I am extremely offended by XTM’s post The Game We Can Smell and must register my protest.
I have deleted the post on “Why Indians have stopped reading” since it was being misunderstood and not being taken in the spirit in which it was meant.
I repeatedly clarified that the title was not mine but was chosen by Scroll. Scroll is an Indian publication and both the discussants are Indian. Even some of the Indian commenters agreed that XTM was being hyper-sensitive.
XTM’s post in response is full of some rather unfounded accusations which I take offense to. I do not “hate” India or Hindus. I am against Hindutva, which is a political movement. Many Indians are against “Islamism” (however one defines that term). I would not say that that means they “hate” Muslims.
I have been accused of not showing adequate respect to Asha Bhosle, which is an accusation which–to be frank– borders on the ridiculous.
As El Khawaja noted in a comment anyone reading my essays would come away with the impression that I am “pro-India”. I’m certainly more “pro-India” than many other Pakistanis.
XTM’s post brought out the usual anti-Pakistan trolls who have–as usual– cast aspersions on my center-left credentials and called me an “Islamist”. This is absolutely unacceptable behavior. If one is going to respect the sensitivities of Indian commenters, one must respect the sensitivities of Pakistanis. I will under no circumstances tolerate passive aggression or personal attacks. I will not tolerate nastiness about Pak Fauj. Quips like “Failed Marshal” are unacceptable.
On the word “Islamist” specifically: an “Islamist” is someone who advocates for a state run on Shariah. I have made over 6000 comments on this forum over the years. I challenge anyone to find even one comment where I’ve called for Shariah. If they cannot find such a comment, than this word is libel.
BB made a threat of violence against me. Threatening to hold a gun to someone’s head is a very serious breach of conduct. That breach of conduct deserved a permanent ban from the forum not a suspension of one week.
BB has not learned anything from his suspension and is back to posting “low signal” pictures from “Dhurandhar”. He knows that Pakistanis find that movie triggering and this is precisely why he posts these memes.
BP is in danger of becoming a hostile space for Pakistanis. There needs to be serious introspection about why this is so.
Obviously for many Indians, being anti-Pakistan serves some psychic need. But for a forum which prides itself on its intellectual caliber to enable such behavior is unacceptable.