on the other side of the country.

According to a person with knowledge of the situation, Outlook’s owners—one of India’s wealthiest families, whose businesses depended on government approvals—came under pressure from Modi’s administration. “They were going to ruin their empire,” the person said. Not long after, Krishna Prasad, Outlook’s longtime editor, resigned.

...A feeling of despair has settled in among many Indians who remain committed to the secular, inclusive vision of the country’s founders. “Gandhi and Nehru were great, historic figures, but I think they were an aberration,” Prasad, the former Outlook editor, told me.

“It’s very different now. The institutions have crumbled—universities, investigative agencies, the courts, the media, the administrative agencies, public services. And I think there is no rational answer for what has happened, except that we pretended to be what we were for fifty, sixty years. But we are now reverting to what we always wanted to be, which is to pummel minorities, to push them into a corner, to show them their places, to conquer Kashmir, to ruin the media, and to make corporations servants of the state. And all of this under a heavy resurgence of Hinduism. India is becoming the country it has always wanted to be.”

Comments

[JD]

This type of journalism is fake news - sorry to say. I am appalled that western media is allowing biased articles to appear. India is a complicated country, but it is a democracy. And his party overwhelmingly won again. The people spoke. It’s true Muslims are marginalized in India, but aren’t Muslims unfairly targeted in USA and Europe due to the actions of a few? It’s not just an Indian problem.

[Brian Hines]

JD, I'm curious. What do you consider to be "fake news" in The New Yorker story? It struck me as very well written and researched.

[Dungeness]

It’s true Muslims are marginalized in India, but aren’t Muslims unfairly targeted in USA and Europe due to the actions of a few? It’s not just an Indian problem.

This is more than marginalizing. The Indian govt's actions
resemble China's current oppression of the Uighurs. It's
estimated almost a million of that country's Muslim minority
are held without charges and with no trial date in so-called
"re-education camps".

In fact, in some ways, the sanctioning of this violence in India
is eerily similar to Kristalnacht in Germany which signaled the
onset of the Holocaust.

[gurjot]

As usual, Rana Ayyub is the author..

[Brian Hines]

gurjot, no, Dexter Filkins is the author.

[KS]

Nationalism is increasing ,which is helping Hindu fanaticism from increasing.This will lead to India becoming a banana republic. Government is getting rid of educated experts and replacing them with extreme religious Hindu fanatics.Sadhvi Pritgya who thinks drinking cow urine is cure for every disease is cabinet Minister.Education Minister believes learning palmistry is best education of all.

[Aakash M]

Dear Mr Brian Hines,

Mr Modi is the only hard working leader in the world dedicating
almost 10 -12 Hours a day with selflessness attitude besides he is actually devote all the seven days a week to his beloved country.

Mr Modi is the only leader in this material world with least bank balance in his name along with least portfolios of real estate

Modi’s very own mother still lives in old hut with leaking roof

Modi’s all Brothers are living in poor condition with hand to mouth situation

Modi him self is living practically with his own savings and with his own paycheck

With his smart move and quick action on currency notes eliminated fraudulent unaccounted funds in the circulation in black market.
With his yet another move by lifting 370 rules in Kashmir increased the Muslim critics magnitude
Big time Recently but in long run it triggers safe future for both countries

Dear Mr Brian AS U know very well that this material world is full of lies n’ deception, greed n’ jealousy.

Amazingly, good leaders are very tough to get elected.

Bottom line is Jealousy gives birth to lies and to fake news

[gurjot]

No...entire article is based on the fiction of Rana Ayyub.

Read article pls ..

[A Proud Indian Muslim]

Narendra Modi as PM atleast until 2029!!!!!

[Vinny]

Modi was not the PM during partition who killed people then, their own blood lust. Christians have problem with anything which can bust Christianity into pieces. And that is Vedic Wisdom where anyone can plug into infinite atomic energy and live without food and play power games which only Christians think they can play and become policemen of world. This does not mean I support fanaticism of any kind. Killing people by rash driving is also a kind of fanaticism which is the byproduct of so called Christian Science. Its only antidote is Vedic Wisdom.

[Sonia]

Modi and Putin both light up when they are in the presence of Xi. Seems almost every world leader aspires to be as powerful as Xi and I agree with Dungeness—the parallels in treatment of Muslims in India and other minorities to the CCP’s treatment of Uighurs and the Falun Gong are alarming.

The treatment of women in India doesn’t seem to be getting any better either. On that note, I’d like to point out something that may seem trivial but is very interesting. The Dera has an extreme imbalance of Yin/Yang energy. What people refer to as the sanitization of RSSB has a great deal to do with the overt masculine aesthetics in everything from buildings to parks to publications. It’s harshly masculine—only the old satsangar has any semblance of balance. The imbalance is killing the “divine feminine”. It’s draining. I don’t mean this so much as a harsh criticism, (although I realize it comes off that way) but more of a suggestion. The Dera kills all the nurturing, comforting, beautiful energy that comes with a good balance of yin/yang energy. And when you have a huge imbalance like that, you lose the feminine... and love slowly dies.

[Sage]

Hey old man. I still visit your site and occasionally read your blogs.
Are we talking about the same "New York Times" that smeared Tulsi Gabbard as an alt-right Russian stooge?
Oh and I wrote a blog on Kashmir here:
http://aminoapps.com/p/avwbxb
So, you can see that I know quite well about the topic.
I'd like to hear your response to this.

[drsatpurush]

blatant fake news. i wish the media was more interested in reporting facts than pushing pre decided agendas.

[Gurus Inc]

The Dera has an extreme imbalance of Yin/Yang energy. What people refer to as the sanitization of RSSB has a great deal to do with the overt masculine aesthetics in everything from buildings to parks to publications. It’s harshly masculine—only the old satsangar has any semblance of balance. The imbalance is killing the “divine feminine”. It’s draining. I don’t mean this so much as a harsh criticism, (although I realize it comes off that way) but more of a suggestion. The Dera kills all the nurturing, comforting, beautiful energy that comes with a good balance of yin/yang energy. And when you have a huge imbalance like that, you lose the feminine... and love slowly dies.

Posted by: Sonia | December 05, 2019 at 05:08 AM

Hi Sonia,

Does the philosophy propagated by RSSB have any place for this Yin/Yang energy?

We do not want to disbelieve the sense of imbalance you perceive. This probably must have come about from your numerous Dera visits right. So how many such trips in a year?

Also we are curious to know what about the parks, buildings, sheds, roads, trees, houses, hostels etc bring out their overt masculinity?

[Meditator]

Its the Hindu hardliner identity that makes him take actions against opposite religions - the base which helped him gather majority in Parliament banking on primarily Hindu votes.

Setting one against the other has been the easiest way to become popular. How much is he against corruption, connivance etc is debatable and which was essentially for which he was voted to power. But he has proved only a little better than his predecessors.

He is a popular orator who weaves emotions just as a doubting mystic plays out to his audience.

By and large he is only a few points better than previous premiers.

[Arjuna]

Brian

The article was spoilt by mention of the British Empire . It was the english who shit stirred the situation with the partition.

The english and you lot over the pond commit crimes against humanity every day with a smiling humanitarian face. Not a good article mate

[seeker]

Brian, I will disagree with you on this. There are more than 20+ Muslim countries around the globe. What he is doing with citizenship bill is that it will give citizenship to all Hindus as there is no Hindu majority country anywhere besides India.

Why should he give citizenship to Muslims from Pakistan/Bangladesh/Afghanistan? Not required brother. What if some guests come to your house and stay for a few days, and when they are supposed to depart they simply don't and continue staying in your house. What will you do Brian? Will you make them permanent family member? It's easier said than done mate.

There are already so many majority Muslim countries but not one Hindu country? Britishers have ruined India. The very word secular in our constitution has done more damage than the entire British rule.

Hope you understand.

[Spence Tepper]

We like to think that society, in this modern age, is enlightened. But we are still mostly animals.

I would like to hope that human beings will one day rise above selfishness, greed, avarice.

But if an asteroid should take out all life on earth, I'm afraid the more enlightened interplanetary species won't lose any sleep, and may feel that the endless human drama so tragic it is laughable, and source of potential future danger for the Galaxy, has been conveniently removed by an act of nature.

[Spence Tepper]

Hi Seeker
You write
"Why should he give citizenship to Muslims from Pakistan/Bangladesh/Afghanistan? Not required brother. What if some guests come to your house and stay for a few days, and when they are supposed to depart they simply don't and continue staying in your house. What will you do Brian? Will you make them permanent family member? It's easier said than done mate."

But there is another view of brotherhood...

" Me Casa Su Casa"
— God

"You shall love your neighbour as yourself"
- Leviticus 19:18

" "The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt"
-Leviticus 19:33

[Spence Tepper]

Hi Seeker
You wrote
"What if some guests come to your house and stay for a few days, and when they are supposed to depart they simply don't and continue staying in your house."

It's God's house. Let's ask Him.

Nothing on this earth belongs to anyone except God And none of us should attempt to claim what belongs to God for ourselves, even for our family. We should take only what egg need and no more, and happily share it with anyone.

Property rights are meaningless and microscopic in value when placed against human rights

[Spence Tepper]

Oops typo
We should take only what we need to survive in minimal comfort.

No piece of dirt is worth a single human tear, let alone a single human life, or lack thereof even a moment of human suffering.

[kiran]

@Spencer
I love what you wrote

"We should take only what egg need and no more, and happily share it with anyone"

I am 200% agree with you..we should take minimum what is required so all the saintd did like Kabir and Nanak...they didn't gather big properties, bank balance etc because they were real saint and did hard work to earn their livelihood.

I usually read occasionally your comments. But Your this idea don't showup in your comments when talked about GSD...he got lot of properties gathered million of dollars enjoying luxurious life।. You don't tell him that use minimal....why this rules only for ordinary people but not applies to Babas like GSD
These Babas have lots of big properties and unlimited money

Baba Ramdev has Island in Scotland..this new Baba who runaway from India building his own country on an Island...lots of examples where these Babas preach people to follow ordinary and simple life but doing opposite when comes to their own life style

I earn well but can't even imagine to put my kids abroad for study and take family members to foreign countries for private medical treatment...do you know how expensive it is private medical treatment in Singapore and UK..but GSD had Cancer treatment in Singapore, his grandson had an accident and broke his leg....straight away they took him to Singapore on a private plane(can't it be treated in India) and now GSD wife got treatment in UK......who is paying for all this and from where this money is coming from?

Your minimal theory is not working here for GSD
We all are human being and should get rewarded as per our hardwork..and when we get greedy and want more and more then saint shows us the right path . But when you see these self made saints enjoying life and telling you to live ordinary life then you question yourself and raised question on the authenticity of these saints

Not sure if real saints still exist...if they do must be hiding among ordinary people and don't want to cone in the limelight

[Sonia]

Hi Gurus Inc,

I answered all of your questions in line...

Does the philosophy propagated by RSSB have any place for this Yin/Yang energy?
~
it should

We do not want to disbelieve the sense of imbalance you perceive. This probably must have come about from your numerous Dera visits right. So how many such trips in a year?
~
one-ish

Also we are curious to know what about the parks, buildings, sheds, roads, trees, houses, hostels etc bring out their overt masculinity?
~
parks—flat
sheds—I don’t care about the sheds because they’re cost effective so what can you do
roads—they’re much to straight 😹
trees—what trees??? Need more trees!!
houses—very square and very red
hostels—again, very square... I think you guys have a thing for squares, straight lines and the color red.

What happened to the old tea garden shed???????? That was my FAVORITE part of the Dera!!!

Here’s what I was thinking, you could take down that giant iron statue of the slaves attached to a block by a rope and replace it with this: https://images.app.goo.gl/VRzw6ePM3dgRuCsF6

Then everything would be perfectly balanced. lol
🙏

[Jen]

"We like to think that society, in this modern age, is enlightened. But we are still mostly animals."

My thoughts are that we incarnate here on this planet with our memories wiped clean of previous lives and we search to find answers to who and what we are which probably takes many lifetimes. This search is an ongoing process and means a lot of adjustments in the way we think and act. Occasionally we experience that love and light within but the most important practice is being self aware and not being too harsh on self and others. Is there a God, the Creator? If there is we are That.

[Spence Tepper]

Hi Kiran
Yes the same Principles apply to all Saints. Material possessions and large organizations are the exact opposite of spirituality. Saints work to raise spirituality far above all these distractions, and first and foremost they are living models of that.

If you read more of my comments you will see the same principle applied universally.

[Spence Tepper]

Hi Zen Jen
You wrote
"This search is an ongoing process and means a lot of adjustments in the way we think and act. Occasionally we experience that love and light within but the most important practice is being self aware and not being too harsh on self and others. Is there a God, the Creator? If there is we are That."

The learning and adjustment just keep going. We do have a secret power within us.. Our hidden and mysterious connection to reality. That, in whatever form we can understand, becomes our ally.

[Sonia]

Hi Seeker,

What about separation of church and state? Is that not a thing in India? It’s important if you want to be a Democratic country.

[j]

"Sure, I'm aware that Narenda Modi became the Prime Minister of India, and that he's a Hindu nationalist. That's worrisome to me, since Modi seems to bear some resemblance to our President Trump -- which isn't a compliment."

It continues to amaze me how Trump is continually accused of being a despot and a persecutor of minorities, and yet no evidence is ever cited to back it up. Perhaps Modi is guilty of attacks on Muslims and other sects, but this president is not.

Modi threw a journalist in prison for a year for a Facebook post. Trump at his rallies says "fake news is the enemy of the people." While we can object to Trump's banter with the press, these are not equitable.

As for whether fake news exists, it did, it does, and it will continue to exist. There is no such thing as a "trusted media source" that has a rep guaranteeing accuracy. Imo that goes for the New Yorker, which recently published a long piece on how the Fusion GPS dossier was totally trustworthy rock-solid intelligence. It also goes for the New York Times, the paper of record, which has recorded on a daily basis over the last 3 years that literally everything the president has said or done has been wrong. Today's press is highly partisan, which means most news outlets aren't interested in actually telling both sides of a story, just trying to look like they are.

[seeker]

Brian,

I am giving you a fact. Muslims who are from Muslim majority countries, like Pakistan Bangladesh Afghanistan etc will be deported. I think this is a brilliant move. These muslims should go to their respective countries and not stay in India permanently.

[Gurus Inc]

I think you guys have a thing for squares, straight lines and the color red.

What happened to the old tea garden shed???????? That was my FAVORITE part of the Dera!!!

Posted by: Sonia | December 05, 2019 at 02:01 PM

Hi Sonia,

Yes.

Squares - all sides 'equal' ie everybody is equal in the eyes of the Lord.

Straight line - focus and the shortest path to destination

Red - reminder of the dangers posed by the mind.

Now which tea garden shed you referring too? So much that's brought down and rebuilt. Can't figure which one you refer to.

Also the only that requires a (re)balancing is our lives. Too much focus on things that are utterly meaningless and irrelevant.

[Spence Tepper]

Hi Seeker
"Muslims who are from Muslim majority countries, like Pakistan Bangladesh Afghanistan etc will be deported. I think this is a brilliant move. These muslims should go to their respective countries and not stay in India permanently."

Should Indians be allowed to live in Singapore or America? I'm not sure, based on what you write.

Shouldn't they be deported also?

Even Northern Indians. Shouldn't they be deported from the south?

And don't get me started on Delhi born Indians. They should have never been let out of the city.

Everyone should just go back to where they came from!

And those people who came from there should go back to where they came from.

Hell, we should never have left the seas.

We should never have left Sach Khand. That was really a huge mistake. None of us belong here!

Seeker, why don't you and I go back to our real home!

It ain't here. Your home isn't India.
Go home, Seeker.

[Spence Tepper]

Seeker...
Did your mom move in with your dad?
That was a mistake. She needs to return to her own family! Same with your dad. They need to go back where they each came from.

[Ruby]

Hello Spence,
Count me in. Where do I go to pick up my tickets?
Ruby

[Sonia]

Gurus Inc,

I can’t believe this actually solicited a serious response...

The comments about Dera’s “yinlessness” were more of an analogy. However, while we’re on the subject, I was referring to the shed that had the old bicycle in it. The bicycle that powered the fan... in the flower garden. Maybe you never saw it—the funky one.

And if I had to pick a favorite color it would be red because red symbolizes fun to me. However, I prefer rainbows given the choice because I think the God/dess created the whole spectrum for a reason (it’s funny how we say “The Goddess” and then just “God”).

Squares and straight lines are only part of the Golden Ratio.

You have to admit, the Goddess statue is a pretty awesome idea.

Regardless, you’re being too serious. That’s what happens when gurus get Inc’d...

Cheer up.
🥳

[seeker]

Spence,

They are staying in India illegally without any work VISA.

Check out this link:
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/visa-and-immigration/150-indians-deported-from-us-land-at-delhi-airport/articleshow/72137265.cms

Your argument just does'nt make sense.

Also people from minority community in Muslim countries are not feeling safe there, hence they are in India so it is the duty of the Government to provide citizenship to such people.

[seeker]

I am not against the idea of migration or any religion. Many of my friends are Muslims too.

But if you illegally stay in a country, you are not following the law of land. It is as simple as that. Spence, if you do not follow the law then what Babaji is doing should be okay. Why are we even talking about his wrongdoings?

[Sonia]

Gurus Inc,

Also, just wanted to make it clear that OBVIOUSLY there’s more to philosophy and/or spirituality than material surroundings. I didn’t say the Dera was ugly... just it has the same feel as an office complex. No one would call it quaint.

Sorry if I offended you.

[Mike England]

Sonia
“ Squares and straight lines are only part of the Golden Ratio.”

The Golden Ratio
What a cool thing to say 😎

[s*]

Hi Sonia,
I agree with you about Dera.
Its is now all so much let's say official..
In earlier times one could walk barre food on sand..and met sheep etc..
Now everything is soo in control.
The big bank buildings right in front of Satsanghar.. is a pitty too.
I was actually shocked in that time to see that..
But yeahh..everythings changes in time..so..also Dera..

[s*]

Sonia,
I like the beautiful pictures you post!!
Really sweet and beautiful :)

[JD]

What is fake news? Fake news is biased one sided reporting that conveniently hides parts of the story. Real news is objective journalism that doesn’t take a side and presents the full story.

This NYr piece presents one side of the story - presenting Muslims as victims - while leaving out major facts.

- Hundreds of thousands of Hindus were forcefully violently pushed out by Muslims from their ancestral lands in Kashmir and became refugees. This happened a few years prior to the riots about the Mosque.
- Kashmir had a major terrorism problem. Terrorist attacks were a constant in Kashmir. It had home grown terrorists plus terrorists infiltrating from the Pakistani side.
- Bangladeshis illegally cross the border in masses. If the Bangladeshis can’t prove their basic identification, most likely they are illegal immigrants.
- These so called government contracts given to the wealthy family whose empire may crumble - one word - corruption.

As for the aggression against journalists, India has this problem, and I agree it has been made worse by Modi.

As for dirty politicians, they exist in every party. But I do agree the bad ones should be given the boot. Modi seems to encourage them.

About the political party roots, here’s an analogy.
- The Republican Party helped end slavery.
- The Democratic Party was for slavery.
Political parties evolve. Don’t base BJP based on the roots of RSS.

This piece is more of an opinion piece than actual “news.” It doesn’t explore both sides.

[Sonia]

Gurus Inc,

On a serious note, the shortest distance between A and B isn’t a straight line but a bend in time. It’s a Quantum thing which is fun, especially if you’re a 5G fan. Quantum mechanics, quantum computing...

I don’t know why, I just woke up this morning and that was the first thing that hit me. Sant Mat takes the long road to enlightenment. But there’s much too much to say about that here. Also, it’s a subject that’s off topic and not really appropriate for this blog.

[Gurus Inc]

Gurus Inc,

On a serious note, the shortest distance between A and B isn’t a straight line but a bend in time. It’s a Quantum thing which is fun, especially if you’re a 5G fan. Quantum mechanics, quantum computing...

I don’t know why, I just woke up this morning and that was the first thing that hit me. Sant Mat takes the long road to enlightenment. But there’s much too much to say about that here. Also, it’s a subject that’s off topic and not really appropriate for this blog.

Posted by: Sonia | December 06, 2019 at 05:29 AM

Sonia,

And just yesterday you were saying we took your post a bit too seriously.

Ok, so if you read carefully we said shortest path to the destination. So two words "path" and "destination". What we missed clarifying explicitly is our context was spiritual. Destination not subject to physics - whether quantum, modern, classical or whatever. Path laid out already; any deviation and you do not reach the destination.

Radha-Soami all about 'divine feminine' unless you say that even Radha is masculine. The Masters are so right when they say despite their screeching what the path is all about, even satsangis can't move beyond the physical /outwardly side of the path - now extending to even how Dera design is flawed and causing love to slowly die. Actually in our collective time spent, we haven't experienced so much outpouring of love anywhere else but in the Dera - however and whatever be it's layout.

Babaji should indeed demolish the Satsang Ghar. It's served it's utility. Maybe a multiplex at that very spot would be super duper.

Btw, which part of Dera do you stay in on your annual visits?

[Spence Tepper]

Hi Seeker
You wrote
"But if you illegally stay in a country, you are not following the law of land. It is as simple as that. Spence, if you do not follow the law then what Babaji is doing should be okay. Why are we even talking about his wrongdoings?"

It took five years and thousands of dollars to help one of my Italian consultants get a green card. Literally $30,000 in legal fees. Just so he could work 10 hours a day to help the poor, mentally ill, homeless and handicapped in South Central Los Angeles get much needed medical care. Who can afford that?

Immigration restrictions are just a big corporation/ big Government collusion to keep the work force cheap and enslaved.

India wants to enslave its own people. Fine. You are welcome to the yoke you forged of the bones you broke and the dreams you destroyed of other people you have never met. There is a place for people like you. You are in it. I hope you are comfortable there.

No human being is illegal. That's a big Government/ big business term to manipulate the all too stupid public.

Maharaji taught that just because there is a law doesn't mean something is right.

But you are most welcome to define right and wrong as legal/ illegal. But that is a matter of who paid the most in gratuities.

I feel sorry for India. A third world country emerging as a world power insisting it knows best by returning itself to poverty.

But the trend is similar here in America. People afraid, angry, and stupid making enemies of their brothers and sisters, all in the service of the wealthy.

[Sonia]

Gurus Inc,

Hostel 6, of course—I’m an American. I’m not a satsangi anymore but my husband is. And he enjoyed going to the Dera (he also enjoyed boarding school and the military so...) He would like for me to go back with him. If there’s a goddess there I’ll consider it. 😅

At this point, I have no hard feelings towards Gurinder or Satsangis, I just don’t believe all of the teachings. During the 14 years spent on that path I learned a lot that helped get to where I am today. And today I’m in a really good place. I suffered from severe panic disorder during the 14 years I was on the path and now it’s completely gone along with the depression I had suffered most of my life. I do believe that my time spent as a satsangi was beneficial, albeit painful, in getting me to where I am today. I learned a lot about love—what it is and what it isn’t. But again, no hard feelings. It’s taken me nearly a year to make peace with that. However, I’m not discussing spiritual opinions here. [email protected]

BTW, that comment about tearing down the old Satsangar was a bit snarky. I like snarky. Go ahead, tear it down...

[Gurus Inc]

If there’s a goddess there I’ll consider it. 😅

Posted by: Sonia | December 06, 2019 at 10:42 AM

In fact we have always wondered what would it be if the appointed Guru happens to be a lady.

Any views Sonia?

Assume you are appointed next. What would be the big five changes you would bring about at Dera? Apart from tearing down the Satsang ghar and having a multiplex there instead.

[Sonia]

Gurus Inc,

😹😹😹

I would never take that position, but my advice to anyone who does:

1. Take down that iron slaves statue
2. Tell people to stop worshipping gurus
3. Emphasize everyone is equal on every level. All problems arise from the ego. Use your higher mind not your lower mind.
4. Turn the Dera over—into a proper town, not a spiritual colony
5. Go on a permanent vacation. :)

[Anonymous]

This is just one sided biased article, propaganda & effort to demonizing Hindus, India & BJP & Modi.
See a fair analysis by a well respected Pakistani Muslim journalist living in Canada.
This will clear everything. Sorry this is not in English but in Hindi/Urdu.

Why American Media and some journalists demonizing BJP, Modi & India - Tahir Gora Commentary @TAGTV
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFemS_rdr6Y

[Sonia]

@Spence

Yeah, Golden Ratio is an amazing phenomenon :)

@*s
Thank you! You’re always so kind.

[Whodunit]

https://youtu.be/sSVdjD_JXtw

Assam is burning
Modi has granted Indian citizenship to Hindu Christian Buddhist refugees from Pakistan Afghanistan and Bangladesh but not to Muslims
So obviously it has become a religious political issue where lines are drawn on religious grounds.

[Spence Tepper]

Hi Sonia!
What makes the Golden Ratio so cool, in some ways, is that it is a pattern we see, our own projection of meaning, that may arise from our own experience. But it isn't hard coded or hard wired into nature any more than the myriad of other natural phenomenon. Beauty can take on infinite form, and there are many elegant relationships and proportions, in life, nature and architecture. The Golden Ratio, however, is more human made. Yet we can find it, once we understand it, nearly everywhere. And then it can guide us. But few architects consciously use it. It would be more apt to say it is an elegant and appealing human idea that can readily be projected upon what we see in nature. But doing that can also be eliminating the rest of nature so that we only see the part we want to see. It's cool to see this in action. Though to see all of nature as she really is, I believe it's even more profound and intimate

[Sonia]

Hi Spence,

Yes, I agree completely. A lot of noise has been made about the Golden Ratio... even the Fibonacci sequence. Math is fun. But the truth is, nothing is truly perfectly flat or spherical in nature. I guess it’s the slight imperfections that make things truly beautiful. :) At least, that’s what I tell myself when I look in the mirror. 😁

Perception and vision—in every sense of the word—is even more fascinating. Birds can see more colors than humans. What makes birds so special?? 😸

It always bothered me that RSSB doesn’t initiate blind people. It doesn’t even make sense according to today’s RSSB doctrine—especially since the Master doesn’t take on karmas anyway. But, then again, the whole idea of focusing on or even bothering to worry about past lives is useless. Reality is in the “now” so past lives are a futile concern.

[Di]

India could pass bill that grants citizenship to non-Muslim minorities. But not muslims.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/11/asia/india-citizenship-amendment-bill-intl-hnk/index.html

[A Proud Indian Muslim]

India could pass bill that grants citizenship to non-Muslim minorities. But not muslims.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/11/asia/india-citizenship-amendment-bill-intl-hnk/index.html

Posted by: Di | December 11, 2019 at 08:21 AM

Not India could, it's India has passed!!!! Another great step in the right direction

And @Di atleast word the gist of the bill right.

[A Proud Indian Muslim]

Somebody said present authentic sources to call out 'fake news' or shut up.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/m.timesofindia.com/india/nanavati-panel-gives-modi-clean-chit-in-post-godhra-riots/amp_articleshow/72482704.cms

Interesting extract from the article presented below

Five years ago, the two-member commission of Justice Nanavati and Justice (retd) Akshay Mehta had submitted the second part of its report, which dealt with the post-Godhra riots. The first part, submitted in 2008, dealt with the Sabarmati Express train carnage in Godhra in which 59 kar sevaks were killed on February 27, 2002. While the first part said the Sabarmati Express train carnage had been orchestrated by a conspiracy, the voluminous second part concluded that the subsequent riots in Gujarat were not a conspiracy but an “aftermath” of the Godhra killings.

To note is the finding that the Sabarmati Express train carnage in which HINDUS were burnt alive had be ORCHESTRATED by a CONSPIRACY.

Do I need to also clarify who orchestrated the conspiracy????

[Deepak]

I am a HIndu nationalist... Deepak Kamat by name.... I don't endorse fake news as above. Gutter inspector report by the western press... this is what Gandhi said..... We Hindus are better off without it. You can google the HIndu holocaust. We hindus are the biggest victims of Islamic, Christian and atheistic terrorism......However, as the Upanishads say.... we only believe in ---- Krunavanto Vishwamaryam... Ennoble the Globe.... That's hindu nationalism... We are about inclusivism unlike the abrahamics who believe in convert or kill......

[deepak Kamat]

The biggest holocaust in the history of mankind is the Hindu holocaust.

https://www.hinduwebsite.com/history/holocaust.asp