The title’s latter part is , “WEAR IT” .
This phrase is said to tell someone that if they are guilty of bad behaviour, they should accept criticism. But the implied meaning is that if the cap doesn’t fit, then you don’t have to be flustered about ignoring the criticism which is aimed at the UNKNOWN PERSON who is to be blamed. This is normally said when there is a suspicion that a person who is in the midst of the conversation is the culprit. However the suspicion lacks certainty, therefore it is let out as a stray criticism to barb the person suspected upon.
The CM of Gujarat had refused to wear a CAP presented by some Muslim gentleman, who upon refusal by the CM to wear the cap offered by him, has made a statement that he felt “INSULTED”. Some have gone so far as to say that the refusal is tantamount to insulting ISLAM. HOW FACETIOUS! Can a religion which had captured the imagination and had led multiple generations of humans be insulted by a single man who refuses to wear a cap? NAY.
Secondly, MERELY by wearing the cap would anyone consider the CM to be pro Muslims? NAY (here too!). His critics would have said that the CM was merely a wolf in sheep’s clothing, having fixed his eyes on the Prime Minister’s chair. SO the CM of Gujarat was in a catch 22 situation. But what is to be appreciated is that he at least came out as a person who is clear about his priorities. A refusal to wear a cap offered in front of so many needs GUTS and he seems to have plenty of it.
Next let us come to the offeror of the CAP. Did the gentleman who offered the cap do it with the intention of making Modi wear the cap and thereby dent his strident pro-Hindu image? Could be!
What i do not understand is that,when i could give secular gifts to my friends and leaders so that i do not get them portrayed as straying into my faith thru compulsion, why do i give them a CROSS to wear, or VIBHUTHI to smear or a CAP to wear? And when Modi says that he doesn’t wear caps, why do we compare caps with PAGADI? A cap is distinctly different from a PAGADI. A PAGADI is given as an HONOUR. For example when a new Karta is appointed in a Hindu Undivided Family the Karta is given a PAGADI. SO a pagadi or a crown is distinctly different from a cap, it indicates PRIMACY, but a CAP has assumed the symbol of covering one’s head in the presence of the GOD in Islam.
Further, when i do not want to wear something which attaches a different religious significance, how could i offer something which attaches a different religious significance to someone for him to wear? That seems inequitable!
Let us keep our FAITH and the SYMBOLS of FAITH to ourselves and not let them contaminate our interaction with other humans, much less our POLITICS.
Let us get this one straight, if the Gods want to settle the disputes among them, let them do it among themselves and declare the VICTOR to us- the humble MORTALS. Let us not waste our LIVES fighting each other on HUMAN BELIEFS!
IF THE CAP FITS, WEAR IT!
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