Evolving Indian Civilizational Setting: Pluralism vs. Fundamentalism
By Purti Marwaha
25 August,
2008
Countercurrents.org
1. Typical Indian Civilizational Setting
A society's key organizational principles evolve gradually; and this was the more so before the printing press, the communication revolutions, and all the other churning of our times.[1] The present India, which is evolving gradually, is seeing the development and expansion of its key organizational principle, i.e., "unity in diversity", in a speedier and complex way. The secret of this civilizational setting lies in complex and hierarchical caste system prevalent in India and the advent of more influential and complex major civilizations of the world, such as, Chinese, Islamic and European into the already prevalent vivid Indian civilizational structure. All this create an energetic and healthy civilization called, India.
2. Problem of the Divergent Society
It's a widely accepted fact that divergent society will always subject to one or the other cultural debates, and as India having broader civilizational setting of assimilation of cultures, and "an astoundingly complex society – because of its fabled capacity to absorb all manner of diversities"[2] in turn, is causing rise to more modern debates. This archetypal, distinctive and typical Indian cultural setting is facing the lash out of the contemporary India. India's triumph will matter now more on "Finding Balance in a time of Change."[3] The past few days of violence in J&K, needs fresh outlook, on account of reactions and counter reactions among the masses in the Kashmir valley related to Amarnath land issue. Instead of solving the Amarnath land issue, peoples mind is drifting towards other trifling and stern issues, which has bad ramifications for Indian Unity and Integrity. The fact which is causing utmost trouble is the rise of separatist forces in the valley, which are causing obliteration, destruction and almost elimination of the very bases of India that is, Unity and Integrity. However, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on the early morning of 62nd day of our great Independent India, taking the initiative and while addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort, requested all the political parties, to not fall in to the ditch of pity divide-and-rule politics, and try to help in the development of Nation's integrity. He further requested all the political parties to concentrate on the issues related to the well being of the Jammu and Kashmir. The contrasting news on the news papers is the mark of new so called awakened, autonomous, secular, and economically strong India. Gross national happiness for India, it seems only will remain a distant dream. Perez Musharraf, beleaguered president of Pakistan, said on August 13, 2008, that unrest in Kashmir is due to "State Terrorism"[4], he also said that they would approach the U.N. and Organisation of Islamic Conference (O.I.C.), to ask India to "exercise restraint" and "rein in extremist elements" who were destroying the Kashmiri economy with their blockade of the valley.[5] Tens of thousands of people from all across Jammu and Kashmir reached at Srinagar on 18th of August 2008, to take part in the march organised by the Hurriyat-sponsored Coordination Committee to submit a memorandum to the United Nations office, seeking intervention in the resolution of the Kashmir issue.[6] The political theatre of India was covered well in the Economic Times[7], where the headlines read as, "Valley wakes up to azadi and pro- Pak cries".
3. Plural Society at the Crossroads
Shashi Tharoor in preface of one of his books[8] pointed out to four of the most important debates facing India, i.e., the bread vs. freedom debate, the centralization vs. federalism debate, the pluralism vs. fundamentalism debate and the 'coca-colonization' debate, or globalization vs. self-reliance debate. The debate on pluralism vs. fundamentalism is growing its branches to its maximum, and with the passage of time, the possibility is that this debate will change the color combination of Indian politics.
4. Stressing on wrong Issues at wrong time
It is indeed undoubledly strange that the religion which should be confined to the individual personalities and perceptions of the people of the country being the means to find the God Almighty through their respective means has been exploited by the so called fundamental forces in the Nation which causes such a situation that the people instead of focusing on their growth and development start fighting on the issues, which not only infringes their growth and development but also creates volatile situation where the Nation's integrity itself comes to stake. It is indeed a sad state of affair where the people of this Nation are not catered to by their respective communal forces and communities to lead a comfortable life but on the contrary they are being drawn to the poverty, backwardness and redundancy in the larger world structure. The irony of the whole affair is that the people are not having a comfortable living which is the essence of a nation and a requirement which can confront any challenge from the world at large and have a self sustenance if the situation so necessitates but are rather ready to terrorize the nation state and its economy and society and marginalize of the evolution of the country as a developed nation state.
What is the solution?
Solution
of this problem only lies within the hands of the masses. What is
really called for is the evolution of the masses of the country to
a state of harmony and tolerance in the situations of difficulty or
so called igniting religious issues and to call upon them to concentrate
on their growth while also working with a motivation to develop the
nation. It means that the focus should not be on the traditional perception
that "I am Right and You are Wrong", but on lateral thinking
or parallel thinking[9]. Consequently, there has to be a focused move
in the society to grow this nation state and to create an ignition
among the masses to terrorize the menaces in the society which are
causing the rotting of the people and are forcing them to live in
the historical perspective and negative their lives. All this is likely
to come, if the people attempt at educating themselves while breaking
the shackles of religion, which indeed while having the highest pedestal
in one's life has to be confined to one's life for the peaceful mergence
of the soul with the God Almighty. For this one has to stop the so
called communal forces from proceeding further with their designs
and to work in concrete manner to the growth of this nation harmoniously
rather than fighting egoistic wars which may only cause the disaster
to the nation state. We, the Indians, should thus break the religious
barriers and work for a changing nation, where the people have comfortable
amenities to live and contribute in the growth of the nation state,
which while competing with the world at large, ensure the self sustenance
of the nation state.
End Notes
*Purti Marwaha, Advocate
[1] Saberwal, Satish, "Introduction: Civilization, Constitution, Democracy", in "India's Living Constitution: Ideas, Practices, Controversies", p. 1, 2006, Permanent Black.
[2] Ibid, p. 2.
[3] Tully, Mark, "India's Unending Journey: Finding Balance in a time of Change", 2007, Rider.
[4] General Musharraf "strongly condemned" the killing of Hurriyat leader Sheikh Abdul Aziz by Indian security forces, and called it an act of "State Terrorism".
[5] The Hindu, Delhi Edition, Thursday, August 14, 2008, p. 15.
[6] The Hindu, Delhi Edition, Tuesday, August 19, 2008, p. 1.
[7] The Economic Times, New Delhi, Tuesday, August 19, 2008, p.3
[8] Shashi Tharoor, "The Elephant, The Tiger, & The Cellphone", p. xi, 2007, Penguin Books.
[9] Edward De Bono, "Lateral Thinking".
