What’s common between the Android operating system for mobile phones and Hindutva or Apple Inc products and Islam? Or, do Chimpanzees have anything to do with ‘love jihad’? A lot, if one were to believe some recent editorials in Panchajanya, mouthpiece of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

“The world needs ‘Android’. The world needs Hindutva,” concluded the weekly’s August 16 editorial. Drawing parallel between the apple that tempted Adam and the Apple Inc products, the article says “in this age of mobile revolution, people are continuing to fall for the ‘apple’. “However, despite its all its attraction, the ‘Apple’ has some limitations too. Other than its own ‘products’ its ‘operating system’ does not support anything else. If you have faith in ‘Apple’, then you are welcome to that limited world where partnership with the others is prohibited and is a sin,” said the edit. It went on to state that for those who follow Islam, accepting others is a crime and is unpardonable.

“Those using Androids are free to download any of the lakhs of applications as per their choice.” It is like a neighbourhood Hindu family in which an exercise-loving, gym-going youth is a worshipper of lord Hanuman while his studious, music-loving sister worships goddess Saraswati, the edit says, adding that the freedom to make one’s own choice is Hinduism’s specialty. The only reason why Android is being lapped up the world over is because it offers unlimited fre-edom to make changes, much like Hinduism, it said.

In its August 30 editorial, the RSS mouthpiece invoked English primatologist Jane Goodall and her research on Chimpanzees to explain the dynamics of ‘love jihad’.

According to the editorial, Goodall found a group of chimpanzees, which fiercely protected its territory against other groups of chimps, their males patrolled the territories to attract the females from the warring groups, with the aim of producing as many children as possible, which in turn will make their group bigger and stronger. The editorial said there are human groups who see women as only child-producing machines, and who want to establish their strength through their ability to reproduce.

Hitesh Shankar, editor of Panchajanya who writes the editorial said there was no particular intention on presenting his argument in this way. “I am a person who can stand between Androids and Ramayana and look at both things. This is my way of writing,” Shankar said. He added that he has been getting good response especially from the youth to the editorials he writes. To attract more readers the weekly has laun-ched an ad campaign.

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