RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE SURFACES IN INDIA AGAIN

K Prabhakar Rao — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 19:42:55 -0800

By and large, India is plagued by religious intolerance. However in general, people live under harmony; yet there are occasional disturbances in the country that disturb peace. Islam and Hinduism have been under logger heads for long and there were many communal disturbances between them (1). This religious intolerance between these two communities surfaced once the prospect of getting independence from British rule became evident during last century. Mohammed Ali Jinnah (Father of Pakistan) claimed that in independent India with democratic parliamentary system, Muslims shall completely loose their identity and will not be able to live as majority votes would be in the hands of Hindus. Sir Sayyad Ahmed Khan (1817- 1892) founder of Aligarh Muslim University and Poet Mohammed Iqbal earlier in 1939 voiced similar sentiments and hinted at bifurcating the country. Sir Ahmed Khan said (2 ):

“ Under a democratic system, of Government which forms the ideal of congress leaders, the larger community would fully override the interests of the smaller community”................On the front of Hindu Christian relations, situation is not bright in certain states. The Christmas that passed off recently in 2007 has witnessed communal riots between Hindus and Christians in Orissa State where tensions are known to have built up between both the communities since long. The trouble started off when some Christians attacked a Hindu religious aged leader. Hell broke out. Scores of Churches and Christian properties have been burnt without any remorse. Violence very greatly affected Kandhamal district although government has been claming that situation is under control. The rioters felled trees on the roads to prevent police vehicles to reach quickly. Police fired at Brahamnigaon town. On 27 December Christian mobs set fire to several houses belonging to Hindus and Hindus reacted by burning down 11 churches in Brahmanigaon. Seven more churches and several residental houses were burnt down by Hindus in areas Gandapadr, Badahapanga, Bhandarapada, Pisupadar, Masapadar ,Minia and Adigara. The governmnet sent reinforcements only after damage has been done as reported (3). The Hindu dominated tribal district is trouble some. In fact Orissa state was always in fore front on the issue of atrocities on Christians...............................

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Pseudo secularism

K Prabhakar Rao — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 06:11:58 -0800

India declared itself as the secular country at the time of independence and Muslims were given option to stay back or leave for Pakistan. Many have migrated and scores remained. But fact is that Muslim league was given more than 90 % votes at the time of granting independence that advocated partition of the country. Consequently India was partitioned. At the time of independence, Sardar (Leader) Patel, the former Deputy Prime Minister of India Stated that Muslims were free to migrate from India and if they choose to remain could not have dual loyalties. What he anticipated in 1947 happened soon. Patel is no more. His prophecy has become true. Muslims after partition mostly withdrew from the main stream and confined themselves into groups and identified with their religion than with the country. Every aspect was being linked to the religion (1). No doubt they felt at risk in majority India. The successive governments too followed appeasement policies to gain confidence of Muslim voters and this has resulted in a feeling that they have some special status in India and are required to be pampered. There were many communal riots in India at many places including Hyderabad. A section of Muslims openly supported Pakistan on all maters and Middle East than India. There were saner Muslims. But their voice was not heard. No one ventured to speak against the fundamentalists. The partition has driven permanent wedge between both the communities and fear of mistrust has become permanent in India. The assassination of MK Gandhi in 1948 itself was the outcome of severe dissatisfaction over his Muslim appeasement policies during the freedom struggle and partition of the country that it permanent damage to the nation. The Government continues the policy of appeasement and result is that Islamic terrorism has taken permanent roots in the country. Kashmir is threatened. Some even raised formation of Mughalistan in Uttar Pradesh areas (2). Government even hesitated to take action agsint the Muslim legislators who were responsible during the attacks on Tasleema Nasreen (3) and doctors at the hospitals in Hyderabad recently (4). All these incidents go to prove that pseudo secularism no doubt is practiced in the country. This article narrates the aspect of pseudo secularism in the form of English poems (5).

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Sardar Patel

RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE SURFACES IN INDIA AGAIN

Pseudo secularism