"MINARETS ARE OUR BAYONETS," DECLARE THE MOHAMMEDANS

Date: 09 Dec 2009

Comment

This has reference to various news items, like, “Swiss minaret ban draws worldwide criticism”, “UN slams discriminatory Swiss minaret ban”, in the Pioneer, December 1 and 2 respectively and other papers. > //////////////////////// > In the European denouncements of the Swiss gentry’s decision, (57.5 per cent), to ban construction of new minarets, symbols of Islamic supremacy, I clearly see signs of self annihilation or a death wish of the European civilization, paving the way to 7th century Arab civilization, which would mean burial of secularism, equality before law and equal protection of law both for Muslims and non-Muslims, co-existence of different religions and ushering in of a rein of persecution of non-Muslims, enslavement of women, revival of slave markets, and so on. European leaders seem to have closed their eyes to the disastrous role being played by the uncompromising, exclusivist Muslim clergy through the mosque-minarets, fitted with high pitch loudspeakers in the host non-Muslim countries. They forget that the growing Islamic fanaticism and terrorism is largely due to the liberty and openness granted to Muslims by non-Muslim nations. /////////////The Swiss people have made it clear that they have nothing against Islam as a religion or the Islamic community and that their only concern is the Islamist symbols of power in the form of minarets. Whether one likes it or not, at least the democratic world should respect the popular vote of a secular State like Switzerland. What these mosques and minarets mean was well described by the oft quoted Turkey’s Islamist Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s declaration,”Mosques are our barracks, minarets our bayonets, domes our helmets, the ;believers our soldiers”. (CF Kanchan Gupta’s Coffee-break article, “Minarets as bayonets”, Sunday Pioneer, New Delhi, December 6, 2009). >///////////////// In fact, it is an opportunity for the secular nations to review their liberalism towards Islam and Muslims in the light of the ill-treatment of the Islamic States themselves towards their non-Muslim citizens or visitors, their places of worship and their scriptures. The Swiss vote to ban new minarets is a mild reaction to the growing intolerance of the Muslim countries towards Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc. Only this kind of reaction in the secular world will teach the Islamic States to value the principles of co-existence, democracy, secularism and human rights, especially rights of the weaker sections.//////////////// >, >- Ram Gopal, >000000000