Harvard Professor's Article Against Islamic Terror Kicks Up Storm in India; Harvard Faculty Members Demand His Removal

In a recent article against Islamic terrorism, veteran Indian politician Dr. Subramanian Swamy kicked up a political storm by articulating what is seen as a far-right Hindu nationalist agenda against Muslims in India. His article advocated the repeal of laws granting special rights to Kashmiris, the removal of hundreds of mosques from controversial sites of Hindu temples, the occupation of Bangladeshi territory in proportion to the size of migration of Bangladeshis to India, and other moves.

The article was written after a series of bomb blasts in Mumbai on July 13, 2011. Dr. Subramanian Swamy is president of the Janata Party, a former Indian minister and currently a professor of economics at Harvard University. His article, titled "How to wipe out Islamic terror," was published by the Daily News and Analysis, a leading Indian newspaper.

Following the article's publication, demands are being made that Dr. Swamy be sacked from Harvard's faculty for bigotry. Over 260 Harvardians – among them faculty and non-faculty members, students, and even parents – have called for Swamy's ouster. Donald H Pfister, a dean at Harvard University, said: "We will give this matter our serious attention."[1] "Swamy breaches the most basic standards of respect and tolerance," stated a petition initiated by Umang Kumar, a Harvard Divinity School student, and Sanjay Pinto, a PhD candidate.[2]

Following are excerpts from the article:[3]

"Islamic Terrorism is India's Number One National Security Problem; Fanatic Muslims Consider Hindu-Dominated India 'An Unfinished Chapter of Islamic Conquests'"

"The terrorist blast in Mumbai on July 13, 2011, requires decisive soul-searching by the Hindus of India. Hindus cannot accept being killed in this halal [legally Islamic] fashion, continuously bleeding every day until the nation finally collapses. Terrorism I define here as the illegal use of force to overawe the civilian population to make it do or not do an act against its will and well-being.

"Islamic terrorism is India's number one national security problem. About this there will be no doubt after 2012. By that year, I expect a Taliban takeover in Pakistan and the Americans to flee Afghanistan. Then, Islam will confront Hinduism to 'complete unfinished business.' Already the successor to Osama bin Laden has declared that India is the priority target for that terrorist organization, not the U.S.A.

"Fanatical Muslims consider Hindu-dominated India 'an unfinished chapter of Islamic conquests.' In all other countries conquered by Islam, 100% [of the population] converted to Islam within two decades of the Islamic invasion. Undivided India in 1947 was 75% Hindu even after 800 years of brutal Islamic rule. That is jarring for the fanatics."

"Hindu Is the Target... Muslims in India Are Being Programmed By A Slow Reactive Process to Become Radical – And Thus To Slide into Suicide Against Hindus"

"In one sense, I do not blame the Muslim fanatics for targeting Hindus. I blame Hindus who have taken their individuality permitted in Sanatan Dharma [eternal path] to the extreme. Millions of Hindus can assemble without state patronage for the Kumbh Mela [Hindu pilgrimage], completely self-organized, but they all leave for home oblivious of the targeting of Hindus in Kashmir, [and the Indian towns of] Mau, Melvisharam and Malappuram and do not lift their little finger to help organize Hindus.

"If half the Hindus voted together, rising above caste and language, a genuine Hindu party would have a two-thirds majority in Parliament and the assemblies.

"The first lesson to be learnt from the recent history of Islamic terrorism against India and for tackling terrorism in India is that the Hindu is the target and that Muslims in India are being programmed, by a slow reactive process, to become radical – and thus to slide into suicide [attacks] against Hindus. It is to undermine the Hindu psyche and create the fear of civil war that terror attacks are organized.

"Hindus must collectively respond as Hindus against the terrorists, and not feel individually isolated – or, worse, be complacent because he or she is not personally affected. If one Hindu dies merely because he or she was a Hindu, then a bit of every Hindu also dies. This is an essential mental attitude, a necessary part of a virat (committed) Hindu.

"We need a collective mindset as Hindus to stand against the Islamic terrorist. The Muslims of India can join us if they genuinely feel for the Hindu. That they do I will not believe, unless they acknowledge with pride that though they may be Muslims, their ancestors were Hindus. If any Muslim acknowledges his or her Hindu legacy, then we Hindus can accept him or her as a part of the Brihad Hindu Samaj (greater Hindu society) which is Hindustan [land of Hindus]."

"Any Policy to Combat Terrorism Must Begin With Requiring Each... Hindu to Become a Virat [Committed] Hindu; The Second Lesson for Combating Terrorism Is That We Must Never Capitulate"

"India, that is Bharat, that is Hindustan, is a nation of Hindus and others whose ancestors were Hindus. Others, who refuse to acknowledge this, or those foreigners who become Indian citizens by registration, can remain in India but should not have voting rights (which means they cannot be elected representatives).

"Any policy to combat terrorism must begin with requiring each and every Hindu to become a virat Hindu. For this, one must have a Hindu mindset that recognizes that there is vyaktigat charitra (personal character) and rashtriya charitra (national character). For example, [Indian Prime Minister] Manmohan Singh has high personal character, but by being a rubber stamp of a semi-literate Sonia Gandhi [chief of India's ruling Congress party] and waffling on all national issues, he has proved that he has no rashtriya charitra.

"The second lesson for combating terrorism is that we must never capitulate or concede any demand, as we did in 1989 (freeing five terrorists in exchange for Mufti Mohammed Sayeed's daughter Rubaiya) and in 1999, freeing three terrorists after the hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight IC-814 [by Pakistani militants, to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan].

"The third lesson is that whatever and however small the terrorist incident, the nation must retaliate massively. For example, when the Ayodhya temple was sought to be attacked, we should have retaliated by re-building the Ram temple at the site."

"Remove the Masjid [Mosque] in Kashi Vishwanath Temple [in Varanasi] – And the 300 Masjids at Other Temple Sites"

"According to bleeding-heart liberals, terrorists are born or bred because of illiteracy, poverty, oppression, and discrimination. They argue that instead of eliminating them, the root cause of these four disabilities in society should be removed. This is rubbish. Osama bin Laden was a billionaire. In the failed Times Square episode, failed terrorist Shahzad was from a highly placed family in Pakistan, and had an MBA from a reputed U.S. university.

"It is also a ridiculous idea that terrorists cannot be deterred because they are irrational and willing to die. Terrorist masterminds have political goals and a method in their madness. An effective strategy to deter terrorism is to defeat those political goals and to rubbish them by counter-terrorist action.

"Thus, I advocate the following strategy to negate the political goals of Islamic terrorism in India.

"Goal 1: Overawe India on Kashmir.

"Strategy: Remove Article 370 [which grants special status to Jammu & Kashmir] and resettle ex-servicemen in the valley. Create Panun Kashmir for the Hindu Pandit community [of Kashmir]. Look for or create an opportunity to take over PoK [Pakistani occupied Kashmir]. If Pakistan continues to back terrorists, assist the Baluchis and Sindhis to get their independence.

"Goal 2: Blast temples, kill Hindu devotees.

"Strategy: Remove the masjid [mosque] in Kashi Vishwanath temple [in the holy town of Varanasi] and the 300 masjids at other temple sites.

"Goal 3: Turn India into Darul Islam.

"Strategy: Implement the uniform civil code, make learning Sanskrit and singing [the Indian national anthem] Vande Mataram mandatory, and declare India a Hindu Rashtra [nation] in which non-Hindus can vote only if they proudly acknowledge that their ancestors were Hindus. Rename India Hindustan as a nation of Hindus and of those whose ancestors were Hindus."

"Enact a National Law Prohibiting Conversion from Hinduism To Any Other Religion; If the Jews Could Be Transformed from Lambs Walking Meekly to the Gas Chambers to Fiery Lions in Just 10 Years..."

"Goal 4: Change India's demography by illegal immigration, conversion, and refusal to adopt family planning.

"Strategy: Enact a national law prohibiting conversion from Hinduism to any other religion. Re-conversion will not be banned. Declare that caste is not based on birth but on code or discipline. Welcome non-Hindus to re-convert to the caste of their choice, provided they adhere to the code of discipline. Annex land from Bangladesh in proportion to the illegal migrants from that country residing in India. At present, the northern third from [Bangladeshi towns] Sylhet to Khulna can be annexed to resettle illegal migrants.

"Goal 5: Denigrate Hinduism through vulgar writings and preaching in mosques, madrassas, and churches to create loss of self-respect amongst Hindus and make them fit for capitulation.

"Strategy: Propagate the development of a Hindu mindset.

"India can solve its terrorist problem within five years by such a deterrent strategy, but for that we have to learn the four lessons outlined above, and have a Hindu mindset to take bold, risky, and hard decisions to defend the nation. If the Jews could be transformed from lambs walking meekly to the gas chambers to fiery lions in just 10 years, it should not be difficult for Hindus in much better circumstances (after all, we are 83% of India), to do so in five years.

"Guru Gobind Singh [the spiritual leader of Sikh faith] showed us how just five fearless persons under spiritual guidance can transform a society. Even if only half of the Hindu voters are persuaded to collectively vote as Hindus, and for a party sincerely committed to a Hindu agenda, then we can forge an instrument for change. And that is the bottom line in the strategy to deter terrorism in a democratic Hindustan at this moment of truth."

Endnotes: