Minoritism Syndome

Minoritism's Syndrome
The word “Minority” in a way has attracted focussed

attention in India since the Bhartya Janta Party came into power
in 2014. No matter the Prime Minister Narinder Modi does not
say it in so many words and has been camouflaging it skillfully.
But the other prominent leaders like Sadhvi Ninanjan Jyoti an
M.P. has been saying it openly that those who are Ramzade
Ram’s men they should remain in India and those who are
Haramzade not Rama (God’s) persons. They should go to
Pakistan. A clear hit to the Muslims who are obviously in
Minority. The clandestine device these leaders had found was
“Gharwapsi” to convert the Muslims to Hinduism. But it did
not catch up at all. The Hindus among themselve were opposite
to it.
“Hamid Ansari the ex-vice President of the India
consecutively for two terms and relinquished position in 2017
was at pains to observe that “there is unease among Minorities
and the ambience of acceptance is now under threat”. The Prime
Minister Modi speaking at Ansari’s farewell did not try to address
Ansari’s concern or allay Muslim’s fears arising from incidents
of communal violence out of vigilantism. Instead Prime Minister
Modi recalled Hamid Ansari’s days as a Diplomat in Muslim
Countries and as Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University.
Modi said that now being free from constraints of the
constitutional office, he could pursue his core beliefs. How a
person who is known for his erudite stature and of intellectual
pursuits–Ansari would have taken highbrowness in Narinder
Modi’s words. But Ansari had to bear with it. His predicament
was that he is a Muslim. Muslims are in Minority in India. Here
lies the Minoritism’s syndrome and also that of Majontarianism.
The Prime Minister’s insinuation of Ansari’s being less than
1/ Minoritism’s Syndrome
secular was not lost upon the BJP’s belligerent crowd on social differences in population size among groups. In the social
media of all those who made uncharitable remarks about Ansari, sciences, the term minority is sometimes used to describe social
the most surprising came from the incoming Vice President power relations between dominant and subordinate groups rather
Venkaiah Naido who may have just disowned his political loyalty than simply indicating demographic variation within population.
on surface to the BJP, he could not resist a chance to speak out Just as in Punjab the farming community being land owners are
his mind as a former Sangh Privar loyalist. It is another matter the dominant class though numerically, they are in minority
what he said, given the office he was going to hold was not in compared to the other classes–Harijans, Brahmins, Khatries and
keeping with his changed stature. “Some people are saying others no matter the latter depend upon the land owner, for their
minorities are in India insecure. It is a proganda.” he said. The livelihood. However with the advancement in education the
tone and tenor of Naido’s comments were in sharp contrast to Harijans have occupied prominent positions by dint of
the scholarly take Dr. Ansari has on issues. No two incumbents reservation in Govt. services and also a number of them have
occupying the same office could be so different. Not just the gone abroad specially gulf countries allured by greener pastures.
political landscape of the country, the quality of politics itself The term minority group often occurs alongside a discourse
has changed in the BJP era. The sense of intolerance at large in of civil rights and collective rights which gained prominence in
the religious area is apparent. Howsoever Modi makes road the 20th century. What could be more bitterly experienced
shows alongwith Muslims and visits the Masjids in Gujrat it is example than India itself a sub continent was partitioned to create
all a show biz. the Muslim community sees through it fully, another country i.e. Pakistan. It is said that the Muslim population
understanding the intake. At times it appears that the situation was made apprehensive that they being in Minority in India and
may reach a stage when the Muslims in India would be forced Hindus being in a whopping majority shall always have to live
to demand a complete separation and the belligerent sections under their subordinations. Although the “partition’s brain waive
among Hindus under the grip of Rastrya Swam Sewak Sangh was of the Britishers who were leaving India which got freedom
will be responsible for that impasse. from the alien rulers. Significantly both Hindus Muslims and
What is Minoritism ? A minority group refers to a category all others fought shoulder to shoulder in the freedom struggle
of people differentiated from the social majority i.e. those who but the alien rulers ignited the minoritism ember which
had the majority positions of social power in a society and it unfortunately resulted into migration of population from East
may be defined by race. A “social group” as the term would Punjab to West Punjab to West Punjab and Vice-versa. Hindus-
indicate, “minority group” refers to the above described. The Sikhs came from West Punjab to East Punjab and similarly
differentiation can be based on one or the more observable human Muslims went to West Punjab. It was a holocaust about 2 to 5
characteristics including ethnicity, race, religion, caste gender lacks people were massacred–trains full of passengers were
wealth, health sexual orientation. Usage of the term is applied looted and passengers killed–a very sad and sordid chapter of
to various situations and civilisations. There is a controversy history. Similar situation was happening in Bengal which was
with the use of the word “minority”. Cultural diversity definition also partitioned, the majority Muslim population went to East
can be as convtrovertial, as diversity projects and initiatives. Bengal and the Hindus and other communities remained in West
The word “minority” has also an academic and colloquial usage. Bengal (India). In Bengal the Muslim League’s die hard leader
Academics refer to power differences among groups rather than Suhrawardhy was smoking fire against Hindus. Significantly
2/ Minoritism’s Syndrome 3/ Minoritism’s Syndrome
Mahatma Gandhi even in that fire unmindful of his life was of collective identity and common burdens as is apparent in
dousing the fire embess in Noakhli area of Bengal in those days. Muslims. Another feature is the tendency to marry within that
Overall it was Mohammed Ali Jinnah who was the Crusader for minority group. In India this is very glaringly observed. The
partitioning India on the grounds that the Muslims in India shall minority characteristic painted by Feagon are maintained despite
always be subservient to Hindus who are in thumping majority. complications.
Jinnah had the backing of Britisher rulers as it was not a mean- Sociologists like Louis wirth defined a Minority group as a
thing that they were leaving India having ruled here for two group of people who because of their physical or cultural
hundred years. It is they who ignited “The Two Nation Theory” characteristic are singled out from the others in the society in
fire of partition at the cost of repetition it has to be written as which they live for differential and unequal treatment and who
they were clandestinely hoping that Indian’s would not be able as such regard themselves as objects of collective discrimination.
to run the country and ultimately they would make way for them The definition includes both objective and subjective criterian :
to stay put. Members of the Minority groups are prone to different an individual’s physical or behavioral characteristics of a given
treatment in the countries and societies in which they live. The minority group will be accorded the status of that group and be
discrimination may be directly based on an individual’s personal subject to the same treatment as other members of that group. A
achievement. It may also occur indirectly by social structures simple example would be the behaviour of very very old people
that are not equally accessible to all. Activists campaigning on as they being weak-eyesight, hearing capacity and then walking
a range of issue may use the language of minority rights including slow also becomes in that age. They as such have to be treated
student rights consumer rights et. al. Long back under Central with kidgloves. What the humanism demands. This oldies group
Govt. instructions the Banks were asked as to how much and to as such becomes a minority in the social groups.
how many persons the credit/loans had been given to minority Every large society contains ethnic minorities and linguistic
communities i.e. Sikhs, Muslims, Christians etc. This is a crusade minorities. Their style of life, language, culture and origin can
how minorities get extra benefits say in the educational sphere differ from the majority. Minority status is conditioned not only
where the seats are reserved for minority students and then fee by a clearly numerical relations but also by questions of political
concessions are extended and loans from banks. power. In some places, subordinate ethnic groups may constitute
Feagan a political scientist, states that a minority group has a numerical majority such as Blacks in South Africa under
five characteristics (1) suffering discrimination and apartheid. In addition to the “traditional” (long time resident)
subordination (2) physical and or cultural traits that set them minorities they may be migrant, indigenous or landless nomadic
apart like in Punjab the attire of Sikhs having long hairs and communities. In Punjab/Haryana there are seen migrant
donning turbans. A Keshadhari and Amritdhari Sikh would communities who are engaged in small blacksmithy works and
always have beard, no cutting of hair and an iron bracelet called remain on roads carrying their paraphrenelia in their bullock
kara and Kachh on underwear, Kirpan a small sword braced in carts visiting villages for blacksmithy jobs. They visit villages
a cloth and carried around the body. Such traits may not be and go to streets. Mostly their ladies do the job work and also
approved by the other dominant group in a society like that sell iron wares like sharp blades of the Charkha a hand driven
happens at times with sikhs living in foreign countries. wooden-wheeled spinning instrument where the sharp long blade
According to Feagin the third characteristic is a shared sense revolve. However these days there is hardly any house in the
village where the homespun cotton cloth (Khaddar) was seen. Pakistan. What Sikhs got ? It was two nation theory on which
Say fifty years back this activity was very common and the ladies the partition took place. A politically awakened section of the
in house at times from the neighbourhood would do it in groups Sikhs went to Dr. Ambedkar and explained their predicament.
at night. Here the roaming smith’s wares were needed. This Since Sikhs on the strength of population had no area where
roaming smiths community trace their origin from Rajput states they were in majority. Only in the Tehsil of Tarn Tarn Sikhs had
who were defeated by the Mughals since then they are roaming a majority. So their claim for any area could not stand. Dr.
and has not gone to their own places back. Ambedkar told that Sikh group that after partition if there was
There is no legal definition of national (ethnic) minorities any community who got the best of it that was the Sikh’s only.
in International law. Only in Europe the exact definition probably He elaborated, “you have a specific identity, you have a separate
provided by the European charter for Regional or Minority religion. In the Doaba Majha area and Patiala state area you
languages and by their Frame Work Convention for the become sizeable community. Thus you have territory which all
Protection of National Minorities. In the United States, for makes up the features of a nation state. Ambedkar’s formula
example, European Americans constitute the majority (72.4%) later on blazed the worst type of fire when Hindus in groups
and all other racial groups (African-American, Asian Americans, were killed by Sant Bhindrawala-a sad chapter of Punjab History
Native Americans and Native Hawins) are classified as indeed.
“Minorities”. If the Hispanic white population falls 50% the In fact Minoritism is a world-wide phenomena. Minorities
group will only be plurality not the majority. However national exist in all spheres of life. Take India current population of India
minority can be theoretically (not legally defined as a group of 2017 figures 1.34 billion. Total male population in India, 69.6
people within a given national state : (i) Which is numerically crore. Female population 65.2 crore. The population of India is
smaller than the rest of the population of the state or a part of almost 17.85% of the world population. In the world religion
the state, (ii) Which is not in a dominant position ? (iii) Which wise Christians are in majority the distinct of all the religious
has a cultural, language, religion, race etc. distinct from majority communities in the world, Christians 2.2 billion, non-religious/
of the population ? (iv) Whose members have a well to preserve athirst/agnostic population 1.1 billion, Muslim 1.6 billion,
their specificity ? (v) Whose members are citizen of the state Hindus 1 billion, Chinese traditional religion Taoism etc. 394
where they have the status of a minority and (vi) Which have million, Budhism 376 million, ethnic religious excluding some
long term presence in the territory where it has lived ? All the in separate categories, 300 million African traditional religions
aforesaid six features befittingly apply to the Sikh community 100 million, sikhism 30 million spiritsm 16 million, Judaism
in Punjab. Although, the Hindus claim that Sikhs are their own 15 million, Bhai 7 million Jainism 4.2 million, Shin to 4 million,
part and not separate which is vehemently refuted by the Caodai 4 million, Zoroastrianism 2.6 million rest 4 quite
politically awakened section among the sikhs. Rightly so, the unknown or unheard about 2 million. These all make the world
sikhs have a distinct identity and calling them Hindus will be population 7167 million.
foolhardiness. In this context it will be appropriate to quote Dr. The purpose of giving these numericals is to show that even
B.R. Ambedkar at the time of country’s partition in Hindustan in terms of population minority majority is reflected. The crisis
and Pakistan. The Sikhs were feeling high and dry. The vocal erupts when the majority forces its thrust on religious basis.
among them said that Hindus got Hindustan and Muslims got The crisis is further accentuated when the religious majority-
minority crusades that their religion is the best amongst all other religious bigotism as the Guru’s faith was not the Muslim faith.
religions and tries to convert people from other religions to adopt More so the Emperor was wary that the Guru had a large
their religion. History is replete of such a conversion rage. In following and if the revolting son got their support Jahangir
India Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb is infamous for such could be ousted. Although the Guru’s followers were peace
conversion. Though Auranzeb is infamous for such conversion. loving and moved by their Guru’s teachings which were celestial
Aurangzeb’s personal living was very simple and he was known and divinely where was any battle danger from such followers ?
that he earned his bread by sewing caps. But when the religious The Hindu Sikh religion have a cosmopolitan ambience. There
orthodoxy came in he was the most cruel person and he would is no room for any bigotism and fundamentalism. The
convert the Hindus in as many as would make Hindus sacred politicalisation of the religion later on has of course vitialed the
threads about a maund in weight. This religious rage continued import of true religion. In this context, Swami Vivekanand’s
for quite long. Before Aurangzeb, Mughal Emperor Jahangir nuggetial words befittingly explain the position thus the whole
wrought atrocities on Sikh Gurus. It was Bhagati movement by world is like one family–Vishvam Katumbhkam–Swami
the Gurus since the founder of Sikh religion–the 1st Guru Nanak addressing the people in America, started with the words “my
Dev. He had in those suffocating days when a slight defiance of sisters and brothers”. This address of the Swami has become a
the ruler could invite worst retribution. But it was Guru Nanak legend. So where is any scope for bigotism or narrowism in
Dev whose alaap (crusade) was Paap Ki Janl lai Kablon dhaia Hindu thought. The Sikh faith has further elaborated it by keeping
aisro karein dhian ve Lalo. (The Guru was alongwith his two all the doors open for all the religious communities. All the
companions (disciples) Bala and Mardana was always on travels Gurudwaras have four doors and any person belonging to any
far and wide. The guru clear hint was towards the 1st Mughal faith caste or creed have free entry there to. Religion is the way
Emperor Babar. But he protected in his own way. Jahangir the to seek and reach the Divine. But to a bigot like Jahangir it
Mughal Emperor wrought indescribable atrocities on Hindus never fitted in. Although Hindus in India have always been in
that the human conscience trembles, the cruelest way he crucified majority. But they were ruled by Muslim rulers. Hindu’s plight
the 5th Guru of Sikhs, Guru Arjan Dev. The Guru’s fault was was thus worse than a minority. Here the majoritarianism did
that he was always absorbed in meditation. Jahangir’s son not cut ice. Denald Trump unexpectedly came to power in
Khurram had revolted against his Emper father and had gone to America in 2014. His political trump card was that two terms of
Guru Arjan Dev for blessings as from a saint. The news of the a black American has deprived USA of the jobs and non-whites
prince going to the Guru infuriated the Emperor. The Guru had have rendered the Americans a lethargic and non technician
large following as Sikhs all over India were his followers. This depending upon the immigrants from Asia mainly from India,
invited Emperor’s wrath against the Guru who had to undergo China and Pakistan. The first thing Trump did was that he
Emperor’s physical Zulam (atrocities). The Guru was made to restricted the entry of people specially Muslims from other
sit on Tatti Tavi (an iron big plate under which the fire was countries. He also gave specified time to these immigrants to
burning. As if this was not enough, on Guru’s head hot sand was leave America though these people were there since at least a
poured. But the Guru was calm quiet and equanimous. He only generation. They had nursed and developed America but they
recited “tera bhana meetha lage” remember his Waheguru (God) were in a quandry. The was manner Trump was concerned with
that whatever He gives is sweet. That was the height of Jahangir’s his own people. He tightened the norms for Visa to those who
seek employment there. When trump gave the slogan “Make that you convert him into Islam then convert other Hindus. It
America great again”. He infact was hinting that American were was a challenge to the rulers. He sat in Chandani Chowk. The
losing jobs to non whites. It was a bias against blacks who are rulers urged him for conversion he would be left free. But the
in minority there. Then there enthnic minorities. The recent Guru had come there to stop the conversion of Hindus. The
instance (year 2017) is the Rohingyas who are being driven out human conscience/tongue shivers with fear. The way the Guru
from Myanmar. They are more than four lacs in number. They was tortured. The Guru beheaded Every moment the Guru was
have gone to Bangladesh as they have same affinity with asked to abandon his resolve but the 9th Master was calm quiet
Bangladeshis. Their predicament is that they are a ethnic and equanimous. The Guru’s body was left in the chowk as it
minority. India had on humanitarian grounds sent some was. It was a dedicated disciple of the Guru named Bhai Jaita
consignments of food stuffs to Bangladesh for Rohingyas. who in the dead of night picked up Guru’s head and walked to
Otherwise India point blank refused Rohingyas entry in India. Anandpur Sahib. Hinding Guru’s head in a cloth Bhai Jaita
A case some body had filed in the Supreme Court. The Govt. reached Anandpur Sahib may be in four five days and handed
has taken a stand that Rohingyas are a threat to our internal over the severed head of the Guru to Guru Gobind Singh. The
security and the Govt. will not all allow their entry at any rate. Guru then exclaimed–Rangrette Guru Ke Bete. Bhai Jaita was
Such is the plight of ethnic minorities. a chamar by caste. But the Guru embraced them as Guru’s sons.
The Minorities in fact exist in every country so much so Hereafter Guru Gobind Singh took up cudgets with Muslim
that in every religion, region, caste, linguistic, rich-poor, in rulers to avert the zulam on Hindus. For that the Guru had to
population-male-female basis. Not that these minorities are at sacrifice his four sons. The elder ones Ajit Singh and Jujhar
war with each other. The Minorities have to be tolerant of the Singh gave their lives while fighting with Mughal forces in the
majority’s view. Although in the foregoing narrative the religious battlefield at Chamkaur Sahib. The Guru was fighting from a
bias has been discussed yet the height of cruelty went sky high big Kotha House from its top now called Chamkaur di Garhi
in emperor, Aurangzeb’s period. Although Hindus in India have with his few Singhs. The Mughal force was far bigger in number
all along been in whopping majority yet the ruler wrought havoc but the Guru kept them stalled with his arrows. At last when his
on them. It was only Guru Gobind Singh the 10th Master who followers compelled the Guru to leave the Garhi. He went out
dared Aurangzeb. The retribution of the Emperor was so incognito and went away from the battle field while his
devastating that he converted Hindus to Muslims. The 9th Guru companions of course kept fighting till their last and the Mughal
of Sikhs, Teg Bahadur remained always absorbed in meditation. forces could not know that the Guru had since gone out. Guru's
The Hindus went to him that they are being forcibly converted younger two sons, Fateh Singh and Zorawar Singh were bricked
as Muslims. The Guru told them that the rulers should be told alive in the wall at Sirhind where a Gurudwara had been built
that they should first convert their Guru to Islam. The Guru told up. The younger sons had not entered the teen age. They were
Hindus that it can be averted if some saintly important figure forced to adopt Islam but they refused to do so till the wall
offers for sacrifice. The History tells that Guru Gobind Singh erecting got raised in full. It was Banda Singh Bahadur originally
who was then in rising age told his father, the Guru that who a Bairagi Sadh who met Guru Gobind Singh on the banks of
could be better than you. Guru Teg Bahadur then thereafter river Godavri in South where the Guru had reached for
proceeded to Delhi where he offered himself and urged the rulers meditation. The Banda was so impressed with Guru that he
became his disciple. The Guru sent him to Sirhind to fight against would hardly make out. Yes it is not impossible that a sort of
the Zulam of Muslim rulers against Hindus. The Banda really bias may not creep in at times in the work allotments also. In
avenged the cruel behaviour of Muslim Subedar of Sirhind and any area, the persons belonging to the same region would feel
beheaded, the Subedar Wazir Khan who had got the two younger closer to each other than the local people. The ‘Bengalis’-
sons bricked in the wall at Sirhind. To make the Saka happening obviously would be in minority in such a situation.
short it was height of cruelty the Hindus had undergone. The regional bias had reached its climass when in 1952 a
The foregoing narrative is to explain the religious begotism demand was made for a Punjabi Speaking State (Punjabi Suba)
which wrought havoc on the people. Although Hindus were in by the Akali Dal led by Master Tara Singh then unquestionably,
majority but the rulers were of the other i.e. faith Islam. the supreme sikh leader then the Central Govt. construed that it
The religious bias has been discussed and explained much is a demand for sikh state in the garb of Punjabi Suba. A
in detail in foregoing paragraphs. The theme of the writing is protracted political struggle ensued for fourteen years. In 1966
the Minority Syndrome. The Minority in fact is existing in every a separate Punjabi Speaking State was curved out bifurcating
walk of life. Although they are not at war with the majority yet Punjab into Punjab and Haryana. Afterwards the wise men in
at times they have to realise their minority complex and cope Punjab realised that it was the disection of a big Punjab third
with the obtaining situation. Take the case of Regions. In a region time. Firstly when Punjab was riven apart into East Punjab and
there are different communities and obviously one community West Punjab at the time of partition of India into Hindustan and
would be in majority and the others in minority. When people Pakistan in 1947, during Britisher’s rule. At that time Punjab
of that region go out to other regions say for livelihood they are was a bigger state and its borders were encompassing Kashmir.
treated as others. Like the people from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, On partition the most fertile lands went to West Pakistan and
who came to Punjab and Haryana for finding small jobs for the Hindus and Sikh population had to contend with the
their livelihood they are called Purbias and Bihari. In a way remaining land in East Punjab. The irrigation and canal waters
they are singled out by the local people. They as such have to be were left in West Punjab. The Lyalpur area of West Punjab was
in a second third rate position and can not stand up to the local known for its wheat, paddy and cotton crops. The cause of all
ones. These people from U.P. and Bihar do the menial jobs and this loss was the regional bias. It had political motive behind.
many of them may not have enrolled themselves as voters To gain the political power, the sikh leader Master Tara Singh’s
because they have not any permanent residential address. They aim was to capture power in Punjab. In order to achieve this the
mostly live in Jhughis in the outskirts of towns. Even in offices Punjabi’s particularly the Sikhs had to fight a protracted battle.
any where in the towns/cities, the members of staff belonging Master Tara Singh had to go on fast unto death. But he could
to the same region would feel much closer to the persons of not succeed as he proved weak and was afraid of death.
same that region. Although it may not be said in so many words Thereafter his political graph went dashing down. Compared to
but the region belongingness does have its impact. Say-persons him a staunch congressman Darshan Singh Pheruman after
from Bengal working in Punjab or northern states would be taking vow and Ardas at Harmandir Sahib Amritsar went on
usually pointed to as Bengal's by others not taken badly but in fast unto death and he died inch by inch and did not relent. The
routine it is so used. A Bengali would talk in Bangla language politicians of Punjab specially Akali Dal were so biased against
to his other Bengali colleagues. While the other local colleagues the sacrifice of Pheruman that none of the fore rung Akalis went
to Pheruman’s Antim Ardas. Yet they tried to derive benefit that Amrit Chhako was his campaign. He was from Bhinderanwala
the sacrifice had brought them nearer their political aim. The Taksal at Mehta Chowk. After the demise of the Sant there he
regional bias was heavy on them. Ultimately Punjab had to be took over from him. Sant Jarnail Singh more of a die-hard
again bifurcated into Haryana and Punjab. Punjabi Suba, the campaigner for Sikhism. The back ground was that in the Centre
central govt. was against this bifurcation tooth and nail because Congress Govt. wanted the Akalis led by Sant Harchand Singh
they saw in it the design sikhs, Partap Singh Kairon a staunch Longowal who held a sway among sikhs get weaker. In a way it
congress leader and strong supporter of Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru was Delhi Sarkar led by Indira Gandhi who on the advice, it is
the most popular figure in the country who was against the said, of Giani Zail Singh who was the President of India and
demand of Sikhs for Punjabi Suba. Partap Singh Kairon the Chief was considered an astute politician who had contained the Akali’s
Minister of Punjab dealt with Akalis with strong hand. He rather political power while as Chief Minister of Punjab obviously
raised a demand for a bigger Punjab comprising Jammu and Indira Gandhi relied upon Giani ji and other sikh leaders of
Kashmir. After the death of Pt. Jawahar Lal the political graph Delhi like Santokh Singh who had an easy access to Mrs. Gandhi.
of Kairon also came down and he was killed by his opponents Detracting from the foregoing narrative a recent
while going to Delhi in his car. There was no worth while development has taken place in Canada. The Tribune carried it
Congress leader in Punjab to oppose the Akalis. by this with the heading “Visible Minority leader”. Canada had added
bifurcation of Punjab the Haryanvis, Himachalis were the most one more nuance to its reputation as a healthy, inclusive political
benefitted states as out of Punjab Haryana areas went to Haryana society. The New Democratic Party become the first party to
and the both hilly areas a new state Himachal Pradesh came have a visible Minority leader. Visible Jagmeet Singh is with
into being Punjab was thus deprived of any hills. These two his colourful turbans, his skin tone and saratorial choices. He
separate states infact given to their respective people on a platter. has however used his visible minority status to build an inclusive
The Akalis of Punjab realised afterwards that they are left with base that represents Canada in all diversity. His coalition is rather
a tiny state (a subi instead of a big state). However they did broad though he won on the strength of largely on the strength
became in a position to capture political power of the State. But of new voters mainly Asian. By winning the 2017 leadership
that also became elusive for them. The Congress came into Elections Jagmeet Singh becomes only 38 years old, a practicing
power. Because all the sikhs are not the Akalis. There are sikhs lawyer had in the past lost and won elections. So the electoral
who are imbued in Congress culture. At the most it came to the field is not new to him. The purpose of narrating Jagmeet Singh’s
situation that if once Congress came into power next time Akalis political profile is to explain the fine society of Canada.
would capture the throne. It is obvious that the regional crusade Compared this to the Indian scenario, though democracy but
by political parties to capture political power of the state. More the hegemony of Congress ruling the country since 1947
often than not the regional bias also takes a communal shade as incessantly till 1984 with little breaks after emergency rule
happened in Punjab in early 1980’s. Sant Jarnail Singh whereafter the Congress led by Indira Gandhi again came to
Bhindrawale later on exploited it to the hilt. The then Central power with thumping majority yet it cannot be termed as real
Govt. can not be absolved of the emergence of Bhinderanwale democratic rule. It is now more glaringly apparent under Bhartya
on the political stage. Bhinderanwale originally a Sant and Janta Party rule. It is the remote controlled from Nagpur the
dedicatedly busy in the promotion of Sikh religion. Singh Sajo- head quarter of Rashtrya Swaym Sewak Sangh (RSS). They are
the crusaders of Hindutav. Their aim is that Hindus being 82% accommodate the Rohingyas on humanitarian grounds. Already
of country’s population. How is it that other parties mainly the India, they say had committed such a blunder when Tibetans
Congress party has been insaddle for so long. So why not crusade entered India in numbers. They were driven away by Chinese
for a Hindu Rastra so that the Hindus unite and the BJP rules forces. Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama has been in India.
the country perpetually and let the other communities who are They have settled themselves in Dharamshala (Himachal
in Minority remain as they are. Also during Congress rule, it Pradesh). They have also formed the Tibetean Govt. in exile.
was never practicing a real democracy. Indian voter is still not This act of Tibetans has politically annoyed Chinese and they
aware of the democracy. There are people who consider see their govt. as a permanent thorn in their eyes. This could be
democracy without any fetters and responsibility and one of the causes Chinese hostile attitude towards India. Though
answerability towards none. The stock reply of the politician in Chinese are intrinsically treacherous. They stabbed the Hindi
power is that in case the people are not satisfied with their Chini Bhai Bhai sentiments so enchanted during Pt. Jawahar
performance, they have a right to over throw them out of power Lal days. The ‘Panchsheel’ understanding by India, China, Egypt,
in the next elections. The right of recall is there but it is so South Africa and country of Marshal Titu. Prime Ministers of
cumbersome that so much unity of the voters is not there and these countries Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru, Chao in Lie, Col. Nassar,
the party in power will torpedo any such attempt. Then there Nakruma and Marshal Titu, joined hands and brought out the
are other political parties who will not be united on such a move, ‘Panchsheel’. It attracted the attention of the world as it was a
the party in power will win them over some how with landmark to bring a sense of peaceful co-existence and avert
allurements. The main drawback in democracy is that “First war like situations. The whole narrative is to explain the exodus
past the post” norm applies which means that in case a party in of Tibetans who were in Minority in China which had captured
a particular constituency wins with one vote the contestant Tibet.
candidate will be declared as elected. The whole process of At the cost of repetation, Rohingyas crisis is the more recent
elections show that a substantial portion of voters remains and more serious politically and demographically i.e. population
unrepresented in the assembly or Parliament even Panchayat et. wise when the Rohingyas are coming in droves. They are said
al No system of proportionate representation to political parties. to be more than four lacs. The Govt. of India has point blanks
No independent candidate be allowed to contest. There are ethnic refused their entry in India and has sealed its borders. Some
minorities. The very recent example is that of Rohingyas in NGO has gone to the Supreme Court who are considering the
Myanmar which has attracted attention world over. Rohingyas issue. Relevantly, the issue of Tibetans’ influx in India has been
had been living in Rakhine area of Mynmar since ages but discussed in the foregoing paragraph giving the subtle impact
Myanmar natives never accepted as their own and as such they of Rohingyas if accommodated in India.
were always wary of them and wanted to drive them away. The Interestingly, the Minorities syndrome has come to dominate
Rohingyas entered Bangla Desh in droves because they have the politically over awakened people. The daily Tribune a
some affinity with the later. But how far. They are approximately prominent News paper has today carried a news which depicts
more than four lacs in number. On Television they are seen in the concern of people. It will be in order to quote the news as it
wretched condition Poverty is apparent from them. The case is with apology to the news paper which I am doing without
some NGO filed in our Supreme Court that India should their express permission. My apologies, “Give minority status
to Hindus in Punjab, J.K. 6 other states” heading of the news. A will be sent abroad in the countries which will be willing to
public interest litigation filed in the Supreme Court has absorb them. But then Canada was not one of them. Probably
demanded that the Hindus be as a Minority in eight states African countries where there is a lot of scope for development,
including Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir and be given the like Roads, buildings, sanitary framework. Even small jobs like
legitimate benefits meant for them. Besides Punjab and Jammu tailoring, running grossary shops, tea stalls, cooking for hotds.
& Kashmir, the PIL field by Advocate Ashwani Kumar Upadhyay Africans mostly take/eat meat. If they are by and by brought to
has sought Minority status for Hindus in Northeastern states of grains, rice, pulses etc. The scope for setting up sweet shops
Mizoram, Meghalya, Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Kerala, Manipur, will be much. In Nairobe I understand sugarcane is grown in
Tamil Nadu and West Bengal but they are treated as Majority. plenty and the sugar, milk are there. But ultimately the Asians
Likewise the sikhs are majority in Punjab and there is significant specially who were in Minority were gone and they could not
population in Delhi, Chandigarh and Haryana but they are also resist it. This was the ethnic type of Minority immigrants. No
treated as majority in these states despite being minority in country worth the name is prepared to have a plural outlook.
population and were illegally being deprived of benefits meant The minority majority status comes in fore. Come home, with
for Minority Communities. The Union Govt. offered 20000 the emergence of Bhartya Janta Party’s rule. The Minority rage
scholarships in the field of technical education for minority has been ruling the ruste. The religion is playing the vilain. The
students. In J&K of 753 scholarships to Muslim students but words of Swami Vivekananda have been side tracked by the
none to Hindu students citing notification on minority Hindutav die hards who have gone wild. Swami’s priceless
communities dated Oct. 23, 1993 which declares Muslims as words, Vishwa Deva Katumbka that the whole world is like a
minority but not the Hindus, the petitioner pointed out. family. He had astonished the Americans when he addressed
The top court is already seized of the matter of another PIL them. A youngman Swami in saffron dress Dhoti, Kurta (shirt)
with regard to Jammu & Kashmir where in the petitioner Ankur and Bhagwan Crimson turban. The Swami began his address
Sharma a Jammu based Advocate has appealed that the benefits with the words, “brothers and sisters”. The Americans were off
meant for minorities are going to the majority community i.e. the feet. They became infatuated to Swami. They were endeared
Muslims in the state Sharma had alleged that crores of rupees as members of a family. They felt and tasted a relationship status.
were being squandered away as the state was spending on But the Bhartya Janta Party practically has singled out only
unidentified minorities. Muslims in India and have in a way become intolerant of them.
Recently Canada has opened its door to the immigrants from On the other hand, since the last seventy years when the
South Asian countries i.e. India, Pakistan and China. Canada country became free of the alien rule of the Britishers, India
wants skilled like masons, carpenters, plumbers and other was declared the sovereign secular socialist country as per its
mechanics and also unskilled labour for construction work. constitution. The secular particularly meant that there is freedom
Canada specifically mentions that they all will be treated as of adhering to one’s own religion and there will be no
Minorities. But the benefits really would enrich the labour going discrimination of any sort that who belongs to which religion.
there speedily. Indians who in India are unemployed. Long back Since Hindus were in whopping majority and the Muslims in
during Akali Dal’s regime in Punjab, the Chief Minister Badal Minority, the latter were given concessions by way of
had mooted a proposal whereby the skilled unemployed workers Reservation in education, employment etc. Similarly, the
depressed classes were given reservation for ten years in order Instead of living within means they take extreme steps. Jat young
to uplift them. They were really benefitted. Many of them boys take to narcotics because they are unemployed. Since the
thereafter reached heights in civil services. But unfortunately, superiority complex of being sons of land owners they are not
those derived benefits and became very well of did not shun the prepared to do any menial jobs. There are a plenty of scope for
Reservation tag. Thus they did not give space to their own skilled self employment jobs like, plumbers, masons, drivers,
brotherhood to come up. Rather they keep on deriving benefits machine men, carpenters, tailors et al. After mechination of
for their children in education and other ways. It now seventy farming these jat boys have become jobless. The labour from
years since the Reservation was promulgated initially for ten Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh has taken over the farming jobs. The
years but it still continuous as it began. There is lot of hue and jat boys were not willing to do work on their own farms. It is
cry from other communities against their continuation and the said that farming has become loss incurring profession. But what
suggestions are put forth that the Reservation should base on about those farmers who take farming on contract to add to their
economic conditions. A poor Brahmin be brought in to deserve own farms. I have talked to the later category of farmers. They
say, farming is not loss incurring, for them who do it keeping
benefits of Reservation than a Harijan who is comparatively
the economical angle to the fore. We pay the contract money
well of.
extra and still earn income. Yes, farming is loss making for those
The rage of Reservation has caught up so much that Jats–a
who got it done by the labour and become oblivious what the
land owner community in Haryana waged a strong struggle for
labour does and what not. There is another angle to the farming.
reservation i.e. for concessions in education, services etal. There
The land holding are becoming small. With the division in family
was a street fighting struggle and the Jats damaged valuable
and small holding is hardly economical. But there is a way out.
property by burning them. The police and administration was a There is lot of scope for cooperative farming. Change in farming
helpless lot. The suspicion was that the police force did not act crops like fruit growing, green fodder which brings ready cash
as there were mostly Jat boys in the force. A jat land owner daily, Dairy farming. The farming in such a profession which is
cannot by any measure be rated as a poor. One acre of land always under stress. The weather at times creates havoc. The
fetches atleast two crore as price if he decides to sell it. The excessive rains do the damage. The drought does the killing of
reservation has to be on economic conditions. Jats are a dominant crops. Although ninety percent area is under irrigation tubewells,
community both in Haryana and Punjab and Western Uttar canal water etc. but still the rains have its own impact on farming.
Pradesh. This is another matter that the farming as a profession The politicians of every hue make wild unrealistic promises
has become a loss giving profession. This aspect is also being like farming will be so developed that the farmers get 50% profit
questioned by agro-economists. In Punjab the Jats are used to after calculating costs of inputs. They talk of Swami Nathan
be living beyond their means. At small social functions they Committee recommendations to be enforced. But these all are
spend thousands of rupees. For this they borrow money from hollow promises and simply a clever device to garner votes in
commission agents–Arhtyas with whom they sell their elections.
agriculture produce every season. Arhtyas charge exhorbitant To recall the issue of Reservation for Jats, as such deserve
rate of interest for which the Jat is oblivious. Ultimately he has consideration looking to their poor earning professionally. But
to sell his land and joins the labour force in labour chowk. This then there are already Reserve categories. How it will be
is the reason that they take the last resort to commit suicide. adjusted?
Detracting from Reservation issue, I have come across an status. The Sachar Committee for instance brought to the fore
article by Faizan Mustafa, Vice Chancellor, NALSAR, non-dominant position of Muslims yet the Allahabad High Court
University of Law, Hyderabad. The article will be befitting the in 2006 held that Muslims are not a minority in Uttar Pradesh.
‘Minoritism syndrom’ cas the title of my book is. I would like Indeed Minorities are groups that possesses distinct and
to quate verbitm since it has come into public domain. Yet I stable, ethnic, religious and linguistic characteristics. The crucial
would feel grateful to its author and also the Daily Tribune which point is that (i) these characteristics, differ from the rest of the
published it with my sincere apology. population and (ii) that these groups wish to preserve their
The BJP believes in justice for all, appeasement of none distinctive identity. The definition of a Minority is thus relational
and therefore opposes Minority rights. It still criticises the former to the Majority in terms of numbers of domination or the lack of
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh insaying that the Minorities domination of possessing distinctive characteristics and terms
have the first claim to national resources without realising that of its desire to preserve these characteristics even if they conflict
Hindus are too are entitled to Minority rights. Now Ashwani with the sensibilities of the Majority.
Kumar Upadhya has gone to the Supreme Court seeking The Supreme Court has consistently maintained that
declaration of Hindus as Minority in more than half a dozen minorities are to be defined on the basis of numerical inferiority
states. Hindus too are religious minority in non-Hindu majority only and it is the state in relation to which minority status is to
states. But what Bhartya Janta Party does not understand is that be determined. There has been no deviation from the above
Hindus can also be a linguistic minority in other states i.e. Tamil principle laid in the Kerala Education Bill Case (1957). The
Hindus are entitled to the rights of minorities in all states other eleven judge Bench of the apex court in the TMA Pai Foundation
than Tamil Nadu. (2002) case again explicitly held that in the absence of special
The expression minorities has been employed only at four definition of ‘minorities’ any community, religious, or linguistic
places in the constitution. The head note of Article 29 uses it. which is numerically less than 50 percent of the population of
Then Minorities or Majorities have been employed in Article that state is entitled to recognition as minority. So in the states
30 and clause (1) and (2) of Article 30. Interestingly no definition of Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalya, Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu
of the term minority is given in the constitution. & Kashmir and Punjab. Hindus on the basis of numerical
A minority is a group that is numerically smaller than the inferiority test are entitled to religious minority status. In fact in
majority in the society. This definition is, however not enough. N. Ammad (1998) the apexcourt had held that minority status is
Since the criterion of numbers though essential but is not a a matter of fact and does not need state recognition or declaration.
sufficient for any definition of a minority we need to go further. Thus the petition is unnecessary. On November 10, the bench
The second component of the definition is that the group headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi dismissed the PIL seeking
concerned must be non-dominant in the given society. A group minority status for Hindus in eight states including Punjab and
can be conceptualised as a minority when its values and world J&K and asked the petitioner to approach the National
views are either not reflected at all or insufficiently reflected Commission for Minorities.
both in the public sphere or constitution of societal norms. Both The Supreme Court in the DAV College Case (1971) held
these factors reinforce each other. Thus marginalisation and the Hindus as minority in the state of Punjab & Haryana did
exclusion are most important yard sticks to define Minority hold that Sikhs are not a Minority in Punjab. When Jains who
were already having the Minority status in a number of states all perceptions have to be listed on disernable facts. What then
such as U.P., Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, M.P. and Chhatisgarh is the factual reality of Indian social landscape ? Anthropological
and about whom the National Minority Commission had made survey of India indicates that our land has 4635 communities
positive recommendation for the conferment of minority status diverse in biological traits, dress, languages, form of worship,
wanted such a status from the Central Govt., the Supreme Court occupation, food habits and kinship patterns. The Linguistic
became highly regressive in the Bal Patel Case (2005) and made Survey of India indicates that apart from 22 languages in the
certain observations which were nothing short of rewriting Etth Schedule of Constitution there are 1100 other dialects in
Minority jusirprudence. The three Judge Bence observed, “it the country.
was not in contemplation of the frames of the constitution to As a result, the identity of India is plural and diverse, a
add to the lest of religious minorities–ideal of a democratic consequence of coming together of people with such social and
society, which has adopted right of equality as its fundamental cultural traits. It is the plurality that contributes Indian identity
creed, should be elimination of majority and minority and so expressed in the constitution through the principles of democracy
called forward and backward classes.” The court directed the and secularism. It is not a melting pot because each ingredient
Minority Commission to eliminate minorities. In fact when Jains retains its identity. It is perhaps a salad bowl of Jawahar Lal
protested their inclusion in definition of ‘Hindu’ in article 25 on Nehru and it is parlimpest on which the imprint of succeeding
January 31, 1950 Pt. Nehru had classified in writing that Jains generations has unrecognizably merged.
are distinct religious minority. For the same reason the Indian culture is not to be conceived
The constitution no where says that the minorities should as a static phenomenon tracing its identity to a single unchanging
assimilate with the majority. Appeasement of minorities was a source, instead it is dynamic and interogates critically and
motivated propaganda of rightist forces. All communities creativity all that is now.
including Hindus are fully entitled to rights both as religious as This then is the reality, can we homogenise it ? Can we
well as linguistic minorities. The constitution does not believe initiate a process of assimilation ? In a democratic polity, how
in the “melting pot” theory but for a salad bowl concept where is any ingredient to be subsumed in another ? Can we visualise
distinctive identities of all groups are to be celebrated and an India that is non-democratic non-plural, non secular ?
preserved. Heterogeneity, not homogeneity, describes India. Why then is effort underway to subsume the diversity in a
Unity in diversity is our cherished constitutional value. Let it national identity ? Is its purpose to erase, subjugate or dominate
not be diluted. ? This diversity and replace it with an imagined uniformity based
“We thus come to critical question : What is Indian national on a version of liberty that corresponds neither to the atheist &
identity ? There would be two ways of answering the question : record of India is past nor to the rich diversity of her present.
the first would be piori or deducive, independent of experience Alternatively, our approach could be accommodative, based
or facts. on the principles of plurism and secularism with three
The second would be inducive based on facts and experience. ingredients:
The first on assumed in fatality of tradition suggests uniformity, (i) Energitic engagement with diversity and educating all
homogeneity, oneness, the second based on ground reality sections of public particularly students about the uniqueness of
identifies diversity, heterogeneity complexity. It is truism that our structure and benefits flowing from it.
(ii) Going beyond mere tolerance, seeking active
understanding across line of differences and considering
community disharmony a national threat to national security
and deal with it in the same manner as other threats. History a Site of Struggle
(iii) Having a continuous intercommunity, interfaith and
History has itself become a site for struggle it draws within
cross cultural dialogue of speaking and listening in a process
its ambit all those who register and interpret human experience
that reveals both common understanding and real differences.
particularly the writers. As citizens they cannot remain oblivious
to what happens in the polity. While remaining committed to
their chosen art, their social responsibility requires that they
use their art to guide the public and lead them out of the
poisonous haze of ignorance, superstition and unreasoned
prejudice and to ensure that our secular culture and liberal
democracy are preserved.
We live in difficult times. The hitherto accepted norms of
Indian culture are being repackaged, distorted out of shape. The
values of liberal nationalism are sought to be substituted by
liberal doctrines and practices that impact adversity in individual
freedoms guaranteed of the constitution of India. All citizens
particularly those who mould public perceptions through their
work need to respond to this challenge.
India has an agelong tradition of religious and philosophical
dissent and of bring forth multiple traditions of authenticity.
Indians take pride in being argumentative. Again and again our
writers have opened anthems of resistance, many have recalled
the words of Fiaz Ahmed Faiz is clarion call in the poem ‘Bol’
“bol ke Ab to lab Azad hain tere”.
The aforesaid narrative of the excerpts from the address
forms Vice President of India Hamid Ansari at the inauguration
of the Nitiand Saminar as Nitionalism and Culture. A dialogue
at Punjab Kala Bhavan, held on October 28, 2017. Since I feel
not competent to put the address in my own words. I have made
bold to quote Dr. Ansari’s address verbatim for which apologies
to the author. Since it has been published in the Daily Tribune it
obviously has come into public domain. Even then my sincere
apology to the Daily Tribune and to Dr. Ansari. I am of the The task is beyond this book and its author. There is a wealth of
opinion that the of Dr. Ansari should be widely circulated through brilliant reads on Islam in perhaps every language. Instead, this
all kinds media. It is opportunity the nation is being led by die one excels of busting many myths and misconceptions.
hards who cannot see beyond their nose. As Bhata begins to trace the beginnings of Islam, it becomes
Since the dawn of majority of Bhartiya Janta Party in Lok clear how a near pristine faith developed its many offshoots. It
Sabha in 2014 a hate campaign has been unleashed. The Muslims is the frailty of the leaders who followed Mohammad and the
who are a minority in India they are in the eye hate and four “rightly guided” caliphs and their desire to shun consultative
indifference rage by the Hindutav Zealots. They do not arrangements to elect the fifth caliph that brought about schism
understand what damage they are doing to the political structure today known as the Shia-Sunni divide.
which was earnestly constructed by the constitution framers. The early Muslims did not harbour any ill will towards the
Only the secular minded people perceive it. Muslims are for Jews even though the killing of 800 Jews of Banu quraza tribe
some time past in the eye of hate storm. The Hindutav Zealots has been highlighted. When put in the proper historical setting
do not try to understand the real import of Islam. In this it emerges that Jews tribe in question had betrayed a then
connection, an article published in the Daily Tribune authored struggling Mohammad, not once but three times. A large part of
by Sandeep Dikshit is worth quoting. I could pick up the excerpts Mohammad is struggle, to establish Islam in fact, was studied
of the article then its import would have been marred. My sincere by several instances where he foreswore bloodshed or vengeance.
apology to Dikshit ji and the Daily Tribune. The article is being The story about the beginning of Islam unfolds with its many
quoted verbatim in toto. “It is risky to expound on Islam at a coloured views. It is exciting and exhausting. Each turn of events
time when the ruling arrangement is consciously engaged in contain a lesson. Many incidents can only be understood in their
politically marginalising the Muslim Community. Sanjay Bhatia specific geographical and historical perspective, set almost 700
after a lukewarm turns at poetry and fiction writing is not just years ago in a society that was primitive and unlettered. It was
made of sterner stuff but seems to have imbibed Islam well. this savage society that Mohammad set out to reform with great
Only a person who takes a deep draught of any philosophy from success. This successful retelling of those events will be useful
Maxism to Zoroastrian–can feel confident of appreciating its for any one wanting to set out in the world with an unjaundiced
original message. And only a person convinced about the view of its followers adherents of Islam from the actual
message from that philosophy ventures to explore its larger chronology of Mohammad’s many marriages and why it was
implications and limitations. Bhatia attempts both which so, or why did the poor in most parts of the world gravitate to
explains his clarity about Islam and the need for its adherents to Islam, just as they had turned to Christianity some 600 years
follow its holy book, the Koran. earlier.
Indians are no strangers to different strands of religion that The retelling of the Koran should have formally ended with
have made the region their home and adapted to its customs and the passing away of Mohammad and his four slightly guided
traditions. They also know there is no monolithic religion despite Calips. But the book soldiers on to cast an eye on Islam after
near continuous attempts by Zealets of various faiths to mould Mohammad especially the rapid spread of the religion, some of
the rest in the line with their personal vision of a particular it stained by the blood of capitulated on the swords; the
religion. A philosophy takes a generation of scholarship to grasp. aggregation brought on not because of the Book but driven by
an equal mix of avarice and zealatory of the rulers. hardly produces even a drop of oil. The attempts are on to explore
Stereotypes fall by the wayside, such as the one on Burkha. oil in the ocean. The China also has spread its tentacles to claim
It was not an original injunction but the later work of the same oil in the same area. Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries which
“suspicious male mind that invented chastly belt (in Christianity) is among the top few industrialists in the world are trying to
or the one that Islam has always treated the women badly. Not explore oil in the sea. Some success has been achieved which is
so (i) Mehar or dowry to the bride stemmed female infanticide very bright sign for India to fulfill its fuel requirements.
(ii) In heritance rights to women; (iii) Allowing them easy Coming back to Muslim community who are a minority in
divorce and (iv) sweeping rights to widows. What about the Mynamar (Burma) are being discriminated and are being ousted
men who are allowed to marry four times ? Mohammad may from their own land where they have been living since ages.
have made this provision considering the fact that he had already This all is hate on the basis of ethnicity. US President has recently
the male elders by his revolutionary freedom to women. Also taken serious note of this discrimination. Trump has said, putting
most of the multiple marriages in Mohammads inner circle were pressure on Mayanmar, declared as “ethnic cleansing”. The
to provide social support to widows of heroes who had fallen in violence against Rohingyas Muslims in the country and warned
battle. This upper limit also put an end to footloose kind of that the Trump administration could impose new penalties on
polygamy. it. More than 6,00,000 Rohingyas from Mayanmar’s Rakhina
As with the treatment of women or dealings with non- state have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh. US law makers and
Muslims, distortions took place in countries ruled by human rights advocates had called for Secretary of States Rex
authoritarian, not because of any infirmities in the philosophy Tillersan to act on the recommendation of the state department
but because the rulers adopted shortcuts to stay in power by and declare the situation ethnic cleansing. Tillerson has said the
misinterpreting and misguiding the religion’s original intentions. Trump administration would pursue accountability through US
This narrative should be a stepping stone in correcting many law. Relating to Rohingya Muslim Community, earlier,
of the popular distortions about Islam. It is most opportune time Washington top diplomat had also said that he would not yet
when the ban on Tripple Talak bill is contemplated to be passed push for sanctions against Myanmar over The Rohingya refugees
in Parliament by the Bhartiya Janta Party led Govt. It was earlier crisis, but he called for an independent investigation into
before the open court of the country. Though the bill if passed ‘credible’ reports that soldiers committed atrocities against the
will be a land mark one as a relief to the Muslim women. But Muslim Minority. Secretary of States Tillerson was speaking
the Mullahas are upset that the ruling party is interfering in their after a one day stop in Neapolitan, as global outrage builds over
religion. They say the BJP’s clandstine aim is to garner Muslim impurity for a military accused of waging an ethnic cleansing
Women’s Votes. campaign against the Rohingya.
As stated earlier the Muslims are in the eye of storm at least Speaking by his side Myanmar’s defacto civilian leader Aung
in South East Asia. Though Muslims population in the worldover San Suu Kyi hit back at global criticism that she has been silent
are next to Christians who are in majority in the world. More so over the refugee crisis, saying she has instead focussed on speech
economically Muslim countries are the occupants of oil wells that avoids inflamming sectarian tensions.
in plenty. The countries like India are dependent upon these More than 6,00,000 Rohingya have fled the mainly Budhist
Muslim countries for their fuel requirements. Ironically, India country since the Military launched a counter insurgency in
Rakhinestate in August (2017). While the army insists it has in Palestine”. What was to happen, though, was exactly the
only targeted Rohingya rebels, refugees massing in grim opposite with Palestinians effectively rendered stateless in their
Bangladesh Camps describe chilling and consistent accounts own homeland and Jews becoming an occupying power.
wide spread murder, rape and arson at the hands of Security A folklore has grown around the dramatic manner in which
forces and Budhist mobs. Speaking after meetings with the army the declaration was announced. The story goes that on October
chief and Sui Kyi, Tillerson said broad economic sanctions are 31, 1917 Sir Mark Sykes, MP and the British Govt.’s Middle
“not something that I think would be advisable at this time.” East Advisor (of the notorious Sykes Picot pact fame) “bounded
“We want to see Myanmar succeed”, he told reporters. You out” of the Cabinet Office and told Zionist leader Charm
cannot just impose sanctions and say therefore the crisis is over.” Weizman (later to become Israel’s first President) excitedly “it
But he said the Washington was deeply concerned by credible is a boy” Zionists had won, but it was not until 1948 that their
reports of widespread athocities committed by Myanmars dreams became a reality and not before a period of uncertainty
security forces and vigilantes and urged Myanmar to accept an that nearly decided it.
independent investigation into those allegations after which There is popular black and white narrative suggesting an
individual sanctions could be appropriate. unequivocal British support for a Zionist State in Palestine. The
Both the army and Suu Kyi administration have dismissed declaration according to this narrative was a conspiracy against
reports of atrocities and refused to grant entry to UN investigators the people of Palestine. The reality however is more complex.
charged with probing allegations of ethnic cleansing. For example it is widely known that despite the declaration
Relating to the aforesaid narrative on Minorities syndrome, Palestine was not the first choice for a Jewish homeland.
the article carried the Daily Tribune in its issue of 15 November, Territories in Cyprus, Egypt and Uganda were offered to Jews.
2017 which I quote verbatim as excerpters picked may not fully And Theodor Herzl one of the fathers of political Zionism, even
justify the imports of the article and its author may not approve accepted Uganda, but he died before an agreement could be
of it. My apology to Hasan Suroor who has expertise in dealing reached among the squabbling Zionist lobby. His successor
with the Minorities. My salute to him. The article reads the Weizmann was fixated on Palestine. He is said to have retorted
heading being “Bad four’s bulky boy”. UK owes apology for that Moses would have smashed his tables if he had been offered
not honouring promise to Palestianism. The centaury of the Uganda, according to Jewish historian Simon Sebag Monte fore,
Balfour Declaration that paved the way for the creation of Israel one of whose ancestors, Claude Montefore was a leading Zionist
has come and gone but hardly noticed in India despite its historic figure in British Jewry.
interest in the Palestinian cause. Elsewhere in the world, however Would you exchange London for Paris ? he asked Balfour.
it has revived the debate on the moral and political aspects of a But we have London, “Balfour said. To which Weizmann replied.
move whose legacy has been one of the world’s most intractable We had Jerusalem when London was a Marsh.”
conflicts. The declaration named after the then British Foreign Weizmann’s persistence and the help he received from his
Secretary Arthur Balfour who cooked it up, was all of 67 words influential friends, including CP Scott, the famously liberal editor
endorsing the idea of a Jewish homeland in Palestine. A key of Manchestor Guardian, apart ultimately, it was Britain’s
condition was that “nothing will be done which may prejudice geopolitical considerations that influenced its decision to settle
the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities for Palestine, claims that Britain acted out of some predisposed
antic. Palestinian bias ignore the political complexities of the get America and Russia its war aims. Balfour believed that a
time. Another fallacly is that Zionism had overwhelming British show of support for Zionism could be extremely useful
support. The fact is that Jews themselves were deeply divided propaganda against Germany both in Russia and America
as was the British Government with Edwin Montague Secretary according to an account in the Times. Typically, Britain was
of State for India and only Jew in the Lloyd George cabinet opportunistic.
forcely opposed to it. In an official letter, he opposed to it. In an So when debating the tragic consequences of Balfour the
official letter, he warned that giving in Zionists would prove a historical perspective should not be lost sight of which is that
rallying ground for anti-semities in every country in the world.” contrary to the popular narrative, the declaration plus the series
More significantly, the opposition came from Britain’s most of related events leading upto the birth of Israel had little to do
representative Jewish body, the Board of Deputies and the Anglo- with British or generally western love for Zionism. At least not
Jewish Association. “They cautioned that creating a special until the Holocaust after which no doubt, there was a scramble
Jewish homeland after displacing native Palestinians would be done for it. Until then it was more about self serving national
a calamity.” interests. In a scenario, where a war weary Britain was not
“The establishment of a Jewish nationality in Palestine looking for quick fixes, the story of Zionism might have been
founded in this theory of homelessness must have the effect of very different.
stamping the Jews as strangers in their native lands” The Times Typically, the British stance kept changing as its geopolitical
newspaper. They were particularly opposed to giving special priorities changed. Thus after integrating the creation of a Jewish
rights to Jewish settlers in Palestine. The proposal to invest the homeland in Palestine when such a stance suited its political
Jewish settlers in Palestine certain special rights in excess of calculations, London became opposed to the idea–it feared the
those enjoyed by the rest of population... would prove a veritable move could hurt relations with Arab world and Jeopardise its
calamity for the whole Jewish people.” Historical accounts interests in the region. American however manage to push it
suggest that the events surrounding the declaration and the through the UN, triggering a deadly regional conflict which
circumstances leading to the actual creation of Israel were not shows no sign of abating in foreseeable future. Meanwhile
so much a result of pro-Zionist and anti Palestine conspiracy as Balfour’s ‘boy’ had grown into an international bully using the
a combination of sympathy for Zionism at the top of the British bogey of antisanitism insolence any criticism of its behaviour
government pressure from a financially and politically influential while its friends wring their hands in faux helplessness. Thurs
Zionist lobby of bankers, politicians, newspaper proprietor; even May had admitted a century on “Balfour unfinished business as
a desire in some quarters to get rid of the Jews and most crucially his fundamental vision of peaceful coexistence has not yet been
Britain war time geopolitical calculations. fulfilled”. What she did not do was acknowledge Britain’s own
As Monteflore writes timing was “everything”. Britain was role in all this especially its contemptuous disregard for the
exhausted by the world war; America had just joined the Allies; solemn pledge it made Palestinians to protect their rights. And
Russia was scarcely holding on. America and Russia had the for that alone it owe them an apology.
two largest populations in the world and the British Cabinet At times it seems the whole world is in turmoil. In each an
was convinced that the Jews possessed almost mystical every country, there is one or the other crisis on political grounds.
influence.” Britain reckoned that by appeasing Jews it could Take the case of Myanmar, the ousting of Rohingyas from their
from their abode where they had settled since years. The crisis Originally, the meeting was planned for Wednesday, after
has been taken notice of the Vatican clergey. Pope Francis opened Francis was to have met with the countrys Civilian leader, Nobel
a diplomatically fraught trip to Myanmar and Bangla Desh. It Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in the capital. The Vatican
really reminds of what Mahatma Gandhi did when the Bengal didn’t say why it was moved up.
was under fire by partition embers. The Mahatma was dousing In this context, hate campaign against Muslims, the President
the fire and advising people for peace and do not be led by of USA Donald Trump retreated anti Muslim videos, which has
communal frenzy. Pope Francis is diving into the crisis over incidentally drawn a flak from UK. The world has been watching
Myanmars crack down on Rohingyas Muslims. He met with the public behaviour of Trump holding such a high office which
the countrys military chief even, before beginning the official alerts the political circles the world over. Trump at times do not
programme of his trip. come out with static statements. If today he has gone against
The Vatican didn’t provide details of the contents of Francis’s Muslims tomorrow he would say something reversing his own
15 minutes courtesy with General min Habig and three officials statement. It is effervasive like bubbles of gas. Compared to
from bureau of special operations. Trump Jayda Farnsen deputy leader of Britain First, Marches in
It took place at the residence of the archbishop of Yangon. London. Britain first was founded in 2011 by leader Paul gelding
Cardinal Charles Bo who has resisted international with a membership of three individuals. In short, But in criticised
condemnation of the Military’s operations against Rohingya US President recently after he retreated anti Islam videos
ethnic cleansing. originally posted by a leader of the Far sight Fringe party who
The general is incharge of security in Rakhine state where was convicted earlier this month of abusing a Muslim woman.
the Militarys clearance operations against the Muslim Minority Jayda Fransen the deputy leader of anti immigration Britain
have sent more than 620000 Rohingya fleeing into neighbouring first group, posted the videos which she said showed a group of
Bangla Desh. Refugees there have told of entire villages being people who were Muslims beating a teenage boy to death
burned and women and girls being raped. battering the boy on cretches and descrating a Christian statue.
Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said only that “They spoke Trump’s decision to retreat the video prompted criticism
of the great responsibility of the authorities of the country in from both sides of Atlanta, with some British lawmakers
this moment of transition.” demanding as apology and US Muslim groups saying it was
General Hlaigs office said in a statement on Facebook that incendiary and reckless.
he is willing to have “interfaith peace unity and justice”. The “It was wrong for the President to have done this. Spokesman
general added that there was no religious or ethnic persecution for British Prime Minister Theresa May said Britain first seeks
or discrimination in Myanmar and that the Govt. allowed to divide communities through their hateful narratives which
different faith groups to freedom of worship. Rohingya have peddle lies and stoke tensions. They cause anxiety to law abiding
faced state supported discrimination in predominantly Budhist people. One is reminded by the Britishers in India. They
country for decades. Though members of the ethnic minority clandstinoly engineered hate campaign in India when they were
first arrived generations ago. Rohingya were stripped of their ruling India before 1947 and Hindu Muslim hatred was get
citizenship in 1982, denying them almost all rights and rendering deepened by them. The result was partition of the subcontinent
them stateless. into India and Pakistan purpurtedly Muslim population migrated
from India. It is very unfortunate part of the history. It was a Obama has also advised India “India needs to cherish and nurture
horrerful of haulocaust. Mahatma Gandhi during World War its Muslim population that is integrated and considers itself
II wrote to Hitlar that if he simply forsake hate word from Indian.”
his mind the war can end there and then. But that is not that It is an idea that needs to be reinforced, the former President
easy for a war monger like Hitlar and Churchal like persons. said at a media event. Obama said, he had emphasised the need
Coming back to the text, Routers was unable to immediately for religious tolerance and right to practice one’s own faith during
verify the videos and Fransco herself said they had come various closed door talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during
online sources which had been posted on her social media pages. his last trip to India in 2015.
“I am delighted”, Fransen, who has 53000 twitter followers “There is counter narrative taking place at all times, but it is
told Routers say it showed the US President shared her aim of particularly pronounced now in Europe, US and sometime in
raising awareness of “issues such as Islam”. India where those old tribal impulses reassert themselves under
As a candidate, Trump called for a Muslim ban, and as leaders who try to push back and under leader who try to explicit
President, has issued executive orders banning entry to some them “Obama said the referred to India’s enormous Muslim
citizens of multiple countries, although courts have partially population” which is successful, integrated and thinks of itself
blocked the measures from taking effect. as Indian. That is unfortunately not always the case in some
“Look I am not talking about nature of the video”, white other countries, Obama added.
house spokeswoman Sarayh Sanders told reporters, “The threat
In this context the Rohinga Saga comes on the centre stage
is real and that is what the President is talking about is the need
time and again. India is a soft state as compared to other
for national security, the need for military spending and those
countries. In this connection Vishvajeet Choudhary of the OP
very real things, there is nothing fake about that.”
Jindal Global University, Sonepat (Haryana) has written very
Politicians in Britain condemned Trump, with Jeremy
factually on the Rohingya though not very directly but it is very
Corpym, leader of the opposition Labour Party describing his
relevant. He has said, “The Rohingya crisis has brought India at
tweets as abhorrent, dangerous and a threat to our society. US
Civil rights and Islamic organisations said the it amounted an cross roads to provide protection to those who have crossed the
incitement to violence against muslims. border to enter India or deny them right to stay within the country
“These are actions one would expect to see on virulent anti- and deport them. The Govt. has said that it plans to deny them
Muslim hatesites not on Twitter feed of the President of the US. rights to stay within the country. Some wise person has gone to
Nihad Awad, National Executive Director of the council on the Supreme Court which has yet to give its decision. Apparently,
American Islamic Relations the largest Muslim Civil Rights it is no case for the court to delve into this. The State should
Organisation said in a statement.” effectively assert itself. This requires the country to dovetail
After Francis Pope dousing free over the Muslim Rohingya between national interests, international commitments and
community who are more than 6 lacs who have been ousted constitutional obligations. It has been said that the Rohinga pose
from Mynamar’s Rakhina state. They have been living there a threat to national security. This of course a serious matter which
since ages. Mynamar is predominately Budhist country. Taking needs to be substantiated. Interpretation of the constitution says
notice of the miserable plight of Rohingya, the former US that in some ways it divides the population into two. The first
President Barack Obama has advised the religious tolerance. category is that of citizens. Thereby virtue of being citizens are
guaranteed all the rights under the constitution, their right are otherwise it will also amount to piracy. I am well aware of this
non-degrading except under some circumstances like in type of misconduct by writers. An Editor in chief of a leading
emergency. The other category is that of inhabitants who are newspaper and a friend of mine had to put up his papers as he
non citizens. They enjoy limited rights as compared to citizens. had picked up a small para from the editorial of an other
However they have the fundamental right to life. Perhaps more newspaper. I am conscious on this score.
importantly as a country India has been welcoming. Time and Coming back to the subject, the economist in its Banyan
again we have shown that we value principles of our constitution. section says about the Padmavati. The heading of the article is
The aforesaid is all constitutional interpretation. Do we not very eye opener, “A delicate balance to keep”. East or West,
realise that welcoming Dalailama of Tibet when it was annexed Islamaphobia is being ‘peddled’ by the state. A film about
by Chinese Govt. It created lifelong political hostility with China. heroism brings out the worst in India politicians. The poem by
Significantly Dalai Lama who is the spiritual head of Lamas the 16th century poet Mohammad Jayasi is a fictional account
Tibetians has made its capital at Dharamshala. They have formed based on oral traditions and story telling about the fall of Chittor.
their Govt. in exile naming the Prime Minister, Foreign Minister The event actually occurred two centuries earlier in 1303. The
et. ct. Is it less irritating to the Chinese Govt. that India is lore of the princess dying honourably rather than fall in the hands
appeasing Dalai Lama at the cost of relations with China. of conqueror Muslim Allahudin Khilji. The modern day construct
Incidentally, in Canada and also in Germany, the Punjabi Sikh of “Love Jehad” which even the supreme court seemed unable
extremists had formed ‘Khlistan’. How the Indian govt. took it to reflect outright in the case of an adult woman Hadiya is built
very bitterly. Recently Punjab Chief Minister during his visit on the same jungian fear of a Muslim ravishing a Hindu girl.
was not allowed to speak. They gathered in Gurdwara where The BJP’s fringe has been exploiting it as a handy tool for
the Chief Minister went. The Punjabi extremists created trouble. communal polarisation. The same willingness to explore facts
So in the context of Rohingya, India should take assertive and separate them from prejudice fed make believe was again
steps to deny their entry into our country. Already Bangla on display when PM Narinder Modi likened Rahul Gandhi’s
Sharnarthis are entering the our border from Assam side. likely elevation as Congress President, Albert by a friendly poll,
Incidently, Dalai Lama though, spiritual head of Tibeteans does to Aurangzeb succeeding Shahjahan as Mughal Emperor. The
not behave like that. He takes the tour of eastern areas, bordering historical allusion could not be more erroneous and betrayed a
China which further escalates hostile relations with China. The lack of understanding of the criticality of that accession done
Indian Govt. should tell strongly to Dalai lama that he should by military force and on battlefield to the future of sub continent.
confine to his temporary abode at Dharmshala otherwise they The loser was Prince Dara Sakoh, heir apparent and elder brother
have to be deported to Tibet their original state. of Aurangzeb and a believer in the gentler Sufi influenced Islam.
In this context, the article of K.C. Singh a renowned In fact after his arrest he was sentenced to death for apostasy.
columnist has in the daily Tribune of 7, December 2017. With Aurangzeb as resurrected a conservative and less tolerant Islam.
apology to K.C. Singh ji and the Tribune where from the article It is not a coincidence that former President of USA Barack
has been taken in toto. Since it will not be doing justice to the Obama not only chose to talk of religious tolerance in his 2015
subject minorities syndrome the theme of this book which is in Sufi Fort address being his last public appearance before
hand to be written to quote the article in piecemeal and the departure but recalled now during his post-retirement India visit
having their raised it in conversation with PM Modi. During his and Israel. A threat to shift the US Embassy to Jeruslem is being
first state visit to India in 2010, he and Michelle Obama toured used to bring all factions of the Palestinians to the table and
Hamayun’s tomb when told the story of Aurangzeb is accession retain support of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt etc. A final proposal
and the clash between brothers on the interpretative of Islam is expected around spring 2018. But that is contingent on multiple
and that the headless body of Dara Sikoh actually lay in a tomb diplomatic balls now in the air. Trump is simultaneously trying
in the same complex. Obama immediately wished to visit it. to roll back the influence and presence of Iran in Syria and
The secret service disallowed it as it had not been security vetted. Yemen. The Qatari embroglio is still without a solution. In
Both Obama and his wife stood and bowed their heads in the Afghanistan despite threats to Pakistan, so far there is no
direction of Dara’s tomb thus acknowledging that the values evidence of Pakistanis having come on board to push the Taliban
Dara stood and died for were the one US troops are still defending towards the negotiating table and defang Haqqanis. In any case
in Afghanistan and the wider Islamic world, it infact is the the Taliban will grativate towards Iran and Russia as it already
dilemma the entire Islamic world confronts today. is if Pakistanis try to armtwist them.
To thus use Aurangzeb’s accession as a political metaphor The path to deradicalisng Wahabis Islam is a difficult one.
for a automatic elevation of Rahul Gandhis betrays ignorance Bigotry certainly is unlikely to help despite Saudis turning a
of history but still cannot match with President Trump causing new leaf. The BJP must not alterate between bigotry during
an international incident by retweeting three tweets which had elections (as the economist he means about India; with an other
false anti Islamic Vedios attached of an extreme right wing group election always around the corner) and disruptive economic
called Britain First. Its leader Paul golding was expelled from change and cultural chauvinism at other times. That makes for
Britain National Party itself a marginal force which got just one poor governance and breaches the letter and spirit of our
percent votes in three out of 650 Parliamentary seats in the UK. constitution. Similarly, Trump mindlessly pandering to his base
When the British PM’s staff berated trump for the unthinking exploiting their prejudices and taking potshots at world leaders
peddling of communal trash he responded, “Theresa, do not focus detracts from the prestige of US Presidency.
on me, focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism.”
Meanwhile Saudi Prince Mohammad bin Salman is trying
to degrade his own cleric order which has exported the most
intolerant version of Islam called Wahabism since 1979 and
allowed it to become the national force to international Islam.
German Chancellor Angela Markel faces political logjam unable
to put together a coalition. Her current dilemma is traceable to
her brave step in allowing over a million refugees fleeing the
crisis in Syria. Public opinion in the west has turned against
asylum for refugees as there may be, their minds passioned by
bigotry.
President Trump has put his son in law Jard Kishner to forge
a peace agreement for settling the dispute between Palestine
protesters held an anti US march. The key separatist, Syed Ali
Jeelani, Yasin Malik and Mirwaiza Umar Frooq. They had issued
front call for protests against the US decision to shift their
Who represents public opinion embassy. The Jeruslem represented the religious emotions and
aspirations of about a billion Muslims living across the globe.
The great American President Theodore Roosevelt once said,
Donald Trump has been showing actually his imprudent politics
I do not represent public opinion. I represent the public. There
and enmity against Muslims. It is horrible the Muslims will not
is a wide difference between the two, between the real interest
tolerate it.
of the public, and the public’s opinion of these interests. I must
Come home, the Hindutav brigade has been digging its feet
represent not the excited opinion of the West, but the real interests
no less than the Taliban or the bigoted Muslims are doing. In
of the whole people. There could not be better advice to those
this context the article by Nayantara Sehgal a renowned novelist
leading the oldest interests and the most powerful democracy
and a highly respected for her erudite writings at times. The
i.e. the US and the biggest and the most diverse democracy i.e.
Daily Tribune dated 13 December has published it with aplomb.
India.
With apology to the writer and also to the Daily Tribune. Very
The tribal mentality has been exuberantly hovering the
relevant excerpts have been picked up for my book “minoritsm
world. A the cost of repetition, the Muslims all over, are in the
syndrome”. India is a sovereign secular socialist state. The
eye of storm. This is something which is quite unintelligible.
secularist character has seeped deep in our polity. Alas, what
Population wise Muslims are the 2nd race only next to Christians
the Bhartya Janta Party led by its mentor Rashtrya Sewak Sangh
who are dominating say 2.2 billion and the Muslims are 1.6
had been nagging the Hinduism to make it Hindutav.
billion. The Hindus are not even 1 billion. The other communities
Nayantara writes, “it is now a country in which being
are not come in the count. Why there is so much hate against
different-in belief or lifestyle-is punishable, and one in which
Muslims ? Are they unadjustable with other races, that they are
Muslim means enemy. Obviously Sehgal has pointed out
practicing orthodoxy and plagued with bigotry. In Arab countries,
daringly. The word is out that Muslim members must be reduced
the Saudi Arabia has opened up, its Prince has allowed its women
and ominous impact of this statement is visible on the streets.
to drive cars and shed scarfs more so in black. Saudi Arabia is
We have seen defenceless Indians of the Muslim faith beaten
considered the torch bearer of Islam but see the recent
and lynched in public view. But blood sport is not confined to
happenings. President, Donald Trump has announced to shift
Muslims. Well known Hindu writers have been killed by gun by
its embassy and in Israel from Tele Avev to Jerusalem. Jerusalem
vigilante and their murderers have been left free to kill again.
is an ancient city and home to one of the holiest mosques in
We have heard important supportors of the ruling party publicly
Islam. It created tremours even in Kashmir. Despite restrictions
sanction the murder or mutilation of any one who disagrees with
in the volatile pockets, protests were held against the decision
its mindrot or criticises its leader. The past three years of BJP
by US to announce Jeruslem as the capital of Israel. The protests
rule have stamped this new look on a civilisation that since
in Kashmir were held in the commercial nerve centre in Lal
ancient times has been defined by its historic openness to
Chowk where members of the protested separatists group Jammu
differences of religion and opinion.
Kashmir Liberation Front protested. In Budgam hundreds of
Hatered of the others has now been carried to its ridiculous
extremes cutting centuries of India’s medieval History out of of Indian Muslims and the popular narrative that they are
textbooks in BJP ruled states because Muslim rule is intolerable different from their peers elsewhere. Just days ago he states,
insult to Hindutava pride. Jawahar Lal Nehru’s name and one of his friends chided him for lumping Indian Muslims from
contribution has similarly been obliterated from our modern other Muslims, he claims.
history. In this because he and his distinguished colleagues laid/ look how sensibly they have death threats from Sangh Privar.
down for independent India has been a resounding success- They have remained calm and refused to be provoked. Is’nt their
acclaimed as a great achievement across the world and for in proof of moderation ? Let it be understand there is renaissance
remains the main obstacle in Hindutavs project of establishing in Islam it would be led by Indian if there is renaissance in Islam
a Hindu Rashtra. Mahatma Gandhi, disposed of by a Hindutav it would be led by Indian Muslims, he claimed.
fanatics bullets in 1948 has now been resulted on roadside True Muslims have mostly not risen to the RSShate and
hoardings and newspapers advertisements alongwith Narinder refrained from reacting emotionally. They have resigned to their
Modi as though they subscribed to the same political, social defacto second class and gone into a shell hoping against hope
for acche din compared to the daily humiliation they have been
and human values. The men who admire Nathuram Godse did
subjected to since year 2014. But this pragmatic approach is
not realise that killing Gandhi would not be the end of him and
driven by nothing more than a combination of fear, sense of
that the dead Gandhi would live on the hearts and minds in the
helplessness and simple survival instinct. To read some profound
Indian people. They have therefore come to terms with the
meaning into it and present it as a sign of Muslim moderation is
political necessity-of keeping Gandhi in the public eye along
to make a virtue of necessity. What they are doing is what non-
themselves until they think. They can do without him. “So much
Muslims minorities in Muslim countries have always done to
was the paragraph picked from Nayan Tara Sehgals article. It stay safe. Which is to keep a low profile, acknowledge their
was a very relevant commentry on the present political situation Minority (read inferior) status and the humilation it brings and
in the country. Ironically, the heading of the article is in “New carry on quietly focussing on education jobs and other bread
India” no place for others. and butter issues.
My issue with Muslim is that they have come to this sensible
70-71 Missing stage 70 years too late. They should have got a measure of their
vulnterability right after Independence and chosen a more
As Nayan Tara Sehgal has commented upon the die hard pragmatic course rather than the path they took under a short-
Hindutav being blindly practiced vis-a-vis the plight of Muslims sighted leadership. It was breath-taking to assume after all that
in India, as mentioned in the foregoing narrative, similarly had happened-Partition etal-it was going to remain business as
another prominent writer has explained. He is Hasan Suroor a usual. Personal assurances and constitutional guarantees are one
London based commentator. He writes frequently on Muslims thing and the hard political realities are quite another as they
in India. This time He has referred to the book by Ali A. Rizvi have since discovered. Yet they fell for a constitutional fairy
who is US based Pakistani writer has just published. “The Athiest tale in which they would not have a place on high table but also
Muslim; A journey from Religion to Reason an extremely be entitled to extra helping as a Minority group.
dispiriting account of what he calls the “insular and dogmatic” The Muslim leadership opted for a strategy that was bound
which he says led him to lose his own faith. Reading it, I thought at some stage to produce a Hindu back lash. That it did not
happen earlier was because for a long time there was solid liberal about their special status. It was a fantasy.
Hindu core but it got eroded over the years–not least because As for Indian Muslims capacity to lead on Islamic
many liberal Hindus lost patience with a community that seemed renaissance, there is no doubt that they are among the world’s
to have a chip on its shoulder about its minority status. As far most moderate Muslims but they are also the least educated and
back as the 1980s the ill-judged Muslim campaign over the Shah most economically backward. All of which makes them
Bano case prompted Justice Krishan Iyer (the ultimate liberal extremely vulnerable to external radical influences. So far they
Hindu) to warn Muslim fundamentalists that their tactics risked have been able to resist them because of their grounding in a
waking up the sleeping “Hindu giant” has woken up and with a liberal and culturally diverse ethos. But when that ethos is sought
vengeance. to be banished in the name of “Hindu pride” and Muslims find
This is not to say that in a contra-factual scenario the giant themselves excluded from the mainstream discourse and
would not have woken up one day. After all there are far right disenfranchised as part of a “Hindu India” project, it will make
Hindu nationalist forces which define themselves through their them more vulnerable to radicalisation.
hostility towards Muslims and whose very raison d’etre depends While the future of 180 million Indian Muslims, is surely a
upon mobilising Hindus against a common ‘enemy’ to capture matter of deep concern, the bigger question is; where is India
power. What Muslims did was to make their task easier and in headed with an agenda that is set to reduce the idea of Hinduism
effect play into their hands by constantly harping issues around to Ali Rizvi’s description of Islam–and India to a replica of
Muslims religious and cultural identity. And invoking faith Pakistan and Afganistan ?
related sensitivities to demand mostly bogus concessions. To 2017 was marked by a global ideological struggle between
compound things, the Congress party chasing Muslim votes, nationalists and internationalists. Historian Irfan Habib, who
colluded with the worst of regressive community leaders to serve has authored a voluminous work, “Indian nationalism”. Irfan
their self serving agenda. It was like throwing red meat to hungry Habib has spoken to Manimughda S. Sharma about his stand on
wolves. And the metaphorical wolves (the RSS and mates) seized the debate. It is in question answer form. The dialogues is so
it to step up their propaganda about Muslim “appeasement” and befitting to the theme of this book that it was thought to carry it
pseudo-secularism”. ibid for which the author of this book is immensely grateful to
So, the current “sensible” strategy is a legacy of the lessons Irfan Habib. Since it is published in Times of India and has
learnt in 1992 when Babri Masjid was demolished. Which were come into public domain I have made bold to quote Dr. Irfan’s
reinforced by what happened in Gujrat in 2002. But what really dialogue which is in question form as it is. My apology to Irfan
persuaded Muslim to accept that India had changed and they Habib and also to the publishers of Times of India the renowned
must learn to come to terms with it the election as PM of an daily. The heading is JP, Tilak didn’t believe in the excluvist
unabashed Hindu nationalist and Islamophboic in 2014 and nationalism being Thrusted on us today :
campaign of terror against Muslims he has allowed to flourish Question : Why are we talking about nationalism again, 70
creating insecurity among Muslims. They have even taken to years after independence ?
concealing their religious identity for fear of being targetted. The politics of nationalistic identity has taken over globally
The idea that the practical common sense is the result of some during the past few years; from the US, Russia, Turkey and Japan
enlightenment is as self serving as the previous assumptions to Philippines, India and elsewhere. It is a common trait of right
wing politics to use nationalism or identity as an effective tool nationalism being posted on us today. Our poet-patriot Sarojini
to polarise people. We can see that in India as well. The most Naido also reiterated that Islamic warriors tempered and cooled
dangerous thing about this on going “nationalism” debate is down their conquering swords in the Ganga and became the
understanding an idea only from an perspective. sons of the soil. The regressive nationalism visible today was
Q. You have constricted Rabindranath Tagore’s faith in there on the margins since the 1920s However it got
“people first” or “America first” slogans we’ve been hearing. mainstreamed due to several reasons including the failure of
Could you explain ? liberal democratic politics to deliver on some vital issues.
Ans. We need to see Tagore’s misgivings about aggressive Q. In the 1960s Loyality tests for Muslims were applied on
nationalism which he saw as a source of misery, destruction Muslims. K.A. Abbas called it a shameless limitation of the
and hate as a warning. His observations were based on his global worst type of Pakistanism. Do you see some continuity ?
travels in the early 20th century. Ans. Abbas was writing in the aftermath of Partition, when
Q. Muslim leaders opposed to the idea of Pakistan talked loyality tests for muslims were routine. Sadly we are into similar
about composite nationalism of Hindus and Muslims. Yet we politics now where loyality of not only of muslims but also of
barely hear anything about that. Do you think this feeds paranoia some secular liberal Indians is suspected.
about Muslims ? Q. You say that the right wing was completely absent from
Ans. We need to keep in mind that the Muslim league was nation building process but now distributing certificates of
led by feudal, professional and even Ashraf (high born) Muslims. nationalism why ?
Maulana Madani of Darul ulum Deoband and leaders like Ans. When I talk of right-wing I mean RSS and its associates
Maulana Azad spoke for Muslims who did not belong to sections which we all know through their own pronouncements were
represented by the League our paranoid nationalists should know only a sociocultural body. The politics and struggle for freedom
that a large majority of Muslims opted to stay in India as a were not in their purview. However they know that nationalism
conscious choice. Pakistan declared itself an Islamic nation is the safest refuge to polarise people particularly the majoritarian
falsely collapsing nation and religion with one and got a shook nationalism. The transformation of religion into a nationalist
in 1971 when language and culture took precedence over religion ideology comes in handy for nationalists. It has worked in
with Bangladesh’s creation. Pakistan for the Islamists and now is being attempted in India
Q. You have pointed out that both Balgangadhar Tilak and as well.
Bipin Chandrapal who were exponents of Hindu nationalism Q. You have also shared Jaya Parkash Narayn’s thoughts on
believed that Muslims were as much Indians as the majority aggressive nationalism being a danger to the world ?
Hindus. But today we mostly hear about Islamic invasions and Ans. I wanted to see JP as more than an anti emergency
people telling Muslims to go to Pakistan. How has this reductive crusader which was actually his last battle. He valourised by
idea of nationalism come back ? those in power today. But they seldom ponder on his views on
Ans. For Tilak, religious identity had no place. Bipin nationalism. JP was convinced that in the long run struggle for
Chander Pal categorically stated that a composite culture evolved freedom there emerged a clear enough concept of a single,
in India under Muslem rule and the integrity of Hindu culture composite non sectarian Indian nationhood. All those who spoke
remained. Under wrap intact this is in contrast to the exctasivest about divisive and sectarian nationalism–Hindu or Muslim–were
therefore outside the pale of this nationalism that evolved during Indians like other communities Hindus, Sikh, Jain and Budh.
the freedom struggle. At the cost of repetition it need be stressed that this type of rage
Q. Mahatma Gandhi vociferously said hatred was not would one day be cornered. the Indian Muslims to demand a
essential to nationalism. While RSS Gowalkar had made it clear demarcated area in the country. When a man corners a cat in the
that nationalism was in-complete without its enemy. Has house, she turns furious and attacks the man with sharp paws.
Golwalkar’s idea trumped Gandhis ? So the Rastriya Swam Sewak Sangh Icon Mohan Bhagwat
Ans. Gandhi’s nationalism was tinged with empathy even should give a mandate to Katiyars that they should have restraint.
for enemy like the British. He wanted Indians to distinguish The BJP is only the political wing of RSS. The Prime Ministers
between evil and evil doer.” Golwalkars idea of nationalism office is another authority which should do that. On the issue of
was embedded in exclusivity, it needed an enemy to hate and Beef eating there is already very delicate situation. It has affected
polarise. It looks like Gandhis idea of nationalism is trumped badly our exports. Almost one third of the exports we earn from
by the new nationalism. But I believe hate cannot take for very beaf exports. The cows are loitering on the roads and have
long. The thrust of Hinduism nay Hindutav is so piercing and become a road hazard. There are no grazing grounds for them
targetting muslims only. The statement of BJP Member to have feed. In U.P. there was a murder as a man was in his
Parliament Vinay Katiyar is worth quoting violation “A day after house was taken to be skinning a cow. The Hindutav vigilantes
All India, it had Muslmeen (MIM) Member Parliament asked killed the man and there was no remourse, the police also turned
the Govt. to bring a law to punish people who call an Indian their face other way. Why Muslims are being singled out. Now
Muslim” a Pakistani with a three year Jail term, BJP, M.P. Vinay it is the Hindutav crusaders who would check what we eat or
Katiyar said Muslims should leave India and go to Pakistan or does not. The whole of Maharashtra, Bombay, beef is eaten and
Bangladesh because they had supported partition. They Hindus eat it where are the Hindutav vigilants there. The question
(Muslims) got India divided what business have they being here arises which way the country is being taken. The crusade of
? Katiyar said, triggering widespread uproar. Echoing Katiyar’s development has been placed on the back burner. How long the
view, BJP is Rakesh Tripathi said, Pakistan was curved out on Modi mania would work. Just see the whole North East states
religious lines. Many Muslims show their allegiance to Pakistan are beef eaters. What will the cow vigilants do. These are not
as is visible during cricket matches. Such individuals who do the good omens of development. These are signatures of
not have faith in our constitution and its sovereignty should be retrograding and retarding. The farming has become mechanised,
sent to Pakistan. Seeking action against Katiyar, Congress the bullock carts are not at all needed–absolutely the bullocks
spokesman an M.P. remarked Katiyar does not represent the are not needed. What for the cows other than milch one are
country. But the irony is that those at the helms of affairs in the needed say Jersey breed.
high echolens of Bhartiya Janta Party do not snub such elements
as Katiyar. It should be authoritatively told persons like Katiyar
that his campaign of hate and sense of intolerance against
Muslims is not the policy of the party rather disciplinary action
be taken against Katiyars to work as a demonstrative one. By
this Muslim Community would feel solaced and would feel
independently thinking, band of people to educate the masses
general public not to give any heed to leaders like Owaise and
so BJP’s Togarias or Katiyars. India has already suffered and
Hiatus of Hindus & Muslims bled badly at the time of partition when Pakistan got a separate
country by partitioning India and our Muslim brothers migrated
Look at the hiatus between Hindus and Muslims which on
to Pakistan area and Hindus and Sikhs migrated to India from
even the drop of a hat gets widening by the day. The recent one
West Pakistan. Ironically, none of the leaders suffered from both
as smoked out by AIMIM leader and an M.P. from Hyderabad
sides. Thousands of lives were massacred on both sides.
Asaduden ? has called for the arrest of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Properties destroyed. This writer was a witness to that holocaust.
over his objectionable sermons allegedly made which wore
The present day leaders hungry for self importance and securing
reported in the media of the effect that India would bleed like
their political constituencies should be given no heed.
syria if the Babri Masjid row was not settled out of court. The
Recently, in March 2018, in Sri Lanka, Muslim Sinhala
MIM leader said that in the wake of the threatening talks he has
tensions erupted the Lankan Govt. had to declare emergency to
appealed that the Supreme Court should also take up proceedings
control the Muslim-Senhala crises for ten days after the mobs
on the Babri case only after 2019 general elections. Whether
destroyed Muslim houses and businesses in Kandy areas. The
owais would lodge a complaint against Ravi Shankar, the former
relations between the two communities they say, have always
was of the view that if law was broken it was the Govt. first to
been on short fuse. The communal situation had been simmering
file a case and arrest the person which in this case the BJP Govt.
since after a local Budhist was seriously injured in a
has not done. Owaisi, seemingly rightly said that had the same
confrontation with a youth after a car accident. The local Sinhala
statement been made by him, it would have been made to appear
and Muslim elders intervened and amicably settled the dispute.
as if he wanted to turn India into another Syria. Owais felt he
However the situation deteriorated after the Sinhales youth
would have then been facing arrest and cases would have been
succumbed to injuries. The Muslim Community closed shops
filed against him at many places. Owaise further anguishly said
and stayed at home. The Govt. of the day playing politics for
that the reality is Ravi Shankar can say whatever rubbish and
keeping Muslims on their side. Ironically, there is also an
provoke and incite people, but the Govt. and media treat him
international dimension to the anti-muslim riots in Sri Lanka.
with velvet globes. If a third person unbiasedly see through the
The Abuthgama riots brought a lot of adverse global publicity.
whole issue it would clearly too find that it is the cleavage which
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights urged the Govt.
has come up between Hindus and Muslims which obviously
to halt the violence and bring the perpetrators to book. The US
has been created by the leaders hungry for self importance for
files suit. The EU sent a delegation alongwith Norweign, Swiss
grinding their own political axe. The owasis on both sides in
and Turkish embassies to urge the Govt. to uphold the rule of
Hindus and Muslims are busy day and night on these type of
law. Nearer home in Tamil Nadu, the Tamil Nadu Thow head
mechinations. The common man Hindus and Muslims are busy
Jamnath organised a protest outside Sri Lanka Dy. High
earning their livelihood and the vested interest political leaders
Commissioners office taking the advantage of the local anti Sri
coin one or the other pretence to create the cleavage among
Lanka environment.
both the communities. There is a need of a dedicated,
In the past Sri Lanka has handled anti Muslim riots merely
as a routine law and order issue. But the Budhist backlash is a Congress men also. President of the Congress party going to
serious issue vis-a-vis the Muslims. Mandirs demonstratively and wearing the sacred thread and
One thing comes out strikingly out that why the tensions, Tilak. It appears that the politics of the day is looked through
backlashes, riotous condions arise so often where the Muslims the prism of religion. Hindus have really gone by the Muslim
are there. The issue needs a serious thought and what could be die hards whose religion is bigger and important than their own
the possible way out. In India at times the situation becomes lives.
explosive. The Hindutav bigots and Muslim die-hards come face The irony of the situation is that none of the high ups in the
to face on one or the other pretext. Why the Muslims anywhere BJP tried to correct the course of their Hindutav die hards. The
in the world do not assimmitate with the other religious vigilante brigades actually let the reign of terror let loose as
communities. There is some features or characteristics which protectors of cow’ and several states in the country has banned
are not conducive as they have to be. While religion is a personal the slaughter of cows which though has badly impacted the
matter of one’s faith. The clash comes when one claims his export portfolio of the country as the beef comprised 1/3rd of
religion is better than the others. At times the bigots raise their our exports. But the “cow” is “sacred” which sanctity has to be
place of worship adjoining the opposite. That generates the rub. maintained. In Maharashtra, North East and other states beef is
Hyderabad is one of the peaceful big cities. But the reports were the wanted dish. How and who will solve the ‘cow’ tangle which
that in the year 2011 there was a clash near Charminar when the has been dangling over heads since the issue of cow slaughter
Hindus tried to raise a Mandir alongside a Mosque. This in fact has come up and the sanctity of cow has now been come to the
is the hiatus in the minds of the two Muslims and Hindus. Hindus fore. The Prime Minister is the prima dona Narinder Modi, he
have been known to be with cosmopolitan outlook and least also has not paid any heed to the problem. Once he did try to do
prone to generate a fuss of any type. But now-a-days the Bhartya but got a snub from Nagpur.
Janta Partys bigots have started behaving like Muslim die hards. The so called vigilantic elements but he ‘Modi’ was given
The Hindu’s have taken to Hindutav as led by their RSS icon sufficient indications by RSS headquarters to keep silent on the
Mohan Bhagwat. They crusade that whoever lives in India he issue. In this connection I have selected a piece authored by the
or she is a Hindu. It is Hindu Rashtra. The RSS is oblivious of renowned columnist Gurcharan Dass. I am quoting it verbation.
the fact that there are Muslims who would defy any fiat to call Though the piece has come into public domain as published in
them Hindus. The cleavage already existing between Muslims Times of India I still offer my apologies to the author and the
Hindus and Sikhs. Thus get more widened and at times it gives publishers Times of India. No attempt has been made to make
rise to riots like at the time of Muslim festivals–Tazias where any change as it would badly impact the very nuances and import
the die hard Muslims beat their chest fanatically and another of the article.
parallel procession is brought by Hindu die hards the clashes “Narinder Modi continues to be an enigma. Here is a leader
erupt. The two do not see eye to eye. It has gone to the head of who wants to go in history as a great statesman not only in India
Hindus that Hindus in India are in whopping majority neary but also in the world. He cares deeply about how he is perceived.
82% whereas Muslims are nearly 18% and the remaining 10% What stands in the way of realising his ambition are continuing
are Sikhs, Jains, Christians, Bahas. Why Hindus only should incidents of violence and polarising rhetoric by his MP 's and
not rule this country. This stance has now been taken up by the supporters. They may not be frequent but they are very widely
reported. You would think a quick effective tweet condemning arises from the Unique nature of the evolution of Hinduism.
them would take the string out of the story. Eventually he does Ans. Historical research in recent decades has established
denounce some of the incidents but it is too little too late long that Hinduism as a religion arose only in the 19th century. There
after headlines in India and around the world has damaged his, is no unique nature in its evolution before this period in relation
his party’s and India’s reputation. The puzzle in why he does to which the identities of Jains, Lingyats and other such groups
not nip the bud by a brief statesman like statement followed by can be located. There is no consensus about its tenets, contents
a quick action by the police. He must know that remaining silent and other defining features. The ill defined character of Hinduism
or delaying response undermines his legacy. and its recent origin are both significant because in their light
Modi eventually denounces violence by Gau Rakshaks in any group within its fold can argue that it is not part of it. Recall
the strongest language calling them criminals. By the time he the claim made by the Rama Krishna Mission that its followers
broke his silence, the impression had been created that BJP were not Hindus. The claim was turned down by the Supreme
values cows more than the human beings. Hatred and hysteria Court.
spread in the name of Hindutav has created insecurity among Q. Given Hinduism’s nature, does not judgement of
Muslims and Dalits. Lacs of jobs in dairy farming and in the separateness depend largely on subjective criteria ?
meat and leather industry are at risk. Indias image abroad has Ans. Claims that are advanced in support of religious status,
been dented and BJP’s electoral chances wakened. Warm whether minority or not, are invariably based on subjective
subsequent tributes to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar have not been able to factors. They have nothing to do with the nature of Hinduism.
salvage the damage left by the Una atrocity. Modi should urge At the same time the subjective nature of the claims cannot be
Gau Rakshaks to re-read Savarkar who wrote the book on brushed aside as whimsrical, because economic and political
Hindutav. He opposed cow worship saying “if the cow is mother interests play key role in the defining and defending them.
of any body at all, it is the bullock. Not the Hindus if the Hindutav Further the claims are based on historical narratives that are not
is sustained on cows legs it will come crashing down at the entirely inaccurate. In the case of Lingayats the claim rests on
slightest sign of a crisis. the belief that in the mid 12th century, a section of the enlightened
Since the Bhartiya Janta party has come into power in the Saivas led by Basava assembled in the imperial capital of
Central Govt. it appears everything is being seen through the Kalyana where they rebelled against the Vadic Orthodoxy and
prism of Hindutav ironically not even Hinduism. It will be very caused a revolution. It is held that the revolution gave birth to a
much relevant to define what Hinduism means ? A dialogue in new faith that promoted equality by rejecting the existing
question answer form is quoted here, Verbatin as carried by prejudices based on caste, class and gender. The narrative is not
Times of India which has come into public domain. But still my historically defensible, but Basva’s rejection of Orthodox
apology and my salute to Manu V. Devadevan, a historian Brahminism and its practice of untouchability is well attested.
teaching at Mandi, in an interaction with Rohit E. David draws Q. Do you consider Lingayatism a separate religion ?
on his extensive research of the prehistory of Hinduism to Ans. The question presumes that religious groups have
contextulise the claims of some Lingayat groups. inherent qualities that justify their claims for distinct identity.
Q. Is the demand for a standalone catagorisation by clearly In actual fact, such identities are consciously created through
identifiable groups such as Jains and Lingayats a feature that protracted processes that involve a wide range of truth claims
and mobilisation of people around these claims. Whether or not tired leftists consensus that had long held sway in India. In
a group of claims to a separate status are legitimate is not hindsight what was once a gleaming hope now appears
dependent on factors like individual opinions. Scholarly hopelessly naive. Rather deepening the reformist agenda of the
consensus or administrative decisions. The poll bound Karnataka first BJP Government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Modi has
has brought the religious based politics in the fore. The BJP helmed arguably the most ploddingly bureaucratic administration
President Amit Shah sought blessings of Sri Shiva Kumara since the advent of liberalisation in 1991.
Swami of Siddha Gangamutt in Tumakuru. The Mutt is a popular On the tariff and price controls BJP stands today to the left
and the Swami is entitled to bless or not the visitors. In fact now of Manmohan Singh’s Congress. In UPAI the idea of tax
a days to seek blessings of religious Gurus has since long become terrorism then NDA2 is the Islamic state. Demonetisation will
a poll strategy with the political parties. So the exploitation of likely be remembered as most senseless acts in Independent
religion has come to its pass-say in the BJP political scheme of Indian History. Luckily for Modi, Indira Gandhi’s misbegotten
rule produced its share of sna-fus too. Sufficient to say that many
things. This is well evidenced and has become demonstrative
free market enthusiasts have lost the ardour for this Govt. But
by the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Aditya Nath who have
as the country steams towards next year’s general elections does
been chief of Gorakhpur Mutt and has been the unquestioned
any of this really matter ? You may argue hoped writers. The
leader for years as the representative in the Parliament as M.P.
Indian libertarian movement may be too big to fit in a Maruti
The recent infamous case of Guru Ram Rahim Singh in
800 but even if every committed market liberal Trooped into a
Haryana. Much can be said of exploited situation of such Gurus
Volvo bus chances are that there would be seats spare.
whose blessings are sought by political leaders and their favours How many divisions has he got asked Joseph Stalin about
ensured at the time of elections an vote catching strategy. the Pope. BJP President Amit Shah could just as easily inquire
Similarly in other states also the so called Gurus are being used about how many votes the Indian disciples of Friedrich Hayak
and demonstratively kept in high esteem for the public. and Milton Friedman command. But he would need to keep a
In this sort of religious rage rather a menacing race a very doctor nearby in case the answer sets off dangerous laughing
informative and enlightening peace/article authored by Sadanand fit.
Dhume and published by Times of India in its issue of April 7, So let us agree that in electoral terms the flight from BJP of
2018. Since it has come into public domain and obviously can the market liberals counts for soot. Nevertheless there is a way
be requoted. But with apology to the author of the book in hand in which this exit may be problematic to something of larger
has preferred to quote the article Verbatim. that ought to worry Modi and Shah.
“Nearly four years ago, when the Prime Minister Narendra Four years ago Modi stormed to power backed by an unlikely
Modi’s rise was still fresh a group of about sixteen intellectuals coalition of voters. You can slice it in many ways but one of the
and activists many of them familiar names on the nation's open simplest is to point out that the BJP’s share of national vote
pages, met to brain storm over a fine meal at Indian Accent in jumped by 12 points from 19% in 2014 to 31% five years later.
Delhi. That extra 12% nearly one in eight voters made the difference
The agenda to see if the marked liberals of the economic between the party’s capitulation under L.K. Advani and
right and the cultural conservatives of the Hindu Right could truimphant
find enough common ground to provide an alternative to the resurgence under Modi.
An obvious way to think about the 19% is as BJP’s base. If media could allienate many fence sitters. He was not convinced.
you were willing to vote for a party led by a then 82 years old Next years will include 100 million voters who turned eighteen
Advani blabbing endlessly about the black money then the odds after 2014, he pointed out, Modi has spent the past four years
suggest that your commitment to the party is pretty wrong. The cultivating them.
12% by contrast represent a flicker variety of BJP voter. Let us How many of these voters will ink their fingers for BJP
call them incrementals. remains to be seen. But for now one thing appears all but certain,
Most large democratic parties contain contradictions in their the collection that brought Modi to power four years ago was
supports/support base. For instance, a conservative Christian too introductory to last.
Pastor in lower and a flamboyant hedge fund manager in New The religious bias has become a rage since the BJP coming
York city may self identify with the Republican party for starkly into power. Everything is being seen through the prism of
different reasons. Religion. Strangely the Congress party has also diluted their
But arguably the divergences–not merely of caste or secular character simply in order to counter the BJP’s religious
language but of core beliefs–are particularly wide in the BJP’s race. The BJP has come to display their religious bias that the
2014 winning coalition. The base probably contains at least some UP Chief Minister Yogi Aditya Nath has got painted the saffron
people who voted for Modi because of the 2002 anti Muslim colour so the Govt. bidding can we say there is method in
riots in Gujrat on his watch. The incrementals likely include madness. BJP ruled states has banned the cowslaughter and the
many people who backed Modi despite the riots. beef eating also. The cow vigilantes have been beating and even
This heightened contradiction creates the political version killing those persons–say Muslims who have been transporting
of pushmi-pullyu, the mythical two headed beast from Dr. cows in trucks from one place to another which has been
Dolittle. I know BJP supporters for whom Modi’s decision later common on cattle Mandis (markets). The BJP has been quite
year to nominate the hardline monk Yogi Aditya Nath as Chief oblivious of what havoc is being wrought in the name of cow.
Minister of Uttar Pradesh was the best thing that he has done in After all where we are heading to. This situation has forced the
four years. I know others who view it as the Prime Minister’s Muslims who have been in the eye of storm. This has brought
biggest blunder. the situation to a critical passe. The Time of India has carried a
So far Modi has not delivered on any hot button issues that news in its April 14, 2018 issue which needs to be placed
animate ideologues in the base, the Right to Education Act Verbatim. Since it has come into public domain “Mumbai”.
remains in place, Rohingya Muslims have not been deported Probably for the first time in post independence India, a call has
from India enmasse and Jammu & Kashmir’s Article 370, which gone out to Muslim to congregate with an Islam in danger slogan.
(at least in theory) gives the State Govt. a great degree of Imarat Shariah (house of Shariah) which is headquarter in
autonomy, does not look like disparaging any time soon. Patna’s Phulwari Sharif and the All India Muslim Personal Law
But the base nowhere else to go. It is a potential flight of a Board (AIPLB) are jointly organising a mega protests titled Deen
large number of incrementals that ought to worry the ruling party. Bachao Desh Bachao Save religion save country on April 15 at
I told a young BJP leader from Delhi at a conference in Goa that the 100 at the Gandhi Madan in Patna. A number of senior clerics
the party’s lackluster economic record, appointment of Yogi and community leaders are expected to unambiguously express
Aditya Nath and embrace of a harsh an haranguing tone on social the sentiment that under the BJP Govt. neither Muslims’ deen
(religion) nor the Desh (country) is safe.” of RSS hue. What more even our Prime Minister Modi has come
The Hinduism rather Hindutav sentiment has been from RSS Bhathi (oven). Like a home spun Khaddar template.
menacingly spreading like a road rage. As per a news from They say Narinder Modi virtually lived as a younger (boy) RSS
Mumbai and carried by the Economic Times in its April 17, worker or volunteer. How can one expect that a hard core RSS
issue a Hindu Sangathan an off shoot of Vishawa Hindu Prishad man would ever detract from the RSS line. While during 2014
has filed a case against cartoonist Swathi Valanudi for drawings Parliament elections, Modi declared only development (Vikas)
on the Kathua and Unnao rape cases. A case has been filed in and elimimation of corruption. The slogan was less government
Hyderabad under section 295(a) of the IPC which deals with much governance. Then the slogan came Sabh Ka Haath Sabh
deliberate and malacious acts intended to outrage the religious ka Vikas. The agenda which appealed to the people then was
feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs. that there had to be development. Unemployment had to be
Vadlamudi’s cartoon–Ram Sita raized the issue of women’s reduced. But after four years of BJP rule on the ground level
safety in India through eyes of these mythical characters. Since there is no difference at all. The condition of farmers continues
it was posted on social media platforms, the cartoon has gone to be the same. Farmer’s suicide cases continue to pour in. Modi
viral with over 10000 shares on Facebook and as many likes misunderstood the term policy paralysis conditions during the
and retreats. Besides the legal case Valamudi has been on the last phase of Manmohan Singh’s Govt. Modi only did what had
receiving end of online abuse where few Twitter users have been hanging fire for months and years because they did not
threatened that she will meet the same fate as the murdered take decisions and work there on. But Narinder Modi took spot
cartoonists of French Magazine, Charlie Habda “My Cartoons decisions and got them implemented. That was appreciated by
were raising an important point about numerous cases of violence the people widely. People felt happy that a Prime Minister has
against women in India. At a time when young girls are raped come who will take decisions and got them implemented. He
and criminals walk away with impunity am shocked that a mere was known to be a toughman which he amply proved as Gujrat
cartoon is offending these groups. The groups talk about respect Chief Minister. As India’s Prime Minister, he took decisions
for women and religious tolerance but when it comes to and initially made the bureaucracy to take decisions and work.
practicing them they are the first to go back on their Philosophy, In this strain, a blunder has been committed by Modi i.e.
Vadlamudi explained. demonitisation. Modi is not an economist, he has proved to be
Strangely, has Hindu religion or so styled ‘Hindutav’ by the decisive guy. Who advised him about demonitisation of currency.
RSS led Hindu Brigades become so sensitive that it is bruised People are much up set. In recent days, there has been a currency
so easily or it is being made so. After attainment of freedom, the crunch. According to the news in media in several states say
country's credentials were set to be ‘secular’ i.e. respect all the Andhra, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar there is no cash
religions. But it appears after BJP coming into power in the in ATMs, 48% of the ATMs are dry. The RBI, the SBI have
Central Govt. the Hinduism or Hindu of ‘Nagpur brand’ in BJP tacitly said that there is currency crunch but it will be overcome
is possessive catch and none has the compunction to make any within two three days. They are replenishing the ATMs by air
comments about Hinduism and it is the “Nagpur’s possession.” lifting currency from the states where there is surplus cash. The
At times it appears the whole country has been put to turmoils RBI which had stopped to get the currency notes printed fresh,
in order to placate the “Hindutav” which has necessarily to be they say have taken steps to go in for printing. The reasons for
the currency crunch is the hoarding of currency notes by aspect of the Bangladeshi nationalism then became religious.
politicians for elections. The bankers have repeated that the 2000 Attempts were made and continue to be made to Islamise the
rupee notes are not coming back to the bank accounts which constitution. The division of the polity has become “secular”
means that they are being hoarded as black money because 2000 versus “communal” secular in this case means the Muslim party
rupee notes are not coming back to the bank accounts which that wants to accommodate Hindus and Communal is the Muslim
means that they are being hoarded as black money because 2000 party that sides with the religious extremists like Jamaate Islami.
rupee note is easier to stack instead of Rs. 500 or 100 rupee In Pakistan the initial majoritarinism was sought to be curbed
notes. At times it appears that the cash crunch could be a by Jinnah. With the Punjabi Muslims of Lahore refusing to accept
clandstinely devised ploy to denigrate the Modi regime otherwise North Indian Muslims refugees coming from Utter Pradesh and
there appears no solid reason therefor. Bihar, the families settled in Karachi. Violence began against
Picking up the main theme of this book “Minoritism’s the urban and well off Hindu population of that city whom we
syndrome” a cogent relation in Majoritarianism is never inclusive know today as our Sindhis. Jinnah made a few speeches that
as is made out in RSS led Modi regime a BJP Govt. In this first attempted to stop Hindus from leaving he wanted minorities
connection an article with heading “Majoritorianism is never to remain. But he was overwhelmed by the violence and gave
inclusive” will be very relevant. The article by Aakar Patel and up trying to stop the Sindhis from migrating blaming India for
published in Times of India in its April 22 issue. Though it has his problems. Jinnah had made a famous speech a few days
come into public domain. But I prefer to offer my apology to before Independence in which he indicated that he wanted a
the author Aakar Patel and the Times of India. I am quoting secular constitution Jinnah said that the state should not
article Varbatim as by picking up the excerpts or interpretation recognise the citizen based on religion and stressed equality
putting it in my words would spoil the very nuances of the article. under the law.
“The post colonial tradition of the Indian sub-continent has been Under Ayub Khan in the 1960s it was written that no non-
one of the religious and ethnic majorities ganging up against muslim could be Pakistan’s President under Zia in the 1970’s a
the minorities. law came that banned non Muslims from the post of Prime
In Sri Lanka, the mostly Budhist Sinhala speakers fought Minister.
Lanka’s Budhists over religion and language. In India we wonder Under Zia ul Haq in the 1980s came a flurry of Islamic laws,
how Budhists and Hindus hate each other. But this is the nature including whipping people for drinking alcohol putting rape
of majoritarianism. It always finds an enemy. The Lanka Civil victims in jail if they could not prove crime and allowing
war lasted over a quarter century and killed one lac people murderers to escape if they paid the victims family blood money.
including certain Lankan leaders and former Indian Prime In the 1990’s then Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
Minister Rajiv Gandhi. It ended with a horrific attack on camps attempted to pass an Islamic law, the infamous 15th amendment
that included civitatis. In Bangladesh the initial nationalism was that would make him a permanent ruler. Such ferver also touched
based on language and unified Bengali, Muslims and Hindus the rest of the polity.
against West Pakistan’s militarism and imposition of Urdu. A little later, Pakistan’s Supreme Court banned Banks from
The violence, the resistance produced expelled the West charging interest saying it was unislamic. Mr. Sharif was
Pakistan army with the help of India in 1971. Unfortunately one removed from office recently and banned permanently from
politics by the supreme Court. It used a law that specifies that
leaders should be “good Muslims”. India was fortunate to be
led for the first few decades by a party, Nehru’s Congress that
was inclusive. Our constitution has some upper caste Hindu Hindus have a majoritarian instinct
majoritarian aspects particularly in its part IV the directive
The first few decades of Congress rule hid the fact that we
principles.
Indians are also like our brothers in Lanka, Bangladesh and
Today India’s Prime Minister tells the world that he has given
Pakistan. We have a majoritarian instinct that is powerful and
more respect to Ambedkar than Congress. But the fact is that it
that is today asserting itself against the minority.
was the Congress that gave Ambedkar the position in the
I don’t have to demonstrate what I mean. One look at any
Constituent assembly and the cabinet despite his losing elections.
day’s news papers will produce the evidence. The claim of the
Despite having a two third majority Nehru also accommodated
Hindutav leaders and intellectuals is that our majoritarianism is
Shyama Prashad Mukarjee the Jana Sangh leader.
reactive not proactive. The claim is that what we are doing is
justified and it is not the same thing as was being done and is
being done in the rest of South Asia. But of course there is no
difference.” The “nationalism” which the BJP has been placating
since the day it has come into power at the centre, has been (not
invisibly) spreading sense of intolerance against a particular
people i.e. Muslims. What sort of this ‘nationalism’ is going to
be obviously is divisive. The day does not seem far away when
the Muslims would raise demand for a demarcated area for them
so as to save themselves from the onslaught of Hindu
majoritariansim. There appears a sinister design among the
today’s Hindu lords of Nagpur brand that may force some of the
Muslims to migrate to Pakistan. It has gone to the head of die-
hard Hindus that they (Hindus) are in thumping majority they
are destined to rule. They say where is the question of other
parties only a party led by Hindus would rule. These “wise men”
forget that there are other parties Congress, Janta Dal Communist
parties apart from regional parties like Smajwadi parties and
BJP is not in power in all the states. Had it been Hindu tinge
only it would have been moderately taken but the “Nagpur hue”
Hindus have been insisting a ‘Hindutav’ brand. This Hindutav
rage has politically motivated even the prominent Congressman
to see through the prism of religion-Congress (Young) president

was seen visiting Mandirs and adopting Brahmins sacred thread. the role of Congress Party as a whole, Khurshid added, “I am a
A party which has been secular as its creed has been forced to part of Congress. So let me accept that we have the blood of
go through studs. The late Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru which Muslims on our hands.” Even if we have made mistakes, we
inaugurating the Bhakra Nangal Canal Project which brought still have right to stand upfor minorities. Answering the question
greenery to the arid lands in Punjab (Haryana). the sandy areas from a former student, Khurshid continued, “I understand why
now (Haryana) got the most out of Bhakhra-Nangal Canals. I you are asking this question, you are telling us that if some one
has become Punjab & Haryana Paddy wheat producing areas attacks you now then we (Congress) must not come forward to
which brought the farmers coffers to the brim. Thereafter it is protect you. I am telling you this, we are ready to show the
history that the farmers could not withstand the money so came blood on our hands so that you too must not get blood on your
and the land of Punjab became the stream of liquor the surplus hands.”
which is unexpectedly came to the farmers went out through AMU alumns Minotee said he had asked the Congress leader
wine. The same farmers condition has become economically how could minorities trust a party under whose watch several
weak that they are forced to commit suicides having not coped riots have happened “I pointed out to him that the first
with the situation. Farming has become a loss making profession. amendment (in constitution) was made in 1948 which was
The farming land has been divided among the sons and holdings followed by a presidential order in 1950 that saw communal
have become uneconomical. All the same this is altogether a riots in Hasanpura, Maliana and Muzaffar Nagar. I further told
separate chapter not so connected with the theme of the book in him that there is a long list of riots that happened under Congress,
hand. including the ones after the demolition of Babri Masjid, said
The recent statement of Salman Khurshid has brought the Moitoee.
cat out of the bag. Khurshid’s statement published in Times of Khurshid also said, “if you attack a community you are the
India of April 25 issue has stirred a hornets nest. The heading of one who get stain on your hands. Learn something from our
the statement in “Congress has blood of Muslims on its hands. history and do not create such a situation for yourself where if
It appears that the BJP’s thrust has become a rage where the you come back to AMU after 10 years you will find some one
intolerance towards Muslims is so strong that the Congressite like yourself who will ask this question.
like Khurshid also appear to be sitting on the fence visa vis the Explaining his stand Khurshid told (TOI) that his statement
BJP and Congress. The statement of Khurshid runs like This, had been misconstrued. “I could have simply not answered the
“Agra-senior congresleader Khurshid has stirred a controversy question but did so to drive home a point that even if we
by saying that his party’s hands are stained with the blood of (Congress) have blood stains on our clothes or if we have
Muslims”. committed mistakes, we still have the right to stand up for
The former union minister made the remarks during an minorities.”
interaction with students of Aligarh Muslim University. Replying The statement of Khurshid was damaging politically to the
to a question by a former AMU student Amir Mintoee on Congress Party which has distanced itself from it.
communal riots during the decades of Congress rule Khurshid It is the age of religion and the political parties are not vocally
said, “There is blood on our hands too”. opposing the BJP on its religion drenched politics. Even the
When the students pointed out the Mintoee was referring to communist party CPM does not attack the BJP on religion based
plank. They do vehementaly oppose BJP rule and for that they demonitisation and implementation of the GST proved to be
are ready to go in for an understanding with Congress Party hasty one. It is Modi’s personal image that could sustain the
which till yesterday they had been branding as Hindu Party. When haste in demonitisation. The ATMs have still not come on the
Babri Masjid was demolished there was a tacit talk among proper keel At times it appears that some elements may be in
congressmen that under the Dhoti of Narsimha Rao the then the Govt. may be playing mischief. The reprint of current has
home minister had a nicker (RSS brand). The strategy of the till not kept pace with its requirement to the public. The Reserve
Congress right after attaining freedom has been that Hindu Vote Bank saw in it that there is hoarding of 2000 currency notes as
plus Harijan's would get them majority. The Harijans were it is easier to be stacked and the same black money has come up
considered as there pocket burrow due to Mahatma Gandhi. for which demonitisation was worked. The BJPs economic
Hindus were made to distance away from Muslims. The BJP advisors have not proved to be wiser rather. They have failed to
has takren to divide and rule on religion basis. Hindus being in foresee the snag. The position of ATM's though of late has
thumping majority in the country 82% of the population become efficent.
democratically if all Hindus vote for BJP there is no other reason The goods and services tax has yet to prove its utility. The
that any other party would come to power. The Congress party cumbersome plethora of returns the trader has to file has only
has also changed its tactic Salman Khurshid’s statement/ work to CA’s. The trader is sick of all this rigmarole. These all
comments in an interaction at AMU as discussed in the narrative appear to be the steps taken in haste. Obviously it affects the
in foregoing pages smacks of a religion dominated throught image of the Prime Minister. Some people have started saying
process. The Hindu-brigade takes it that a Muslim of whatever that its wane has begun the earlier it is arrested the better. The
hue is first a Muslim then Indian. Where would all this lead to ? Congress under Manmohan Singh is P.M. Singh’s policy
Obviously the RSS led BJP would triumph and Hindutav line paralysis was broken by Modi. But the haste with which it has
would be victorious. All the tall talk of Modi during the 2014 been done has not given the expected results. For example the
elections campaign–Vikas (development) have been now kept Raffle aeroplanes import had been hanging fire for quite a long
at the back burner. But how long this condition can continue. period for lack of a decision by the Manmohan Singh’s Govt.
Incidentally, Modi is a Varacious orator and leaves impresionable Modi did it to be the first thing as the country needed the planes
impact upon the audience. His sojourn abroad and talking to the the most. But this very act has come under criticism by the
Indian diaspora becomes a street talk so effective understanding Congress Party whose baby the import of Rafle aeroplanes was.
he clicks. In the recent commonwealth meet he created rapport It is admitted by the people that Modi has pious ideas for the
with the Indian diaspora that left every listner spell bound. The country to construct and reconstruct it and make strenuous efforts
question answer session was all the more impressive so befitting to do it. There is no second opinion about it. Modi has earned
answer he gave to the questioners that revealed that Modi has a his political position by his own efforts. He has not been given
vision. He is a visionary parexcellence. One is convinced that if it on a platter, by dint of any dynastical feat like Nehru-Gandhi
atleast 30% of what he advises and seek to get done translates dynasty as Rahul Gandhi has been flaunting since quite some
in reality the situation can take a turn to its best. Unfortunately, time past. Indira Gandhi got it because she was (Jawahar Lal Ki
the economic advisers of the Govt. who are of the “Nagpur” beti the being Jawahar Lal Nehru’s daughter. This quite another
brand do not see the ground realities. The decision like feature she proved herself a tough ruler than her father. She was
decisive and once a decision is taken no going back. Some of in the list. Telangana has come a close second. Partywise, the
her steps have become legendary. Right after India was inclined BJP occupies the first position in such cases of hate speeches
towards Soviet Russia’s camp. Indira minced no words while nationally having 27 cases against its name and TRS and AIMIM
dealing with Henry Kissinger the American representative who (All India Itahad of Muslim) are in the second place with six
called on Indira Gandhi (Prime Minister) Kissinger had thought cases each. This data was compiled from the affidatives of MPs
that he would over awe Indira. Kissinger was lobbying for and MLAs at the time of last elections.
Pakistan. Indira Gandhi called general. Maneksahw then her Out of a 58 MPs and MLA’s who declared cases of hate
army chief who saluted and waited for instructions. Indira speech against themselves, most number of them are from UP
emphatically told Kissinger that you better bring round Pakistan, while second largest number of 13 is from Telangana followed
else he (Manekshaw) will take care. The talk was so stark, blunt by three Andhra Pradesh. The Times of India has given in this
but a diplomacy’s climax. The point in narrating this episode is context the photograph of Asauddin Owaisi and K. Kavita the
that Modi did not have any such ancestors as Jawahar Lal or two MP’s facing such cases. Association for Democratic Reforms
(ADR) released the data compiled from affidativs submitted
Indira Gandhi. Whatever Modi has gained and reached the
during election. 58 MP’s had declared cases of hate speech
position of Prime Minister of India is Modi’s own quality of
against themselves as well as 8 ministers from Maharashtra,
head and heart. People say that Modi came up/grew up through
Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Uttarakhand, UP and Telegana.
RSS baking oven. He has been given by the God a very clear
From Telengana, Ministers T Harish Rao of Siddipet, and K.T.
head and thought process. Whatever he thinks, get clarification.
Rama Rao of Sircilla, declared cases of hate speech against
Above all he is a man of action/puts that thought into reality.
themselves. Among MP’s, Hyderabad MP Asauudin Owaisi
The hurdles are that the expectations of the people were sky (MIM), MLA’s Mumtaz Ahmed Khan, Yakutpur Syed Ahmed
high because for them a Prime Minister had come who wants is Pashaquadri (Charminar), Akbaruddin Owaisi, Chanderya
a doar. But the time is too short. In the past four years, the Gupta, Mohd. Moazam Khan, Bahadurpura, Ahmed bin
paralysis which had gripped the work at the grass root since the Abdullah Balala (Malakpet) and T. Raja Singh Goshmahal of
past about 10 years especially the Manmohan Singh’s PM ship BJP have “Hate speeches” cases against them.
had to be revived which is an uphill task. TRS MLA’s Putta Madhukar (Manthani) Koppula Eashwar
The advantage Modi is that he is a great communicator. His (Dharampuri) and Thatikonda Rajaiah (Station Ghanpur)
audience wherever he talks gets swayed with him. The declared hate speech cases against themselves.
disadvantage is that people are getting impatient and want to The report lists cases against L.K. Advani (Gujrat), Muri
see something concrete having done by Modi. Manohar Joshi (UP), Uma Bharti UP of BJP. Ambumani
Coming to the hiatus and distance having been created and Ramadoss (TN) of PMK and TDP MLA’s, G.V. Anjenulu
being created by the RSS led BJP die hards and very revealing (Guntur), Bedaru Satnarayana Murthy Pendurthi and Kodela
factor has come to light that RSS people are not the only ones Siva Prasada Rao, Sattenapalle of Andhra Pradesh.
but others are also equally to be blamed. A news item carried by We are apt to come to the conclusion that the very fabric of
the Times of India in its 26th April with the heading “Hate speech polity has been not only spoiled rather torn into pieces. So much
cases.” Politicians and political parties from Telengana have hate sense of intolerance predominently on religious basis has
given the state a dubious distinction. While Uttar Pradesh tops been let loose.
After Independence, never ever was witnessed this type of These were very intelligent and sarcastic remarks that other
hate. Since the partition of the country into India and Pakistan members of the cabinet though men but actually Indira Gandhi
people had been the victim of ‘hate’. The country seems to be wields, though men were there in the cabinet but actually Indira
riven apart on religious, regional, linguistic, castism, poor, Gandhi wields power with iron hand. This all gives a signal that
wealthy, developed and backward areas. Not that they all are Narinder Modi though came to power democratically may
wary with each other. But the Schism when comes to perception tomorrow assume power as theological autocrat and there is no
it pinches one and all and only the wearer knows where the body to challenge him. For Modi’s good luck the opposition
shoe pinches. The country has suffered bitterly in the past leave parties though want to oust the BJP from power but their unity
aside the partition of the sub continent which is quite a separate is in a shambles. The Congress party by its history should be the
chapter. Alas, the country nay the politicians have not learnt leading party of the opposition but their nitty gritty is such that
any thing. “Darya ko apni tugianion se kamm, Kashti kisi ki they are not willing to accept the leadership of Congress. The
paar ho ya manjdhar mein” The river does not bother whether recently concluded the conclave of communist party (Marxists)
the boat of somebody has crossed it or was in doldrums in the took days to debate whether to have any understanding with the
mid of the river. The real villain is the politician. He has to Congress or seat sharing in the 2019 General elections or not.
catch vote on one or the other pretence. He sometimes incites The resolutoin for such an issue was debated and their General
the religions bias for the co-religionists votes, the other time he Secretary Sita Ram Yachuri’s mooted resoluton saw a bitter taste.
takes regional bias the other time that villain would exploit caste It was opposed by the other faction led by the previous General
sentiment. Then he very often takes to the money or crony tactics Secretary Karat. The Congress party as such is yet not strong
to give benefits only to his/her own men. It is a very difficult enough to oust the BJP. The Regional parties like Samajwadi
phenomina or say an enigma. Whether hen came first or the Party Telgu Dasan party and TRS Telangana Rashtrya Samiti
egg. Ultimately it is the voter/the people who have to take the will also matter. In Bihar Nitish Kumar has already shaken hands
charge. When and What does it takes place. It is any body’s with BJP. The Lalu Prashad’s Rashtriya Janta Dal is already out
guess. It could be anarchy, a strong leader may capture political of count. Lalu has been virtually out of count due to his
power and become an autocrat and begin as holder of democratic conviction in “Chara Ghutata” case lingering since years. Mamta
postures. Since the “democracy” has become the most popular Banerji the Bengal Chief Minister has point blank refused to
way of the govts all over the world. Small countries like Pakistan accept the Congress much less its President Rahul Gandhi to
and after the disintegration of Soviet Russia, its smaller states lead the front contemplated by the opposition parties. Obviously
like Azbekistan claim to be democracies. But the strong leaders Narinder Modi-say, is very lucky. But in such situations, the
like India’s Prime Minister Narindra Modi practically become political history of parties tell that the autocratic tendencies
dictator in a way. They become so powerful that none from his themselves get defeated. So Modi has to be extra cautious.
own party ministers have strength to stand upto him. Indira Fortunately, India’s Sanskriti is so great that it takes care of
Gandhi having come into power after the death of her father. the jerks and jolts itself. The teachings in Brahma Kumari’s cult
Jawahar Lal Nehru and Lal Bahdur Shastri’s intermittant period, are very relevant. The recent and very much publicised infamous
had become so powerful that there used to be talk in the political cases of Kathua and Unnao towns in J&K and Uttar Pradesh
corridors that there is only one man in the whole central cabinet. respectively, in the news for horrific incidents of child rape and
murder, have come to symbolise a breakdown in social values, Congress party’s Gaddi’ is considered reserved for Gandhi family
ethics and morals. Brahma Kumari sister Shivani says we can only.
bring about transformation with course corrections. The political situation in the country is all set for the BJP to
“Ask yourself : Do I radiate unhealthy emotions ? My single rule but unfortunately certain elements are chandstinely upsetting
thought of lust contributes to lust in the world. Whenever I got the BJP’s cart. In this connection a news item published in Time
angry. I raise aggression in the world. By competing or of India of its 30th April issue would make the position straight
comparing, I increase greed in the world. The bottomline is when as.
I radiate my low frequency vibrations to the world, I contribute The news is from date line Ahmedabad : “At least 45
to its decline. members of Saraiya family whose four sons had been flogged
The word shift and I : The sum total of all our individual by self styled cow vigilalantes, renounced Hinduism and
vibrational frequencies forms the global vibrational frequency. embraced Budhism at a ceremony in Mota Samdhiyala, 15 km
When I chose love over lust, peace over anger compassion over from Una, on Sunday.
hatred and happiness over fear. This shift in me will shift the The family members included the four flogging victims, their
world. Am I ready to raise my vibration ?.... Before going to wives, father Balu Soroiya and his wife among others. It has
sleep resolve issues that are on your mind. Forgive, let go past been more than two years that our sons were flogged. The state
hurt. Meditate and fill the mind with words of peace, respect Govt. has not given any help so far. We have not got justice yet
and compassion. When I change the world changes. Sanskar all the accused are but on bail. The victim’s father told Times of
Privartan se Sansar Privartan. India.
In this connection it has to be admitted that our Prime After the incident, there was Dalit uprising. But we continued
Minister Modi is a practical man he has risen from the grass to face discrimination. Even our community members told us
roots he has been through the vicissitudes of life. when he talks not to adhere to a religion after tolerating humilations. Even
of Indian traditions some of the Congress’s immature leaders today we shudder to see the flogging video. Sarvaiya added.
(till yesterday people used to call him pappu–a dearest child) The July 2016 Una flogging had triggered wide spread
deride at Modi. When Modi calls the creation of employment. outrage and left the Dalit Community fuming.
He gives practical instances like self employed people like setting Sarviaya said he and his family members had to take up
up a stall of making and selling snacks like pakora etc. and earn skinning of dead cattle deep caste system. We have been forced
quite satisfyingly–‘Pappus’ only. They hardly understand the to convert on Sunday. We believe it will give further momentum
nitty gritty of employment opportunities available in the country. to Dalit uprising. Other Dalits who are facing tortures, will
The self employed personals say...shopkeepers, coblers, even eventually have to embrace Budhism he said.
shepherds who rear goats, dairy farmers etc. Because the Romesh Sarvaiya said they decided to convert to Budhism
“Pappus” have not seen the ground realities. they have come because they were discriminated by Hindus over their caste.
from above by dint of their dynastical position. The Gandhis Hindu cow vigilante called us Muslims. The kind of
only–now Rahul Gandhi has come to the fore, he has not earned discrimination from Hindus pains us and therefore we have
his elevation as President of the Congress by any political decided to convert. Even the State Govt. had discriminated
grinding but simply got it as being given on the platter because against us by not fulfilling the promises made to us in the wake
of flogging incident, he said. Romesh Saravaiya further said share the dais with Malikarjun, a Dalit. The argument soon broke
that they were never considered Hindus despite the fact that out into a clash and the men tore out Malikarjun’s white Kurta
their community followed the religion for thousands of years. and hit him with a cement brick. “You belong to SC Caste. What
No prominent Dalit leader such as Vadgam MLA Jagnesh right do you have to touch a flag” said one of the men to
Mewani were present at the event–Damme Diksha Mahatsav Malikarjun.
organised by Sarvarya family. They had invited Mewani and Both parties approached Jawaharnagar police station while
Mayawati the BSP Cheif to the event. Malikarjun was the first to reach he was made to wait with his
Asking Mewani to embrace Budhism if he is a true follower swollen head till the other side of the story was heard. Even
of BR Ambedkar, he said. The Vadgam MLA shot to limelight though the video evidence was presented no notice was taken.
and became the face of Dalit never bothered to visit us. Tight While Malikarjun lodged a complaint of SC/ST atrocities against
security was made around the village as well as Una town in the him, the opposite party made a woman wife of the henchman
wake of threats that some members had received four days ago complain that Malikarjun and three others made obsene gestures
by one of the 43 accused in the flogging. The police sources at her, slapped and dragged. The police then filed a case under
said.” sections 143, 147, 148, 324, 509, 354 of the IPC against
In the situation as per the narrative afore, if the Prime Malikarjun. The crux of the problem and idea of narrating the
Minister forges ahead on other fronts–the cow vigilantes of Una aforesaid incident was that even after 71 years of Independence
incident where Dalits were flogged–drag him (PM) his image the Dalits are treated by the police and uppar strata of society in
several notches down. The people ask if Modi getting weak that the same olden way. There is no improvement. Dalits continue
he can not prevent or snub the vigilantes’ element. It all is going to be vulnerable to atrocities and excesses of the well to do and
to badly affect the BJPs election 2019. Where is the Nagpur uppar castes. Howsoever, the PM Narender Modi cover all this
Icon Bhagwat, why he does not act or he too is with the vigilantes. painful situation with his communication voracious oratory but
The so called protectors of ‘cow’ in the country. the grass root victims seem hardly forgettng about it. It will be
Ironically, after 71 years of Independence, the society is so relevant to mention that around 12 percent of Telengana’s
riven apart that there seems no oneness and equanimity. The population comprises people from SC/ST communities. While
caste system, they say devised by Manu is deeply rooted. An the Uttar Pradesh in the North records the highest number of
artical carried by Deccan Chronicle in its May, I issue tells the atrocities against scheduled castes in India, in the South
situation thread bare. It is being quoted verbatim as to avoid its Telangana has the worst record. How this skewed position will
nuances bring distorted and missrepresented and is thread-bare. affect the general election (2019) vote bank?
“T. Malikarjun, a resident of Kowkoor a (few Kilometer No doubt the Prime Minister Modi is forgeing head with his
from Alwal) and a social worker, who invited as a guest for oratorial thrust but the real problems at the grass root have not
Republic Day celebration in 2017 by Grukalpa Colony. Also been near solutions–unemployment, farmers’ suicide, increasing
invited to the event was R. Arun Kumar son of L.B. Nagar MLA population, the increasing rage of intolerance against a particular
Krishnaiha. community and section of people. The ‘startsup’ remains still a
While the programme was on, a few men barged in on slogan and nowhere any “starting” is seen. On new job creation
Motorbikes and interrupted Arun’s speech asking how he could the opposition leaders particularly Rahul Gandhi have been
publically presenting distorted and excessive figures. Sadly so, of the total population in 2011 is within 1.5% of the actual
Rahul Gandhi in a way condemned it even though he was population as measured by the Censu 2011. “In nutshell, it is
speaking probably in Calafornia. In this connection an article nobody’s case that fewer entrants to the work force than
published in Times of India of 2nd May 2018 issue will be very previously thought make our jobs problem go away. But a smaller
much relevant and eye opener. It is being given Verbatum with number of entrants may mean that the problem is not as
apology to article’s author Arvind panagriya and Times of India. insurmountable as it may have seemed.”
“The Twelve Million Question. Why some key figures The phenomena of U shaped LFPR for women for women
thrown around in India’s jobs debate may not be right.” whereby the woman first declines with rising per capita income
This was the figure Congress President Rahul Gandhi and then turns back up has been well documented in development
highlighted when speaking at the University of Calafornia at literature starting at low per capita incomes, rising incomes may
Berkley and Princeton University the past September. At UC lead to a withdrawal of women from workforce for a variety of
Barkley he referred to 12 million young Indians entering the reasons : Women may choose leisure over work once the family
job market every year and at Princeton he placed the figures at income rises above a certain threshold social stigma associated
30000 per day. While there was much dissection of Rahul Gandhi with working in the field may encourage withdrawal by women
speeches no one questioned these numbers. once such work is not necessary for subsistence; rising capital
It is surprising that on an issue so central to policy making, intensity agriculture may asymetrically substitute for women’s
we have accepted the most critical statistics without scrutiny labour and progressively increasing number of women may
and centred all jobs debates and analysis on it. The origins of choose education over work during early adulthood.
the statistics are difficult to trace but nearly all analysts and While the sharp decline in LFPR of women is thus explained,
institutions pronouncing on the job situation in India are using it remained disturbing since it has taken place from an already
it. low participation rate among rural women. In so far as possible
But some simple calculation that economist Rahul Ahluwalia policies must pay particular attention to facilitating the expansion
has generally done at my request convincingly demonstrate that of jobs that would help bring women into working force in larger
this figure overstates the likely correct figure by a solid 50%. numbers.
The number of individuals entering the work force in any Coming back to the Hindutav rage, it has become so sharp
given year as obtained by multiplying the absolute number of that with the drop of hat, the Hindutav is deemed to be attacked.
additions to the working age population that year by the Labour A passage in the Hyderabad chronicle of 1st May, 2018 would
Force Participation (LFPR). The latter measures the proportion be very relevant to quote verbation. “Shockingly, Professor
of population that participates in the work force, because not Robert Goldman, whose translation of the Ramayana, Andrey
everyone who attains working age enters the job market, the Trucrke cited says, “Neither the great poet (Valmiki) nor we
LFPR is usually a number smaller than one. have used such a village diction and certainly, Sita would never
A 2006 report by the technical group on population have used such language to her husband even in the midst of
projectons constituted by the National Commission on emotional distress”. However Andrey defends his translation
Population (NCP) provides estimates of population in different saying that it was based on her own research. “I offered the
age groups for years 2011, 2016 and 2021. The reports estimates colloquil summary as my own scholarly opinion on how to
understand the passage not based on Professor Goldman’s and sorrow in this scene.”, she says. On Sita accusing Lakshman
translation. The said Professor Goldman has also described Sita of being “lustful” Chitra adds, when he refuses to go searching
as accusing Rama of misogony, using that term in this same for Ram and the “golden deer (he was following Ram’s orders
passage.” she asserts. not to leave Sita alone) she accuses him out of desparation,
To give full text of American Professor and author Andrey because she thinks Ram is wounded and needs help.” Experts
Trushlle recently stirred up hornets nest after she tweeted that also believe that concepts such as misogyny and feminism may
Sita had called Rama’s misgynist pig and uncouth and accused not have been prevalent in ancient society shedding more light
Lakshman of lusting after her. Naturally, the professor became on the same, author Anuja Chanderamauli says, “The reason
the target of many angry Hindus, for whom the Ramayana is why Andrey’s tweets received backlash is because she claimed
more than just a piece of ancient literature. that they were a translation of the Ramayana. However, the terms
She has received death threats on social media but Andrey that she has used are extremely colloquil and may not have been
still stands to her statement and shares that she has studied the valid back then. So it can’t be an authentic translation and is
Mahrishi Valmiki’s Ramayana for about fifteen years. Explaining very disrespectful towards the Adi Kavi Valmiki.”
as how she arrived at the translation, Andrey says, “Uncouth” is With many on Twitter claiming that westerners are trying to
a straight-forward translation of Prarta (6.104.5 of the critical portray Hinduism in a bad light. Anuja opines, the concept of
edition of Valmiki’s Ramayana) The term has previously been white supermacy has always existed, but I wouldn’t go so far to
translated into English as “Vulgar” as stated by Goldman in say that Andrey’s tweets were meant to demean Hinduism.”
Yudhakanda, 2009, “Misogynist pig” is a loose colloquil The Hindutav conundrum has been taking undue
translation. “Many intellectuals and people who have read the proportions. A news in the Times of India, May 5, 2018 makes
various versions of the great epic claim that Andrey’s translations it amply clear. The heading of the news is, “Hindutav hawks
are baseless and unethical. Amish Tripathi, who has written many stop names at many places in Gurgaon. Trouble makes raise
books on Hindu Mythology, “if you write an interpretation of “Jai Shri Ram”, Bangladeshi Wapas Jao” slogans.
the Ramayana, then you have the right to put any word there in. Prayers were stopped by Hindutav outfits that went around
But if you claim what you are saying in a translation, then it is Gurgaon shouting slogans such as ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and ‘Bangla
unethical as a writer that use words which were not originally Deshi Wapas Jao’ and disrupted congregations at several spots.
used by the author, which in this case, is Maharishi Valmiki ji”. Unprecedented scenes of people offering Namaz getting up
As for the shalokas that Andrey put on the twitter, Amish laughs midway and running away in different parts of the city including
and adds, “Most Indians know what is written in their ancient busy areas like Iffco Chowk, Udyog Vihar, Leisure Velley Park
texts. While many westerners write about ancient Greek and the Mall Mile in M.G. Road. At a park opposite Candor
Mesopotamian, Egyptian, and Indian mythology, hindus still Techospace, a group of corporate executives prayed under heavy
follow the religion and know most of their mythology. We do security cover. What happened on Friday had been building up
not need a Western to tell us what our ancient texts state.” for a month. On April 6, a group of men from Wazirabad village
Author Chitra Divakaruni feels that the wording of Professor opposed prayers at a ground in Sector 43 and threatened the
Truschke’s translation is badly chosen. “Sita does not use these congregation. A video of men disrupting the prayers again in
words or anything similar, although she does express her anger April 20 hit social media, leading to six of them being arrested
on April 26. Earlier this week several Hindutav outfilts hit the students continued with their sit in at the University’s Baabe
streets demanding that the FIR against the six men be scrapped Syed gate where they had clashed with the police on Wednesday.
and prayers be allowed at designated places approved by the statements from different leaders are further vitiating the
Govt. The local unit of the Vishav Hindu Prishad (VHP) had sitaution further. BJP MLA from Bairia in Balka said Jinnah
also threatened to stop Namaz at open spaces if the Govt. did had played the role of a Jallad (hang man). It is wrong to put up
not act. the portrait of Jinnah who had challenged Indian nationalism
This Friday a group of XI around 70 people who claimed and gone to Pakistan after partition. No respect and honour
they have united under the banner of “Om” gathered at should be shown to Pro Pakistan people on Indian soil”, the
Wazirabad village and fanned out across the city in small groups. MLA said.
According to estimates, prayers are held in open spaces at 115 On the other hand a Samajwadi M.P. from Gorakhpur, Parvin
spots in the city because there are not enough mosques for Nishad, waded into the Jinnah controversy on Friday when he
approximately 6 lakh Muslims in Gurgaon. said the former Pakistani’s contribution to the Indian freedom
The whole above narrative reveals that the situation is going struggle was no less than that of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawahar
out of hand. vis-a-vis the sense of intolerance against muslims. Lal Nehru.” BJP wants to trigger comunal riots for political gains.
They are being cornered in whatever manner they ould be in the It is trying to divide the country ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha polls,
name of religion. The outrage of Hindutav has been let loose he said.
and there is no check from the Govt. to curb it rather it is being The BJP enthusiasts of creating a cleavage and hiatus in the
overlooked so that the Hindutav elements have field’s day. society on communal lines was never so startling as it appears
Another similar incident has created row as the news item now. During the past over seventy years mainly the Congress
in Times of India of its May 5 issue indicates, “The Aligarh Party has been in power but they never created such a hatred
district administration on Friday ordered a magistreal inquiry among Hindus and Muslims who are mainly in the eye of storm.
into the violence at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) on There were umpteen number of shortcomings in the Congress
Wednesday over the removal of Mohd. Ali Jinnah’s portrait. rule. No doubt politically the Congress had been doing–garner
Tension continued to prevail in the city forcing authorities to Hindu vote as usual but ensure the Muslim vote by telling that
clamp Section 144 of CrPc and suspend internet services. Jan Sangh now Bhartiya Janta Party an organisation of Orthodox
According to officials internet services were suspended on Hindus–Harijan Vote the Congress had been always treating
the orders of Distt. Magistrate (DM) at 2 p.m. and will be them in their kitty due to Mahatma Gandhi’s impact upon them.
resumed at midnight on Saturday after a review of the situation. This was the political strategy congress had been using fruitfully.
It was understandably done to curb circulation of rumours and
fake news on social media. The magisarial enquiry to be given
within 15 days. It will look into how rightwing activists managed
to reach AMU gates a second time and why no action was taken
by police to stop them and why no FIR was lodged. Allegations
that some police men had accompanied the activists will also
be probed. Tension prevailed in Aligarh on Friday as AMU
Q. Right wing groups have also been blaming Jawahar Lal
Nehru for partition. Now Jinnah is back in cross hairs. Do you
think this is deliberate ?
Religious outrage (Nagpur brand) Ans. Yes, but it surprises me that the press never asks what
Modi’s ideological ancestors like M.S. Golwalkar did for the
The religious outrage has been becoming so strong that the Nation except divide it. Golwalkar said Muslims can’t be citizens
very name of Mohd. Ali Jinnah, the person mainly responsible of this country. He praised Hitler for surpressing the Jews. Modi
for partition of India and creating Pakistan as a solely Muslim may go to Israel but Golwalkar is on record praising Hitler’s
State since BJP came into power that the very name of Jinnah treatment of Jews. These things were never brought out by the
has come to be an eye-sore and sinequa non. Jinnah was a leading media while covering Modis visit to Israel.
lawyer very few people know that he defended Lok Manya Tilak Q. Are mirroring Pakistan now ?
an prominent name during freedom struggle. In this connection, Ans. In his speech on August 11, 1947 (to Pakistan’s
a passage from Irfan Habib, the noted Historian was present constituent assembly) Jinnah had said Pakistan would be the
when Mohd. Ali Jinnah came to AMU in a carriage pulled by same for all citizens whether they are Sikhs, Christians, Hindus
students. Irfan’s narrative in question answer form is quoted or Muslims. There will be no discrimination. But then they made
verbatim. a constitution that said it will be according to Islamic laws. They
Q. Do you think the row over the Jinnah portrait is just an had all kinds of Islamic laws until they reached the present
extension of the nationalist style politics being practiced those position where any person could be hauled up and killed for
days ? blasphemy. Once religion begins to take hold and becomes
It is not nationalism. It is communal chauvinism. There were an instrument of electoral politics, there is no end to it.
two aspects to Jinnah. One was partition and the other was Q. What are your views on corporate groups adopting
opposition to British from the time of Gopal Krishan Gokhle. monuments such as Red Fort ? They are talking about holding
Very few people know that he was the defence counsel of Bal concerts there.
Gangadhar Tialk in a sedition case and won him the case against What will the proposed interpretation centre interpret ? They
want to be told, even if it is a fake history of Red Fort. What
the British Govt., in 1916. It is a part of our history. Even if
experience Dalmia Bharat have in monument managment ?
some body wants to be ignoront about it, history can’t be
Q. You had objected to the Aga Khan Trust for culture
changed. In fact Bhagat Singh should be a national hero for
working in Hamayun’s Tomb too.
Pakistan as much as for us.
Ans. Aga Khan Foundation messed up the monument. They
Q. Rightway groups also keep flogging Sir Syed Ahmed
never gave the chemical formulae of the materials they replaced
Khan, founder of AMU every now and then as the ‘founder of
the originals with. They had no Persian knowing historian of
Pakistan’. importance with them. No study of Persian sources etc. They
Ans. They are not even right wing group. They are hooligans split the monument in one way, and these people might do so in
groups. Those groups who behaved like that in una (the gang another way.
rape and murder of an eight years old) were not right wingers. Q. What about the other side that favours giving private
They were just hooligans and criminals. groups a chance ?
I think there is a legislation called Ancient monuments agenda to establish that they were “nationalists” and those
Preservation Act 1964 that was relegislated in 1958. We need to opposing them were antinationalistic followers of Jinnah, and
stick to that. And so far as these things are concerned, tomorrow quite deserving to be banished as they often say to all those who
they might say that they will privatise the police. Monument oppose them to go to Pakistan.
management is as important for a nation as policing. Whether AMU should have a portrait of Jinnah can be
Q. We are in the bicentnary year of Karl Marx. Do you think debated without unnecessarily glorifying the founder of Pakistan.
he is still relevant ? Some people can argue that this portrait was installed in 1938.
Ans. People are relevant even after they are gone. Plato and When Jinnah was given a life membership of the University’s
Aristotal are still relevant. So is Marx in many of his economics student’s union. This was prior to his becoming such a prominent
analysis. Whatever the politics, the point is, any ideology that pawn in the British game of divide and rule and the proponent
does not think of humanity as a whole has little right to be of Pakistan. It is also true that until the communal fires were
heard if it is confined only to one country, one community ignited by Jinnah and his ilk, the gentleman was a prominent
one kind of people then it is hardly an ideology worth name among those fighting for India’s Independence–a fact
following. And that also goes for the Hindutav types, Muslim acknolwedged by no less a person than Mahatma Gandhi. In
communalism. fact even in the midst of the current turmoil in AMU, Swami
An article in the Decaan Chronicle of 6th May 2018 issue Prasad Maurya, a BJP Minister in UP lauded Jinnah saying that
with the heading “Alienating in the name of Hinduism” is very his contribution to the freedom struggle cannot be ignored.
relevant to the situation prevailing and made more prevatent. History, even when it deals with people whom we denigrate,
The article is by Pavan K. Verma a renowned columnist Pavan cannot be entirely erased. There is for instance, a prominent
K. Varma qualify the article as “Chanakyas’s view”. There are building in Mumbai still called Jinnah House and a portrait of
two separate issues for consideration in the ongoing unrest at the Quid-i-Azam hangs even now in the hallowed pricencts of
the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) regarding the portrait of Bombay High Court in recognition of his being a leading lawyer
Mohd. Ali Jinnah hanging since 1938 in the students union’s of his times. If this is the case why remove a portrait
office. First should a portrait of a man who actively worked for metaphorically, gathering dust in AMU since 1938 ? Is the timing
the partition of India, created Pakistan and stoked hatred between entirely coincidental or is it part of a larger agenda to stoke
Hindus and Muslims, be hung in the University ? And second, communal hatred and division ? And even if their cause has
if not, what is the best way to have an earlier wrong rectified ? legitimacy, why could they not wait until the University provided
I say these are separate issues if you don’t make distinction a reply to the letter sent by Mr. Gautam ? Why has not a single
you are likely to fall like a ripe apple in the lap of Hindu Yuva FIR been registered by the police against those who perpetrated
Vahini (HYV) goons who protested against Jinnah’s portrait. In this violence ? Why has Yogi Aditya Nath not strongly
fact Samajwadi Party MP Parveen Nishad who just won the condemned this hooliganism by members of his own
Gorakphur byelections did exactly that Protesting the behaviour organisation ? Has he forgotten that he is now the Chief Minister
of HYV members, to praise Jinnah, comparing him to Gandhi of a state, notan activist of an ultra right wing organisation of
and Nehru. This was music to the muscleman of the HYV. It self annointed protectors of Hinduism ? And was it a coincidence
was precisely the reacton they wanted. It fulfilled their principal that the violence was unleashed inside the campus just moments
before former Vice President Hamid Ansari was to visit the clashes on the campus was widely sharedon line on Sunday”.
University ? President of AMU Students Union (AMSU) mashkoor Ahmed
These are expectionally important questions Jinnah may usmani admitted that students had raised slogans of freedom
have been an enemy of the nation” as the UP’s Deputy Chief for the country from RSS. “We want a Sangh free India”. The
Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya indignantly proclaimed. But time has come to launch a countrywide movement to rid it of
so are members of organisations like the HVY, if they believe people who are dividing the nation and creating hatred among
that they have the ordained right to usurp the law and resort to communities by spreading venom.”
violence against anybody who disagrees with them. There are Rightwing activists retailed by raissing slogans such as “We
reports that HYV worthies have stormed into churches in gave Azadi to Afzal Guru, Ajmal Kasab and will give it to
Gorakpur and elsewhere and disrupted services. In Gurgaon, others”, at a ralley at SMB College. Speaking to media convenor
Haryana Muslims offering Namaz on Friday were disrupted by of Aligarh Unit of RSS affiliate Dharam Jagran Samiti Saurabh
Hindutav outfits that went around the city shouting slogans like Chaudhary said, our slogans are for those who indulge in
“Jai Shri Ram” “Bangladesh Wapas Jao”. Jinnah died long ago. antinational activities. They are not ready to remove Jinnah’s
But are we seeing the communal divisioness that he represented portrait/picture. “Till now we are giving warnings to them in a
being incarnated in the behaviour of right wing goons in the democratic manner but if the need arises, we will adopt other
name of Hinduism even as authorities mandated to uphold law means to remove Jinnah’s portrait”. In this imbroglio the AMU
and order remain mute spectators ? What kind of anarchy is had to postpone examinations.
this? and where will it lead to ? That is the central issue in what Interestingly, wading through the Jinnah row, Union Minister
is unfolding now at AMU. V.K. Singh said those Muslims, who supported the presence of
A few words about the writer of the article, Pavan K. Verma Pakistan founders portrait in the AMU were insulting their
is a noted intellectual and an erudite. His article will be an asset forefathers who had rejected his ideology. They are Indians today
to my book. “Minoritism’s syndrome”. Since the article had been because of their forefathers, the Minister said in a social media
published in Times of India and had come into public domain. post.
All the same. The apology from the author of this book with all Singh said, if you are not a Muslim but support the portrait’s
humbleness to Varmaji, who I am sure is magnanimous and presence because you think that protests against it curbs your
generous enough to accept. freedom then you should think, if you would like on the walls
The right wing outrage against anything Muslim has become of your house a picture of somebody whose hands are stained
a menace for the society. The RSS led goons are on a turmoil. A with the blood of your own people.” Without a doubt freedom
little while ago they had claimed that Taj Mahal was a Hindu is everybody’s right. But we tend to forget that how many great
created monument and may be its name is changed. These people shed their blood in a achieving it. Will they be proud
“Wisemen” ignore that it is among the seven famous monuments today of the manner in which you are using your freedom ? The
in the world. former Army Chief asked in the post titled “Let us protect our
This apart, a video clip of Aligarh Muslim University freedom from abuse.”
students raising slogans of “Azadi” freedom from “RSS and The Minister said if you are Muslm and want Jinnah’s
BJP” in the aftermath of the Jinnah portrait controversy and portrait on your walls, then is a huge insult of your forefathers
who had rejected his (Jinnah’s ideology you are an Indian today for Muslims only separately, the outrage of intolerance towards
because of them. Singh suggested that AMU students have to Muslims was witnessed. The polity of the new India was laid as
choose between narrow mindedness and extremism. secular and their was no sense of intolerance against any religion.
The exact text of VK Singh has been picked up for the book But BJP has all along been creating a hiatus and divison between
“Minoritism’s Syndrome” so that the very nuances may not be Hindus and Muslims. The BJP must not shut its eyes to the fact
misplaced by the author of this book. Due apology is offered for that the India known for its secularism since decades is being
that. watched the world over. The Muslim countries Arabian and Gulf
The outrage which has been let loose in the name of Hindu are staring at the discriminating attitude of Hindus against
Religionindutav of ‘Nagpur’ brand has been amply discussed Muslims. It may bring the irreparable damages to India. The
and explained. It is against a particular community i.e. Muslims elderly still alive who had undergone the havoc played by
who are in a way told to go to Pakistan or Bangladesh. so much partition and migration of population from and to Pakistan and
rise of intolerance against them is spread that they are actually India remember that unfortunate phase of the History. Sadly,
cornered which will unite them and ultimately they will come BJP appears bent upon outsting Muslims from India this way or
out with the demand that an area be demarcated for them so that that. The RSS icon of Nagpur avers that whoever has to live in
they do not become victim of hate spread by Rastrya Swam India irrespective of his/her religion has to call himself or herself
Sewak Sang led BJP enthuiasts. The irony of the country is that Hindu. The ‘Nagpur’ forgets that Muslims are very Orthodox.
there is no party who could take cudgets for such a hate Their religious belief is that they are born muslims and not
campaign. The congress party and the leftist appear lifeless. They converted afterwards. So there could be no question of their
probably are watching and waiting that in the general elections. being called Hindus.
Muslims could vote for them enbloc having been fed up with Apart from the foregoing narrative where the religous
BJP’s treatment. The BJP probably carries the nation that Hindus ‘minoritism syndrome’ has been explained thread bare, there is
being in whopping majority in the country they have to ignite minoritism on caste, religion, lingusitc, economic basis, such-
Hindutav in them. They forget that the Hindus are in other parties poor, developed, undeveloped, population–thickly populated and
like Congress, communists. Bahujan Samaj Party and other thinly populated, in short minoritism is there. Fortunately they
parties also. How the BJP can monopolise Hindu vote. It is likeli are not at war with each other but at times situation becomes
hood that BJP would suffer with their Hindutav and would repent. explosive.
The slogan which Narinder Modi campaigned and championed The glaring example of linguistic minoritism the country
the Development agenda. Modi is a very voracious orator and experienced of Punjabi Speaking State movement. The demand
an adept in carrying his audience with him. His communicative for Punjabi Suba was raised by the Punjabi Sikh Community
skills are unparallel. Modi the PM and the BJP; president Amit when it was decided by the Govt. to redemarcate the states on
shah who virtually are in command have put the Development linguistic basis with a view to facilitate the administrative control
agenda on the back burner. Their agenda clearly is to divide the in the country. The Madras Presidency was so redistributed that
society on Hindutav and Muslims and garner Hindu vote Karnatak, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra new states came into
majoritarianly, where the country they are pushing to. being. The history vividly remmebrs that in creating Andhra as
Never ever after the partition of the country creating Pakistan a separate state one Sriramulu sacrificed his life by going on
fast unto death. Similarly Punjab has a very bitter history of did was that he took the prominent Hindu leaders alongwith
Punjabi Suba struggle. The Central Govt. right from the like Pandit Mohan Lal presedent of the Sanatan Dharam Sabha
beginning started suspecting that in the garb of Punjabi speaking in Punjab and running several educational Institutions. He had
state (Punjabi Suba) the sikhs want an independent Sikh state. been the Finance Minister of Punjab during Partap Singh
It had its roots in the partition of India into Pakistan and India. Kairon’s Chief Ministership. The Pandit has established himself
Master Tara Singh, the unquestioned leader and spokesman of as Hindu leader. He right from the beginning been the supporter
Sikh community was assured by the Congress leadership–Pt. of Punjabi Speaking state of course after Kairon had gone and
Jawahar Lal Nehru that Sikhs will have an area where they may the struggle for Punjabi was turning fierce. Certain socialist
feel the whiff of independence. Master Tara Singh and other leaders and the communists tried their best to bring the demand
Sikh leaders fought shoulder to shoulder alongwith the Contress. for Punjabi Suba out from its communal shades.
At declaration of India’s independence, the Sikh Community, There had been a very crucial moments when Sant Fateh
whose valour as fighter is admitted throught out the world. for Singh had stoked put his life at the altar of achievemnet of
independence struggle, Pt. Nehru called Master Tara Singh and Punjabi Suba demand. A small cemented tank was got built.
told him that as per the demarcaton plan, would you like to opt The sant had to be down in the tank. His hands were tied down
for Pakistan or India. Population wise Sikhs were in majority with iron chains. The Sant had threatened that he would burn
only in Taran Taran Tehsil (on the border of Pakistan now). himself in the tank–Tins of oil were kept nearby to sprinkle and
Master Tara Singh very humbly explained to Nehru that how pour on the Sant. Simply, it had to be ignited to burn the Sant.
could Sikh even dream of going with Pakistan. Our forefathers, The author of this book was at Patiala in those days. The Mall
culture, religion are one. How can, Nehru ji you yourself think Road the main road built since Maharaja Yadavinder Singh days
of that. Sikh’s fate is with India only rest assured Sikhs would was crowded with people. Everybody was awaiting with bated
live like younger brother. But when the states were reorganised breath. The political situation in the state was on a tinder box.
on linguistic basis. Punjabi speaking state was denied. Nehru There was panic. Anything could have happened in the state.
was some how biased that in the garb of Punjabi Speaking State The speaker of Parliament, a promount Sikh leader’s aeroplane
Sikhs want an independent sikh state which may in future may was hovering over Amritsar Harmander Sahib’s promises. It
align with Pakistan and may be a buffer state between India and obviously meant that the Central Govt. was closely caught up
Pakistan and thus be in better position vis-a-vis both the of the critical situation. It was through such turbulent
countries. circumstances that the demand was accepted. Punjab was
The demand for Punjabi Suba was raised in 1952 and a very bifurcated Hindu rather Haryanvi speaking areas went to make
bitter struggle had to be waged for fourteen yeras. Ultimately a separate state called Haryana and the Hilly areas speaking
when the demand was posed to be from Hindus and Sikhs of the Hindi-nay Pahari dialect went to join Himachal Pradesh. Areas
state. The Punjabi Suba has a very protracted tale. Master Tara of Kangra district went to Himachal. Virtually, Haryana state
Singh one time the (be ta badshah of Sikhs) crownless king lost was given to Haryanvi’s on a platter with no struggle. Similarly
his leadership and a dark horse Sant Fateh Singh from a remote Himachal got the Punjab’s areas. Punjab infact has a tatering
Gurdwara in Bhatinda district was inducted to carry the struggle history. First it was partitioned into West Punjab and East Punjab
for achievement of Punjabi Suba. The very first thing the Sant (now called Punjab). Then at the time of separating Haryanvi
speaking areas from Punjab and naming it Haryana. Infact region. The climate which affects the other walks of life. In this
Haryana stood to gain. Earlier the Jullunder areas of Punjab digital age things are grossly different in area to area.
used to be benefitted as Punjab’s budget was mostly utilised in Then the ‘minoritism syndrome’ is bitterly apparent on the
the areas of Amritsar. Jullunder and at the most only the areas divison of society in caste basis Brahman, Kashatri Jats, Rajputs,
of Ambala. Karnal where the Punjabi had been alloted lands Harijans, Vaish. Then there are minoritism in the castes also-
and the business men had also prosperred in that area. The cloth say Khatris (Kashatrya) Kapur, Shahi, Khosla one or two more
market at Ambala became a big centre for business. are considered the upper strata of Khatris where as the others
The Punjabi Sikhs realised later on that the Sikhs who stoke are in the second rung. Not very long ago, when searching for a
so much in the Punjabi Suba struggle afterwards realised that match for one’s daughter all these features were closely enquired
ultimately what is left with them is a Subi (a tiny state). Earlier into. Then in the Gotras, while Okaying match, the Gotra of
before the creation of Haryana Punjab’s area was touching Delhi even mother’s mother was noted so that it may not be the same
as their own. The idea behind this was though with the
on one side, the Kangra in Hill areas. Now Punjab has no hilly
materialistic outlook where the money is the main consideration
area. Its areas touched Jammu-Kahmir also. This all was the
things are fastly changing. In Haryana the caste system is so
result of the creation of states on linguistic basis. The Sikh leaders
rigidly followed that there had been a galore of murders and
in the fore front of creation of Punjabi Suba were probably led
there are instances where the couple had to leave their, village
by the notion that in Punjabi suba Sikhs will be in majority
with the spread of education the caste system no doubt is on the
would always rule the state. An Akali Dal’s rule will be there.
wane. But for the parents of both the daughter and son remain
but it was belied when the Congress also came into power. It an eyesore the whole life. These days the girls are becoming
was rather an alternative term. If one term Akali Dal is in power- bold to tell their parents that it is their own life and atleast they
next term Congress will be in saddle. The command of politics should be given the freedom to have their life partner of their
bitterly failed. The BJP since it came into power in 2014 has own choice and instances are there when the daughters rejected
been dividing the country-society on communal lines with the the match, selected by their parents.
motive that all Hindus will vote for BJP which appears to be a In fact the oldies have to sail with times and go with their
bloated expectation. The BJP wants to derive benefit from children. But the parents feel that they have the experience of
“minorities national aloofness”. life they know what will be good for the son/daughter who feel
On linguistic minoritism feeling–if one person from Punjab their liberty in choosing the partner had been snatched. Now
is living in another state–say Andhra-a Telgu speaking state. the intercaste marriages are becoming common and the newly
The Punjabi would feel awkard as the Andhrite do not even wed couple are happy. Despite all the education, majority of the
speak Hindi. In Hyderabad one feels at sea coming from a people are stuck in case considerations.
Northern state. Not that they will be at war with each other but In villages, Jattan da Chautra, Kahtrian di gali, Chamaary,
the Punjabi being in minority would defnitely feel in-convenient et. al. These are the obvious indications of the different cates.
and in a disadvantageous position. Then the minoritism feeling Strangely, in Haryana Rajput community through predominantly
comes in among different regions. Every region has its own engaged in farming and so is the jat community till yaster the
culture which includes living conditions, language, produce of Rajput considered Jats as inferior to them and they would not
the area, industry, farming all these are differing from the other share the same Hukka (smoking pipe with them).
Since time immorial, the proverbial Manu’s demarcation whereas the Balmikis do the cleansing work. With advancement
has rather dug deeper the modern education has also not made of education many of them have gone abroad in search of Greener
any difference for the better. The caste system supporting persons pastures. More so the reservation, policy right from the
say that the caste system is to preserve and maintain the family Independence has benefitted this class tremendously.
pedigree’s purety. The inter cate marriages do take place but it Significantly the reservation is not on economic conditions but
is successful mostly in highly educated classes. There also the by birth. Say a chamar’s son/daughter has to have in the Reserve
way of living at times comes in the way of smooth sailing. It is category. By dint of this reservation, many of them have reached
true also because the family customs usually differes where the at high posts in the Govt. Civil Services etal. The irony is that
couple do not understand and make adjustment with each it even those who have reached high positions and have become
remains irksome and upsetting the wholelife. economically well to do their children would keep enjoying the
The ‘Minorities syndrome’ is apparent in wealth. If your reservation benefits probably if in Civil Service exam the
neighbour is flush with money obviously it will be an eyesore general category contestant has to achieve position, the
for you. It is you who have to adjust with him because he will be reservation contestant would reach equal to him by getting
in pride of his wealth. You would from hearts of feel in minority even lesse of the marks. This all is the miracle of caste. The
in comparison to rich persons. These are small brackets where irony is that those who get into positions by dint of Reservation
the ‘Minoritism’s syndrome’is reflected. and no more remain down trodden their children keep getting
In this connection the areas which are developed and there the benefit of Reservation, whereas a farmer’s son or any other
are others which lack development. The reasons could be many, non-scheduled or scheduled tribe's son/daughter shall have to
the political could be main. The location and natural features strive hard to make a mark. This is creating minority among the
could also be the impediments. But these features become notice minorities. Thus projecting the “Minoritism’s syndrome” the
able and make the place among the ‘minorities syndrome’ had theme of this book. The framers of the constitution had kept the
demarcated the society in four varuns cadres or castes. Brahmans, Reservation clause so as to lift up the scheduled castes/scheduled
Kashatrya, Vaish, and Shudar. Some of the analyists think that tribes. These classes have been living in a very poor and wretched
Manu is a misnomar. It is the tale of man told by the man to conditions. Their habitations have been separate from the so
man. It came to be known as Manu. The die hard believers of called upper classes–say Brahiman, Kashatrya, Vaish and still
Manu Samriti has given the man’s body itself as the head is continuing in the same conditions. By spread of education
Brahmin, the arms Kashatrya, belly Vaish and the foot as Shudra. which for these classes is free rather their children are paid
So deep was dug the division of society into four Varuns. The scholarship instead of charging fee as from the general category.
villain politician exploits the caste system to his/her advantage Inspite all the aids and privileges provided to them, They still
during elections and garners vote in the name of caste. The are in the bracket of “Minoritism’s syndrome”.
contestant will not miss using his/her caste card to appeal for Regionalism is another symbol of ‘Minoritism’s syndrome’
votes. In case the caste to which the contestant belongs to is in different states are constantly fighting for water from the rivers
minority–this ‘minorities’ will come into play. Even among the in the riparian purview. Punjab and Haryana are still querraling
Shudras there is further division. Chamars consider themselves for justifiable distribution of water. Similarly there has been a
superior than Balmikis-Chamar are engaged in leather work continued cry from Talengana, Karnatka for water from Cavery
river. It causes shortage in summer, when the flow in the rivers A very apparent Minorities’ syndrome is in the male-female
go almost dry. This becomes a bone of contention among the area. Otherwise too ours is a male dominated society. The
states and intervention of the Central Govt. is sought. population of female is far less than male. It is skewed in favour
In fact ‘Minorities Syndrome’ is seen in each and every of men. Demographic experts feel that one of the causes of
section of the population. There is much heart burning at times increase in number of rapes is that female population in lesser.
when a poor man notices that his neighbour is flush with money The saddest part of this disease and character is that the minor
and spends like that of unearned one where one can do with ten girls are not spared. The males that way have turned animals.
rupees he spends hundred. In the personal living costly clothes, Apart from criminal law takes its course the saner section of the
costly modern vehicle cars are a common sight. How those who society should take steps like darken the faces of rapists and
cannot afford to be that lavish would bear with it. parade them in the public social relations should be cut off with
In case of land owning (farming class) the holdings have them.
become very very small and farming thus has not remained an Unemployed youth loitering here there and becoming the
earning profession. There is so much difference of holdings that victim of all vices is an area which has been the eye-sore. The
the ‘Minorities syndrome’ is staring at it. parents of such youth are fed up with them. The educated young
Interestingly a Dalit groom in Gujrat uses ‘Sinh’ in name men in fact want a white collar job and that too in Govt. Service.
attacked–A news item emanating from Ahmedabad roads like Right from British days the system was devised such that the
this, “A Dalit was barred by upper caste Darbar Community British Govt. created only babus and not that it seized them the
members from performing post wedding rituals at a temple in most. The system of education till yester was not job oriented.
Golagam village in Gujrat’s Banaskantha on Sunday as they No art-craft training was given during education even to the
added the suffix of ‘Sinh’ to the names of two children on the high classes. What we need is–massons, carpenters, plumbers
wdding invitation card, or something that Darbar’s consider as and other artisans. You will find a number of unskilled labourers
their community’s prerogative. The family which had to hold in the labour chowks and can easily get as many as you need but
their marriage under police protection faced stone pelting from the skilled masson-marble and brick work is altogether a separate
Darbars at the temple another groom was hit by a stone. The line. A young graduate boy would prefer to get into Govt. service
head of the Dalit family Kanji Bhandru, a cop in Basant Kantha even as a peon but would not like to be a masson or plumber. In
had received several threatening calls earlier. On the basis of this connection, the Govt. has been boosting the self employment
his FIR two accused were arrested. portfolio-Prime Minister Modi’s slogan of startsup is only
Darbars got into arguements with the family and pelted towards allaying the unemployment. When the PM said publicly
stones. They broke the pitchers from which our kids drink water that a snack vendor (Pakode bna ke bechne wala) can easly earn
in the temple Bhandru said. his livelihood. The Congress President derided it saying what a
This news has been published by Times of India in its May solution the Prime Minister has for solving the unemployment.
14, 2018 issue. Since it has come into public domain, all the The Prime Minister never shied away and publically told that
same my apology to the publishers and the newsman concerned. he had been serving tea to the train passengers at the Railway
The above passage in fact relates to the division on caste station from the tea stall of his father. He even did not hesitate
basis. stating publically that her mother had been cleansing the utensils
in other’s houses to earn for the family to make two ends meet. purchase of machinery raw material etc. all items were financed
Congress leaders like Mani Shankar, Aiyer passed absured by banks. It created employment in plenty. Earlier the farmer
remarks on Modi that he is a low man and should open tea stall had never seen the Bank’s counter because they hardly had
only. The sensible section of the educated class and the working surplus money to deposit in the banks and they only remained
class in general condemned Aiyer’s remarks that shame to such coninsed to commission agents who charged heavy rates of
a man. How the Congress party has been tolerating such leaders. interest. For personal needs say daughter’s marriage or any other
No work other than, against the norms of living and earning is social function the farmer would raise money from private
low. The other angle of the unemployment is that long years of source. The old adage was that a farmer is born under debt and
alien rule under Britishers. We had become used to look to the dies under debt. The situation drastically changed after
Govt. only and self initiative and extrepreneurship was quite nationalisation of the 14 commercial banks in the private sector
unknown. Indira Gandhi had nationalised the main 14 a lot but again went back.
commercial banks in the private sector. These banks were bluntly Alas, the condition of farming class has after some years
told to lend for different vocations. In the farm sector, to instal started deteriorating badly so much so that farmers under debt
tubewells, purchase of fertilisers, pesticide, levelling of land, started committing suicides. The reasons of suicides are many
purchase of tractor trolleys in short each and every activity in but the debt is considered to be the main. The writer of this
farming was financed by commercial banks which earlier had book has served as a bank Manager and handled an Agricultural
only been the area of cooperative banks. Allied activities like development branch which operated in blocks of district Patiala.
dairy farming, goats sheep rearing, hybrid seed, purchasing etc. The condition of farmers was that for small crop loans. The
were all covered. The green revolution of 1970’s was the result farmers were arranging money from commission agents or some
of this bank finance. The country had been importing wheat other source so as to adjust the croploan of previous season and
from abroad countries like Australia. After availability of finance raise loan for the next crop. The financial condition of farmers
from the banks the same farmers specially Punjab, Haryana and was not good even then. Yes recovery of the Bank used to be
Western Uttar Pradesh produce so much wheat and rice that the not less than 95% sometimes even 100% as it was only a renewal
country became surplus in food grains and started exporting it. of the loan in a way. All the same loans from the Commercial
It being quite a new phase the unemployment in villages became Banks for farming helped a lot.
almost extinct. The mechanisation of farm sector made the A scheme was framed where a loan for marriage of farmer’s
farmers used to borrow money from Arhtiyas commission agents daughter/son could be given. The minorities syndrome is
for purchase of seeds and other requirements and would pay apparent in thickly populated and thinly populated areas.
back on the next harvesting season. The other self employment Although the ‘Nagpur icon’ says on house tops that the Hindus
vocations like for purchase of horse-cart used for transporting should not observe family planning and should produce more
goods/farm produce from one place to another. Bank finance and more in order to out do the Muslims who have no
for purchase of tempo/authorickshaw was available. The small consideration family planning. In this connection the Prime
business was provided finance by nationalised banks and Minister Modi has given a very innovative proposition i.e. atleast
increased their business. The small scale industries were the 100 smart cities be developed in the country. These city centres
most benefitted ones. Right from the purchase of plot of land, should be self contained–business, aspect industrial aspect–
living conditions, climatic aspect all should be taken into Q. Why are you against religion ? Don’t you think people
account. The states like Rajasthan which has vast vacant land have a right to practice a religion of their choice ?
being sandy one–can the Industry be installed there like all this Ans. Of course though I am not religious. I do think people
has to be considered. have a genuine need for religion and it is their right to hold to
People from villages have been migrating to cities in search whatever their belief want to. At the same time you also have
of employment, the farming having become uneconomical. The the right to question religion. But today instead of appreciating
Prime Ministers scheme of 100 smart cities would of much myth and fables for what they are people have become victims
suitable for the country. of mythology and are trying to manufacture facts to justify things
This writer has come across a very interesting and relevant which are unjustifiable.
passage by a self proclaimed humanist and rationalist, named Q. Last year you were in the news for ‘freeing’ a village on
Babu Gogmeni, who kicked up a storm with his explosive the outskirts of Hyderabad and ridding its residents from the
comments, on Religion and spiritual leader, has told Hyderabad clutches of so called ‘evil’ ghost. What was that about ?
Times why he bats for a society that is guided by Science. He I belong to the third generation of a non-religious Telgu
says that all religions, except Budhism have elements of magical agricultural family. Being the executive Director of International
thinking, so when people hear incidents of ghosts sighting. They Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) in London for the last 17
do not prove the causes, instead they look for the ghost or years and a Human Rights Activist my intellectual, professional
whatever Devil or whatever and seek to drive it away. This is and activist work has always been at the Cusp of Religion and
what I bust myths with rationality and reasoning. human rights in the course of my travels to Africa, Asia and
We generally consider science to be antgonistic to culture America, it became increasingly evident to me that many people
or religion. Babu Gogmeni has been described as India’s Carl out of fear or politeness do not address the issue of superstitions.
Sagan–The man who loves to bust myths with reason and logic. For instance during one of my visits to Ghana, Africa I
He has made headlines with his uabashed criticism of Religion encountered a case of the police arresting a goat because they
and spiritual leaders. A non-believer Gogieni bats for a society suspected it was a thief who transformed himself into a goat to
which runs on scientific lines. Qustion form produced his escape arrest. How ridiculous is that ! The UNO has estimated
comments on the subject. Gogineni’s pasasge has been pickedup that the number of people affected by superstitions runs into
because Bhartya Janta Party’s regime has made the whole fabric hundred of thousands worldwide. I want to challenge the
of its rule in the manner that every bit in seen through the prism privilage of Religion, superstitions and their authritarianism.
of Religion only. The outrage of religion has taken undue So I took it up as my cause and I have been working towards it
proportions and only a Hindu is considered a human being/devta ever since.
others i.e. Muslims are simply ignored. The myths are treated Q. You have been aggressively calling for a society that’s
as gospel truth. Even the Prime Minister states that the trunk of guided by science, do you think that it is achieved ?
Ganesha was miracle though he enjoined it that the medical Ans. I think science has already won because every thing
science in ancient times was highly developed. Selective excerpts around us is the result of science. A human is someone who has
from his comments are given below which are revealing of the lot of dignity and has extraordinary potential. Just look around
certain aspects or religion. you, everyting has been created and achieved by humans through
their minds. It has not been done by any God, mantras prayers religion proves to be the biggest villain. It has divided the
or incantations. Human pursuits are destroyed the moment you societies-countries. The partition of India creating a separate
say the God is responsible for it. In this country we have a life country i.e., Pakistan simply on religious basis. Pakistan–The
expectancy of 67 years. But in countries like Japan it is a high Muslim majority areas in India were demarcated as Pakistan.
an 80 years. That is because of the gift of science. Science for What havoc this partition wrought is a sordid and saddest part
the society and society for the science should be the motto for of history. The history will never forgive the villain politicians
us. who created all this. Mohd. Ali Jinnah was one of the main
Q. You are particularly critical of astrologers and godmen actors whereas Mahatma Gandhi tried to douse fire but it was
is there reason why you specifically singled them out ? not to be. It is a long history and much has written about it by
Ans. These godmen are always making tall claims. Making different writers. A couplet in Punjabi “Chal Amiay aithon
false fraudulent claims are very easy once you use god or religion Challeyai ne–Kise hor Jahane Vasia ne) Kya veer pyara na mil
se, Ma da dulara na milse). The migrating daughger asks her
as your shield. People are simple and naive. They tend to believe
mother, who came from West Pakistan, urges her mother to settle
anything they are told in the name of religion. Very rarely they
at a place, she asks her mother whether her brother who lost in
question why someone is charging Rs. 10,000 for teaching them
the migrating people in whatever conveyance or foot they were
as how to breathe or why they have to pay Rs. 50,000 to see
travelling. Train full of people from and to Pakistan were
someone instal a Shivling.
massacred on both sides. The man had turned dragon over night.
What the self proclaimed humanist and rationalist has stated
Living as brothers since ages had turned blood seekers of one
in the above narrative looks true some 20 years back. With the another. The religious monster had been dragging people on
spread of education and scientific advancement the superstitions embers to torture and to die. As said earlier it is a very sad saka
looks a past event. But at the same time, these superstitions are of history for which entirely religion is the cause. The minorities
so deeply rooted. This writer who abhors the wearing of Taveez– are made cognisant only on the basis of religion–Hindus,
see that black ribbon is worn commonly by highly educated Muslims, Sikh, Christians etc. on the basis of their population
people. Their children are made to wear them unexceptionally. in the particular area. See in Kashmir Muslims are in majority
In the backward societies what Babu Gogoneni has stated is all but they still call a minority community because Muslims in
true. He is really doing a job which is most needed. Babu India are a minority–Hindus the dominnat community are about
Gogoneni is right–if you are stepping out from your house may 82%, Muslims 15% and 3% are other small communities.
be locally and a cat crosses your way it generally is considered “Minoritie's syndrome” as such in perceptible.
a bad omen and something untoward may happen so better to The minorities are in regional basis also. A Punjabi living in
wait for sometime. Funnily if a Brahmin Tilakdhari meets you Hyderabad or any other state would always feel in minority
while just started going out, one’s fear is that the job/work will although he may by and by adjust to the new environment. Then
not be favourable better to put it off for some other day if possible. the local language–say Telgu of Andhra, Kannard of Bangloru
Ironically such make believe notions are still continued even in do come in the way. The outsiders as such keep a feeling that
highly educated clases. they are in minority.
Recapitulating the reflections in the above narrative it comes Similar feeling keep murmering in the poor when he/she
down to the ‘Minoritie’s syndrome’ the theme of this book. The looks at the rich.
Landlords and tenants, big farmers and small marginal
farmers with small holdings. All this is the reflection of
‘Minorities’ syndrome’. But hats off, the people are living and
not taking any untoward cognisance of all those imbalances. Back title of the Book
Years ago the comunists had been engaged in waging wars
against big landlords and uniting the land tenants. Their struggle B.S. Thaur was born in 1929 in village Nandpur Kalaur,
did succeed and land ceiling acts were passed by the Govt. also the birth place of Giani Bhai Ditt Singh an early crusader
restricting the maximum and farming land to 30 standard acres. of Singh Sabha Lehar (movement). Thaur retired as Regional
There is no minorities syndrome like situation among land lords Manager from State Bank of Patiala (now SBI) having joined it
now. That is another thing that the big land lords have in 1948 yet writing has been his passion from the early age say
clandestinely transferred their land to their Kith and Kin. The 17-18 years. He had edited a bilingual weekly “Krumblan” for
cases in Punjab were reported where the lands were transferred children’s awakening for three years. Thaur (Bhim Sain Thaur)
to their servants and other confidants and virtually farming it as has been contributing articles in national Dailies like Tribune,
their own. But still Minorities’ syndrome pulsates this form or Indian Express Economic Times and Financial Express. He has
the other. In this connection there is persistent demand that like been writing Book Reviews in the Tribune since 1980. He has
the farming land ceiling, there should be a ceiling for a person already published six books one in Punjabi. The book in hand
to own not more than at the most two houses or as per the family will be his seventh one. This book is a critical treatise of the
requirements. Since in the upper strata of society families are Religious outrage let loose in the country by certain elements of
kept small (family planning) same device could be arrived at Hindutav enthusiasts.
where the ceiling on housing property also comes into force. As
of now it appears a Minorities’ syndrome in the whole spectrum —Author
of properties.
To cut the narrative on Minorities’ syndrome short its feature
is vibrant.
❑ ❑ ❑

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Minoritism's Syndrome

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