It was just last year when I started reading from western news outlets. Because I'm from India, anything about it there is a natural attraction to me. But I've to say all these outlets equally try to show India something that it's nowhere close to by default.
One such article was even shared on SN a few day ago and it had all negative words from dictionary to describe India. I humbly asked OP's views about the article and he replied that most of the things from the article were correct and he himself had experienced them while visiting India. I have to admit that the OP and the article writer both were largely wrong about India as a country.
I don't wanna crawl into a territory where we clash with each other on how west is better or India is still very dark in most things. I don't want it because such a debate would lead nowhere. There's an article that I just went through and it triggered me to write what I'm gonna share next.
Shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power in 2014, some officials in his government pushed a short-lived campaign to change the official recognition of Christmas to “Good Governance Day.”
First of all this wasn't short lived campaign, India still celebrate it as the good governance day. Just type in search "Good Governance India" and you'll find out. I don't think the journalists at NYT even know why did BJP or the current government started it? It's the birthday of Late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the most iconic and respected Prime Minister of India.
Shame on you NYT!!
A Christmas display at a New Delhi mall. Though Christians are a small minority in India, celebrating the holiday appeals to many outside the faith.
Alright. Christians are around 2.5% of the total population here. But NYT has forgotten that 2.5% is a huge number in case of India. India has around 30 million Christian people by their faith. There are more than half countries in the world that don't have 30 million total population. So, why NYT? Why do you think that sellers shouldn't look up to Christmas and Christian?
It is all part of a broader ideological battle that has produced countless acts of violence and harassment across India based on religious identity.
And again! NYT says such cases are countless. So, this also implies that the majority religious population must've increased their numbers by now. But it's the opposite. In India the population of majority religion that is Hinduism has shrunk relatively while most of the religious minority population have increased their percentage since 1950.1
But as far-right Hindu groups have gained traction, India has changed. Christmas has now found itself caught in the cross hairs.
What's far right? If it has to do with religious majority in a country, India has always been a far right technically. What's with the Hindus here, NYT?
The authorities recently detained 32 carolers and the priests who went to help them. The wife of a prominent politician was excoriated online for endorsing a Christmas charity event, and earlier this month, a far-right Hindu group sent letters to schools warning them that celebrating Christmas would be done “at their own risk.” The group threatened unspecified consequences.
TBH, this has to be scrutinized here. Indian constitution allows freedom to practice and promote whatever faith you believe in but noone's allowed to change someone's faith forcefully. I believe that there are a few instances in some states where people are even forced to change their faith. But as I said this is quite controversial and we can't jump on to any conclusions. Still, I've a surprising fact that Kerela which is the southernmost state in India, the large part of its population has converted into either Christian or Muslim.
Now coming back to huge Christmas celebrations in India where the majority is not Christians, why do we celebrate Christmas in almost the same way as we celebrate Holi, Diwali or Eid? There can be many reasons but the biggest of them is Unity in Diversity. I don't have much of Christian population around me but I did have a few mates and colleagues in my past and I never miss to wish them and they also have been doing the same eber since we have met. I've even attended Christmas celebration a few times and they have joined me on Holis or Diwalis. As far as I'm concerned, I don't know anyone from any faith who hated other religion. NYT knows these things!!
Here's the anti-India article by NYT : https://archive.is/fUWD3
I think I should now stop reading all this crap that these News agencies have been penning down about a country they hardly understand. I also laugh when I see Indian news outlets try to equal US media by bringing such nonsense articles about USA.
Anyways, it's Christmas time and I can't say I know it in its full essence but I know festivals are there to share love and joy with each other. They should be celebrated without being looking at the religious importance but for the humanity.
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE