Hindus and their Gods been abused for eternity yet they hardly reacted, identified with their caste first and then as Hindu. Hindu Gods are collective ownership while caste exclusive, something no one else will defend for you.
Resources were scarce in newly independent Bharat and governments pushed castes to compete for them, by arbitrarily splitting them into distinct reservation groups, meant safeguarding caste interests took precedence over Hindu sentiments, which became responsibility of “other” Hindus.
For Hindus, Caste became the identity that ensured education, jobs, political representation and power. Made sense to prioritize an identity that gave material benefits, while Hindu identity was strictly sentimental. Governments recognized Hindus on caste and others on religious lines.
Insulting caste sentiments was what Hindus found blasphemous, attacks on Hindu Dharma got a pass. Bharat always had laws that prohibited hurting group sentiments but Hindus rarely exercised that route, while Muslims used the laws like a Veto with street power, forcing Governments to act.
Post 90s, as castes became more assured of their own standing, they came together intermittently to press for civilizational Hindu issues like Ram Janmabhoomi. But still Hindus hadn’t coalesced under a single identity to leverage anti-blasphemy laws ala Muslims, even in NDA-1.
Acutely aware of this, Congress appeased Muslims and buried Hindu sentiments in issues like Ram Setu, Communal violence Bill, MF Hussain, cavalier attitude towards Islamic terror, etc. Took 10 years of UPA for Hindu sentiment as a reactionary force to take shape, giving us 2014.
Post 2014, Hindus found power but had zero intent to use Blasphemy laws. Muslims still did, either through law or street power, see Kamlesh Tiwari. Only witnessing the blood-thirsty witch-hunt against a Hindu woman by a whole community with Global support, tilted the scales.
Caste identities persist stronger than ever but Hindus have learnt to blend them into a macro Hindu identity when needed. Hindus too self-congratulatory for their tolerance, are for the first time on the offensive against Blasphemy. That will be Nupur Sharma’s enduring legacy.
(This article has been compiled from the tweet thread originally tweeted by @cogitoiam on June 29, 2022)
