So a masjid was destroyed by Hindu boy(s) in Sadashivgad, Karwar some weeks ago now. Few kilometers from my where I stay. Hindu boy who allegedly confessed to his crime and was arrested, is currently out on bail. That's not all. Group of Hindus today had a meeting in Kanasgiri (?) - they want to bring here Hindu Jagriti Vedike and likes (the kind of Hindu organizations that spread the seeds of division between Hindus and Muslims eventually leading to riots). I have been speaking about this to my friends here and telling them of the ills of such moves. Today I stopped my neighbor walking to his home and asked him where he had been, he told me about this meeting. He mentioned the old prop about the need for Hindus to unite forgetting all castes so they could fight the Muslims. I asked him where was the need for Hindus to do anything and such meetings? What was he saying? That Hindus break Masjids? He didn't answer. I reminded him that it was Hindus that had broken the masjid, Muslims haven't touched Hindu temples, not even in retaliation. He murmured about future, Shivamogga etc. I told him Shivamogga, Mangalore are the places where Hindu Jagriti Vedike, Bajrang Dal etc have their footprints, how wherever these outfits traveled, social relations break into worse, how riots and such things happen. Reminded him how they were inviting trouble into here where we have never seen any Hindu-Muslim trouble. Never. He started grumbling about Muslim population exploding etc etc - I told him those were lies but you know, there's no point to this arguing. He has his head filled already with hate and venom. His mind is no more capable of processing rational argument. There brains never are. I fear for our future now. Everyone of us who have lived side by side for all time that I can think about. Hindutva virus is only spreading and it seems is finally here too.
P. S. Had this conversation and wrote above week after incident. It's over a month when I'm posting it now.
