They are international to the core and also known for their humane values. They have been torchbearers of two Renaissances, have generated myriad scholars, educationists, political leaders of high repute. Their contribution to the saga of national freedom struggle is second to none and still, their glorious ancestors who sacrificed all to break the shackles of slavery to British Empire are venerated highly by others. They have been extremely large in philosophy while extremely narrow and also rudderless in real politiks. They have the intellect of a Greek but grit of a rabbit, as per British evaluation, though this estimation has always been confronted too. How are they now? The community is just staggering and also groping in darkness. While a significant portion of this community is on the verge of extinction in the neighboring country, in its home state (yet) its religious-linguistic identity is at stake. How can this be defined? An Irony of Fate! It is hard to believe that the community that has brought forth two national anthems for India and Bangladesh along with a national song for India can stoop so low. Perhaps you have got the message. Bengali Hindus are being talked about, a community known and also revered for its intellectual caliber and innovative notions once, is completely wretched now.
Though the rot had already set in with the effectuation of Government of India Act, 1935, as a heartrending consequence of the partition of India in 1947 on religious basis, Bengali Hindus lost their predominance. While they turned into a second-grade community overnight and mostly unwarranted in (then) East Pakistan, the major portion of them opted for the Indian state of West Bengal to evade the Islamic onslaught. By now, Bengali Hindus, thanks to recurrent persecutions including genocides through decades, form a mere 9% of Bangladeshi populace, its clout is on the wane in Bengal too. Several factors are culpable but for each of them they have to upbraid themselves only.
Bengali Hindus tried to form a rosy morning counting on alien Marxian concepts that made them more interested in violation of Right to Work or work stoppages. The culmination is indeed severe – the creamy layer of the community or educated, enlightened elites ended abruptly to set up a revolutionary social system abiding by Mao Zedong. And this ordeal refuses to end yet. Well, there was a marginal relief from economic stagnation during the 34-year old Left rule and even if political tensions marred their lives somewhat, there was no major communal outbreak. Nevertheless, the same ruling clique got instrumental in changing Bengal’s demography by bringing in Muslims from Bangladesh increasingly to fortify vote bank that ruined Hindus utterly.
Hindu persecution at Deganga in 2010 exposed the reality and also the status of Bengali Hindus in their own state and the following years have witnessed mounting Hindu persecutions only. Islamists, backed by political forces, are engaged in a festival to pillage and destruct Hindus in each capacity. Not a single day passes when Hindu anguishes remain unheard and the administration prefers to retain weird silence. And if this continues, an all-out competition between rates of Hindu persecution in Bengal and Bangladesh will burst out.
There is only one way for Bengali Hindus to evade this inevitable or impending disaster – it is to use the watershed Lok Sabha Election, 2014 and cast their votes sagaciously. All ideologies have been ascertained and found to be disastrous for them. If they want to live, save their kith and kin, get connected to the Indian mainstream and restore their glory, it is the time for Bengali Hindus to act in strength. Failure will cost them their own existence, indubitably.