Okay, so a new restaurant opened in Mumbai and they named it Hitler’s Cross. So what’s the big deal about it? Why is everyone creating a ruckus over it? Why is everyone just jumping on the bandwagon to condemn it?
Before getting into any further discussion, let’s get one thing straight. I completely condemn the Jewish genocide committed by Hitler and his Nazi regiment. But it’s high time that we look at things a little more objectively. It seems like most of the posts and news items about this restaurant are just out there to show how righteous we all are. Well, let’s get to those points one-by-one.
First point is that it infuriated the Jews. Ok, point taken. But hey, what about those countless bars and pubs all over US, Europe and Australia that everyone knows are hangout places for Neo-Nazi elements? Why isn’t anyone taking any action against them? Why aren’t they being discussed in the media?
Let’s take another fact into consideration related to the first point itself. How big is the Jewish population in India? It’s definitely not as big as in the western world. Now the important question – what is the strength of Neo-Nazi population in India? I think it would be safe to say ZERO! And how big is the Neo-Nazi population in US, Europe? More than the population of Mumbai for sure! So where the Jews should feel threatened and where should people start condemning the hangouts? This is just a simple restaurant!
Second point that some idiots raised was about starting a restaurant mocking Bal Thackeray’s name and some blogger wrote “Will the Shiv Sena now take arms against the restaurant and burn it down because it hurts the sensibilities of a certain community. I don’t think so.” To begin with, why should you drag Shiv Sena into everything? Are you insane? Do you even know that Shiv Sena openly supports the cause of the Hindu community and not Jews? That’s a totally senseless argument.
And third point. You are all so concerned about the sentiments of the Jewish community being hurt just because someone used Hitler’s name for their restaurant and created a theme based on him. But let me ask you folks, where were you when one M F Hussain painted a canvas of Hindu Goddess Saraswati depicting her in the nude? I am sure most of you were screaming hoarse in support of him saying its ART!
Let’s just give up the double standards and talk some sense. It is just a name of a restaurant. They are in no way deifying Hitler or supporting Nazi beliefs. The Nazis used the Swastika as a representation of their core beliefs. However, I believe you all know that the Swastika is an extremely sacred Hindu symbol. So if I start sporting a big Swastika on my car or paint it on my house during some auspicious occasion, would I be labeled as a Nazi supporter and would I be hurting the sentiments of the Jews?
And the last point. Someone said “Look to what Jews are doing TODAY to the innocent people in Lebanon” and in response a person said “Please be region specific and not religion specific! Is it fair enough to target an entire community due to the wrong doings by some people? Whatever the case might be, you never say that ‘Christians’ invaded Iraq do you? You say USA did! Do you notice the difference?” To this second person, I would like to ask – why do you say Nazis and not Germans? And in that case, you should still be condemning the Germans right? Shouldn’t Auschwitz be razed to the ground instead of making it a memorial where thousands of visitors throng each year? Isn’t that more hurtful to the Jewish sentiments that a place where millions of Jews were exterminated is kept for public display?
It’s just a restaurant name in a neutral country. Flame all you want on my post. But it’s just a name.
