HOLY WARRIORS: A Journey into the Heart of Indian Fundamentalism

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No other nation has witnessed as much proselytization or heard as many was cries in the name of God as has India. Hindus have fought Muslims, Christians have sought to convert animists, and Sikhs have armed themselves against Muslims, and Muslims have declared jihad on the kind of Hindu that took delight in the demolition of the Babri mosque. Here in India writes journalist Edna Fernandes there is evidence that every religion can be hijacked by the forces of fundamentalism.

Fernandes travels to the country's recent and past theatres of fundamentalism from Kashmir to Gujarat, Punjab to Goa- to meet the generals and foot soldiers of communal wars, and lets their rage and rhetoric speak for them. The lamam of Delhi's Jama Masjid calls upon his co-religious to form militant squads to combat persecution by Hindus. In Nagaland-as in Kashmir- What was once a political insurgency is now a holy war and armed Baptists demand a separate homeland for Christ. 20 years after the storming of the Golden Temple and the anti-Sikh riots, an Akali leader in Amritsar cannot forgive and speaks of continuing the fight for Sikh honour-Sometimes through the pen. Sometimes down the barrel of a gun. And in shakhas across Indian, Hindu hardliners ready themselves for the final solution: ethnic cleansing.

There are as many stories of prejudice and violence in these pages as there are of insecurity and despair. But they are told by an investigative writer who has readied herself to hear out all with understanding, tolerance and even humour. Examining India's contemporary history of rabblerousing and worse. Fernandes has written an important book about the compulsions and consequences of bigotry.

About the Author:

Edna Fernandes is a British journalist of Indian origin who was born in Nairobai and grew up in London. She has worked for some of the world's premier news organizations including AP-Dow Jones and Reuters in London and the Financial Times in New Delhi. Her articles have been reproduced in the Wall street Journal and International Herald Tribune. She divides her time between London and Delhi. Holy Warriors is her first book.