Terror-Accused Makes It To A Defence Panel, But A Muslim Can’t Teach Sanskrit?

Disclaimer: Nothing serious is taken seriously, then, in that case, the onus is on the storytellers to make it interesting. Here’s one such attempt; because anyway, I think people are not willing to call a spade a spade.

Remember The 5^th Of November?

No? There’s already a lot happening in the country and you’ll not be guilty of giving this news a pass; however, the fact is that nothing is left unseen or unheard of; if it’s about “Hindu” or “Muslim.” If you’ve missed something, you’re guilty as charged.

On 5^th November 2019, Dr Firoz Khan was appointed as an assistant professor at the Sanskrit Vidya Dharma Vigyan, (SVDV) of the Banaras Hindu University (BHU). Many students led a protest against his appointment. As told to OpIndia, one of the students protesters said that the protest is not against a “Muslim” in the Sanskrit department, but that the “Dharma Vigyan being taught by a non-Hindu.” According to this student and others, someone not practising the faith can’t teach Sanskrit to them.

Whatever may be the case, if a person with due credentials to be a professor is appointed, and ends up receiving opposition, on the grounds of his beliefs and faith, it’s just bizarre. I wonder if Physics or Mathematics were some of the subjects studied by people of a certain faith, then would I not have had as much fun and understanding of these subjects as I did? But, witnessing times like these; the state of contemporary politics in India, I am confident that anything is possible.

Impossible Made Possible

India is a land of miracles. Not only did we invent “zero,”; sometimes that’s our level of understanding when it comes to the appointment of people in the positions of extreme influence and power. Think – Smriti Irani was appointed as the Union Minister of Ministry of Human Resource Department (MHRD). Her own documents submitted against her graduation claims were problematic.

Consider Prakash Javadekar as the Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. During the public health emergency, (recent unimaginable pollution levels in Delhi-NCR), respected sir was not in the mood to attend meetings to find a solution to tackle this, and was busy campaigning for other state elections. People in the current government certainly have their priorities straight.

The recent appointment of Pragya Thakur in the Government of India constituted “Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Defence,” a 21-member panel chaired by the Union Minister of Defence Rajnath Singh, exhibits signs of not only ignorance but the arrogance of the state machinery when making sensitive decisions.

Why Is It Problematic To Have “Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur” In The Panel, You Ask?

She’s done nothing major, to be honest — she was just an accused in the Malegaon blast (2006) that killed 40 people (government data) — and she’s been very casual in remarks — for example, that Nathuram Godse was a “patriot” according to her.

Such a peace-loving and famous person’s appointment shouldn’t be opposed, right?

The confident MP said this on her appointment, “Maybe the country wants to use her brains to finish off Pakistan completely.” Students protesting the appointment of a candidate who is learned, technically qualified, and selected via a democratic process, is laughable.

If you’re thinking that Pragya Thakur is only known for her communal remarks and says problematic things, then I think you need to know her better. There are really some saint-like characteristics and magical aspects associated with her, which she thinks she’s gained through “tapa,”. For example, when she says that she “cursed” Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare during the 26/11 Mumbai blasts and he died.

But in India, “curses” work two ways.

If BJP’s Pragya Thakur has those magical powers, then, according to her, Congress also has them. She said, in August, that the opposition party is using “marak shakti” (killing power) against BJP leaders. That remark inevitably was referencing to the recent deaths of BJP’s Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj.

If you’re not a millennial, then I must advise you to listen to this famous 90s song: ‘It happens only in India.’