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) ------ 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. ----- 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 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism