Blasts Galore: Communalism 2006

By Ram Puniyani

Elections in two major state assemblies are due shortly. The electoral wing of RSS, BJP is gearing up to face the elections. Its national image is very low, the major reasons for its poor image and low morale have been the debacle at the Lok Sabha elections, Advani's 'secular Jinnah' pronouncement, the murder of its major leader Pramod Mahjan by his own brother for mysterious reasons, and the failure of many of its communal campaigns to take off properly. But that's just one side of the story. The deeper communalization of middle classes, the cooption of Adivasis and dalits into Hindutva fold the intense communalization of media and state apparatus all over and more so in BJP ruled states is posing a major threat to the democratic values, minority rights and to the very existence of democratic polity in the country. The forthcoming elections in Gujarat are posing a stiff challenge to secular elements, with Modi firmly entrenched in the seat of power and the weak opposition, the Congress, in Gujarat.

The blasts in Nanded, Mumbai, Malegaon and the 'encounter' near RSS head office in Nagpur, were the events which left a different mark on the political canvass of the country. Nanded was one instance of the bomb blasts where the clear hand of RSS progeny, Bajrang Dal, could be seen and was even investigated partly. But for reasons best known to the political masters and the communalized police apparatus, which develops weak knees while implicating communal elements, the matters rested there only. The vertical and horizontal connections of these were not drawn out. The Nanded blasts in Maharashtra (April 7, 2006) were underplayed, probably deliberately, to give the escape route to RSS and its progeny, which has by now good bit of sympathizers in those wearing Khaki.

The Nanded blast was followed by an encounter near the RSS head office in Nagpur, of the alleged terrorists, from Pakistan. A citizen's inquiry committee headed by the retired high court judge ( http://www.pluralindia.com/articles.php?id=122 ) demonstrated competently the holes in the police version, but the state Govt. preferred to ignore the clear cut weaknesses in the story put out by the police. The deeper truth behind these incidents may never come out. The Mumbai blasts of July were followed by the blasts in Malegaon (Maharashtra), where the blasts took place near a Qabristan killing around 38 Muslims. In this case again the 'usual suspects' made the job of investigation easy. Despite strong protests from minority community and by social activist's matters rest there only and more and more elements from minority community have been put behind bars with even the slightest suspicion.

By now, two set of procedures and legal systems are coming into operation in practice. The one is for the majority community and another for those belonging to hapless minorities. The latter can be picked up for even the smallest of suspicions, and the judgments in those cases do look different. Probably we are on way to the RSS ideologue M.S. Golwalkars, formulation that minorities will have to live at the mercy of majority (i.e. its self proclaimed representative, the RSS).

Who knows this may be their way of paying tribute to this Hindutva ideologue whose birth centenary is being celebrated this year. Golwalkar, who never took part in freedom movement, who upheld the laws of Manu and who was jailed in the aftermath of Gandhi murder for his role in spreading hatred, due to which the nation lost Father of Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. His blunt formulations eulogizing German Nazism, his concept of Hindu Rashtra and his treatment of minorities is so 'forthright' that during the current times when RSS still needs the democratic set up to capture power and to put forward an acceptable democratic face, his book "We or Our Nationhood defined", which has all his blunt formulations, is being disowned by his own followers.

The BJP ruled states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan are imposing RSS agenda in a very overt way. Singing of Vandematram, the tampering with the school books to project the RSS ideology is in full flow. The controversy around Vandematram is being kept alive despite the fact it is a national song and not National anthem, despite the fact that singing even a National anthem is not compulsory, despite knowing the fact that it has been used more as a war cry during episodes of sectarian violence by the communal elements in the pre independence period. The state of the implementation of law and norms in BJP ruled states is abysmal with Muslim and Christian minorities facing flak on every conceivable occasion. The attacks on Christian minorities are chronic and sustained all around. The Muslim minority is yet to recover from the Gujarat carnage. The rehabilitation is no where in sight. The legal process has hardly delivered any justice to the victims. The state Government, whose primary responsibility it is to do the rehabilitation work practically washed its hands off and the central government is yet to implement a sincere policy towards that.

In many of these states "Freedom of Religion" bills are being contemplated or implemented, despite their being contrary to the values of Indian Constitution. Indian constitution guarantees the right to preach and propagate one's religion. Despite that these new bills dictate that prior permission of authorities is a must and already many a Christian missionaries are being beaten up or intimidated on the grounds that they are converting. Also, RSS, which is the political organization in disguise of culture, is being classified as cultural organization deliberately in BJP ruled states, opening the gates for civil servants, the supposedly neutral arm of the state, to join this organization. Just to remind ourselves this organization's aim is to build Hindu nation by overthrowing the democratic charter of the state.

Down South, with the BJP joining the Government in Karnataka, the issue of Baba Budan Giri Dargah has been brought to the fore. Here Hindus and Muslims both have been offering prayers since centuries. BJP has been trying to claim that it is essentially a temple, Datta Peetham and not a syncretic shrine. Despite the noting in Gazette of its syncretic character, BJP has slowly built this issue up as the 'Ayodhya of the South'. This year the matter got heated up more due to the patronage of BJP elements of the Government. Also, Tipu Sultan who was ardent Anti British is being denigrated by the BJP propaganda. Incidentally, Tipu has an important place amongst the major figures from Karnataka; he also laid down his life fighting the British.

The major issue which rattled up the communal forces at national level was the appointment of Sachar committee to prepare a picture of socio-economic conditions of Muslim minority. This had come up twenty five years after Gopal Singh committee, formed for similar purpose. Incidentally that report was not implemented. The RSS combine, particularly BJP, opposed the efforts of Sachar committee to gather the status of employment about Muslims in army. The report as such confirms the fears that despite RSS combines' propaganda that Muslims are being appeased; as a matter of fact they are being discriminated against. Today large section of the 13.4% Muslims are at the bottom of socio economic ladder, under represented in jobs, marginalized in bank loans, way behind in educational acquisitions, and witnessing a constant decline in political representations. Not to forget, they are over represented in jails. It is no wonder! Low socio-economic status is supplemented by the anti Muslim bias of state apparatus which operates against them as it is broadly gripped by anti Minority myths. Prime Minister and the present Government seems to have taken up the report seriously and PM went on to state that this deprived minority has the 'first claim' on resources. The idea was to convey that the community has been pushed to the brink as far as different indices of development are concerned, and so needs special nursing of its secular interests. But BJP saw in this the 'golden' opportunity to lambaste the Government for its minority appeasement. The long overdue affirmative action for this community is being presented as being a communal move. This criticism of BJP shows the total lack of democratic humane values needed for social growth. That by leaving one major component of society behind, we are bound to suffer in the long term, is of no concern to the practitioners of communal politics.

Afzal Guru, who was put behind the bars in the case of attack on Parliament on 13th December 2001, was awarded death sentence by the apex court. The primary investigation done in this case is faulty and a lot of this is based on the confession of Guru himself. That the confession was extracted under extreme torture goes without saying. A media trial of Guru was also conducted by the police. All the courts trying him, exonerated him of the charges under POTA, and did point out that he was not part of any terrorist out fit, but retained the death sentence primarily because of the of his confession. He was also not given adequate legal assistance. One of the reasons for awarding the death sentence is to quench the 'collective conscience' of the nation! That speaks volumes about the nature of the judgment. The hanging of Maqbool Butt in 1984 had triggered the intensification of militancy in Kashmir. Surely this hanging based on the weak case will have adverse impact on the peace process in Kashmir. But meanwhile RSS combine is going hammer and tongs, demanding the hanging of Guru and they are all out to make the communal currency out of this. Today President is having two set of petitions on his table, one requesting clemency and retrial, and other baying for the blood of this Kashmiri.

Two significant but under projected reports which were released during 2006 and went unnoticed were the one by the India People's Tribunal (IPT) on Communalism in Orissa and the other by the Secretary General of UN, of an initiative called Alliance of Civilizations. The IPT in Orissa under the leadership of Retired Chief Justice of Kerala High Court Justice Usha found that the rights of minorities are being violated with impunity in Orissa. The RSS combine organizations; Bajarang Dal, VHP and Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram are intimidating them and spreading hate against them with state acting as the onlooker. The major themes on which the assault is being sustained relates to the bogey of conversions by Christian missionaries and the anti National character of Muslim minorities. The state of affairs has been termed as very alarming by the tribunal requiring the intervention of Central Government and the National Human rights commission. These minorities are living under fear and the basic norm on which the democracy sustains, the security of minorities is being violated with impunity. The tribunal urges for the restoration of communal peace through affirmative interventions.

Communal poison in India draws a lot from the worldwide propagation of 'Clash of Civilizations' by the power that is and the acts of attacks against the countries where the large population is Muslim. UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, was a helpless witness when the US launched aggressions after aggression on the West Asian countries, Iraq, Afghanistan and than again Iraq, killing close to a million people and destroying the region. Kofi Annan saw the bypassing of United Nations when this entire rampage was being conducted under the banner of Clash of Civilizations. The High level initiative with representatives from various countries has put out a brilliant report ( http://www.unaoc.org/repository/report.htm), which points out that there is essentially an alliance between different civilizations, which are not hierarchical but supplementary to each other. The inference is that any attempt to demonize Islam, civilization in Muslim countries is basically motivated by politics and has nothing to do with the norms of civilization or religion as such. The report urges the powers and people around the World to stand up to the positive heritage of civilizations and to restore the amity between people cutting across all the countries, religions and regions. One knows that UN has very limited appeal as it has been emasculated by the global bully. Even its moral appeal is not heeded to by the possessor of brute power, as it does not command any battalions. Will the conscience of the humanity rise to bypass the might of US to restore the humane values, which global human society have been developing over a period of centuries and have currently come under the cloud due to the politics adorning the cloak of religious identity that remains a million dollar question.

As the year comes to the end the Kangaroo court set up by the occupation army in Iraq gave death penalty to Saddam Hussein. This is the last ditch attempt by US to save its face in the light of debacle of its West Asia policy to control the oil wealth in the World. This mighty nation is playing the villain to the global peace, being the biggest violator of human rights. While Saddam a tyrant, was helped all through by Western powers in his policies of war against Iran, atrocities against Shias and Kurds, the present judicial assassination of Saddam, murder by proxy, is likely to worsen the communal strife and intensify the strife in Iraq, and the bogus claim of bringing Democracy to Iraq will remain a hollow claim only as neither can democracy be imported nor can it be imposed from the top.

The year 2007 is likely to see the return of hard core Hindutva and Ram Temple on the agenda of BJPs' electoral appeal. As such also BJP is more comfortable with identity issues as they have bigger emotive appeal. The issues related to the secular interests of communities don't cut much ice with their scheme of things. It remains to be seen as to how much successful this will be in wooing the voters to the BJP kitty of votes. It is desperately trying to create more Ayodhya models like in Bhopal, Kamaal Maula Masjid or in Karnataka Baba Budan Giri Dargah. It is bent to use terrorism, Afzal Guru case also for frightening the voters into its fold. The propaganda is shaping in such a way that sections of population do get swayed by these make believe issues, as such the place of such issues is very limited as far as livelihood is concerned. But creating a fear consolidates the communities, it is likely to give some benefits to BJP electoral campaign.

The optimism for the future of democratic values lies in the rising resistance to the assertions of sectarianism, amongst a section of people who are becoming more aware of the threat posed by the communal fascism. Various secular action groups, peace activists and minority rights groups are making their presence felt through their campaigns and deliberations. A good deal of literature against these threats is coming into circulation. This and the visible campaigns against injustice, through diverse activities will surly work towards a society with amity and peace as the core values.

Civilizations: Clash or Alliance ?

By Ram Puniyani

During last two decades World has seen the rise of politics based on religious identity. Particularly after the 9/11 2001 WTC disaster there is a widespread feeling that Samuel Huntington's thesis, that after the end of cold war the current time is the one of Clash of Civilizations (Clash), is true. One has witnessed many a controversies where religion has been dragged into the murky world of politics. Osama bin Laden talked of Jihad and George Bush responded to the WTC attack by uttering that it is going to be Crusade for him. He and his associate Blair both gave divine reasons for attack on Iraq. Multitude of controversies veered around Danish cartoons, Pope's statement about Islam, the banning of burqa in some Western countries, the rise of acts of terror in the name of Islam with the epithet coming that all terrorists are Muslims, has become popular in the social thinking at broad layers. Superficially it is projected as if it is the clash between the Islamic culture and the Western civilization. Here in India also attempts were made and are underway to project Islam as a religion of violence and Muslims being fanatics out to stick to the medieval social norms. The overall impact of the events and acceptance of this Clash thesis by Huntington has worsened the problem and is widening the intercommunity rifts.

As such the term clash of civilization was put forward by Bernard Lewis and later on converted into a thesis by Samuel Huntington, whose essay in a journal, Foreign Affairs 1993, became more popular after the 9/11 2001. At the end of cold war Francis Fukuyama postulated 'End of History', which stood for "What we may be witnessing is not just the end of the Cold War, or the passing of a particular period of post-war history, but the end of history as such: that is, the end point of mankind's ideological evolution and the universalization of Western liberal democracy as the final form of human government." (quoted from "The End of History?", 1989) This was in response to the philosophy of Karl Marx, whose Historical materialism propounded that the struggle between the classes is the cause of progress of society, leading to the classless society and end of History, i.e. beginning of classless, commune based society, communism

In the backdrop of Fukoyama's 'End of History', Huntington postulated that while the age of ideology (Marxism, classless society) has ended with the collapse of Soviet system, the World has only reverted to the state of cultural conflicts. As per him the primary axis of conflict will be along cultural religious lines. The principal conflicts of global politics will occur between nations and groups of different civilizations. The clash of civilization will dominate global politics and fault lines between civilizations are the battle lines of future. As per him, "It is my hypothesis that the fundamental source of conflict in this new World will not be primarily ideological or primarily economic. The great divisions among humankind and the dominating source of conflict, will be that the cultural. Nation states will remain the most powerful actors in world Affairs, but the principal conflicts of global politics will occur between Nations and groups of different civilizations. The clash of civilizations will dominate global politics. The fault lines between civilizations will be the battle lines of the future."

Many did approve of this thesis and the accompanying classification, whose main criterion is religion. This thesis did create an anxiety and confusion adding to the problems of the nations all around. It is in this context that Kofi Annan, Secretary General of UN launched an initiative co-sponsored by Prime Ministers of Spain and Turkey for an Alliance of Civilization in August 2005. This initiative nominated a high level group cutting across different religions and nations to come up with an understanding of the world today and to recommend the measures to restore the amity of civilizations, cultures and people of the of the World. The report has been recently (Mid Nov2006) submitted to the Secretary -General ( http://www.unaoc.org/repository/report.htm)and it's a landmark in more ways than one.

It debunks the Clash thesis to bring our attention to the alliance between different cultures, nations and people at all the levels, social, political and economic. It is not only in current times but since the times people started migrating and interacting that the alliance has been the undercurrent of the societal life. The report points out that Clash theory has distorted the terms of discourse on the real nature of predicament the World is facing. The history of relations between cultures is not only one of wars and confrontations; it is also based on centuries of constructive exchanges, cross fertilizations and peaceful co-existence. One is reminded here that India's ex-president, Dr. K.R.Narayanan, in response to the Clash thesis, said that Civilizations don't clash, it is barbarisms which clash. In Clash thesis, Cultures and religions are identified with the religions of the kings and their wars are presented as clash between religions or civilizations. The Hate ideology spread by communal group's right here in South Asia also bases itself on the wars between Kings of different religions and these kings are presented as symbols of that religion. The whole aspect of cultural interaction is missing in this discourse. For example in India while the atrocities of Aurangzeb are the core of building the Hate ideology, the confluence articulated by Dara Shikoh as one can glean through his book Majma Ul Bahrain, India being a confluence of different cultures, is missing in this mindset. Similarly the rule of Muslim Kings in the subcontinent is taken as the point for legitimization of Islamic nation.

The worst part of this Clash thesis is that by propagating that cultures are set on collision course, it helps in turning the negotiable disputes into seemingly intractable, identity based conflicts and this is what has taken control of popular imagination. The report is based on the multipolar perspective and the UN Charter of Human rights. Significantly it points out that there is no hierarchy amongst cultures as each of them has contributed to the evolution of mankind. While the core problem remains poverty and deprivation of vast sections of mankind the rising trend of terrorism cannot be dealt with by seeing it as a mere law and order problem or having its roots in religion. On the contrary terrorism itself is a product of political circumstances, which need to be solved on urgent basis. In societies if some groups are discriminated against the violent repercussions come up and are perceived as libratory by a section of people while the same is seen as anti national by the state and other set of people. The durable solution to the causes of terrorism does not lie in attacking some countries or increasing the role of armed personnel in that area but in addressing the roots of resentment.

It traces the roots of current violent responses in the partition of Palestine and formation of Israel, and latter's occupation of part of Palestine and other Arab territories, which has come to be seen as a sort of colonialism by vast mass of people. While Jerusalem remains Holy for Jews, Christians and Muslims, the support of Western powers to Israel's highhandedness is perceived as the collusion of West with the expansionism of Israel. The committee is very clear on the point that no cause can justify the killing of civilians, non combatants. It does call for freedom of religions and takes a strong stand against desecration of holy places, irrespective of the majority minority religions. The report does recommend several measures in the arena of education, youth programs, community actions aimed to promote alliance, peaking it with the recommendation that a forum of alliance of civilization under the auspices of UN should be established and this should be promoted at all the levels, national, societal and what have you.

The humane spirit of the repot is visible all through. However the point is, in current times when the very authority of UN has been undermined by the powers that are arrogant, can we look forward to the era of Alliance and Amity so that the real problems gnawing the vast numbers of human kinds are properly addressed to, i.e. march in the direction of better world, i.e. struggle for human rights. To put it in another way, is it possible to think positively, to think that 'Another World is possible', a World where Human rights of all of us are adhered to.

Communalism, Gujarat and Communal Amity

Communalism, Gujarat and Communal Amity
09/24/2004
By Ram Puniyani

We are witness to strange spectacle in Gujarat. Day in and day out one is reading minor events sparking off violence, taking the lives of few people here and there. In Ahmdabad on 25th July 2004,two persons were killed in communal clash and curfew was clamped in the port town of Veraval in Junagadh district of the Saurashtra region in Gujarat. Eight persons were injured and the condition of at least four is said to be critical. The clash was allegedly sparked by eve-teasing of schoolgirls belonging to one community. In another incident on 28th July in Veraval district communal tension claimed two lives. Later the riot spread to the main Saurashtra town of Rajkot on Wednesday, which witnessed clashes in two areas, in which three persons were injured.

These are just few from the regular occurrences, which are happening in Gujarat with regular frequency. Since the horrific Gujarat carnage of 2002 any small incident becomes a pretext for the violence, killing many an innocent people. Why should such small incidents which community generally sorts out are triggering off such an undesirable violence?

Regular occurrence of these events is a signal that the communal propaganda has undergone a qualitative transition. The violence in the society sustains due to multiple factors. The two major of these are the attitude of state, leadership, bureaucracy and police, and the prevalence of social common sense against the minorities.

The massive Gujarat violence, which was unleashed on the pretext of Godhra reveled the role of both these to the fullest extent. The leadership, coming from RSS, Hindutva politics, was determined to polarize the society, to teach the Muslims a lesson and to consolidate their political base. During the period when violence was launched all the wings of state were instructed informally to sit back and not to hinder the ?revenge? process, which was being planned? In a meeting called on the evening of 27th July Mr. Modi told as much to the top officials of the state. The minister of state, who was part of the meeting, Mr. Haren Pandya, told this to citizen?s tribunal. It is too well to recount that Mr. Pandya was murdered after few months and Pandya?s father accused Mr. Modi for this crime.

As per the rulebook the state officials have all the powers to control the violence within few hours stated Harsh Mander, who was witnessing this could not stand the role of his colleagues and resigned from the services. Another serving police official, Dr. Vibhuti Narayan Rai has brought to out attention the fact that if the riots don?t come under control within 48 hours, one can make out that state is colluding with the rioters. During Gujarat violence those officials who tried to control the riots were immediately transferred and those who assisted the rioters were duly rewarded. The propaganda machine of the state and the RSS combine efficiently doctored the minds of the people to argue that if they are not voted back to power it will be the victory of terrorist Muslims, ISI and the like. This created a polarization and that?s what helped the BJP to come back to power despite the massive violence unleashed by it.

It is not for the first time that an outfit, which led the riots, came back to power in the following elections, Congress in 1984 anti Sikh riots got thumping majority after the Delhi riots. In Mumbai after the 92-93 riots Shiv Sena-BJP also was able to win the elections in Mahrashtra. Studies on communal violence demonstrate that communal violence is the route through which communal parties make their power base. One also can point out that just before the Gujarat violence BJP lost elections in all the northern states and even in Gujarat. Following Godhra and Gujarat it got massive victories in MP, Rajasthan and Chattisgargh.

Gujarat observations point out something more than the earlier communal riots. After the Gujarat violence the role of state in shrugging its responsibility in relief and rehabilitation was blatant. The victims could not return to their homes easily. Many of them had to give written undertakings that they will not file any complaint against the culprits. The state of judicial communalization is a painful fact. The Best bakery and Bilkis Bano cases are pointers to the state of that. While the communal propaganda is prevalent in most of the places, in Gujarat it has gone beyond the levels of tolerance. The communities, which were living together, how so ever together, have become full of suspicion against each other and the mental barriers are getting transformed into physical borders-barriers between the localities.

The ghettoisation of minorities in this situation is inevitable. That Ghettoisation is accompanied by retrograde tendencies in the community goes without saying. While this trend is discernible in most place in Gujarat it is starkly stares one in the face. The terms Hindu locality, Muslim locality no more jar one?s ears. The builders and landlords do go by the religion of the buyer or to the one whom the place is being given on rent. The National community of Indians has been given a severe jolt by the communalization of minds and the regular occurrence of violence.

As such if one takes a broad overview of the state of communalization, one realizes that it is after the coming of British that the seeds of communalism were sowed. In pursuance of their policy of divide and rule they introduced this through the communal interpretation of History books. Not knowing the Indian society their historians labeled Indian History as Hindu Period, Muslim Period and British (not Christian) period of India?s past. This view is totally faulty for two main reasons. One, it takes religion of the king as the marker of the period at the cost of exclusion of all other criterion. And two, it was not factually true even if this criterion is applied. At no point of time was their exclusive rule of Hindu Kings all over. At no times Muslim kings ruled all over. It was the kings who ruled and presented as if they are ruling for the sake of religion. All the people of that religious community were not rulers etc. This historiography showed the conflict of Kings due to differences in their religion, which is not true. The alliances of Kings cut across religious lines.

The Mughal Kings had high placed Hindu officials in their administration; Todarmal was in charge of finance during Akbar?s rule, Mansing was the commander of Akbar?s army, Jaisingh as the top Military official
of Aurangzeb. Rana Pratap had Hakim Khan Sur as his trusted lieutenant. Shivaji had Ibrahim Gardi and Siddi Sambal. Most of the Muslim kings had Hindu kings as in charge of their revenue departments. At the level of society Hindu and Muslims thickly interacted with each other throwing up syncretic traditions and culture in all aspects of social life. The religious traditions of Bhakti and Sufi developed in this period of history, the Ganga Jamni Tehjib (The culture in Ganges belt) also came up during this period. Urdu developed as the language of bazaar, as an Indian language. Our clothing, food, architecture, music and literature are deeply seeped in the mixed traditions. The intermixing of cultures was a joy for the average people of society.

The declining sections of society, Landlords and clergy of both the religions felt a threat from the rising values of democratic movement in all aspects of society. The political culmination of this movement came up in the form of National movement, movement for independence, the movement, which wedded itself to the values of Liberty, Equality and Community. Freedom movement was accompanied by the process of transformation of caste and gender relations. This process was hated and feared by the elites of the religious communities, the landlords, Kings, Nawabs and clergy. This politics of Muslim League and Hindu Mahasabha/RSS resorted to spreading hate against the other communities. This communal politics came in handy for the British to sow the seeds of division of the country, the partition tragedy. The edifice of this tragedy was built by spreading hate against the other of both the communal formations. Muslim League spread hate against Hindus and Hindu Mahasabha-RSS spread hate against the Muslims.

Post partition the Muslim communal elements left for Pakistan, leaving a small fragment here. This small fragment did provide provocation to the Hindu communalists and also played a very negative role for
Muslim community as a whole. Hindu communalism got its strength from the conservative sections; the one?s who could avoid the land reforms by various clever means. The clergy also aided in the process. RSS became the main vehicle of this politics. It kept training its swayamsevaks in the hate ideology on regular basis.

RSS hate ideology has systematically been propagated in its shakhas from last eighty odd years. This propaganda is based on a set of formulations. The chief of these are that India is a Hindu Rashtra,
Nation, Muslims and Christians are foreigners, secularism is an alien concept planted on the holy land, that Muslims are not loyal to India, they have four wives twenty children, they are more aggressive,
dirty, unreliable and that they are terrorists.

While Gujarat shows the worst manifestation of the intensity of this ?social? common, no part of the country is spared from the grip of these totally faulty notions. This writer has extensively interacted
with large number of social activists and others in number of seminars and meetings. The common understanding on the myths is no different in most parts of the country. None of these is true. Demographic data disproves the ?four wives? insinuation, the number of children in a household are determined more by the socio-economic status and educational level than by the religion of the family, temples and other holy places were destroyed by the kings not for religion but for wealth and political considerations. Kings belonging to all religions destroyed holy places. The conversions to Islam were undertaken by untouchables to escape the tyranny of Landlord and Brahmins. Today?s terrorism is more due to US imperialist policies to control the oil wealth of the world. People from all religions at a point of time have resorted to terrorism, today?s largest terrorist organization is LTTE (Hindus in the main), Khalistani movement was spearhead by Sikhs, In Srilanka many a Buddhists have also resorted to terrorism, so on and so forth.

These understandings have an appeal when communicated to community but there is inadequate effort in this direction. The prevalence of these notions sounded to be innocuous but the events of last few years have made it clear that these cannot be taken lightly. They have already created community divides and have the potential of creating total emotional secessionism if unchecked. One of the major reasons for the communal violence persisting and sustaining itself is the fact that when violence is going on the average people do firmly start believing the propaganda and are taken in by that. This is true in most of the places where violence has taken place. Such propaganda also prevails in places where communal riots have been checked, like in West Bengal. But the communal divides have the potential of creating havoc at a later date in the form of breaking the community bonds, a prerequisite for healthy society and providing the fertile ground for communal politics.

The communal violence hides the deeper communal politics. The communal politics as such aims to first to curtail the rights of weaker sections of society. In due course this politics will try to reverse the process of social transformation of caste and gender, howsoever little, which has taken place during last several decades. By creating an intimidating hysterical atmosphere it also distracts the society from the major task of struggle for human rights of weaker sections of society. Gujarat in a way is like a full blown case of ?Hindu Rashtra? in one state. It is also an example of what can happen to the country if the hate ideology is not countered. It is also an example of the degeneration of the apparatus of the state if the commanding politics (RSS combine) has its way and controls the state.

The situation is extremely grave and challenging. The human rights movement has to take into consideration the violation of the rights of minorities, the acts of omission of the state apparatus and to struggle
against these at all the democratic forums. Also the battle for the ideas, the struggle to percolate the values of pluralism in democracy has to be rooted. The misconceptions and myths propagated by RSS combine have to be countered at every possible platform and medium. This is just to remove the roadblock to undertake the journey for more humane society, through a path of struggle for enhancement of human rights.

Contemporary Times-Role of Religions

By Ram Puniyani

Current times are witnessing violence of severe nature all around in which religion is projected one of the reasons. It is also projected as a clash between people of two religions and that people belonging to a particular religion are violent due to their faith, also that some violence is a retaliatory violence to check the activities of others who are out to convert the gullible people by luring them.

In India one has seen the intensification of violence in the name of religion more so from last two decades. After Babri demolition a wave of violence rocked the nation. In 1998, a Pastor working amongst leprosy patients was burnt alive along with his two innocent sons. Anti Christian violence has been the marker of our times. The burning of Sabramati express in Godhra followed by the massive anti Muslim violence, the genocide, was another blot on the national life. The 9/11 events, resulted in the death of close to three thousand people of all religions. Along with this came the thesis that current time is the one of clash of civilizations, the backward Islamic civilization is out to destroy the advanced Western civilization. One can see the underlining element of the attempt to relate the violence and religion in some form or the other.

Along with this came the misunderstanding about other religions. This misunderstanding has assumed mammoth proportions today and it provides the base for the violence and the policy of aggressions/acts of violence and terror. There is a clear need to understand the difference between religion and politics, there is a need to understand the rise of violence from these misconceptions.

Most of the religions came as a set of moral vales to guide the people to cultivate the feelings of love for mankind. There began a process of institutionalization of religions to ensure that these values are sustained and percolated to the broad layers of people. At the same time the emphasis on rituals began to be heavier while the focus and emphasis on moral values took a back seat. There have been numerous attempts to ensure that the basic unity between people of different religions is sustained though the efforts of saints and others who preached the values of humanism in right earnest.

Today the vested interests have launched the efforts to suppress the weaker section of society and weaker nations for the sake of their material interests. As these attempts are undertaken in the name of religion a feeling of alienation amongst people overtakes the real spirit of religion.

Here at home those associated with RSS and politics in the name of Hindutva have been spreading the hate amongst different communities. The result is there for all to see. This hate has been spread against Muslims and Christians both. Muslims have been projected to be fanatics, aggressors, having more wives, converting through sword and being more loyal to Pakistan. This has resulted in a broad social common sense which sees Muslims as the 'other', their demonization, the consequent violence at different places even on the smallest of pretexts, the fear and insecurity leading to their ghettoisation. At global level the US has been resorting to War against terror which is a ploy to attack the areas in oil rich countries and to create a global Islamophobia. World wide this hate against Muslims is on the rise. In India the problem is worst confounded as the US goals worldwide and RSS goals at home match and worsen the problem. In many a Muslim majority countries similar processes are going on against the other religious minorities.

In India even the tiny minority of Christians has been accused of conversions through allurement and fraud. As a matter of fact the population of Christians is declining from last four decades ( 1971-2.60%, 1981-2.44%, 1991-2.32% and 2001-2.30 %), despite that a sustained scattered attacks on Christina missionaries is on the rise. Similarly the myths against Muslim minorities have no truth but have captured the minds of people, the destruction of holy places done by kings in the past for the sake of power and wealth is being presented as the insult of faith, the conversions in the past are being presented as due to coercion, the demographic profile which is due to social factors is being shown to be due to religion, the loyalty to other nations is a mere propaganda meant to suit their political goals, and that all Muslims are terrorists also does not hold any water as neither is terrorism due to religion nor all terrorists belong to Muslims.(LTTE, ULFA, Khalistainis, Irish Republican Army and so on)

The responsible people of different faiths do realize that this is not in tune with the spirit of their religion. They are watching helplessly this whole process of demonization of certain religious communities and the social rifts being created due to that. Faith in the values of humanism is paramount in the values of religion. This current scenario is pushing back the aspirations of poor people and so it is needed that the situation is overcome for the sake of better world, for the sake of peace and amity. While the political forces bent upon creating this mayhem are very powerful and almighty, have control over resources of different types and on media, the people with genuine faith in human values need to come forward to ensure that this dark phase of human history is overcome in the spirit of dialogue. The need for inter community relations and dialogue was never needed more than at present times.

The isolation due to this political process is not only creating emotional walls amongst different communities, it is also resulting in the retardation of social development. The kernel of present efforts for peace lies in the process of building bridges amongst communities and that process can be started only by a genuine dialogue amongst people of different faiths, by coming close to each other by abolishing the artificial boundaries created by the politics of hate being practiced by various forces, globally and locally.

These dialogues amongst different religious communities are needed at all the levels, starting from the basti, mohalla to the leadership of religions, scholars of religions, the activists engaged in dispelling hate from the society, and those working for human rights, all of them need to be involved in this process of dialogue. The present impasse which is presenting religions as the separating points need to be overcome and the understanding that religious differences and plural ways of life are a strength not an obstacle to peace. The dialogue amongst religions needs to be supplemented by the cooperation in the field of social work to alleviate the pain and misery of the mankind, there is a need to encourage and coordinate in the field of struggles for the human rights of deprived sections of society. We aspire for peace and we remind ourselves that the peace desired by us can not be achieved without justice for the people. Justice is a mandatory prerequisite for peace. The spirit of service to mankind has to prevail over the current assault on the basic human values in the name of religion.

We need to look into the recent high level committee of UN which went on to counter the thesis of Clash of civilizations put forward by the US professor Samuel Huntington. This thesis forms the cover for US ambitions for its aggressions in West Asia. The UN committee (http://www.unaoc.org/repository/report.htm)has put forward that there is no clash between civilizations, as a matter of fact civilization have an alliance for a better tomorrow. On the similar lines one will like to say that there is no clash between the moral values of religions, it is the alliance between these values that the human race can look forward to a better future, a future which will eliminate poverty, hunger, disease and misery from the world. It is this alliance which will ensure that the focus of world policies has to be brought back to the issue of Human rights of weaker sections of society. Nothing short of a genuine dialogue amongst people of different faiths can overcome the obstacles created by the political forces misusing the religious identity for their political goals.

Defining Minorities

By Ram Puniyani

Allahabad High Court ruling (April 2007) that Muslims have ceased to be a minority in UP as their percentage in population is 18.5% totally defies the logic of Indian Constitution, the legislatures understanding and the pronouncements of the Supreme court on the issue. No wonder it has been stayed by a two judge bench. This verdict gave a lot of ammunition to many to feel jubilant, and pen pushers of right wing ideology got extra boost to spew their anti minority sentiments. It is argued that by retaining the concept of minority these sections are reminded about their being 'different' and that sows the seed of divisiveness. They even point out that Africans-Americans were/are considered a minority as there was systematic injustice against them, they were discriminated against. But in India there is no such case for Muslims so they should not be considered as minorities, neither should there be any affirmative action for them.

There have been similar sentiments by a large section of ideologues that belong to Right wing politics. It is also noteworthy, that these are precisely same sections who celebrate when the quota for OBC is questioned and reservations against dalits are opposed.

Is there a place for minority concept in democracy, and who should be called a minority? These questions were settled by the Constituent assembly and samples of the debates around these issues indicate the national thinking on that. The attitude of the founders of Indian Constitution, who were themselves echoing the values of freedom movement, indicates a lot on the matter. It was pointed out in Constituent assembly debates that numerical weakness and soci-economic vulnerability should be the major criterion in defining the minority. Even the United Nations charter of Human rights went on to recommend the affirmative action towards minorities of all types. India is a signatory to many a UN declarations on minority rights.

All minorities are not disadvantaged. We can see that Brahmins are also a minority within Hindu religion, but the prevalent caste system gave them inherent advantage. There are people who try to find a 'poor' Brahmin as a ground to show that caste based reservations are not valid. But surely the social connections of Brahmin minority, ensures that poor and deprived Brahmins, is more a matter of exception. In India the minority generally boils down to religious minority. This is more of a legacy of the India's the policies and politics which were prevalent before Independence, and this, while prevalent all through, has got re-strengthened after the rise of religion based politics from the decade of eighties. This identity politics has rolled back many a conceptual developments which were in progress during the decades immediately after the independence.

The affirmative action for dalits and OBC itself has come under heavy criticism from the same social sectors. Also the thought of development programs for Muslim sends shivers of discomfort amongst many. We have witnessed that a particular ideology which is solidly against this affirmative action for dalits and minorities, was at the root of riots against dalits and OBCs, in Gujarat in the decade of 1980s. This ideology suits those whose children are in the category of 'economic reservation' as they can openly 'buy' education, knowledge and degrees by shelling out the bagfuls of money.

One wonders how the condition of Indian Muslims is different from that of African Americans for whom affirmative action is being accepted and recommended. Have Muslims found a decent, tolerant atmosphere here? Let's recall that 'social common sense' has been against them all through. The policy of subtle discrimination against them was in operation all through. Private sector dominated by the non Muslims kept them out deliberately. As communal violence was unleashed from sixties, it went on rising and went to critical limits from the decades of 80s. Various statistics coming from Home ministry Government of India, compilation of data on riot victims shows that over 80% of riot victims are Muslims. The violence has ghettoized large section of this community. The progressive norms which were being picked up by the community despite economic odds got a set back after the Babri demolition and massive anti Muslim violence which followed. Later after the Gujarat carnage, this process of ghettoization got intensified. Today irrespective of whether communalism, communal violence is visible or not, most of the states are witnessing an atmosphere where minorities feel intimidated and stifled.

It is true that minorities should not perpetuate their condition and try to come out of minority psyche and feel like anybody else. But what happens if the political climate is very adverse to your progress. What happens when the social thinking demonizes you times and over again, in every aspect of social existence, on any or every pretext? The earlier slogan of Jan Sangh, the previous avatar of BJP, had launched campaign called "Indianize Muslims"; giving a clear message that they are not Indians and so they must be Indianized. This is a 'catch twenty-two'. On one hand minorities are excluded from the process of social development, as they are the 'other' and at the same time a demand is made to them to subordinate to the dictates of dominant political stream which is trying to assert as to what should be the social norms. This exclusionary religious tendency is presenting their religious symbolism as the national symbolism.

Every study and data has been pointing to the worsening position of Muslim community. First the Gopal Singh Committee and now the Sachar Committee has shown this marginalization and exclusion. How does one become part of so called mainstream when one feels excluded and jeered upon? And if for bringing them on par with others, if some efforts are undertaken to protect their interests, to support them breathe freely, is it divisive factor or is it only way to strengthen our society? Some ideologues are used to the image of society in the past 'glories' where the Shudras, in their ghettoes, lived to serve the upper caste masters. Is it that which is being presented as the ideal nation? The tendency which is trying to dominate in the name of religion, essentially wants to bring back that state of society and so the opposes the efforts which will empower the ghettoized masses.

The criticism against Sachar committee is that it is creating myth that Muslims are disempowered, and so this committee report should be ignored and bypassed. What are the parameters for assessing the level of empowerment or otherwise of a social group? Surely the socio, economic and political representation should be the main parameter. One knows that not only that Muslim community has seriously been excluded from the development process, they were also forced into low level self employment, that's why some surveys may find that rate of their employment is better than others. Here the definition of employment has to be kept in mind. As such the type of self employment which a large section of Muslim community had to resort to was the last option and not a preferred choice. It has become the norm because of the exclusionary policies adopted by the sections of society, who have a powerful say in the matters, and in the running of the state. It by no means is a symbol of empowerment of minorities.

One is sure that the two judge bench's superseding the 'Muslims are not a minority judgment' will be upheld by the due process of law. In the overall political scenario and the economic perspective, a radical change has to take place where suitable employment for every person is the norm. The size of cake is also a problem. The type of economic development being pursued has to be superseded by one which aims at giving employment to all, and in the interregnum the affirmative action for different disadvantaged sections has to be pursued to unite the society. The definition of minorities needs to be recalled from the Indian constitution and understood in the context of constituent assembly debates.

Democracy besieged

By Ram Puniyani

There may be various parameters to judge the prevalence of democratic spirit in a country. One of them may be how well the minorities are doing, how safe they feel, how aligned they feel, how much at home they feel. Whatever was the answer to these questions couple of decades earlier, today it seems the answer to these questions is becoming more and more negative and the quantitative worsening of these parameters is leading to the qualitative transformation of social scene towards abysmal social scenario.

One has been hearing the aggressive propaganda that minorities are being appeased in this country for the vote bank politics. This was being 'successfully' injected to the societal consciousness despite Gopal Singh Commission, which portrayed the grim picture of the socio economic condition of the Muslim minority. Close to two decades later Rajinder Sachar Committee, on the basis of thorough inquiry has not only confirmed what Gopal Singh Commission found but also that trends are in the direction of further worsening of the socio-political indices of Muslim minorities. The data shows that Muslim community is at the bottom of economic indices, being worse than even the SCs, STs. They are worse off in education, and are far behind OBCs in employment. Their representation in judiciary, bureaucracy is very poor compared to their percentage in population, and more so in class I and II jobs, they are very low down in landholdings, and much worse in employment in private sector. The number of MLAs and MPs coming from this community has also been declining over a period of time. Of course there is one place where they are over-over represented and that's in prisons. One may add there is other data which tells us that their representation amongst the riot victims is also very heavy, more than 80% riot victims being Muslims and not to be left behind most of the POTA detainees also happen to be Muslims!

The biases against them abound in all spheres; the police machinery in particular is the biggest victim of these biases and prejudices. This becomes apparent in their role during the riots and after the riots. The latest in the series is of course the pattern of investigations followed by them. By now most of those in the police machinery have come to firmly believe, and this is the basis of their 'professional conduct', that Muslims are criminals. The propaganda emerging from some rumor manufacturing factory that 'all Muslims are not terrorists but all terrorists are Muslims' is not only becoming part of social common sense but also the core guiding principle of investigation authorities. This makes their complex job also very easy. Recently the investigation of Mumbai bomb blasts and later Malegaon blast investigation has seen the targeting of Muslims through and through. Right on day next of Mumbai blasts Muslim youth were detained in hordes, to be released only when a section of the community went on protest. But the pattern remains the same.

While someone from top leadership of police issued a formal appeal that they want to play a fair game and are open to listen to the innocents if approached. Some social workers of repute were also taken in by these formal appeals and narrated through newspaper columns as to how approaching police authorities is 'working' in getting the innocents released. What levels of democracy we have reached that police will nab the innocents for the crime not committed by them, than they will ring up the top police officials or the reputed social worker/s to get themselves released. What if the immediate havladar decides that you cannot use the mobile now, what if you are intimidated beyond your wits to be able to contact these worthies? The question remains how many from the community can have access to these socials workers, whatever be the levels of their accessibility. How many from community can contact the top leadership of the police which makes these claims? In the face of such massive goofs, which have been committed in such cases, mostly due to biased and prejudiced approach of authorities is there not a need for training the police in the lessons of pluralism removing their biases and prejudices if that be possible. Does a help line exist for an average person? Does not a need exist for creating an effective help line?

There are media reports telling us how innocents are being trapped in different ways during interrogation, what do we do for that? Do the people know their rights in the face of being apprehended by the Khaki uniforms? Is it not the responsibility of the state to let the people know their rights also when they are being booted and tortured to extract 'confessions from them? Do we not need to have provisions that without the legal help to the one arrested the arresting authorities will not proceed with their various 'degree' methods of increasing levels of torture to force the accused speak what Khaki uniformed one's want to hear to make their job easy. Incidentally that also fits in to the scheme of their line of preformed opinions?

The system is so insular, and by now becoming so self righteous that the appeal from Prime Minister, not to target the particular community fell on deaf years of the hardened stiff collared khaki machinery. In Malegaon the limits of police bias are openly apparent. And being disgusted with that the local Muslim community had to resort to day long peaceful bandh to vent out their frustration and anguish. The partisanship of the investigation is crystal clear to those who have been following the incidents in Maharashtra. The Bajrang Dal, whose activists died while making bomb in Nanded, is totally protected by the other type of bias, 'affirmative bias' to be applied to some sections and political streams of society. The bomb shells and RDX which were found in Shanker Shelke shop in Ahmadnagar seems to be of no relevance and it does not give any clues to our professionals in uniforms. The sketch of the person who bought the cycle on which bombs were kept has been relegated to the background and the thesis that SIMI activists have done this to kill exclusive Muslim crowd near Bada Kabristan seems to be the central point of investigation as far as our agencies are concerned.

Is it that the sectarian ideology has already completed its task of ensuring that the half truths, half lies spread by it are the core operating principles of the large section of bureaucracy and police? The insecurity of other minority, the Christians, especially in Adivasi areas knows no bounds and through organizations like Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram the divisive and intimidating role is being carried to the full extent in remote places. The news of attacks on Christian nuns ad missionaries have become a matter of routine and no more has any 'news value' as per the parameters of our media. At social and cultural level the Freedom of Religion Bills in various BJP ruled states are an open threat to the Christian missionaries working in the area of education and health in deep interiors. Madhya Pradesh government like other BJP governments has been manipulating the things at cultural level. It has been naming most of the social schemes in Hindu imageries, like water irrigation projects as Jalabhishek, marriage support to the poor as Kanyadan and so on. Gujarat as a Hindu Rashtra has already relegated the Muslims out into refugee camps away from the main areas. Is it a return of old untouchable ghettoes?

It seems the democratic ethos is under severe threat and the state of alienation of minorities is a pointer to that. It seems that even without being in power, the BJP-RSS agenda of Hindu Nation is already unfolding itself in a threatening manner in BJP ruled states and in a subtle and overt fashion in other states where BJP is not in power. In those states due to the communal attitude of some of those in power and the communalization of state apparatus, police and bureaucracy, the restrictions on liberal democratic spaces are mounting. Is it time for celebration in RSS headquarters or is there time still for it to be taken as a warning signal by those who wish to preserve and strengthen democracy. A lip service to minority welfare and security will not do. Those in leadership who are committed to the values of Liberty, Equality and Community (national) need to wake up and take stock of the all round intimidation and alienation of minorities. If Rajinder Sachar Committee report and Malegaon bandh does not wake them up, what will?

Double Standards: Punishing the culprits of violence

By Ram Puniyani

Indian society has been plagued by two major types of violence. One is that related to the sectarian one, the one which began with Jablapur riots of 1961, which intensified greatly during the decades of 1980s, the one which gradually assumed the shape of pogrom like the ones’ of 1984 (Delhi), 1992-3 (Mumbai) and Gujarat (2002). The two latter one of these also showed that lot of organization and planning is being put in to the same. In the context of the punishments being pronounced in the Mumbai blast cases, the demand resurfaced that even the guilty of 1992-93 carnage should also be punished. Just to recall after these riots this Commission worked painstakingly for five years and came to various conclusions and also named those who were guilty of violation of laws due to which the violence took such horrendous shape.

The Shiv Sena, many of whose leaders actively participated in these riots immediately came out vehemently against such demands. Its argument is that the victims have reconciled to what has happened and reopening of these cases is just being demanded by secularists to spoil the broth. Congress, slippery as ever, first promised that the Government will reopen the cases immediately went back on that saying that already all action has been taken and nothing more is needed. One of its leaders also showed the apprehension that reopening these cases may give the political benefit to the Hindutva parties. Such political calculations are present in deliverance of justice is fairly well known by now.

This became painfully obvious as the punishment was announced for the guilty of Mumbai blasts of 1993 and as preparations were underfoot to file the case for those involved in the train blasts of Mumbai 2006 July, one nagging question haunted those committed to democratic values and also those who have been the victim of 92-93 Mumbai riots, and also probably the victims of carnage of Gujarat, and many other major and minor incidents of violence, where the victims have been those belonging to the minority community. Most of the culprits of blasts so far indicted have been from the Muslim community, while those who suffered maximum during the sectarian violence were also from the same community.

The present punishments have been meted out to the culprits of Mumbai blasts of 93, which followed the Mumbai violence in the aftermath of Babri demolition. The violence which looked to be spontaneous was investigated by sitting judge Shrikrishna, who after five years of painstaking investigation concluded many a things relating to violence and blasts. About the spread of violence it put the square blame on the failure of police machinery, the role of provocative writings in Shiv Sena paper Saamana and another paper Navakaal, and the role played by Shiv Sena-BJP as a whole, Shiv Sena had later started Maha Aarti, which was meant to mobilize people and give provocation to them. "The Maha Artis were started from 26th December 1992 and kept adding to the communal tension and endangering the fragile peace which had been established. Some (were used to deliver) communally inciting speeches and the crowds dispersing from (them) indulged in damage, looting and arson of Muslim establishments in the vicinity.”

The commission also concluded that blasts had a connection with the violence, which preceded it. Accepting and upholding the testimony of one of the witnesses the commission pointed out, “Joint Commissioner M N Singh also emphasizes that serial bomb blasts were a reaction to the totality of events of Ayodhya and Bombay…and commission is inclined to agree with him…” Its observations about the carnage itself are very pertinent, it not only shows the mechanism which might have been operative in some youth and others getting brainwashed to take revenge in this insane fashion, Interestingly Shrikrishna Commission also points to the underlying insecurity which led some elements to participate in scheming and implementation of blasts, “The Muslims felt a feeling of insecurity and anger, on extent of their suffering during the two riot (Dec. 1992 and Jan 1993) period…certain anti national laments abetted by ISI…recruited some of the angry young men by brainwashing them that they should take revenge…”

It also shows how the Hidutva parties, Shiv Sena in particular coordinated the whole violence, in which around thousand people lost their lives and 86% of those killed belonged to Muslim minority. Commission meticulously documented the direct involvement of many leaders in instigating and participating in violence. About the second phase of riots, which began from 8th January, commission points out, “…there is no doubt that Shiv Sena and Shiv sainiks took lead in organizing attacks on Muslims and their properties under the guidance of several leaders of Shiv Sena from the level of shakha pramukh to Shi vena Pramukh Bal Thackeray, who like a veteran general commanded his loyal Shiv Sainiks, to retaliate by organized attacks against Muslims.”

Cases of very minor nature were registered under Thackeray which were later dropped by Shiv Sena-BJP coalition which came to power in the elections held in 1995. The later Congress coalition was threatened, and cowed to the threat, that violence will break out if Thackeray, the main culprit is arrested. Similarly role of other leaders like Madhukar Sarpotdar, Ram Naik, Gopinath Munde and many others was documented by the commission. Shiv Sena-BJP dropped the cases and the Congress alliance which came to power on the promise of implementing the findings of Shrikrishna commission, did not bother to do any thing in this direction. Madhukar Sarpotdar’s case was deliberately put on the weak wicket, attention was not paid on the case details and neither was it pursued in a proper manner, with the result that he was untouched despite being a potential TADA culprit and also for carrying unlicensed arms. The latter is the act under which Sanjay Dutt has been jailed now. The pattern is same in most of these, either cases are not registered, or registered under weak clauses, than dropped and not pursued. So a biased police machinery and shameless political leadership supplement each other to ensure that justice is not done.

Similar points can be made about the police officers. Of the hundred police officers who had negative role, commission named 31 for their lapses or proactive involvement in the carnage. Joint Commissioner of police R.D. Tyagi, Assistant Police inspector Deshmukh, and PI Lahane were found to be guilty of excessive and unnecessary firing resulting in death of nine Muslims in Suleiman Bakery incident. Tyagi was discharged in 2003 and others were exonerated and discharged. In case of Tyagi the matter was not pursued by the government. On the top of that many of them like R.D. Tyagi and Nikhil Kapse were promoted in the course of their careers. In another case the police blatantly opened fire in Hari Masjid, the commission points out the guilty, but the Govt. is clever enough to protect the culprits.

On the other hand in Coimbtore blasts, Madani who was behind bars for last eight years has been found not to be guilty. And the fellow spent eight years despite not being the part of the crime. In the wake of verdicts delivered for the bomb blast culprits, one is reminded of the fate of justice as far as the Mumbai carnage is concerned. The inferences from these observations are too disturbing. We seem to be heading for two sets of justice system as a whole. The ones belonging to minority community suffer maximum in the communal carnage. They get killed, their properties are destroyed. The guilty in these cases are generally not punished. Those aiding and abetting these crimes get away with it and sometimes even promoted.

In other case the blasts and acts of terror, if Muslims are involved the cases are investigated and punishments are meted out in due course. There were many a delegations which went to represent to the government to implement the findings of Shrikrishna Commission, but justice for riots victims has been deliberately buried under the political inaction of different governments.

It is reflective of the political parties, the political system and the bureaucratic structure which is coming to be. While some parties like BJP-Shiv Sena are aggressively pursuing the communal agenda, the others are opportunistic enough not to think of justice in a principled way. Congress, while paying lip service to secular values has mostly compromised with the communal elements and most of the times it does not have the spine to take the challenge of rising communalism. This is having very adverse impact on the socio-psychology of the minority communities. At one level they seem to be loosing faith in the whole system, as the current double standards of the ruling party shows.

Erasing the Past for Present Political Agenda

Erasing the Past for Present Political Agenda
10/16/2004
By Ram Puniyani

Come elections and some emotional issues are brought on. The recent campaign by BJP associate, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, has come at a very crucial time. While the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance is groping for victory, it could not have thought of better issue, Afzal Khan?s tomb, to whip up emotional hysteria to garner more votes. This time both parties are planning their strategy in a slightly different fashion. While BJP is harping on Tiranga (Tri color) agitation of Uma Bharati and are trying to demolish Afzal Khan?s tomb, Shiv Sena is taking up the issue of Savarkar in full steam. Needless to say all these issues have nothing to do with the problems of daily lives of people but are meant for bringing in polarization of votes for the electoral purposes.

The demolition of Afzal Khan?s tomb is a very complex issue. In this case the attempt is not to prove that there was a temple, which was demolished to build this tomb but that the tomb is a blot on Maharashtrian self pride, since Afzal Khan was against Hindus etc. Not many knew that none other than Shivaji himself, who had slain Khan in an encounter, built this tomb. This encounter was planned as a negotiation meeting, which was called on the understanding that both Shivaji and Khan will come to meet without arms. On the advise of his spy Shivaji carried the iron claws. Interestingly it was Shivaji?s spy Rustam-e-Jaman who advised him to carry this secret weapon. In the scuffle, which followed their meeting, Shivaji killed Afzal Khan. Following Shivaji?s attack on Khan, Khan?s private secretary, Krishnaji Bhaskar Kulkarni attacked Shivaji with his sword. Shivaji survived the attack.

Following the death of Afzal Khan, Shivaji with his magnanimonious attitude got the tomb of Khan made from his funds. Pure and simple it was a battle between two kings for power and religion had nothing to do with this. RSS in its agenda of spreading hatred through concocted history is trying to pick up all these scattered events and giving them the communal color. This view totally forgets that Kings were not aligned along religious lines. Shivaji?s initial battles were against the Chandra Rao More another Maratha chief who was ruler of Javali, a nearby Kingdom. Similarly it was Raja Jaisingh who represented Auranzeb in his confrontation against the Mughal rule of Delhi. Can one forget that most of the mughal Emperors had Hindu kings as in charge of their revenue departments, or the likes of Raja Mansingh who was the Commander in Chief of Akbar? Instances abound, loyalty was the central marker for the Kings, king?s employees and the subjects of the kingdom.

One cannot forget Hakim Khan Sur who was on the side of Rana Pratap and laid down his life for him in the battle of Haldi Ghati. Shivaji himself had Maulana Hyder Ali as his confidential secretary and many a Muslim generals in his army, more particularly in the cannon and naval divisions. Auranzeb, who is regarded as the most bigoted Muslim king had around 34% court officials in high places that were Hindus. Bahadur Shah Jafar went on to lead a section of Indian Kings, Hindus and Muslims, against the British in the 1857 revolt. Many other kings kept aloof from this anti British battle and sided with British during this.

The British initiated most of the lopsided presentation of History. As they came here and gradually usurped the power, they had to rule, for which they had to win over the loyalty of the people away from the Muslim Kings. Through two of their books, James Mill, History of British India, and Elliot and Dawson?s eight volume History of India as told by her Historians, saw the whole past as a conflict between Hindus and Muslims. Also to demonize the Muslim Kings they propagated that Muslim Kings destroyed Hindu temples, spread Islam on the strength of sword and heaped atrocities on Hindus. They (British) claimed that they have come here on the mission from the God himself to civilize the barbarians here, white man?s burden, and also that they wanted to save the Hindus from the atrocities of Muslim Kings. One is struck by the similarity of the language of the colonial powers. Not very long ago our own George W Bush also claimed that he is attacking Iraq to save the Iraqis from the atrocities of Saddam Hussein. And the rest, like his ?liberating? actions in Abu Graib prison and other tortures heaped on Iraqis is too well-known to be recounted again.

This communal view of History was picked up the Communalists, both Muslim and Hindus and modifies in their own way for their own political gains. The Togadias and Modis merrily project the murder of Afzal Khan as the victory of Hindus over the Muslims. And in their effort to break the Indian community into warring religious communities the offspring?s of RSS are on the hunt to discover the so-called contentious spots. Having got a major break through the demolition of Babri Masjid, they feel such discoveries of History can bring them in power. So they went in to create problem in Baba Budan Giri dargah (Datta Pitham), Idgah Maidan (Rani Chennama ground), Maula Masjid (Bhojashala), Haji Malaang (Malanggadh) and so on. Their Hate department is working overtime to discover the spots which can create problems, which can create violence and in turn give them power which they are desperately seeking to maul the democratic and liberal space, which is the prerequisite for social transformation.

The response to post Babri spots shows that RSS may not succeed in its designs. Though emotive issues make the people blind, there is a limit to which they can be blinded. It seems the formula, which RSS progeny thinks is sure to work for breaking the unity of Indian society, may not work beyond a point. Thanks to the enlightened people that RSS offspring?s are biting dust one after the other. One waits with baited breath as to what other gimmick Advanis and Togadias have in store to attack the plural and syncretism values of Indian society.

Godhra's Truth: Manufacturing Explanations for Communal Agenda

Godhra's Truth: Manufacturing Explanations for Communal Agenda
01/20/2005
By Ram Puniyani

Half an hour after the burning of Sabaramti Express?s S-6 coach on 27th Feb. 2002, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi made a definitive statement that the burning of the coach has been the handiwork of local Muslims in collaboration with the Pakistan?s ISI and the International terrorism. This was followed by a prompted ?reaction? to the ?action? (Every action has equal and opposite reaction, Newton quoted by Modi), the massive Gujarat carnage in which apart from the loss of property two thousand Muslims lost their lives. Now around 2and a half years after the tragic incident, Justice U.C. Bannerejee comes out with the truth of Godhra. According the interim report of this commission this tragedy was a mere accident and was not a preplanned one as claimed by Narendra Modi and the RSS and its progeny.

Immediately after the release of this report BJP spokesperson Arun Jaitley stated that this report is meant to cover up the criminals behind this crime, it is a appease the Muslim community. As such one can expect such a reaction from Hindu right. How else they cover up their own acts of commission. It is nothing new to come out with such distractions from the content and analysis of the reports of riots. One knows that most of the inquiry commission reports have indicted RSS progeny for being the main players in these riots, it is not for nothing that a close cousin of this progeny Shiv Sena, which as per the meticulously investigated Shrikrshna report, was the major player in the anti Muslim pogrom in Mumbai riots in 92-93, came out with a defense by saying that this report is ?Anti Hindu?. There is no analysis and no rebutting of the charges. Just a rhetorical diversion from the crux of the matter. Mr. Jaitley operating on the same wavelength, rather then analyzing the weakness of the report comes out with a subtle self defense of his party.

Immediately after the train burning Jayanti Ravi, the collector of Godhra, who knew better, said that there is no evidence of the pre-planned conspiracy, but was overruled by Modi, who calculated in a shrew way to how to use this incident as a pretext to unleash anti Muslim carnage to consolidate his hold on the levers of power, to march towards ?Hindu nation in one state-Gujarat.? All the norms which were needed to be done were thrown overboard and here the NDA ally of BJP played the as per the script of RSS. As per the Railways Act all major accidents have to be investigated. Sidetracking this norm the question of investigating the accident was totally ignored, the evidences contrary to ?Modi Expalnation? were put under the carpet.

Haren Pandya, the then Home minister of Gujarat, for reasons best known to him spilled the beans by telling the Citizens Tribunal that Modi in a meeting of top officials of the state on the same day told all involved with controlling law and order that the revenge of Godhra will be taken by Hindus and we should sit back and let the things take their own course, democratic laws can be put in the deep freeze. What followed was beyond the worst fears, loss of lives; violation of women; loss of property and to cap it all the semi-permanent divide between the Hindu and Muslim communities, the intensification of the process of Ghettoisation of minorities.

Modi was thoroughly backed up and defended through and through by other swayamsevaks who were supposed to ensure that states behave as per the Indian Constitution. The Central home minister Advani certified that Modi?s handling of the riots is exemplary and the Prime Minister Vajpayee, while shedding the crocodile tears went on to say ?but who lit the fire?? Citizen?s tribunal did come to the conclusion that there was no preplanned conspiracy. Two and a half years down the line no definitive evidence of involvement of Muslims, Muslim organizations, of ISI and International terrorirism could be produced by Modi. He took just half and hour to come to the conclusion, but despite the lag of years he has not been able to produce any evidence. He hid behind the opaqueness of POTA and imprisoned over two hundered Muslim, without any evidence.

The aggressive propaganda of RSS progeny made a large section of civil society to believe what was being dished out by them was the truth. A large section of social workers doubted this but in the din of hysteria produced they remained a marginal voice. Since Modi had adorned the cloak of national security those put behind the bars were left unattended with total violation of their democratic rights and civic rights. How does one go about in the society in such situations? The garb of national security is a convenient ploy to suppress the voice of reason. BJP used the bogey terrorism to the hilt, it showed the burnt coach of Sabarmati express while fishing for votes in the rivers of blood to come back to power with a huge majority due to the polarization created by the violence and the way propaganda was dished out by the section of media.

The argument that the report is just for electoral purposes will not wash. No doubt a politician like Lalu may try to get benefit out of this, but the real point is the defense of truth, the suffering of those who have been jailed under POTA, those who have lost their lives in the Gujarat carnage! How long will the society give sanction to the imprisonment of the innocents one?s who have supposed to have burnt the coach, will they be released immediately? Will they be compensated for the false implication which they have suffered for last over two and half years? That?s the real question for the large number of citizens of India?

Gujarat-Lengthening Shadows of Trident

Gujarat-Lengthening Shadows of Trident
04/19/2004
By Ram Puniyani

While the country is facing the general elections shortly (April-May 2004), the news from Gujarat continues to be very disturbing. During the period of this month two events in particular shook the conscience of those committed to democratic and secular values. The first one was the aftermath of Supreme Court judgement in the Best Bakery case. To recapitulate the apex court has ruled that the deliverance of justice in Gujarat has been flawed from bottom to top. The state Govt. has not been able to protect the witnesses in the case, the goons of Bajarang dal intimidated them and VHP due to which they turned hostile and the lower court exonerated all the culprits. In response Zahira Sheikh with the help of Citizens committee for Justice and Peace filed a case in the Supreme Court to shift the case away from Gujarat so that justice can be done to the victims of riots. Immediately after this as the judgement came, the local supporters of BJP-VHP came and intimidated Teesta Setalvad, Secretary of Citizens Committee, and Fr. Cedric Prakash of Prashant, an NGO deeply associated with the Human Rights issues of Gujarat victims. The duo had to be given police protection.

The group of Youth traveling the country, under the banner of Youth for Peace, (from Anhad), under the program Meri Awaz Suno (Please here me out), was attacked by the followers of same set of political formations. This group has been touring all over the country appealing to uphold the secular democratic values in the forthcoming elections. It is in Gujarat that even the appeal of such a nature is looked down at, as being Anti Hindu and the Hindutva forces, the followers of Modi-Advani, cannot tolerate them. These two incidents remind one of the state of civic society in this state. This has been worsening since the genocide and the post genocide polarization of the communities on religious lines. It is not only that Human rights activists are being targeted, the democratic space has also been constrained at social level. Recently an appeal released by Sahmat and Communalism Combat points out that ?Terror continues to be unleashed systematically against the Muslim minority in Gujarat through indiscriminate arrests and illegal detentions by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch of at least 80 Muslim youth, the selective application of POTA against 12 Muslims for alleged involvement in the Haren Pandya murder and 123 accused in the Godhra mass arson. Muslim women, relatives of allegedly absconding accused and even of detained persons, have also been brutally abused during questioning by the Ahmedabad police.?

In addition as per the same report the economic boycott of Muslim community started in the wake of the Gujarat violence also continues in various cities. A person no less than the status of Mallika Sarabhai, in one of her recent interviews given to a newspaper, points out that a feeling of terror prevails in the state due to which the democratic right of expression has been curtailed to a great extent. As such also the opposition movement is groping its way to find the way to ensure the preservation of human rights but the odds are too many. There is also a fear in the air that large sections of Muslims may not be permitted to vote in the forthcoming elections by shear force and intimidation.

Is it difficult to imagine as to how a group of youth with an appeal to National integration and shunning of communalism be attacked? How can the civil society be made to keep quiet and forced into submission by the fundamentalist forces? It has become easy for the political activists of BJP-VHP to intimidate the social workers that are trying to preserve the cause of democracy and in turn are defending the rights of riot victims to get justice.

Gujarat has been having the uninterrupted rule of BJP from last decade or so. The consolidation of section of Hindus in to a solid block backing the politics of RSS and its progeny is by now reaching critical limits. Limits critical enough to be understood as the end of the road for democratic and liberal space. This process began from last two decades first as anti-Dalit riots in sequence 1980, 1981 and 1986. Later through various Rath yatras, which are a modern innovative tool of RSS-VHP, politics and upper caste-class section started being consolidated into a camp, which stood to benefit from the suppression of rights of Dalits and OBC. During late 80s a conscious policy was undertaken to co-opt the Dalits and to unleash them upon the ?external? enemy in the form of Muslims. Such politics of hate always requires an external enemy. This process was supplemented by an intense process of communalization of social space through anti-minority propaganda, which was achieved by spreading myths about the minorities, the myths based on history, medieval and present and through the myths based on demographic lies and the international politics. This process of consolidation was boosted by the anti-Christian violence, which was done in mid nineties. This was also accompanied coopting sections of adivasis through identity politics. Both dalits and adivasis were used by RSS and its progeny in the Gujarat riots.

Meanwhile the state apparatus also has been communalized. It was manifested in its bowing to the butcher of Gujarat, Narendra Modi, during the riots. Converting the communal violence into state sponsored genocide. The affluent professional group has not remained far behind. During Gujarat violence even the deliverance of Medical relief was communalized, something which goes against the Hippocratic oath which the members of medical profession are supposed to abide by. This oath affirms that medical professiona will discharge their professional duties irrespective of patients? religion or nationality or whatever that be. The legal community was taken in by various means. Even as the riots were going on the VHP prepared a team of Legal professionals to defend the perpetrators of riots. It is not too much surprising that the legal community which sat quiet during the hearing of Best Bakery and turning of all the witnesses hostile, now wakes up to make noise against the supreme court?s decision to shift the cases away from Gujarat.

The attitude of civil society during riots was also a big set back to the democratic sensibilities. In a way it reflected the state of communalization of society. A society which witnessed the butchering of two thousand innocents, kept quiet, believing that all this is being done to take the revenge of Godhra. As if revenge is an option in a democratic society, as if by killing the innocents Muslims in different parts of Gujarat will give justice to those killed in the Sabrmati train burning. All this reflected the state of the mind of the dominant sections of society. On the top of it Modi was clever enough to pass off any criticism of his administration as an insult of 50 billion (5 Crore) Gujratis. The human rights movements are also being put to all the possible obstacles in their functioning.

The tragic affairs of Gujarat are just a mirror to our democracy. How if unguarded, the fascist tendencies can grow and engulf the democracy lock sock and barrel. Gujarat is very close to ?Fascism in one state? as far as Indian nation is concerned. With the latest victory of BJP in Madhya Pradesh, Rajsthan and Chattisgargh, the process of fascisisation of these states has also been put on the faster gears. Especially in MP and Rajasthan, the dangerous signals are emerging. The NDA rule, nee the BJP rule during last five years has opened the floodgates for this politics to grow at a higher pace. State sponsored funding for RSS organizations has gone up, various secular institutions are being taken over by the RSS swayamsevaks. With communalization of school textbooks, most of the job of RSS shakhas (branches) of communalization is being parceled out to the schools in a most official way.

Gradually the influence of RSS project is growing in different states, Orrisa and Kerala, to name the two. Are we doomed to witness the march of Fascism state by state? Indian polity is at a very precarious crossroad. The return of BJP with similar strength may mean the early arrival of doomsday as now the leash on Togadias and Modis will totally absent and more of their ilk will proliferate and discover the so called Hindutva issues state by state.

If India is to remain a democracy, secularism has to survive. They are twins, which cannot survive in isolation. There is no single panacea for protection of the society from the onslaught of Fascist trident. Apart from electoral arena, the one at social level are equally crucial if we want our democracy to survive. How will Human rights movement take up the dangers posed by RSS agenda is a million life question!

Gujarat: Symptoms of Hindu Nation

By Ram Puniyani

Chandra Mohan, a gifted art student of the faculty of arts of Sayajirao Giakwad University, Baroda had to be in jail for five days (May 2007) for the 'crime' of painting an assignment for his degree. The problem was that the painting he made was not to the liking of the BJP camp. When the display of the paintings was going on for assessment by the teachers, BJP leader, Neeraj Jain attacked the exhibition with his band of supporters. The police put Chandra Mohan behind the bars, Neeraj Jain, who had violated the law by entering the university came out with a sense of pride for saving, protecting the honor of 'his religion' or a religion, which is the base of his party. As the matters unfolded the students of the University peacefully protested against this breach of their right to learn and against the false implication of one of their fellow students by the barbarians in the garb of religion. The Vice Chancellor of Baroda university, Manoj Soni who is wedded to the politics of the ruling BJP and more particularly to Narendra Modi, gave orders that the demonstration by students should not be permitted. The Dean of Arts faculty, a renowned art historian felt it is too much to stifle the student's right for peaceful protest, permitted them the protest, and he was suspended. To add salt to the injury the pro-Vice Chancellor got the display of students paintings removed from the spot where they were protesting.

In the bizarre happenings at one of the most prestigious Universities of the state of Gujarat, the culprit was projected as the hero by the ruling BJP, while those who were merely doing their academic explorations, something for which universities are meant for, found themselves either behind the bars or suspended from their job. Interestingly Neeraj Jain of BJP is one of the accused in the Gujarat carnage of 2002 and Soni, VC is one of the Modi acolytes, a symptom of rot which has set in to the educational system of Gujarat. A small but dominant section of population in Gujarat upholds the actions of VC and arrest of student artist and suspension of Dean of arts faculty.

In another incident, in order to prevent the CBI inquiry into the cold blooded murder of Soharabuddin, by a team of police officials led by the Modi favorite Vanzara, the murder of Soharabuddin's wife Kausar Bano and Tulsiram Prajapati, the police informer, the Gujarat Government admitted that its police officials have committed the crime. Vanzara, who today owns the properties running into millions, was showered with rose petals by the section of people when he was being taken to be produced in the court.

Just a moth ago the, the film which sensitively portrays the Gujarat carnage, Perzania, which was duly cleared by the censor board, was not screened by the owners of cine theaters because of the fear that their theaters may be damaged by the goons, wearing saffron clothes. Similarly another film Faana was not released in Gujarat on similar grounds as the theater owners feared that people are opposed to Aamir Khan, who had openly sympathized with Narmada Bachao Andolan and the cause of those displaced by the dam. It is interesting that in most of the incidents there is a blatant tendency to suppress the basic democratic norm and the level of apparent acceptance for such acts from the dominant section of society is very high.

It is not that Gujarat is the only state with such violations of democratic and civic norms. There are gradations of these patterns, from the mild violations to the severe ones like those cited above. And surely as far as the gross violations and that too the one's related to minority community are concerned, Gujarat is the worst state without any shadow of doubt. In other BJP ruled states like MP, Rajasthan and Chattisgarhg also, the violations are of severe degree, still they do not match with the ones in Gujarat. In Gujarat, at all the levels from top to bottom and in most of the arenas of social and political life one can see the intense aggression of oppressive religion based ideology, opposing the little and big issues where the freedom of expression or democratic rights of people are concerned.

From these instances various things become more than clear. To begin with the state machinery, the educational institutions are heavily communalized. This Vice Chancellor, who normally should have protected the student of his University for fulfilling the academic obligation, but chose to let the police arrest his own student, is a comparatively young faculty who has been elevated to the highest level of the academic prestige because he wrote a book in defense of Modi in Gujarat genocide. The rot in the educational system, the infiltration of communal elements in the positions of power is more than obvious from the case of Mr. Soni.

Police acting as an onlooker and arresting the student, the victim, and letting the culprits take the law in their hands is reflective of the communal mind set and the type of instructions they must be getting from the top leadership. The attack by these goons and their defense by a section on the ground that 'our sentiments are hurt' show the type of communal common sense prevalent in the state.

What is new about Soharabuddin's killing? So many fake encounters, so many high handed acts of law breaking by those supposed to be upholders of law. So many such incidents in so many other states. The striking features of this encounter killing are that, one, not only the criminal but his wife was also killed in cold blood. Secondly, the pretext of terrorists coming to kill Modi, the Hindu Hriday Samrat (emperor of Hindu Hearts) has been used to eliminate people once again. And three, the honor showered on Vanzara, have we heard before that these 'criminal in khaki' having patronage of those in the seats of power are showered with rose petals while being taken to the court? That's what Gujarat is becoming, thoroughly communalized, the communal common sense being the dominant thought pattern of sections of society, and politics strongly under the sway of RSS ideology.

While the acts of attacking cinema theaters, attacking art exhibitions, stopping musical concerts has been heard before as an occasional phenomenon, now this intolerance is becoming systematically ingrained in Gujarat. That's what makes Gujarat different from large parts of the country, some of which are definitely on pursuing what we can call as 'Gujarat course' but the critical limits have not been reached there.

At different level, one can note two systems off law in Gujarat, minorities neither get nor can hope to get justice after violence, and relief is a distant dream. The transmigration within the city, Hindu area, Muslim area, and the emotional and physical borders separating the different communities and the communal wedge is deepening by the day. The schools are becoming set more along religious lines than the previous mixed character where diverse children come together and have an inherent understanding and respect for the other. The legal system is becoming more and more insular to the anguish of minority community. The minorities have been relegated to the second class status, no ban loans to them, no telephone connections at times. An analogy with Hitler's Germany has more than just the germ of truth. While at surface, Gujarat as the state seems to be focusing on development, the 'we have taught them a lesson' is the undercurrent thinking amongst dominant majority community.

Gujarat is being ruled by the BJP Government from over a decade. The RSS combine is having a field day, using government facilities and machinery to co-opt the Adivasi, through Shabri Kumbhs. Other programs, social engineering for inclusion of dalits and exclusion of Muslims and Christians are under full flow. The progressive, liberal sections of society are feeling the heat of political intimidation. While many of them are holding aloft the torch of democracy, the broad layers of civil society has to come forward with courage and conviction for democratic values and the principles of Indian Constitution. Though few, they are the hope for return of democracy in Gujarat. Whether the electoral arithmetic will help them restore democracy are a million vote questions? Despite internal dissentions the RSS combine is clearly behind Modi/BJP as far as electoral arithmetic goes. The terrifying vision of RSS ideologues is coming to fruition in this Hindu Rashtra in one state. The question is how fast other states, more so the BJP ruled one's or the one's where BJP is ruling in alliances, will go in this direction? More than that the question is can the democracy be saved in Gujarat? If some novice doubted the Fascist analogy with the communal politics, that should become as clear as he crystal. Politics in the name of religions or race does lead to a fascist state, and the only difference in Hitler, Taliban and BJP is the degree of crudeness and the use of terminology, the content remains the same.

In Defense Of Pluralism

By Ram Puniyani

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.

India's Tryst with Secular Democracy

By Ram Puniyani

This 15th August, India completed 59 years of its independence. Today where do we stand in our resolve to have a secular democratic India? It is a tragedy that conditions have so shaped during last couple of decades that one is forced to think about the very future of the democratic foundation of the country.

Right from the 1960s, communal violence began and was on at the low and medium pitch till the decade of 1980s Communal violence is a superficial manifestation of the deeper process of communal politics, the very anathema of democracy. Starting with the decade of 80s, Meenakshipuram conversions of dalits to Islam and the Shah Bano case fiasco, were used as pretexts by the Hindutva politics to go on the high offensive and shift the social debate to non issues like the Ramjanmbhoomi, Baba Budan giri and the Kamal Maula Masjid (Bhoj Shala). Using the double level of communal propaganda, through the section of media, and through the word of mouth, fear was instilled amongst the Hindus that despite being in majority, they are in danger due to the minorities, Muslim and Christians. Winning over of the social space and common sense by the Sangh combine went on getting strengthened after every episode of communal violence, it peaked with post demolition riots and the Gujarat carnage. With the Mumbai blasts of 11th July, the picture is close to complete and now the demonization of Muslims has become excruciatingly painful. It has gone to target the very precepts of Quran, the one's related to Jihad and Kafir. Christians, have been targeted for their work in the Adivasi areas, and the bogey of conversions has been so firmly planted by now that truth and census statistics don't matter any longer with the average understanding in the social arena.

The RSS propaganda has not been effectively countered by the democratic elements, many of them themselves coming under the spell of the same. Case of Chunibhai Vaidya, a renowned Gandhian, alleging the missionaries of conversion, is a case in point. He is not alone, there are lots and lots of people seriously committed to non violence and democracy who have partly or fully come under the grip of RSS propaganda even without realizing the same. RSS dictum is that your success is not just in coming to power, but to see that your opponents start talking in your language. This has occurred to the extent that many a gullible Muslims and Christians have started talking the RSS language in a holier than thou fashion. It is quite likely that some of them have surrendered to the ideology which aims to suppress their community, out of opportunistic reasons, but all the same such elements also do exist.

The index of degree of democracy lies in the assessment as to how secure the minorities feel in the country. If that be the litmus test, it is a stark fact that the minorities are feeling insecure and intimidated all over. And the insecurity is going up with every adverse event happening in the country and the World. It is very interesting that while the LTTE's rampage is either bypassed or justified, those insane acts of a terrorist violence, in which a Muslim is involved, intensifies the anti Muslim mindset. While this was there since decades, now there seems to be a qualitative transformation in the same.

Harsh Mander, the indefatigable fighter for human tights, points out that in the after math of Gujarat carnage, now the Muslim community there, has been reduced to the status of second class citizenship. Their boycott in the commercial activities, bypassing them in the welfare programs, and keeping them isolated at the social level, even in the villages, reminds one of the 'creation of new ghettoes of untouchables', maharwadas (untouchables bastis in village). They can neither get the housing in Hindu areas, nor is there the possibility of social interaction with others in the Hindu Rashtra of Gujarat. It seems, Golwalkar's, prescription that Muslims, "...may stay in this country wholly subordinated to the Hindu nation claiming nothing, deserving no privileges, far less any preferential treatment, not even citizen's rights." (We or Our nationhood defined, 1938, nagpur, p.52), is being actualized there.

Post Mumbai blasts (July 11 2006) the police has been highly active. It has gone to the extent of reversing the dictum that you are innocent till proved guilty. For Muslims it is following that 'every Muslim is guilty till proved other wise'. Golwalkar could not have been happier. Whatever he was prescribing has become a norm even for those who are not a direct part of RSS combine. Cases after cases in Mumbai, the innocent or suspected Muslims are being hauled to the coals, and are being intimidated and tortured by the police. Nothing seems to be working in their favor. Many a delegations have met the state leadership, Central leadership, but things continue to be what they are. On the face of it the leaders/police officials say that Muslims are not being targeted, but that's purely at the level of saying only.

The plight of Christians living in the far areas is no better. Under the attack from Bajrang dal and Vanvasi Kalyan Ahsram, the RSS progenies, the Christians in general and missionaries in particular have been subjected to attacks. Not a day passes when the news of such attack does not come forth. Pastor Stain's burning by the Dara Singh, who now is given the epithet of Hindu Dharma Rakshak, was not a one isolated incident. In many a states the state administration is behaving as if it has been trained in Golwalkars thought rather than in the values of Indian constitution. The training institutes for these officials are either sleeping or giving the training, which violates the basic norms of democracy. In the BJP ruled states, MP, Rajasthan, and in state ruled by BJP affiliate, Orissa, the plight of minorities is pitiable. One wonders what is being done by Minorities commission, and the central home ministry. At the time of Gujarat carnage the chain of command from the Gujarat home minister to the central home minister, were all RSS trained volunteers. But what of now? With the "secular" Congress in the saddle what is the state of affairs? Is it that they have also been indoctrinated unconsciously into believing in the dominant social common sense?

RSS has combined the methods of German Nazis as far as the propaganda is concerned and has picked up from Italy's fascism, from Mussolini, to infiltrate the state apparatus. The result is an all round stifling of democratic space and the effort to abolish the democratic and human rights of minorities. It is another matter that the pot of communal nationalism which has been kept on the low temperature till two decades ago now seems to be coming close to the boiling point. Dr. Ambedker in his revised edition of the book Thoughts on Pakistan wrote that formation of Pakistan will be an unmitigated disaster for the dalits, as that may pave the way for Hindu rashtra in India. Are we witnessing the trailer of that phenomenon? It is for the nation to look back and remind itself of the resolve to nurture democracy; to weed out communal nationalism, which is strangulating the concept of India. Even at the times when BJP seems to be in the weak and humiliated state, the politics and propaganda of RSS is thriving. The time is overripe for us to take the resolve to protect the Indian constitution in letter and spirit. The time is overripe for all those committed to the values of freedom to sit up and see that India continues with a resolve to give all its citizens their due, with the resolve to promote the values of India's freedom movement, with a resolve to strengthen the concept of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity!

Integrating the Nation

Integrating the Nation
04/26/2005
By Ram Puniyani

One of the major positive steps taken by the current UPA Govt. (Feb.-March 2005) is its constitution of National Integration Council (NIC). This significant and major step become appreciable, more so due to the fact that the previous BJP led NDA did not bother to constitute it during its tenure. NIC was first constituted in the wake of 1961 Jabalpur communal riots. Coming in the aftermath of massive communal violence which took place due to the partition tragedy, the Jabalpur riots came as an eye opener that all is not well on the front of National integration and special efforts need to be put in to see the Nation, Indian nation, comes up as a Fraternity, (community), the essential part of the trio of democratic Nation states, Liberty, Equality and Fraternity, the slogan of French revolution, which became the core of democratic values and movements all over.

That a nation state in modern times is based on a community, national community, needs a deeper understanding more so in the times when the religion based nationalism is rearing its head not only in different post colonial states but the streaks of it can be discerned in the older democracies like the one of US itself. It is ironical that one has to talk about national community at a time when World is shrinking into a global village and the process of globalization is integrating the world community as never before. Ideally one should take the various identities of community as the ideal to celebrate. One can have communities on different mutually supplementary grounds. Most of these communities do overlap and bring in a mosaic, which is the ground for celebration in plural societies. These pluralities are also not rigid and do keep intermixing, unless of course vested political interests put spanners in the process and reverse this by perpetuating violence and cause fractures in the concepts of intercommunity amity.

India has been a plural society from times immemorial. These pluralities have added richness to its life in all arenas of its life, be it food, music, attires, architecture, literature and to cap it all, the very arena of spirituality itself. One recalls that Dara Shikoh, the Prince who was killed by his brother Aurnagzeb, in the game of power, not unusual in the court of kings, wrote a beautiful book, Majma Ul Baharyn, which celebrated the interaction of Hindus and Muslims in all aspects of their lives. The British sowed the seeds of communalism, as understood today, to use the religious identity for political mobilization of the elite. This communal politics creates the hysteria around religious symbolisms and that is the vehicle for the vested interests to wrest the power. The integrating identities started getting setbacks due to British machinations, well supported by the declining sections of society, landlords and clergy of both the religions. It is the British policy of divide and rule, which promoted the Hindu and Muslims communalisms, Muslim League and Hindu Mahsabha, RSS. Different ideologues did come up to provide the ideological base for a Muslim state or a Hindu nation. Of the two concepts of Nation hood, the first was the one based on geographical boundaries and the notion of equal citizenship for all, the concept of composite nationalism, one nation theory. The second one asserted that being a part of a nation was due to one’s religion, and people belonging to one religion constitute on nation, two nation theory followed by Muslim League and Hindu Mahasabha, RSS. During freedom struggle the Indian people kept away from these elite political streams, which were backed up by the British policies. These streams started pouring poison against the ‘other’, and this ‘Hate other’ went into take recourse of distorted presentation of History and most other facets of life to create animosity amongst people on the grounds of religion.

These two kept clashing and finally the referee, the British did the goal for the religion based nationalisms and the partition tragedy drowned the subcontinent in the rivers of blood. The memories of this trauma, which was to become the part of the conscience of the country kept haunting in a menacing way. The victims of the violence resulting during that period, often started blaming the ‘other’ community’ for a phenomenon which essentially was engineered by the vested interests. The progressing Indian nation carried its march and the process of building of the modern nation state did oppose the communalization of the society to some extent.

The understanding that communal ideologies will die their natural death proved to be wrong many times over. Hate does transform in to violence and the violence breaks the intercommunity bonds. The teachings in schools did not help the matters much. The British mischief introduced through education continued and was duly supplemented by the propaganda of communal organizations. The dynamite lay on the streets; the lighting of this was easy enough. That’s what began with Jabalpur and kept going on. There were periods when it appeared as if it is reduced in intensity. After a lapse of time communal organizations started becoming assertive and powerful. Many an opportunist politicians used it for their narrow goals. Programmatic communalism of Sangh combine got indirect support from the opportunist pragmatic communalists. The overall result has been to create a gulf between religious communities, which now is assuming dangerous proportions. Anti Sikh riots were anther sore point in this painful trajectory, which has also left undeliable scar on the body politic of the nation.

National integration council did try some measures to assuage this pain, but seems it was not adequate enough. In a way the coming to power of BJP led coalition itself symbolized inadequacy and failure of the efforts of NIC in the times immediately preceding this. There was no question of BJP constituting the NIC as NIC stands for Indian Nation and BJP, this political child of RSS is striving for Hindu nation, which according to their ideology, has been polluted by the invasion of Muslims and Christians. These two have been regarded as foreigners. So the task of BJP was to purify the Nation for Hindus, to sanitize the country. The aim of this politics of Hindu nation has been to Indianize the Muslims, to co-opt them, for the project of Hindu nation where the position of those who are not Hindus, will be at best that of second-class citizens, where they will have to keep passing the loyalty test on regular basis.

In a way the failures to promote the values of Indian nationhood at deep level is what has been the real cause of communal violence, violence using the identity of minority religions as the objects of hate and than their intimidation and extermination. Gujarat should not have been a surprise. If so much hatred is sowed, what do we expect out of that? If the volunteers called swaymasevaks are spreading the Hate ideology through the word of mouth, Ekal schools, and Saraswati Shishu mandirs and through the helpful section of media, what else can be the outcome? Gujarat in that sense cannot be called as an exception. All over the country there are numerous places where Gujarat is waiting to happen. Violence begins from the mind. Rumor Spreading Society is relentless in its work, supplemented by other mechanisms. Today the only lesson Gujarat has taught us is that in its logical trajectory, the hate ideology will lead to total physical and emotional separation of communities. The ‘Mini Pakistan’s’, ‘borders’. ‘Gaza strips’ are mushrooming. In a cosmopolitan place like Mamba while the global IT is ruling the roost, a Muslim cannot buy a property in a ‘Hindu housing colonies’, getting a house on rent for the people belonging to ‘wrong religion’ is out of question. Situation is much worse in Gujarat and not much different in different parts of the country The six year rule of BJP at center made the matters worse, but what is being done to rectify the broader emotional secessionism, what is being done to end the mentality which creates mini Pakistan’s? Will a mere attempt to bring sanity to a section of textbooks will do? The question requires broader response and NIC has to take the bull by the horns.

What is the attitude of large sections of our civil servants in such situations? To sit back and side with the perpetrators of violence, keeping the rulebooks in the freezers? What is the section of teaching community doing? Is it aware that some times consciously sometimes unconsciously it is aggravating the divide by sowing the wrong seeds in young minds? The author of these lines was pained to note that even in one place which talks of Dalit empowerment the Muslims participants of a harmony workshop had to be lodged in rooms which were sufficiently distant from the rooms of women participants! And what about a section of our media? What does it keep dishing out as regular fare, the hashed up myths and stereotypes, which boost the already prevalent community divides.

It is not enough that the NIC has been constituted. It has to address the issue in a holistic manner. All the facets, which have a potential of discord need to be taken up in right earnest and the holes sealed to ensure not just that the communal riots do not take place, but to ensure that a national community in the global context comes up. Diversity becomes the point of celebration, and mostly the mosaic of pluralism gives birth to norms, which do not recognize the religious boundaries. Already one has been hearing about NIC being constituted, the need is that it announces its program of building of an ‘Indian’ Nation, taking care of all the nuisances, which have been resulting in Anti Sikh pogrom, Gujarat carnages and the likes. Only an Indian nation can surge forward to give social, economic and gender justice, the goal close to the aspirations of the suffering masses.

Is ‘Riot Free India’ a Possibility?

Is Riot Free india possible?
08/22/2005
By Ram Puniyani

After the tabling of Nanavati Commission report (August 2005), we have once more seen the face of our polity in the mirror, the defects and flaws in implementation of democratic ethos are there for us to give a serious thought once more. The first thing, which emerges, is about the sequence and the major victims of the communal violence. Starting from Jabalpur riot (1961), Hindu-Muslim riots have gone on and on, the last one being the horrific anti-Muslim pogrom in Gujarat, in the aftermath of burning of Sabarmati express at Godhra. These riots have been projected as Hindu Muslim riots but the statistics tell a different tale. In the data released by the ministry of Home affirms that prior to the Babri demolition, the percentage of Muslim victims in these riots had been 80%. (In the total population Muslims are 12.6%). Post Babri demolition the ratio might have become more