Religious Indoctrination At An Impressionable Age
By
Sumit Paul, New Age Islam
28 November
2023
Lareb
Hashmi, a 20-yr-old B.Tech student, who was arrested for attacking a bus
conductor with a cleaver in Allahabad, told investigators that he had been
following the preaching of many foreign (read Pakistan) based religious
'scholars' (Barelvi sect) on the internet.
Lareb Hashmi, B.Tech student who attacked a bus conductor over ticket
dispute suspended from College (Image Source - OpIndia Hindi)
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Alas, the
promising future of a 20-yr-old young lad who was good at studies, seems to be
in the doldrums now. In his quickly uploaded video clip, he said that only
" Mustafa rules the world not Modi or Yogi ''. He is also heard taking the
name of a Pakistani cleric while chanting 'Allah u Akbar' (Allah is
great).
I've been
writing in newspapers as well as on your portal that scores of Muslim
youngsters like Lareb are falling prey to these clerics, mostly from Pakistan,
and their incendiary teachings. At this impressionable age when one should
study for a safe and secure future and career, the youth are listening to all
bogus religious preachers whose only objective is to indoctrinate their
listeners and make them hardcore Muslims. Hindus are also doing the same. A
week ago, one of the biggest religious rascals, Bageshwar baba visited Poona
for three days. 'Educated', English-speaking Hindu youngsters and women rushed
to his religious gatherings and sought that crude baba's blessings. They shouted
Sri Ram, Jay Bageshwar Dham. Women genuflecting before such Babas is
intelligible because most of the women are sickly and irrationally religious
but young people prostrating and going ga-ga over these frauds is indeed
baffling.
People, who
should have been permanently in prisons, are roaming freely and preaching.
Gullible masses are calling them living gods. Government must take some stern
steps and block people's access to these clerics, preachers and Babas in
Hinduism, Islam and Christianity. Go to the hinterland of Punjab. Young guys,
who call themselves ex-Sikhs and ex-Hindus, are the most active participants
and volunteers in Changai Sabha (Healing sessions) conducted by clever and
cunning Christian missionaries and evangelists. These young ex-Sikhs and
ex-Hindus are now trying to Christianise others.
Religion
has gone too deep into the psyche of Indians and young people are most
vulnerable to getting swayed by these charlatans and impostors. They're getting
indoctrinated like Lareb Hashmi. This is really alarming. Ban all faiths and
their preachers. Na Rahega Baans, Na Bajegi Baansuri. But in a primitive
and religiously superstitious country like India, which survives and subsists
on rabid religiosity, this seems highly improbable. So, expect to see many more
Larebs in the days to come. Allah u Akbar, Jai Sri Ram, Jai Prabhu Yeshu.
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A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in
comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed
articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including
Persian.
URL: https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/religious-indoctrination/d/131204
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