The us and them...

After long came across this article from the Hindustan Times written by Karan Thaper: "Does the VHP have the right to speak for you or I? Do they reflect our views? Do we endorse their behaviour? They call themselves the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, but who says they represent all of us? This Sunday morning, I want to draw a clear line of distinction between them and everyone else. My hunch is many of you will agree. Let me start with the question of conversion — an issue that greatly exercises the VHP. I imagine there are hundreds of millions of Hindus who are peaceful, tolerant, devoted to their faith, but above all, happy to live alongside Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Jews. If any one of us were to change our faith how does it affect the next man or woman? And even if that happens with inducements, it can only prove that the forsaken faith had a tenuous and shallow hold. So why do the VHP and its unruly storm troopers, the Bajrang Dal, froth at the mouth if you, I or our neighbours convert? What is it to do with them? I therefore believe the time has come for the silent majority of Hindus — both those who ardently practice their faith as well as those who were born into it but may not be overtly religious or devout — to speak out. We cannot accept the desecration of churches, the burning to death of innocent caretakers of orphanages, the storming of Christian and Muslim hamlets even if these acts are allegedly done in defence of our faith. Indeed, they do not defend but shame Hinduism.."
Well, that confirms that silence in times of injustice and oppression is a greater killer than the perpetrators of the injustice. Most of us in religious life are good people... it is only that we consciously prevent ourselves from becoming better people when we remain silent in the face of vices being done in our presence, right under our nose. The justification: 'I'm not doing it." But by not condemning it and helping the other go downhill, we are not doing anything saintly! At times it is essential not just to realise the 'us' vs 'them' debate but also to make it explicitly known, especially to our own people.