Optical illusions

India, Pak aren't neighbours; they are worlds apart

MJ Akbar, The Times of India

Mirror Image of the future?

India could soon become another Pakistan.

Sagarika Ghose, CNN-IBN

Here we go again. We challenge you to write a meaningful post rationalizing this without using the words "moderate" or "secular". But we will try.

We tend to agree with Sagarika Ghose. 

Barring a few minor points about sentencing guidelines, India implements the Sharia in spirit, if not the letter. Our politicians must partake in festivals such as the Iftar. No one is an exception, even L K Advani offered a chador at the Ajmer Sharif. India also has far more liberal rules compared to even Turkey and Malaysia. The former country  prohibits women wearing the hijab in office and government buildings. The latter is unable to fully legalize polygamy. Needless to say our National flag fully represents the faith. The incongruous saffron bit will gradually wear off. Naturally, our Prime Minister (undergoing angioplasty at AIIMS) knows fully well who have the first claim to resources.

We must be thankful to our politicians such as Arjun Singh and courageous media outlets such as Tehelka for helping us achieve better compliance. 

Just as a quick example: Shri Arjun Singhji, Hon'ble Minister for Something, we forget what, has decided to make madrasa certificates on par with CBSE certificates.

Anther quick example of factual and objective reporting by Tehelka which unearths a conspiracy to kill the Urdu language.

So, as far as we can tell, the institutions are working properly and taking us towards the right direction. So, what does Ms. Ghose mean when she says:

And almost next door to the fortified villas and Pajeros: another world. A world where the desperately poor blow themselves up either as suicide bombers or as footsoldiers of ideology, insane with aspiration, without any stake in the ruling system, hopeful only of the Five Star lifestyle available in jannat. This is not just a description of Pakistan. It's a description of what India could become if we don't keep our democratic institutions safe.

Earlier Ram Guha had also talked about fixing institutions one by one. The institutions are just fine. Don't fix what ain't broke, or shall we say no change for change's sake in keeping with the times?