Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Beef-eating Hindus Censor Own History

Hindus in India have deleted references in textbooks which show that Hindus used to eat beef:
Victory for Hindu fundamentalists
Education council unhappy with move
Jun. 20, 2006. 01:00 AM
SHAIKH AZIZUR RAHMAN
SPECIAL TO THE STAR

Calcutta—References to the beef-eating past of ancient Hindus have been deleted from Indian school textbooks following a three-year campaign by Hindu hardliners.

For almost a century, history books for primary and middle schools told how in ancient India, beef was considered a great delicacy among Hindus — especially among the highest caste — and how veal was offered to Hindu deities during special rituals.

"Our past" chapters in the texts also detailed how cows used to be slaughtered by the Brahmins, or upper caste Hindus, during festivals and while welcoming guests to the home.

The passages that offended the Hindus, who now shun beef, have been deleted from new versions of the books delivered to schoolchildren last week.

However, the National Council of Educational Research and Training, which is responsible for the texts, now seems unhappy with the changes that were agreed to by a former council director.

Council lawyer Prashant Bhushan said ancient Hindus were indeed beef-eaters, and the council should not have distorted historical facts by deleting the chapters.

Noted Calcutta historian Ashish Bose added: "NCERT has committed a mistake by dropping those facts from the textbooks. It is a victory for Hindu fundamentalists who have lodged a misinformation campaign. Historians should unite against this cowardly move by the council."

Hardline Hindu activists, who consider cattle holy and have been seeking a ban on slaughter by Muslims and Christians, said the beef-eating references were meant to insult Hindus.

In 2003, when the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party held federal power, the educational council decided to delete the references. Congress and leftist opposition parties protested, but the move was approved by Jagmohan Singh Rajput, then council director.

The process took longer than expected, however, and Hindu fundamentalists alleged last year that the council was dragging its feet.

Two activists asked the Delhi High Court to order the immediate deletion of the chapters from new textbooks, but the court has not ruled on the suit.

When the litigation was filed, firebrand Hindu leader Praveen Togadia, general secretary of the World Hindu Council, declared: "Most of the facts in the chapters are not true. Some low-caste dalit (untouchable) Hindus used to eat beef. Brahmins never ate it."

Accusing textbook author Ram Sharan Sharma of shoddy research, Togadia said: "The chapter is poisoning the minds of little children. They will not respect their own religion in future. They will not turn out to be good Hindus and it will cause harm to the nation."

Dwijendra Narayan Jha, a history professor at Delhi University, says there is plenty of evidence showing ancient Hindus, including the Brahmins, slaughtered cows and ate beef.

"There are clear evidences in the Rig Veda, the most sacred Hindu scripture (from the second millennium BC), that the cow used to be sacrificed by Hindus during religious rituals. Ancient Hindu text Manusmriti lists the cow as one of several animals whose meat can be eaten by Hindus. The great epic, the Mahabharata, too speaks of beef being a delicacy served to esteemed guests," he said.

Jha's 2002 book, The Myth of the Holy Cow, presented historical evidence that Hindus ate beef long before the Muslim invasions in the 10th century, and provoked such a furor it was banned. The professor, himself a Hindu, feared attacks by fundamentalists and was given police protection.

The slaughter of cattle is banned in most Indian states, but not in Kerala, West Bengal and seven northeastern states. However, Muslims — the largest minority in the country — sometimes ignore state bans and slaughter cattle, which can spark communal tension.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

dear mr khalid, I am a Hindu but i have never touched beef or pork. Why can't both hindus n muslims give up the 2 itmes n live in peace n harmony??

Anonymous said...

Dear Mr. Anonymous,

I am a Hindu and have eaten both beef and pork. Why cann't both the ccommunities start eating both the meat and live in peace and harmony ?

Anonymous said...

Hi mr anonymous,
Do you actually want to preach and practice what has been told in hindu scriptures? Then please don't forcibly stop(by law or any other forms) others from eating it. I understand your concern on Pork because of the reason that its forbidden for muslims to eat it. muslim books never contradict and they preach and practice what exactly have been told. Do you actually follow or preach what has been told in hindu scriptures. Then when I say theres is enormous number of evidences in hindu scriptures which says that beef eating was allowed. Why do you want to cook up another religious practice when we are not accepting or following or preaching whats has been told already?

Anonymous said...

Thats wonderful, the interpretation of Hinduism done by western protestant missionary historians is accepted as fact just because the white man said so. Hindu's never ate beef as our society was agrarian and our diet involved the use of dairy so the cow was still is an important animal. Now you fucking muslims are hell bent on us eating beef for some unknown godamn reason. Do you see Hindus ever trying to force you bastards to eat pork? No so fuck off and stop trying to teach us our own religion you punk!
-Muski

Anonymous said...

i have ate both meats and i am Hindu. But i stopped along time ago and sometimes i eat pork occasionally hahaah since i'm not muslim hahah. In ancient times they used to give offerings of meat so maybe its true but usually to only KALI MA, but what does that have to do with anything.. when did we slaughter a cow n shit... it's like me saying that every muslim hasnt ate pork... wtf? or people DOWN IN THE SAUDI"S USED TO SLAUGHTER TAHT SIHT AND EAT IT. WOW. GREAT. woopie !

Anonymous said...

but when it comes to giving them pork, or taking their daughter, or even participating in differnet religions WHOLE HEARTEDLY its a F'ing no. But if you were to take my daughter it's a yes? Ill get back to you when i find allahs sword, and i know straight where thats heading up your pork ass your religon i gaurantee will be the rise of the last army on earth, yet will fall because YOU thought you were greater than the REST OF THE WORLD !

Anonymous said...

There are hundreds of things which Islam actually prohibits, but the Muslims openly practice them and in large numbers (smoking, boozing, begging, etc.). Its a very well known fact that Jinnah (founder of Pakistan) ate Pork. But will Islam in General and Pakistan in particular has the courage to denounce him just because of this very reason. My dear, one becomes a true Hindu or Muslim by his own good deeds and not because what he wore or ate. And just for your knowledge, Hindus also, in general, refrain from eating Pork just because they think its bad for health. So no big deal in that.

Anonymous said...

mr writer if u r right for a single second then i want to tell u that we hindus have left all the evils mentioned in any scripture. But all the facts presented by you are the product of the english intellects who wanted to cristianize all hindu society. Therefore they had change our holy scriptures. But my challenge to your that if you have strength then reform the laws and rule of your quran. This is the demand of your economical and social status.

Anonymous said...

Yaarra nee thevadiya payyan?
Mother fucker