The not-so-hidden dangers of violent Hindu extremism

SINCE September 11, 2001, the world’s attention is focused on the violence of Islamic extremism, but there are also major violent trends in Hindu extremism that are largely being ignored.

Violent attacks on religious minorities in India averaged one attack per day last year, a rising number that led US Congress members to plead with India’s leaders to condemn the violence.

Some towns and regions even passed discriminatory laws barring Christians, Muslims, and Sikhs from living inside village borders, accessing public utilities like water wells, or farming nearby lands.

The brutal violence visited on Muslims in Gujarat, in February 2002, also brought the dangers of Hindu extremism to the world’s attention.

Between 1 000 and 2 000 Muslims were massacred, after Muslims allegedly set fire to a train carrying Hindu nationalists, killing several dozen people.

Hinduism is indeed lucky not to be slapped with a 9/11like terrorism label, despite massacres of 3 000 Sikhs in New Delhi by Hindu mobs in just three days.

Thousands of Muslims were butchered by fanatic Hindus in Gujarat within two weeks in 2002. Christian nuns were raped, their churches pillaged and some of the missionaries were burnt alive including Reverand Graham Staines.

In the West we have a perception of Hinduism as yoga and meditation, a very peaceful eastern religious ideology. And there are millions like that, but there are also radical elements.

No religion teaches violence, but unfortunately each religion is infested with a small percentage of violent individuals.

Thousands of Muslims were butchered

Westville, Durban