The strangeness of hatred for the Other

To be honest, I'm struggling for the right word. I wouldn't call it inexplicable because that suggests it cannot be explained. Nor would I call it deplorable though if others did, I wouldn't rush to disagree. No, I'd perhaps plump for strange, in the sense of both bizarre and bewildering. But is that the mot juste? I'm not sure.

- Karan Thapar

I'm referring to two developments that have recently caught my attention. They're not singular or unique. Things like that seem to happen frequently in our country. The first is a petition filed by the Hindu Sena seeking a survey of the 800-year-old Ajmer Sharif Dargah on the grounds that a Shiva temple lurks beneath its foundation. This claim is based on a book by Har Bilas Sarda, published in 1910, testifying to this on the basis of legend.

So what, is what I asked myself? Perhaps there was a full-fledged Prithviraj Chauhan era royal court under the ridge at Vasant Vihar where I live but I'd scream if the Hindu Sena wants to dig up my house to explore for it. What allegedly happened eight centuries ago - and it's a belief, not a fact - is of relevance to history but hardly reason to demolish a dargah revered by tens, if not hundreds of millions, both Muslim and Hindu, in India and abroad.