Hindutva ideology: Democratic challenge or civilisational threat?
India's stature as the world's largest democracy is redoubtable, except for perturbations -- attacks against minorities -- that often threaten the very foundation of democracy. Time and again the polarised mentality of certain sections of the politicians coupled with the embittered communal history of the land seems to shake the edifice of Indian democracy. Repeated attacks on the "freedom and existence" of minorities in India, unless effectively checked, pose not only a democratic challenge but also civilisational threats to India's millions of religious and ethnic minorities.
Recently, Mr. Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri, the education minister of Karnataka, a south Indian state, referring to Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, and the secular Indians has remarked that all those opposing the one-hour compulsory reading of the Bhagvad Geeta, a Hindu scripture, in schools as proposed by his ministry are foreigners and should leave the country. Such forcible imposition of the Hindu religious scripture in a secular and composite society, ignoring others' views is completely against the spirit of secularism, a key feature of modern democracy, and the Indian Constitution, which bestows the freedom of choice in religious matters on every citizen.
Such pro-Hindutva calls are not new. Barely a week ago, Dr. Subramanyam Swamy, a former central minister and secular academic-turned-right-wing-Hindutva politician, wrote an article, "How to wipe out Islamic terrorism," in the wake of the recent Mumbai blasts. Although the title of the piece emphasises Islamic terrorism, the inner content of the tirade is horrific as it lays down the roadmap for making India a Hindu nation, thereby virtually wiping out all the Muslims, Christians, and non-Hindus unless they embrace the Hindu legacy and accept Hindu supremacy. This fanatic call towards an exclusive Hindu India is yet another undemocratic and highly objectionable move against the cherished Indian ethos of religious and cultural inclusiveness.
Such irresponsible propositions from influential politicians are bound to polarise the masses and spark communal tensions. Because of these bigoted politicians, India is usually on the divisive track, which turns all the efforts toward communal harmony futile. Besides, these controversial remarks are coming at a time when the country hasn't yet recovered from the pain and loss of lives and property in the July 13 Mumbai blasts. This is a crucial moment for the whole country to get together, to stand for the cause of national security and integrity. At this time, if the politicians from the majority community incite communal feelings and attempt to alienate minorities, how can one expect inclusiveness and integrity in the country?
Since independence in 1947, India has been inflicted with successive communal riots. Both ethnic and religious communalisms have had their share of turbulence. If the massacre of almost 3,000 people in Nellie, Assam is attributed to Bengali-Assamese ethnic rift, the anti-Sikh riots of 1984 remains an indelible stain in the dark history of religious communalism in India.
The surge of communal Hindutva politics is marked by the demolition in 1992 of Babri Masjid, a 465 year old mosque in north India. The aftermath of the demolition of Babri Masjid cost thousands of Muslim lives. That was followed by the Bombay blasts in 1993, believed to be in retaliation to the Babri Masjid demolition.
Although the political turbulence helped the right-wing Hindutva party, the BJP, rise to power in Delhi, the minorities suffered immeasurably because of these bloody episodes. The culmination, so far, of the Hindutva communal politics was manifested by the Gujarat pogrom of 2002, in which, official account says, over 700 Muslims were killed, but independent agencies claim that the Muslims' death toll was in thousands and tens of thousands were displaced and rendered shelter-less -- many of whom are still living in rehabilitation camps.
Irresponsible calls for Hinduaisation of the country, like those of Dr. Swamy and Mr. Kageri, far from promoting nationalism will promote only communal bigotry, disharmony, and hatred among communities, which will ultimately lead to massive communal violence. As the relics of the past communal riots are still haunting India, the country can't afford incidence of a fresh episode of communal violence. Hence, these polemical calls must be effectively checked with objective legislations, unbiased judiciary, and responsible media.
There are bigger challenges before the country, such as abject poverty, acute illiteracy, inadequate infrastructure, pervasive corruption, mounting internal security threats like the Naxal movement and serious external concerns with immediate neighbours Pakistan and Bangladesh. If the integrity of the nation and power of resilience are tested and wasted by inciting and fighting communal hatred within the country, then how will India fight its bigger challenges toward its progress?
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