Basis of Minorities-Genetic or Social
By Ram Puniyani
countercurrents.org
17 February, 2004The debate around the concept of minorities has been
an ongoing one, and it keeps propping up especially in
the context of anti minority violence occurring so
frequently in India. Opining on the concept of
minority, and of course giving a baggage of advice to
them, Mr. K. Sudarshan, the RSS sarsanghchalak,
(supreme dictator) said that Muslims and Christians
should not be regarded as minorities as they have
their genetic roots here. (Bhubaneshwar, Jan 24,
2004). He did say that Jews and Parsis are the
minorities but they do not claim any such status.
According to the same ideology Sikhs and Buddhists,
though are accorded the minority status by the
constitution, are not minorities. And the issue of
Jains being accorded the minority status is hanging
fire since quite some time. So de facto the boss of
Sangh Parivar is asserting that the concept of
minorities should be done away with. Also he questions
the definition and provisions about minorities given
in Indian constitution and in the UN charters, and
makes a simplistic claim that it is genes, which
should be the basis of defining minorities. Of course
genetics is a very complex subject, especially when
applied to national, religious and ethnic communities.
This has become more so with the results of some of
the genetic roots of Human kind coming forth through
various scientific studies. One is skeptical if such a
basis can be accepted for defining the minorities. Mr.
Sudarshan's concepts are in tune with Sangh Parivar's
(SP) notions of Hindu rashtra, Hindutva, which give
the genetic basis of race as the prime consideration
for defining the Nation and are polar opposite of the
provisions of Indian constitution and the UN charters.These documents (Indian Constitution and UN Charter)
accept the linguistic, regional, ethnic and religious
diversities in the national states and go on to
suggest that those groups, which are numerically weak
may be vulnerable at social and political level so the
state needs to devise affirmative action for such
groups, so that they can strive for a secure life as
citizens. In the nation building processes multiple
such factors have come up and to accommodate the
weaker sections the provisions for preservation of
their religion, language, culture etc., these
safeguards have been provided for. It is worth
recalling here that the Nation state formation has
also been accompanied by transmigrations of people and
spread of religions. The initial concept that all the
people forming the Modern Nation states will result in
a uniform culture, a 'melting pot', has been lately
questioned. The concept of 'mosaic model', where
different cultures intermingle and preserve themselves
is the one more congenial in the current times. The
melting pot model as such should be out come any way
as different people intermingle with each other and
through their interaction there is emergence of mixed
traditions. But of course these processes have their
own logic and speed. If these processes occur
naturally they develop properly, if these are imposed
they can never come up and sustain. Mosaic model, is
not just a poor compromise, it can be the starting
point from where communities create another culture,
of course by celebrating diversity. Not only that it
is supposed to be the duty of state to ensure that
these groups are not discriminated against due to
their numerical weakness.These norms are accepted practices in most of the
modern democratic states, and many of these provisions
are also enshrined in the UN charters on this issue.
Most of the countries including India are signatories
to these charters. Needless to say these provisions
are supposed to be temporary, till the time the
handicaps of minorities are overcome and all citizens
feel equally safe and secure in the state. Has such a
situation been achieved in our country? Far from it.
Can genetics be the basis of defining minorities? In
no way! While one is not clear about the genetic
compositions of the minorities one does recapitulate
that race and religion have been the major markers of
minorities, but not the only one's. One also recalls
Dr. Ambedkar's remarks in the constituent assembly
debates; "in this country both the majority and
minority have followed the wrong path, it is wrong for
the majority to deny the existence of minorities. It
is equally wrong for minorities to perpetuate
themselves" (Constituent Assembly Debates, VII, p.39)We can go so far as to say that the present statement
of Mr. Sudarshan contradicts the earlier understanding
of the RSS as presented by its previous Sarsanghchalak
Mr. Golwalkar in 'We or Our Nationhood Defined' refers
to Muslims and Christians as the foreign races. While
Mr. Sudarhsan may hold to the fact that Muslims have
been converted due to the swords of Muslims Kings and
Christians due to the allurement, the fact is that 95%
of Muslims come from the Shudras who took to Islam to
escape the tyrannical Brahminism, the synonym of
Hinduism in RSS language, and many took to
Christianity due to the social work of Christian
missionaries. The debate about the genetic composition
of Adivasi, Dravid, Aryan, and the North Eastern is of
no relevance today. What is important is their
political and social condition and their status as
Indian Citizens. What matters is whether they are able
to live as equal citizens in the country.
What matters is whether we have come to a stage where
the affirmative clauses of minorities can be done away
with. As Ambedkar points out the majority should not
deny the existence of minority. What has happened on
that front? Focusing on Muslims and Christians we have
to note that Muslims began with a lot of disadvantage
due to the tragedy of Pakistan formation, due to their
own inherent poor socio economic condition. The
matters did not improve as the communal politics began
to resurface after the Jabalpur riot of early 60s,
which reminded the Muslims that their safety in
'secular' India cannot be taken for granted. The
political, economic and social situation of Muslims is
on the decline more so after the upcoming of Ram
temple issue and after the demolition of Babri mosque.
As a matter of fact this RSS politics has entrenched
the 'Hate minority' in a deeper sense and by now that
forms the base of the anti-Muslim pogroms.As far as Christians are concenred thought their
economic plight has not been as bad, in a way better
than the average of Indian population, their social
security has seen serious erosion. The anti-Christian
missionary campaign, on the ground that they are doing
conversions by allurement, has seen the rise in the
attacks on Christian nuns and missionaries in
far-flung areas. And this has given a sense of
insecurity to the community as a whole. When should
the minorities stop taking shelter of these protective
clauses? That's possible only when they feel secure.
That's only when they feel that they can breathe in
the atmosphere of amity and harmony? To give up the
protective clauses today will further intimidate them.
We need to cultivate an atmosphere of harmony before
such ideas can be floated. The insecurity felt by both
these communities was never worse in the Independent
India.So in effect What Mr. Sudarshan is doing is to
increase the intimidation of both these minority
communities. What is needed today is creation of an
atmosphere where not only 'Hate Minority' propaganda
is halted but also an affirmative, proactive stance
where all the Indian citizens, irrespective of their
religion feel at home. Taking Ambedkar's criterion, it
is very clear that minorities today are in no position
to give up these protective clauses, or is it that
they need more of them? RSS is no spokesperson of
Hindus, it does represent the most retrograde values
of a section of Hindu community. If it is serious
about ensuring that the concept of minorities is done
away with, it should stop the whole paraphernalia,
which it has unleashed upon the country, to spread
hate.