View from the Right: About dignity

An editorial in the Organiser says there should be common rules for Holi and election campaigning. “Do not hit below the belt, maintain dignity while playing (with) colours and asking for votes, so that the atmosphere is not vitiated."

The festival of colours, Holi, is around the corner while campaigning for the General Elections dominates the political atmosphere. An editorial in the Organiser draws a parallel between the two and says there should be common rules for Holi and election campaigning. “Do not hit below the belt, maintain dignity while playing (with) colours and asking for votes, so that the atmosphere is not vitiated. Criticising each other is inevitable. But do not turn that into enmity. Politicians are also expected to take the criticism in the spirit of democracy,” the editorial notes. “The rules of fairness, enshrined in the Model Code of Conduct, should be followed in letter and spirit,” it adds. It points out that “the Election Commission is known for undertaking this massive exercise with the best acumen; it is the duty of all the constituents to respect the institution and mechanisms set by the same”. It asks the “electorate” to “discuss, deliberate and spread awareness about the most sacred duty of democracy”. “As Gandhiji said, ‘duty is nothing but a corresponding right’, so if we expect a responsible government that will protect our rights, then we have to perform our duty of voting. Do not miss Holi and do not evade participation in the holier festival of Elections. Convince not force, educate not irritate, enjoy not vitiate is the common thread of message for us both for the Holi and elections. So Happy Holi and Happy Electioneering,” the editorial says. It notes that the elections should occasion fresh thinking about “cleansing the system”. It asks people to “come up with the new ideas for clean, accountable and participatory governance. For that we are also expected to point out the loopholes in the system that should be eradicated by the forthcoming government”.

Customs & traditions

The cover story in Organiser is about the recently-held Akhil Bharatiya Pratnidhi Sabha (ABPS) meet of the RSS. It points out that the central message of the ABPS-2019 was that traditional institutions have stood the test of time. “They remain relevant today and are central to the RSS philosophy,” the article notes. It directs attention to this year’s ABPS resolution that deals with the institution of family highlights. This is something, the article contends, “we” have neglected and is “out of fashion”. “However, this is not for the first time that the RSS leadership has gone against the tide. If we were to study its resolutions over the years, we find that in most cases it has proven to be correct,” the article claims. It also notes that the RSS has consistently followed a reformist agenda, but have never been aggressive about reforms. This is the reason, the article says, the ABPS-2019 passed a resolution about the Sabarimala Temple and called upon the people to support the Save Sabarimala Movement. It claims that the RSS has consistently raised issues that were overlooked by mainstream political parties and institutions. “Of 270+ resolutions passed by the RSS since 1950, 29 were dedicated to Hindu religious and cultural issues. These do not include resolutions on Ram Mandir. Issues brought up in resolutions also tell us how the RSS has been at the forefront of struggling for Hindu rights under a misrepresented secularism popularised by irreligious or people masquerading as secular by playing pro-minority and anti-majority games,” the article says.

Whose stains?

The Panchjanya’s cover story pertains to the recent social media controversy over the Surf Excel ad that features a Hindu girl, who choose to get stained with colours to protect her Muslim friend who has to go to a nearby mosque to offer namaz. The ad ends with the boy entering the mosque, in a pristine white kurta-pyjama, and promising the girl he will join in the Holi celebrations soon after. The story says that it seems that Hindustan Unilever, the company which owns Surf Excel, has adopted an “anti-Hindu” agenda through its commercial advertisements. Refering to the Surf Excel ad, the article says that while it shows the Muslim boy to be “helpless” and “afraid of Holi,” it also shows Hindus pouring colours forcibly on non-Hindus.” In such a discussion, the article, argues, “colours of Holi are shown as anti-Islam, namaz and mosque”. The advertisement not only presents Holi and Islam as antagonistic to each other but also appears to support the hard-line thinking of not participating in each other’s religious festivals, the article contends. It also talks of the Red Label tea — another Hindustan Unilever product — ad that gives the message that Hindus abandon their aged parents in the Kumbh Mela. It asks why is only one religion being constantly targeted in the name of creativity? It also asks a few questions: Can such advertisements be made about other religions and faiths? Will any advertisement be made to show a Muslim girl protecting a Hindu boy — who is in shock after seeing the slaughter of animals on streets — and take him to temple? “Those calling Holi colours as stains, will they dare to call blood as stains? The article concludes: “If eating sevaiyan on Eid and cake on Christmas are signs of liberalism for Hindus, then the Holi colours should be seen as good for Muslims. Because if stains are sustained while respecting other’s faith, then it should be apt to say daag achhey hain.”

Compiled by Lalmani Verma