In
Defense Of Pluralism
By Ram Puniyani
27 August, 2007
Countercurrents.org
A
debate has been raging in the society about secularists being anti Hindu.
Numerous examples are cited, their stance on the culprits of Godhra
train burning, culprits of Bane family burning in Radhabai chawl, and
to cap it all their insensivity to the plight of Kashmiri Pundits and
security of Hindus in Kashmir. What is the truth? Why the perception
sustains in this direction, not only by RSS combine communalists but
in milder form by other sections of society also.
To begin with let's take
these glaring examples, which have been listed above. The Radhabai Chawl
case was well investigated by the state and the case went on in the
courts for long when the alleged culprits were released as the courts
found that there is no ground to punish them. Incidentally the tragic
burning of this family was used as the pretext to launch the second
phase of violence in Mumbai. Even before the investigations were undertaken,
it was popularized that Muslims have done it and that Hindus should
become aggressive now. This call was given by those who were bent to
start the riots. The 'real estate' angle of the thing has been pointed
out by observers but irrespective of that the guilty must be punished
has been the stance taken by those struggling to preserve the civic
liberties. About Godhra, while the Bannerjee commission report doubts
'Modi theory' that ISI in collusion with local Muslims have done it,
large number of local Muslims, including a respectable Imam are behind
the bars as the accused in this crime. And surely those of them who
have aided in this crime must be punished as per the law.
The general trend of the
state has been to take serious action in cases where victims are Hindus.
If the state is already on the job, what more does one want? That's
generally the demand of civil liberties group, 'punish the guilty-protect
the innocent', anything wrong with that?
But surely the case of Kashmiri
Pundits is different. The security of Hindus, the Kashmiri Pundits emigration
from the valley is not in the purview of communal issue. They are more
akin to the way the killings of Hindi speaking people by ULFA in Assam.
Kashmir is basically an ethnic issue, caught in the cross fire of Indo
Pakistani tensions. The added factor of it being located in the strategic
area has added to the problem. The communalization of Kashmir issue
by Al Qaeda infiltrators in the decade of late 80s is to be distinguished
from the struggle for autonomy by the Kashmiri militants. While one
strongly defends the rights of Kashmiri Pundits living in Jammu or other
parts of the country as refugees, one should not communalize the issue.
Kashmir, which acceded to India with the initiative of Sheikh Abdullah,
was promised autonomy, which was the condition of accession. Since there
were attempts to undermine the autonomy promised to Kashmir, the problem
began. This was totally mishandled by state, with US and Pakistan also
trying to dominate in the area for strategic advantages. Kashmiris in
general and Pundits in particular have been the victims of Kashmir imbroglio.
Irrespective of the complexity of the problem, the nature of long term
solution, dialogue with Pakistan, the correct nod from US and the winning
over the hearts and minds of people of Kashmir are a must to solve the
issue. Some symptoms of improvement in the situation in Kashmir, due
to the opening of dialogue with militants are already visible with decline
in the militancy during last three years. To trivialize it as a communal
issue is the travesty of truth. Unfortunately the central governments,
including the six year rule of NDA has not done anything to sooth the
travails of those living in refugee camps, but surely the liberal voices
stand for the peaceful solution of Kashmir through the process of dialogue.
This is a prerequisite for peaceful existence of Hindus, and the return
of Pundits to the valley. Democrats have been calling for the long term
and the short term measures in both these directions.
Still why this perception
lingers on. There are shades of communalists, and even some liberal
sounding intellectuals do take the cudgels against the secular activists.
Some lessons from freedom movement may help us understand it better.
When Indian National Congress was formed, the Muslims communalists advised
Muslims to keep aloof from it as it is mainly a Hindu body, and Hindu
communalists cried hoarse that it is appeasing Muslims by taking them
in the Congress fold, and that Congress is against the interests of
Hindus. This argument was taken to its logical extreme, when Gandhi
was criticized by both the variety of communalists. It should be recalled
that the landed aristocracy and Kings and Nawabs were the fountain head
of these communal streams to begin with. In the similar vein one can
add that the Muslim communalists were also against the likes of Maulana
Abul Kalam Azad and Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan.
Later Gandhi, who came to
embody the secular values to the core, was the recipient of the wrath
of both these groups. And the cause of his assassination lies in the
concoted perception that he is against the interests of Hindus. Very
similar to the way present critics of secularism are doing. Gandhi's
secular policies were labeled as anti Hindu. This perception of Gandhis
politics was the cause for Nathuram Godse to pump in three bullets in
to the chest of Mahatma. Godse was the trained prachrak (preacher) of
RSS, who later joined Hindu Mahsabha, and was editor of a newspaper
titled, Agrani; subtitled Hindu Rashtra. In his statement in the court,
that Gandhi was pursuing anti Hindu policies was the fulcrum of argument.
It seems in a communalized atmosphere to talk about the defense of weaker
communities or to take a human approach to the issues is generally seen
through the colored glasses of religious identity, and secular voice
is mocked at being anti Hindu.
Leave
A Comment
&
Share Your Insights
Comment
Policy
Digg
it! And spread the word!
Here is a unique chance to help this article to be read by thousands
of people more. You just Digg it, and it will appear in the home page
of Digg.com and thousands more will read it. Digg is nothing but an
vote, the article with most votes will go to the top of the page. So,
as you read just give a digg and help thousands more to read this article.