As I write this, the concerted efforts by some activist Hindus to boycott Amir Khan’s copycat movie Lal Singh Chaddha appear to be successful. One hopes the main objectives behind the boycott are realised.
But then, what exactly are the objectives?
This is extremely important – without a laser-like focus on objectives, we are just flapping about like a caged bird without any result. As we try to bring the Cheetah from Africa to revive its population in India, let us recall the beauty and grace of its run – not a wasted movement or moment.
To be focused on objectives, we must first know what those objectives are. Easy as it sounds, it often becomes blurred in the excitement of action. To a point where the actions even become counterproductive.
To me, objectives are very clear – send a message that gratuitous Hinduphobia has costs. Nothing less and more importantly, nothing more.
As I have pointed out in other articles, today Hinduphobia not just has zero costs, it has enormous rewards. The easiest way one can achieve instant fame, recognition and rewards are to drop some anti-Hindu remark. It can be cleverly camouflaged as rationalism or pro-subaltern or pro-environment. Or it can even be left out there naked and direct like some of our ‘fact-checker’ Zubair’s tweets and FB posts (since deleted) were. Either way, it is a ticket to rewards and benefits.
Be it donations to your NGOs and fundraisers from overseas evangelist lobbies, a slice of George Soros’ billions set aside for regime change, OpEd chances in woke liberal magazines of the West, rewards and titles from the left ecosystem, lucrative academic gigs in American and European universities, Magsaysay awards, Booker prizes, Pulitzers perhaps one day even a Nobel – there are myriad ways one can cash covert or overt Hindupbobia especially if packaged well.
To turn this situation 180 degrees is not going to be easy at all. LSC boycott is but a tiny step in that direction. The path is long and arduous.
But to achieve the main objective, sometimes one must pause, take stock, and sometimes even walk back a few steps.
Why do I say this? It goes back to the objectives – end gratuitous Hinduphobia.
Hindu activists have essentially copied the left’s patented tactic of boycott and de-platforming. They must learn to copy the carrot and stick approach of the global jihadi left in such matters as well. As ruthless and strict as their ‘punishment’ for violating the party line is, their reward systems are that much more attractive and provide a powerful incentive to toe the line.
Hindus do not have the financial muscle to offer rewards even for simply refraining from anti-Hindu hate on the scale that can be offered for Hinduphobia. Frankly, despite eight years in power, the BJP government’s track record has been pathetic in this. On the contrary, in fruitless efforts to curry favour with the Stalinist left, their media and intellectual warriors are often provided platforms by Modi’s government, sometimes causing uproar and reversal as happened with a notorious fringe left American-Indian “journalist”.
But in our own small way, we can try to tip the scales. This means that in addition to danda, we must have recourse to ‘saam’ and ‘daam’ as well. And a bit of ‘bhed’ thrown in. How?
We must be willing to offer a path out for those engaging in gratuitous Hinduphobia under certain qualifying circumstances.
I know this sounds a bit oxymoronic but the fact is we cannot deal with each case of ‘hate’ exactly the same as others. All are not necessarily driven by deep-seated hatred towards our faith. Not everyone is a committed soldier in the Stalinist left’s pogrom on Hinduism. Not everyone has a quota or target to harvest a certain number of souls. And not everyone is a jihadi that believes in Ghazwa-e-hind.
Many are in it because it costs nothing to be in the good books of the woke left.
Many, that are just starting out in the business of anti-Hindu hate will quietly abandon it when they know the costs and more importantly when they know it is also possible to win back the support of the Hindus and their dollars. If they believe nothing they do in repentance, genuine or otherwise, will ever make a difference, they are more likely to harden positions, like a cornered animal. As with a bear you encounter in the wild, offering a way out is often the best recourse.
Whether Amir Khan’s halfhearted apologies and regrets qualify for such a liberal approach toward his future endeavours is not for me to say. We must watch his track record carefully.
But just the fact that costs are imposed but rewards are also on the table causes a change in behaviour. Check out the recent track record of our Yugpurush and compare it with his past anti-Hindu soundbites.
And that is precisely what we want. Nothing more.
