Union human resources development minister Smriti Irani's definition of a patriot Indian, from her speech in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, would be someone who would not worship a demon. Not the least a demon slain by goddess Durga in the Hindu mythology.
READ Smriti Irani brings Mahishasur to RS, gets her speech cut short
Let us for a minute exclude the fact that these myths are but symbolisms on the fight between the upper and the lower self that owe their origins to the Tantric kernel of today's Hinduism – a knowledge that is now available only to a few with access to that esoteric knowledge. Those origins have long since faded from public memory, and centuries of Brahminism has actively helped erase the real meanings.
But Irani, with her speech, has elevated this process to an entirely new level – making it sound a terrible sin to “worship” a demon. Really? When did Hinduism proscribe that?
National media is talking of the tribals of West Bengal who mourn Mahishasur's death. But what about us Keralites? Our own dear Mahabali, for whom we have unfailingly put up a warm welcome every year for centuries, is also a demon. A demon, as the story goes, who was banished from the earth by Vishnu (Neighbouring Karnataka considers Mahabali a demon still, and worships Vamana, the avatar of Vishnu who banished the demon king). So is Onam a celebration of the rule of a demon? So are all Keralites to be branded demon worshippers and banished out of India? Will one fine day the minister decide that we demon worshippers cannot study in universities run by her ministry?
Irani's thesis is not new. Onmanorama had deliberated on the same when Delhi cops listed Mahishasur worship among the crimes of the 'anti-national' JNU students, along with other serious ones such as demanding beef.
Read our original take published on February 17, 2016 below. Worshipping Mahishasura a crime, what about our Mahabali?
While anti national slogans can in no way be condoned or justified, as some of those now defending those students are trying to do, the JNU issue has attracted national and international attention because of the ham handed approach by the home ministry. The ridiculousness of that response is now being more than matched by the risible allegations in the Delhi police report, if it is true. Apparently the report states that "they worshipped Mahishasur in place of Goddess Durga during Navratri festival."
Hinduism has a place for all such worships, as long as they don't infringe on others' rights or cause law and order problems. And which scripture have they violated by worshipping Mahishasur? By the way, Ravana is worshipped in neighbouring Sri Lanka. Will the Delhi cops now slap charges of blasphemy on the Lankans? Or horror of horrors, will all Keralites be now accused of sacrilege for worshipping Mahabali, another demon?
Demanding beef may not be such a crime either. Delhi has banned beef, but does the same apply to the diplomatic corps in the capital? Why cannot JNU students, hailing from various parts of the country including beef eating regions, not be allowed to have their beef? And is it such a serious crime to ask for it? The problem is at least some sections of this government want to apply a cow belt template to India, and make the whole country a copy of that region intellectually and ideologically. They seem to care two hoots for India's famed diversity. It is reminiscent of the push for Hindi during the last century that led to anti Hindi riots in Tamil Nadu. What is disheartening is that instead of working to defuse the crisis, at least some sections of the government seem to be bent on following the current path of confrontation.
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