Dear Indian Media, let us explain the difference between a Tantrik and a Maulvi

Are Maulvis and Tantriks same? Absolutely not. Any person with a functional cerebrum and basic comprehension abilities will say that the two are anything but similar. Yet, Indian mainstream media thinks both of them to be the same. Perhaps, mainstream media is carrying forward the mantle of secularism by likening a Maulvi with a ‘Tantrik’. 

On umpteen occasions – when Maulvis commit crimes, the media conveniently hides their identity and labels them as ‘Tantriks’ instead. This is not done in isolation. It is done to whitewash the crimes of Islamists and their clergy. The media couldn’t care less if Hindus are damned. 

Without an iota of shame, Maulvis are turned into ‘Tantriks’, and the ancient Hindu occult and esoteric tradition of ‘tantra’ is defamed. Here are some instances:

• Last year, a Muslim occult practitioner named Mohammed Firoz and his assistant Mohammed Haneef were arrested from Uttar Pradesh’s Barabanki for getting a man to kill his daughter. Times Now, Dainik Jagran, Amar Ujala and other outlets reported him to be a ‘Tantrik’ – which is a Hindu reference. 
• In Uttar Pradesh’s Hussainabad last year, Lucknow Police arrested a man named Mohammed Nasir aka Baba for rape. The Times of India called him a Tantrik in their headline.
• In May, a Muslim maulvi and occult practitioner named Aslam Faizi was arrested for raping a woman in Chhattisgarh’s Bilaspur. The media shamelessly called him a ‘Tantrik’ and even used the image of a Hindu sadhu to represent him.
• Most recently, a “Kala ilm” Maulvi from Nepal, who happens to be living in India, was arrested for duping people in Bijnor. His name is ‘Islamuddin’. Guess what the Times of India called him? That’s right – a Tantrik.

Crash Course for Indian Media

The media does not know that Maulvis and tantriks are different. Their practices, beliefs and habits – they are all starkly different. Therefore, it is beyond brazen for Indian media to continuously liken the two, or portray Islamic occult practitioners and Maulvis as similar to Hindu practitioners of Tantrik vidya.

A Muslim occult practitioner and Maulvi can quite literally be identified by their name. They will not have Hindu names. Maulvis will always have Arabic names – because they all believe they are genetic Arabs. Even though that is a blatant lie, it is not for the media to portray them as Hindus. Their ancestors were all Hindus, but that in no way can be an excuse for tantriks to be defamed. Tantriks, by and large, are not criminals. They are introverts not wanting to do much with the world. So, the media just needs to get off their backs!

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Unlike Maulvis, Islamic scholars and clerics, tantriks do not roam around freely. They cannot be seen engaging with random people. Furthermore, they do not have moustache-less beards, and neither are their pants above-the-ankles. 

Maulvis and Islamic occult practitioners, on the other hand, are more worldly attached. They have a distinguished sense of fashion, making them easily recognisable. They will also speak in Urdu. Maulvis, Maulanas and the kind are generally philosophers, who will begin talking about the essence of Islam at the drop of a hat. On the other hand, tantriks never openly talk about their expertise, spiritual persuasions or experiences. 

What I’m trying to say is very simple. Tantriks are Hindus and Maulvis are Muslims. The media needs to understand the difference between the two, and stop referring to Islamic occult practitioners as ‘tantriks’. They are fooling nobody. Instead, the media is simply widening the rift between the two communities. Hindus do not feel nice being blamed for the crimes of Muslims. And yet, that is exactly what the media does. This must stop before things take an ugly turn.