Legal Journalist A.G. NOORANI.

Frontline dated March 25 April 2006, has a long essay titled in the name of Free Speech by the well known legal journalist A.G. NOORANI. he is a regular contributer in this journal as well as many other publications such as TOI & HT. An article similarly titled appeared earlier in HT. I have a lot respect and appreciation for Noorani's way of thinking. His incisive analysis of the India's foreign policy in the past, on the role of history of Sangh Parivar. His look on the role of Savarkar in connection with the murder of Mahatma was unique in itself. Unfortunately such an objectivity was absent in his present writing. He completely dealt with the right for free speech in a legal setting and used arguements with quotations from legal pronouncements to buttress his position that the Danish cartoons did outrage the religious feelings of muslims and hence the violent protests in many islamic countries and also in Inda are just. At the beginning of his article Noorani makes out that all muslims have the same ideas and concepts about prophet of Islam. Such a stand admits the fact that Islam is monilithic and dogmatic religion which is one of the accusations hurled by others on Islam. If the Danish Cartoons were an insult to the prophet and islam and that is the reason and evidence enough to blame and denounce the europeans and christians as a community what is to say in Noorani's arguements and quotations from the authorities of christian origin. The names and sources are christians and europeans. How many muslims authorities and also accepted by the muslim community who exposed similar thoughts about religions other than Islam? If there were some from the past their thoughts not followed by the community as is extensively sited in the book titled " The Great Theft" by Khalid Abou Fadl. He has marshelled evidence to show that puritans dominate the thinking and practice of muslim masses wherever they are and moderates are not to be seen or heard at all. Even Keren Armstrong whom Noorani approvingly quotes does not concure with the puritans in such matters where intolerence is the rule. Even if as Noorani seems to assume that all muslims are so devoted to their religion they could and would not tolerate any descouraging comment or remark about their prophet, they cannot expect others to follow. Thus it looks that of free speech but basics of religion. In history one could find a lot of disrespect towards others on the part of all known religious formation. Budhists and Jains were ostracised and almost eradicated from the lands of their origin in ancient India. Hindus themselves questioned and castigated their own faith even in the recent past. Christians were on record of worst blasphemies in the last two centuries. But in Islam no dissent is tolerated and history is witness to numerous acts of killing their own. Karen Armstrong and Khalid Abou Fadl mentioned such instances in their discourse. Noorani to blend to such happenings in muslim world. Noorani redicules Salman Rushdie and others for their opposition to the violent outbursts in the islamic countries by charecterising as not muslim. So in Noorani's opinion non muslims has no right to object to muslim protests. So Noorani should be castigated for all his anti hindutva tirades. If non muslims are dis qualified to question muslim religion just because the critics no real understanding of that religion the same should hold good in cases of other religions as well. it is a minor image of Parivar ideas.

Another dimention of his arguments could be cited. If some obscure cartoons could create such fury and therefore cause havoc in international arena and this is being justified by people like Noorani then we might also conclude that those whore acts in the past were similar should atone them today. Let us look at our own history. Even the most secular historians could not deny that the good part of muslim rulers with few exceptions were cruel to others faith blasphemed dieties and faiths other than that of Islam. The stand of the RSS Parivar could be justified with the same arguements resorted by Noorani. How many of the muslim religion leaders came out to voice their protest at the horrifying and uncivilized act of blasting Bamiyan Budhas by the fanatical taliban. Those who protested might be grouped along Salman Rushdie as un believing muslims. I would like people like Noorani to introspect that inlcude the CPM & others of the left, and realise that their stand in reality do encourage the extremists to corner the muslim masses. In Indian context it is devisive Political and or Ideological opportunism should not result int eh death of Secularism in our body politics.

By,

K.N. Krishnan.