Hey Ram

I’m not as religious as my parents. But I will consider sacrilege any suggestion that the characters in Ramayan dont exist; Even if it comes to support a legitimate cause, a simple dredging activity to build India’s own Suez Canal.

I’m all for sethusamudram, and even if it doesn’t bring the economic benefits similar to panama or suez, to protest the project on religious basis doesn’t appeal to reason; Surely Ram, the noble and benevolent god will approve the actions of us mortals. As for as cost benefits go, no large project is without some costs.

But when someone suggests the mythical bridge is not man made but a natural formation in the Indian ocean because the builder Ram doesn’t exist, I can only think with my heart. I can only think of the fatwas that gets issued for prophet cartoons, the fatwas for Salman Rushdie and Taslima and countless others who have dared to suggest far less; Hindus are as spineless to blasphemy as India to terrorism. I’m frankly surprised by how strong my emotions were, for am I not the educated elite? Perhaps this is why a party like BJP gets voted in spite of the countless loons in its ranks. You only need a pea-brained congress to create a BJP.

The sad part is the project will get delayed for all the wrong reasons once again. In times like these, I wonder if democracy and freedom of expression is a hindrance. Look at what the Chinese are doing to the sacred Mekong. They may end up damaging the habitat, but no one can accuse them of one thing – inaction.