THE ONE MAN WHO IS SUPPORTING NUPUR SHARMA IN A WORLD OF HALF-MEN WHO HAVE THROWN HER TO THE WOLVES

THE ONE MAN WHO IS SUPPORTING NUPUR SHARMA IN A WORLD OF HALF-MEN WHO HAVE THROWN HER TO THE WOLVES

Geert Wilders, the Dutch Parliamentarian and leader of the Opposition, is more of a Hindu than our much-touted Hindu leaders. He has brought upon himself death-threats for supporting Nupur Sharma. Holding the ideal of free speech as beyond bargain, Wilders contends that we should not tolerate the intolerant. Drawing a distinction between Muslims and Islam, he says that while there are many moderate Muslims, there is no moderate Islam. 

Calling the Arab nations the biggest hypocrites for their temerity to demand of India better treatment of Muslims which India at any rate does provide as a functioning democracy, he draws attention to the poor record of human rights in these Arab countries where minorities are systematically persecuted. As such, according to him, the Arab Islamic nations have no business to advise a sovereign democracy like India on its domestic matters.

Wilders eulogises Nupur Sharma for her exemplary heroism and sympathises with her for her having lost her freedom for a very long time now, if not for life. Geert Wilders himself has been a fugitive for the last seventeen years, having been issued death-threats by the Pakistani AL Qaeda for his making of the film 'Fitna' which is based on certain Qur'anic verses. A fugitive from home with his wife and living in army barracks, prison quarters and in 'safe houses' provided by the Government, Geert Wilders knows the price one has to pay by way of attempting to defend human freedom against the impositions of Islam. 

Wilders categorically says that the Indian Government must under no commercial compulsion compromise on freedom, that they must stand up to the challenge posed by the dictates of Islam. He asks Indians to stand in solidarity with Nupur Sharma for her intrepid articulation of truth and nothing but the truth.

The core message that comes through from this interview is that freedom counts more than organic survival, an understanding that Geert Wilders has arrived at through his difficult experience with Islam in his life.

Written by Sugata Bose