Countercurrents is a prominent leftist magazine that has been online since 2002. Recently, it published an article that asks Hindus to “convert to Islam” in order to show solidarity with Muslims. It asks Hindus to “give up the privilege” of being born Hindus and become Muslims instead. The specific request is made in the body of the article:
At this point, I call to all my fellow liberals who are practising Hindus, or atheists born into Hindu faith, to consider converting to Islam. The motivations may be purely political in nature, but I do believe this is one bandwagon that needs to be jumped. Is it not worth considering? Will it not be an apt slap in the face of Hindutva? … is it not incumbent on liberals who practise Hinduism to go a step ahead? Is it not time for us to denounce the religion altogether and join the ranks of our Muslim brethren, not just in spirit, but also through action? Some might impugn this view by calling it a rabblerousing and communalising one. To them I will like to remind that Hindus and Hinduism have gotten away with far too much for far too long.
Now, when the article was initially published, its title was the following:
Later, perhaps due to the embarrassment this caused to the magazine, the author toned down the title to this:
However, the body of the article remains the same, and makes the explicit argument that Hindus should convert en masse to Islam.
Is there any need to “refute” such an absurd and insulting argument? Instead, let me just ask our readers: had anyone in Pakistan asked all Muslims to convert to Hindu Dharma, what would be their fate? Would the person be allowed to live for even a day? Would the publication/magazine survive the frenzied mobs for even a day? The entire Muslim Ummah would have witnessed violent protests, and one can bet that Hindus would have borne the brunt of the ensuing violence.
These are the double standards that we live in: attack, demean, offend, destroy Hindu Dharma any way you like. There will be no consequences. But even an unintended slight of any kind to Islam invites immediate violent retribution.
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