Trikamjee’s silence an ‘importing of politics’

IN THE Sunday Tribune Herald article, “Solidarity march against law”, on February 16, Ashwin Trikamjee expressed concern about “attempts to import the politics of other countries into our country, which can undermine interfaith harmony, peace, and social cohesion, and has the potential to lead to conflict and violence”.

He went on to add, quite rightly, “As Hindus we reaffirm our allegiance and loyalty to our country, South Africa.”

But where was he all these days? Why has he been silent for decades? For years now, those with multiple transnational identities, loyalties and explicitly declared allegiance to other countries have hijacked the Indian platform, claiming to be our “voice”. Why was he silent?

When Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi “surrendered before India’s vocal Islamists”, as Tufail Ahmad put it, in the 1980s, becoming the first leader in the world to ban Salman Rushdie’s book, Satanic Verses, why was Trikamjee silent when the controversy was introduced to our shores?

Why was he so silent when attempts were made to lure Hindus onto the streets in a so-called “peace march” for Afghanistan in 2001?

This is especially so since the “liberation activist” organising the “peace march” was mute about what the Taliban had done to the Bamyan Buddhas.

Many attempts have been made to sway all Indians into groups inclined towards importing Middle East issues into the country. Why the silence then?

Most importantly, when he expressed “admiration” for mass murderer Osama bin Laden, was Trikamjee not “importing the politics of other countries”?

SANU SINGH | Reservoir Hills