Saving Indian Secularism from Divide and Rule Politics
Four years ago, the Hindu-dominated, right wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was dismissed from government by an Indian electorate that saw through its glossy 'India Shining' campaign propaganda. The BJP's loss was the compound effect of many of its failings, but the most glaring offense was its alleged involvement in the violent Hindu-Muslim clashes that erupted in the western state of Gujarat. For over four months, the state burned and people were killed on the grounds of their religious faith. In official records you would find that 1,044 people died as a result of the communal violence. Read the reports compiled by NGOs and human rights groups and you'd find that the figure was closer to 2,000.
The Mumbai attacks heighten the threat to the Indian secular state which is already battling internal threats to minority groups. It is easy to sell situations like this to the man on the street as an attack that threatens his community. The terror in Mumbai has struck during a year in which six Indian states are going to the polls. These are crucial elections for both main parties in India since the one that makes a stronger showing is likely to be on firm footing to make gains in the General Elections scheduled for May 2009. The BJP will probably leverage this climate of fear and uncertainty to make electoral gains. For the ruling Indian National Congress, the communal card will come in handy as a tool to paper over serious lapses in intelligence and national security during its watch.
The BJP has managed to maintain a strong anti-terror image with its constituency by riding on religious rhetoric and convincing its supporters that the party will protect their interests and ensure their safety. This, despite its lamentable record of not just the horrors of Gujarat in 2002, but other incidents that go further back, such as the mishandling of the 1999 Kandahar hijacking incident, and most infamously, the BJP-led demolition of the Babri Mosque in 1992.
The Congress never had a hope of making light work of these state elections. A nervous economy and terror-struck populace was going to need serious convincing if some states were to be retained/won. The Mumbai terror attacks have made the Congress' work many times more difficult as it has struck fear in the hearts of the people and has reminded them of the indefensible performance by the party and the government it leads in the task of protecting Indians from terrorism.
The Indian government's security failures are in no small part due to the vote bank politics that plagues the Indian political scenario and which has left the Congress Party with a weak and unconvincing stance against any form of extremism. In a country where 80% of the population is Hindu, the Congress cannot alienate too large a chunk of that demographic. On the other hand, Muslims are India's largest minority, forming 15% of the population, and with the BJP's image and rhetoric being what it is, the Congress and its allies bank on the fact that they have this vote almost all to themselves. It's an unenviable position to be in and the Congress-led government has itself to blame for failing to rise above this kind of politics and to take on the fundamentalists more aggressively, irrespective of their background.
In schools across the country, students are taught of the famous tactic used by British colonialists to maintain their control over India - Divide and Rule. The English found many fault lines running through India's social, political and economic systems and it made considerable use of them to prevent the sort of unity that a visionary leader like Mahatma Gandhi was able to bring about.
Today, India's political parties seem to be using many of the same fault lines used by the British to wrench open India's multi-cultural society and win votes. It's clear to many watching that these latest terror attacks in Mumbai will deliver some much needed electoral gains to the BJP in the state elections. The fear amongst liberal Indians (be they pro or anti-Congress) is that come 2009, the BJP will be in position to put together (probably another coalition) government at the centre. That may just be the beginning of a dangerous path towards the de-secularization of a country whose stance on religious tolerance has been one of its most praiseworthy and noble traits.
In the face all this political divisiveness, Indians are not completely powerless. The national electorate has shown time and again that it is wise to the Machiavellian tactics of Indian politicians. The man on the street has smarts that compensate to a great extent for the desperation of poverty and illiteracy. The middle class has caught the attention of the world with its educational qualifications and ability to make a success of itself. Now is the time for Indians to switch on the self-awareness and compassionate humanity that Mahatma Gandhi taught. As Indian politicians practice Divide and Rule in their own land, Indians have to dig deep within themselves to engage a spirit of tolerance that isn't just the teaching of each individual religion, but is in fact quite simply, the ethos of India.
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This is simply sidestepping the main issue: Terrorism
The naive liberals think that they are doing the right thing by sidestepping terrorism issue and divert the attention to minority rights. The minority rights have to be protected at all costs. That is the Govt. responsibility.
The liberals in India have to support liberal causes of all religions. For long, they supported radical islamic groups because they think they should support minorities. I think the islamic fundamentalists have used the stupidity of this naive liberals to increasingly fight for fundamental issues such as polygamy, refusal of alimony to wives on religious grounds.
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This is because Nussbaum’s main concern is not explaining or curbing Islamic terror. Rather, she writes that “if, as now seems likely, last week’s terrible events in Mumbai were the work of Islamic terrorists, that’s more bad news for India’s minority Muslim population
So jihadists kill innocents in Mumbai — and Nussbaum ends up decrying racial profiling here. Is it just that liberal academics are required to include some alleged ugly American phenomenon in everything they write?
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All religions' last stand will be the control of women. It's one of the reason radical Islam, despite the tactic of terror, is doomed to failure. Unless more contries become more desecularized with the repression of women that accompanies secularization (no matter what form of monotheism is your belief) - in that case, they could "win".
True about religion designed to control women, but Hinduism in not monotheistic.
You're focusing on religion as the sole criterion by which to measure equality. Can you say UNTOUCHABLE?
The author didn't use religion as a sole criterion, but she's talking about Secularism, which solely addresses religion as it relates to the state. This article isn't about civil rights although it may touch on the matter. Untouchables has to do with civil rights and human rights.
As we have seen everywhere, "Religion" is the disease (not "Faith" mind you, but organized Religion) and Absolute Separation of "Church and State" is the only cure.
Science must lead the way as religious dogma only leads to death and destruction with neighbor killing neighbor (I can't remember ANYONE ever killing another because their solution to the problem of gravity propagation theory differed from their neighbors.
Before the trolls begin to spout off about the horrors of the supposedly atheistic Nazis, remember, Hitler made it his goal to REPLACE worship of "God" with worship of the "State" (and himself as it's leader.) He did a VERY good job of it and the resulting DOGMA led directly to their destruction and the deaths of millions.
Religion suppresses questioning thought and punishes dissent. It's dogmas are built on the FEAR of the unknown.
Science demands questioning thought and rewards anyone who can disprove the status quo. It's "dogmas" are built upon the ELIMINATION of the unknown.
The three major religions that arose from the middle-east are centered around dogmas. They are all cut from the same fabric.
Yeah, the really itchy kind of fabric.
"So far as I can remember there’s not one word in the gospels in praise of intelligence"
-Bertrand Russell
The Congress brand of secularism is laughable in India. Also the embrace of secularism by the Arab funded Muslim Mullahs is non-existent.
Pardesi, reading your comments, I'm reminded of the Evangelical Right in America. Please, you sound paranoid because you generalize without facts. Your statments need facts. From what I've read of all your comments, you have a very negative view of Muslims as a whole and tend to over-generalize this religous group.
Pakistani journalist Irfan Hussain (Mazdak) writing in The Dawn about Muslims' regression to the sixth century, clubs India with the Taliban as follows:
http://daw
"In India, Muslim ulema have won the right to dominate women as a religious right. This exemption was granted to them by a secular Congress Party. In Pakistan and Afghanistan, the Taliban and their supporters want to ban music, movies and even kite-flying. When the Taliban were in power, they had banned education for girls, and had denied women medical care from male doctors. Where will this madness end?"
One wonders if there is much Indian secularism left to be saved?
And the British allowing Sharia laws? Parts of the world still condoning female genital mutilation? The purdah? How about stoning women to death? Honor killings? That's just the "women" part. I could go on. Let's not forget that Jim Crow laws were just during our lifetime. Genocide is still carried out.
Change takes time. India is large and vibrant, and they have their crazies too. All indications however point to the fact that fundamental Islam has gone over the edge. There will be no peace till we can stop these brutish tantrums. Simplistic, I know...If fundamental Islam is my 16 year old, I would be thinking of taking him for a ride to Oregon.
I agree. But I don't think Britain will allow laws that oppose their stance on human rights. It's a legal thing, and I could go on about the technicalities but I won't. I finished law school a long time ago and don't wish to re-enter class, but trust me, you addressed a legal issue which isn't as simplistic as you think or have suggested. I don't think Honor Killings and genital mutilation are part of sharia, though I may be mistaken. Anyway, British laws allow for church organizations to carry out their customary laws so long as they don't violate the Federal Laws. If that were the case, they would allow Christians to stone homosexuals to death and sell their daughters into sex slavery.
I'm Pakistani by ancestry. I'm so upset that this attack happened. All South Asians are the same to me. A long time ago, my ancestors were Hindu. We're the same people. I think this does prove Obama right that Osama's operations are alive in Pakistan and that is where we need to focus on getting rid of terrorism. But, please, let's not go on the blame game, saying Hindus are guilty of this, Muslims of this. Look, nobody's hands are clean in history, okay. Let's get this thing done with, accomplish something, and not go over circular discussions. The terrorist groups are in Pakistan. Not all Pakistanis are terrorists. Pakistanis and Indians differ ONLY in religion. If you're truly want peace, you will keep the discssion centered on how we can go forward WITHOUT blaming a general population or demographic. We all know where such discussions lead - nowhere and another day of bloodshed. If I had it my way, India and Pakistan would be one, but I can only dream. Ghandi is my personal hero, and he, along with my family never believed partition was the answer. Like it or not, India and Pakistan are the same people and we're going to have to sort out our crap one way or another. Let's start doing it now. If Pakistan and India were not "enemies" with one another, each country would find some enemy within. The cycle goes on and on. We can never be seperate.H
Cherry33, you make a very good point. Your dream of Bharat Mata unification is also mine, and we are not alone.
Someone in this post stated that a 3rd party option is not needed in India. I humbly disagree. The BJP has lost face, the Congress, together with its Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, is one of the worst things that have ever happened to India. True, Gandhi did not want partition, but was unfortunately instrumental in allowing it with his wrong approach to Ahimsa. He was the antithesis of Arjuna. Now the power is in the hands of Sonia Gandhi, and she is on a Pan-Christian crusade.
This 3rd party I would call the Party of Unification. Only when unified can Bharat Mata fulfill her Dharma. Now, she is like a giant missing a piece of each leg that cannot walk. Like China in the case of Taiwan, India must make clear to both Pakistan and Bangladesh that they must return to the fold, even at the cost of war, sooner or later, at whatever cost this war brings. The return must succeed by federalism, even a lose one, allowing each religion to flourish, but living together. The key is that these 3 countries have the same race, history, and ethos. This is not only an Indian or local matter. It is critical for the survival of the world that India is allowed to advance her Dharma of spirituality and Oneness. Jai Hind!
Cherry33 you say "Pakistanis and Indians differ ONLY in religion." That difference is as wide as 1000 miles. I for one never want this unification with Pakistan to happen. It is bad enough with Muslims being 20% and growing. The 20% has enforced some of the Taliban principles with the help of the current government. I hate to think what another 120 million would do to the shaky "Secularism" concept in India.
Pejeal, thank you for reminding me that there are people such as yourself who are imaginitive enough to envision peace. It' funny that those who believe peace is possible through rational discussion can manage to avoid generalizations. Somehow the cynics can never make an argument without over generalizing a group of people. As John Lennon said, "You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one."
This strange fixation on political unity is very counter productive. Give it up. India is much healthier without Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Certainly all three countries need to work in cooperation. Political unification is not the answer, however. Look instead to the EU, where hereditary enemies like Germany and France have been able to cooperate in progressively closely cycles, while maintaining their individual identity. Start with economics, because everyone can agree on the value of trade, and eventually, friendship may follow. But not under a single flag.
It is fashionable nowadays to criticize Bush and Cheney’s response after 9/11 in America, but…guess what? There has not been a terrorist attack in that country since that day. However, it is correct that the Iraq invasion was a mistake.
Going back to the Mumbai affair. It was Sri Aurobindo (whose birthday was also August 15 and was one of the greatest Rishis of India’s modern history) who wrote on August 15, 1947:
“India is free, but she has not achieved unity, only a fissured and broken freedom...
Arise Arjuna, heed Krishna's injunction on the plain of Kurukshetra: Fight!
Look while the Pakistani Government is not being accused as I am sure they are not. The fact that these terrorrists came to India via Karachi is very evident. If the Pakistani Goverment wants to really set the footing right for peace with India, then at this point they should be helping the Indians in their investigations of the said Groups that have been training in their country.
At this point in the world I would really suggest to all people and that we should all start thinking ourselves citizens of the world. Keeping in mind that goodwill begins at a small level within your family and friend circle and grows from there to .....GLOBA
Some simple and common sense cliches come to mind:
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
I am and be also my brothers, sisters .... keeper
Stop foreseeing wars between India and Pakistan. This anger should be turned into positve action not more bloodshed.
India and China have been a priority for fundamentalists for years.
The opinion must refuse their baits, and India is smart enough to give the propper answer to Mumbai attacks (unlike W after 9/11) :
http://e-b
I hope India can avoid the past history of bloody reprisals (a la the Gujurati train burnings & reprisals, not to mention the horrible deaths during the "partition"). It would be a good less to terrorist fanatics that we won't just knee-jerk into pointless retaliation a la Bush & Cheney.
So for how long should India take it lying down and keep mum on Pakistan's thousand cuts war?
India absolutely has no proof that Pakistan was behind the current terrorist attacks.
India's government, facing a barrage of internal criticism over intelligence failures, security lapses and an inability to bring the situation in Mumbai under control even 26 hours after the attacks, has taken the easiest, and most cowardly, way out. As has happened before, it has raised the convenient Pakistan bogey, hoping in this way to deflect the barbs and arrows directed its own way, from citizens and from its media. In doing so it completely ignores the reality in India.
This reality includes the presence of increasingly restless groups of Muslim youth angered by the discrimination they face. The problem posed by these home-grown radicals has never been addressed by India. Instead the scourge has been allowed to grow.
While New Delhi likes to paint itself before the world as a liberal, secular democracy, striding confidently into the future, the fact is that many communal tensions and undercurrents lurk amidst its vast and diverse population. This mass of people includes Hindu extremists, who in the past have proven just as capable of staging terror attacks as their Muslim counterparts.
India has tell-tale evidence: http://tim
Where are you getting your information. Denial is not going to change the facts. Pakistan and the iSI have full knowledge and information of the LeT's activities. There is rowing evdidence every minute of these goons having come from Pakistan. Investigations are already starting to show that there was a connection all the way to Karachi.
If we are going to find the culprits and eventually stop this kind of violence, Pakistan and India will have to put all their cards and the table and come clean. Pakistan better come with some concret help if we are to believe this was really just the acts of a terrorrist network.
There is one thing though I would like the to hear the Indian politcal leaders to come forth with an explanation as why this tragedy occured under their watchful eye. I understand that there were warnings and tell tale signs that something of this nature could happen.
My theory based on one of the attacker's statements in a phone call taking responsibility for the attacks... This was a group of Indian Muslims responding to the 2002 Gujarat riots where Muslims were hacked to pieces, burned alive, fetuses ripped out and systematically raped. They probably decided to head to the tribal areas of Pakistan to train with LeT and then go back to India. I do not think it was sanctioned by the Pakistani government, nor do I think Pakistan has the resources to monitor the activity of all the various groups within its borders.
It is too late to worry about the nation's secularism.
I'm basing the following on an analysis by Prof. Balagangadhara, Univ. of Ghent, on RISA (Religion in South Asia), an academic list. His analysis was of course, in a scholarly language.
Ask yourselves about the purpose of the Mumbai attack. Why were the terrorists armed only with AK-47s and grenades; they could have created much more destruction than this did. Consider the fact that the previous set of bombings in various Indian cities really did not create waves. Consider that this attack in Mumbai was a proof-of-concept of how to exploit locally available resources in a terrorist attack that would make the maximum waves. This was a demonstration exercise for the would-be terrorists all over India.
Consider that even Mumbai did not have the personnel needed to handle this attack, they were flown in from Delhi. Now consider similar attacks, made by small groups armed with automatic weapons and grenades in twenty or thirty Indian cities.
Stop your stupid politicking about Hindu- Muslim- secular- pseudosecular- BJP- Congress etc. Set up as fast as we can as much civil defense as we can for the bloodbath that may be coming our way. One half of you here will not be able to admit due to ideology that there exist ten determined attackers in each of thirty cities. But the other half of you, please, camp on the legislatures' doorsteps and force them to take action.
Sure, everyone go out and give in to their fear right away. Excite the politics of trauma -- the gift that keeps on giving more trauma.
Tolerance is not stupid. It's the only long term solution that doesn't involve living in an armed camp for the rest of your lives.
Someone has to do some long term thinking here. Someone has to use more than just the short term tunnel vision of the aftermath of trauma.
How is this advocating intolerance? The poster is suggesting that you need to look beyond the communal tensions to deal with this problem, to deal with it s as a successful terrorist attack against Indians not a Hindu v. Muslim, etc. dynamic. That's how to NOT give in to fear and NOT have a knee jerk reaction to segments of the population.
All those people killed mercilessly by Islamic Pakistani terrorists, you come up and blame BJP and its policies.
BJP has its agenda, but it nothing compared to the fundamentalist Islam and state support by Pakistan.
What do you have to say about BAli bombings in Indonesia?
Pakistan's military and a large fringe element of Pakistan's population is jealous of India's progress.
This is an attack on symbols of economic progress. Nothing more and nothing less.
Something more: the attacks are premeditated murders of Hindus and Jews becuase they are Hindu or Jewish. Islamism is a form of fascism.
So how did you feel about Catholicism when the IRA was blowing up people in London?
It is fashionable to trot out Hindu fundamentalism for every one of these attacks. Amehabad, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Bangalore, the other incidents in Mumbai, New Delhi, the execution of Hindus in villages in Kashmir, they bring up that one incident in Godhra.
So true.
I don't know all the much about Indian affairs or politics but what I do know is that what you describe in your post sounds an awful lot like what happened to American after 9/11. Hopefully India will take heed, learn from the US and not make the same mistakes we did. God and guns don't fix our problems, and neither do those who espouse such views.
Gun laws are very strict there, making everyone a sitting duck until "help arrives."
No thanks!
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