Vidya Bhushan Rawat |
| Blog | Posted By: hindtodaynews on:6/13/2012 7:22:35 AM |
One of the biggest strength of India lies in its being a multicultural society. It became a melting pot of different religions and cultures which were complimentary to our national identity as a secular nation. Our constitutional forefathers had realized that India as nation would only thrive if it respect the diversity of its culture and ensure that these diverse groups are fairly represented in political structure and governance.
Indian state declared itself a secular state unlike Pakistan where religion became the State and minorities virtually lost all their rights. There are enormous dangers to the rights of minorities as well as, individuals who do not follow the ‘official line’ when the state possess a particular religion. In South Asia we were the only nation which legally did not allow religion in our governance structure and perhaps survived as a democracy when our neighbors everywhere were fighting for it. Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives and Sri-Lanka have faced the religious rights in the government as well as their close collaboration with the military dictators and monarchs. The result is the dismal conditions of minorities on the one side and intrusion of religious laws in our personal lives. Women are still struggling against the legacy of horrifying implementation of the Shariat Act during Genera Zia ul Haq regime which gave the Mullahs dictatorial authority and made Shariat as official laws in Pakistan. Nepal was suffering under the Hindu Monarch who could do no wrong. The caste system was prevalent and the Dalits had no recourse in the laws of the land. The voices of democracy were being threatened with dire consequences and the King always used a Hindu Card to brutally crush dissenting voices emerging there.
India that way was fortunate that our constitutional forefathers were wiser and realized that India may not survive as a nation if constitution does not protect its minorities and marginalized communities. And frankly speaking these provisions helped a lot to protect and promote the cause of these communities. Indian proudly proclaims that they have allowed different religions to flourish in the country on the basis of true spirit of ‘sarva dharma samabhava’ which means equal respect to all the religions. The country saw enormous growths in building temples, mosques, Gurudwaras and Churches at every nook and corner. In fact, poets and writers have glorified our religiosity so much so that there is no space for dissent. There is no chance of any improvement in our festivals, such as Deepwali which create so much air and noise pollution and Holi, when people burn firewood and waste water. They become our ‘national festivals’. Every year, the state supports thousands of people to go for Haj by subsidizing their trips. The government spent billions of rupees on Maha-Kumbha fair in Hardwar, Allahabad and Nasik in the name of ‘arrangements for people’. Similarly governments have been supporting other religions too in the name of ‘sentiments’ and ‘welfare’ of the community.
Secularism, therefore, became a symbolic term for Indian political class. Any student of political science would clearly disagree with our brand of rabid communalized secularism where the state bend and then crawl to appease the religious rights. The state is unable to protect individuals from the onslaught of these thugs who work in the name of community identity. A religion is threatened if someone has written a book or made a cartoon which most of those who protests do not even know about. How ironical is that in this competitive communalism is the strength of our secularism.
Delhi government’s order that all the pillion riders have to wear helmet to protect them from any mishap was met with protests from Sikh community who felt that wearing helmet was hurting their religions sentiments. Sikh bikers do not wear helmet as their ‘religious’ sentiments are hurt and now the Sikh women too feel the same way. It is surprising that none of these religious people ask Harbhajan Singh, not to wear a helmet when he faces Shoeb Akhtar or Brat Lee on the cricket ground. Why the religious sentiments of the Sikhs are not hurt then?
Hindus and Muslim wanted to fight for a place of their religious belief in Ayodhya and the judges gave judgment about ‘mythological character’. The entire issue of the birth place of Lord Ram in Ayodhya became a matter of faith which actually was a land dispute among different litigants. The problem with the Hindu right wing is that they want to follow the Muslim right wing in their way to control people. Every year couples are beaten up in the street on Valentine Day by these ‘moral’ guardians of our culture for no fault of their own. The states watch it helplessly as sign of ‘people’s sentiments’ against the onslaught of ‘western cultural’ values which are ruining our children as if ‘western values’ ask you burn your bride for dowry or violate your women. Hundreds of young couples have been killed or barred from entering the villages in the name of community ‘honor’ after the rowdy Khap Panchayats decide about their fate and yet the authorities do not act against them.
It means the Indian state is providing the goons of every religion a political legitimacy in the name of ‘secularism’. How come secularism support the primitive ideas of killing of people in the name of religion and suppression of women’s right in the name of religion. The ‘Equal Respect to all religion’ will only promote fundamentalists elements in each religion and crush the voices of sanity in our society. Indian state must not promote fundamentalism and parochial patriarchy in the name of multiculturalism. It is right time we redefine secularism in our constitution and affirm that secularism does not confine to mere respecting all the religion but also protecting the rights of dissenters in these religions. State must intervene where the religious laws contravene against the International laws and covenants which have redefined rights of individuals as well as communities. India prohibited Untouchability constitutionally under Article 17 despite the fact that it had got huge religions sanction of Hindu society. The battle still continues for the proper implementation of the Act. The laws are important so that we start another struggle for their fair implementation. A secular society is not anti religious but support progressive legislation which guarantee rights of individuals to critique or even mock at religions as well as protect the victim of religions and their primitive anti women values. A secular state must not only keep away from religion and its promotion but must bring protective laws where religion is used as a tool to promote vested interests and spreading superstition in society. No religious leaders should be allowed to use religious books to justify his act of violence or support of violence and discrimination against any individual and community. India as a nation state will find it difficult in future if it continues to judge its people from the prism of ‘religion’. It is time for us to respect multiculturalism but also rights of individuals who to challenge those notions and the duty to protect those individuals and communities from the onslaught of fundamentalist of any variety lies with the state. Multiculturalism cannot be promoted to justify every act in the name of community identity which violates the norms of International human rights laws and rights of individuals.
( The writer is a full-time Human Rights Activist )