India Today: A Land of Paradox
India
Today: A Land of Paradox
Neha
Dabhade
(Secular
Perspective September 16-30, 2019)
“First
100 days (of the government’s second term) has been of “development, trust and
big changes” in the country”, recently stated Prime Minister Narendra Modi
(Indian Express, 2019) .
The veracity of this statement is much debated and invokes a divided response.
India
is at crossroads of sorts. There is a pervading sense of insecurity, fear and
anxiety on one hand and strong nationalist fervour, a new found confidence and
pride in owing to a “strong decision making” of the political regime on the
other. There is a sense of triumph as seen most starkly in the abrogation of
article 370 in Kashmir. This sense of victory is ironical given the inhuman shut
down the State faces for over a month now, with heart wrenching reports of youth
being killed by pellets and children as young as 11 years old being detained by
the army (Dreze,
Krishnan, Vimal, & Mollah, 2019) . The state is cut off from
the rest of the country due to communication blockade and Kashmiris all over the
country are in turmoil and fear given the inability to establish contact with
their families. Kashmiris residing in other parts of India are falling prey to
hatred like singer Aadil Gurezi who was asked to vacate his rented apartment in
Mumbai and yet Indians are celebrating (Wani,
2019) .
Similarly
1.9 million residents in Assam are facing the frightening prospect of becoming
stateless after being excluded from the final list of National Register of
Citizenships (NRC), a process flawed at multiple levels, declared on
31st August, 2019. The government is planning to build 10 more
concentration camp type detention centres in Assam even as the inmates continue
to die in the existing detention centres in Assam and suicides are committed by
those who are left out of the NRC or fear exclusion
(Naqvi, 2019) . The 1.9
million includes many Hindus and indigenous people from Assam apart from the
Muslims. Thus, this exorbitantly expensive exercise pleased nobody and
especially the BJP given that its support base is amongst this 1.9 million. In
order to appease the Hindus which are also left out of the list as others, the
BJP is pushing for the Citizenship Amendment Bill which makes it easy for Hindu
migrants from other countries to get Indian citizenship.
While
citizenship and civil liberties are in a state of flux in India, the country is
plagued with an economic slowdown which is marked with almost collapse of
automobile sector, agriculture and the overall rural economy. Though the many
factors including the attitudes of the millennials are blamed for the economic
slowdown, economic analysts state that demonetization has had the largest
bearing on the economy. It destroyed the small scale industry and other sectors
compounding the menace of joblessness and unemployment. Youth are unemployed on
a large scale since there are no jobs. Recently RBI agreed to the government INR
1,76 lakh crores for this fiscal year without spelling out in details how such a
large amount of money will be spent (Economic
Times, 2019) .
What
can one make of the above situation today? Such aggressive decisions of the
government are flying in the face of prudence and wisdom laced with restraint.
Restraint is portrayed as pusillanimity. Constitutional restraint is misjudged
for lack of courage or indecision. The ramifications of reckless actions will
fully unfold in the future and one can only hope for the sake of the country
that history judges these actions kindly. But for now, India is fast moving
towards a state where the liberal democratic institutions are crumbling. The
constitutional safeguards very systematically yet brashly dismantled by the
regime. Law and order inspire no respect or fear as is evident in cases of mob
lynching where no culprits are brought to justice. Constitutional morality is no
more the foundation or ruling principle but is steadily replaced by populism and
majoritarianism. Majoritarianism
where compassion and respect for diversity or individual rights is not a virtue.
This majoritarianism thrives on brute force and prejudices/ hatred which result
from social engineering of the dominant. This reflects in normalization and
internalization of hatred against certain social groups like women, Dalits and
Muslims. After all how many of us are roused when one more news of mob lynching
breaks out? Isn’t it soon forgotten and dismissed by our conscience as just
another unfortunate routinized incident? The brash decisions are lauded and toxic
masculinity feted. Actions like abrogation of article 370 and pitch for one
common language for the whole country marks the
deliberate decimation of constitutional federalism. Bills
are not referred to select committees including members of opposition for more
discussion and debate and due procedures have become a thing of the past in the
face of brute majority of the BJP in the Parliament. This in many ways is
mocking at the check and balances that constitution so eruditely put in
place. This authoritarian and consolidation of power is undoing of any
democracy.
Worrisome
as it is, should this trend of authoritarianism and majoritarianism spell the
end of light in the proverbial tunnel? Is the cause of democracy in India lost?
The answer is a resounding no! Though at this point there is a precious little
that can be done towards advocacy by everyone at the macro level, there are
interventions and learning to be undertaken at the micro-level to engage with
the situation positively.
The
consolidation of regime is coming on heels of strong polarization of society
along religious lines and identity politics. The discourse of hatred, hierarchy
and exclusion actively being promoted is eroding the otherwise harmonious ethos
of the country which allowed so many diverse communities to co-exist for
centuries. And this is the lived reality for most even today. For instance,
both, Hindu as well as Muslim residents of Nagaon in Assam approached the local
authorities to preserve Puranigudam Minar inside Puranigudam Masjid which
was sought to be demolished for expansion of a highway. Because of the
solidarity and resolve to save his minar which the locals believe is a symbol of
harmony in Nagaon, it was successfully shifted undamaged to a location 70 feet
away from the original site (Timsina) . Or the example of Mohammad
Mehmood, 77, an electrician from Muzaffarnagar who lights the tents of the famed
Juna Akara where the sadhus stay during the Kumbh mela.
Mehmood says lighting up the tent is a source of spiritual contentment for him
and he learns a lot from the Sadhus. In fact he is given space to offer
his namaz at the Kumbh site where he eats with the
Sadhus.
Such
examples are significant since communal riots are triggered over routes of
religious procession or playing of loudspeakers in front of place of worship or
staking claim on place of worship. More disturbingly, it is observed that
religious festivals are used to politically mobilize people against followers of
other religions by playing objectionable songs and brandishing arms accompanied
with aggressive sloganeering. Overall, all these trends result in an atmosphere
of distrust, fear and intolerance. In this backdrop, Maadhi village in Bihar’s
Nalanda district stands as a shining example of respect and communal harmony.
There are no Muslims in Maadhi since they gradually migrated out of the village.
But that didn’t stop the Hindu locals to maintain the Mosque in the village and
pray in it every morning and evening along with playing the Azaan out of the
pendrive. People pray in this Mosque also when they have any problem or before
anything auspicious. In Govandi in Mumbai, a common Pandal is being used for the
observance of Ganesh Utsav and Moharram simultaneously for three years and
Navratri and Moharram simultaneous for last five years. The same microphone and loudspeakers are used by both
communities in the pandal. Apart from this there are many instances
of individuals helping each other across religious barriers. In Mumbai, two
women, one Hindu and other Muslim, donated their kidneys to each other’s
husbands.
As
much as these stories inspire hope in individuals who want equality, love,
compassion and peace, we can’t be complacent and wish away an equally compelling
narrative which is fed by carefully cultivated and promoted hatred, prejudice
and misinformation by media, educational textbooks, and political leaders, some
of who are elected representatives sworn by the Constitution. This narrative
backed with the state power is bringing in rapid changes in the public discourse
and deepening the existing faultlines. This is reflecting in the spike of hate
crimes which continue unabated and with impunity. Such crimes should ideally be
punished swiftly and effectively by the state and outrage social conscience and
moral of any democratic society. Unfortunately this hatred is not evoking such
strong condemnation or collective protests on a large scale across social
stratas. The liberals or the seculars who voice against such hatred are
mercilessly trolled or abused. Exclusion and violent nationalism is the new
normal.
In
the context, there is an urgent need to reach out to masses, youth and
individuals across sections to propose an alternative discourse which is founded
on humanist values- love, respect for diversity and constitutional principles of
equality, liberty and fraternity. Some grassroots and micro-level initiatives
towards this are taken by civil society members and collectives in Mumbai and
elsewhere in the country. Chronicling some of them might inspire others to
replicate such initiates in their own areas and trigger off larger discussions,
dialogue and understanding. For example, Indian Muslims for Democracy, a group
in Mumbai has started dialogue, discussion and a critical reflection of the
stereotypes and exclusion faced by the Muslim community and how the community
can work in solidarity with other communities to uphold democratic institutions,
structures and spaces. The thrust so far in this young initiative is on
Akhlaqs of the community. It also circulated an appeal on the eve of
Eid-ul- Adha to observe it in a responsible manner which doesn’t
inconvenience the neighbors. While the group recognizes that discrimination
against and demonization of the Muslim community is a reality, the group also
understands that there is a need to introspect on some of the traditions and
beliefs of the community that requires rethinking. Also, there is a realization
that the Muslims don’t stand isolated in their discrimination and stigma, but
this discourse is reflective of larger processes of undermining democratic ethos
and institutions which poses a threat to all citizens who reject hegemonic
ideology of hatred, nativism and jingoistic ethno-nationalism.
Working on similar lines as above, is the initiative in
Mumbai called Citizens for Constitution which is the collective of Christians
and other peace loving individuals. On 2nd September, 2019, they had
organized a meeting in Mumbai on ‘Challenges
to our Nation’. Apart from raising concern about the fear and
exclusion faced by marginalized groups in an increasingly authoritarian state,
the group also lamented that the Constitution and the values and safeguards
enshrined in it are set aside by the government and blatant violations of
Constitution robbing citizens of their rights. Some of the important points for
action plan of this collective were to introduce educational courses and
extracurricular activities in educational institutions to make students aware of
prejudices against minorities, dalits and women, undertake campaigns in and
outside educational institutions about the Constitution and Constitutional
values of liberty, equality, fraternity, pluralism and secularism. Emphasis on
the Constitution is significant firstly to reassert that India draws from its
Constitution all the rights and structures and not from the whims of one
individual or from any organization. Secondly in a democratic and plural society
like India, debates and policies affecting individuals should be located in the
realm of citizenship which is disjointed from religion. Religion can’t be the
basis of policies of the state and freedom of religion should be practiced
within the framework of the Constitution.
Similarly, there are other initiatives like Anhad’s
Baatcheet which focuses on discussions on liberal traditions in India
highlighting aspects of Indian culture which still lives on in practice in
everyday lives of common citizens but sought to be distorted, appropriated or
undermined by hegemonic narratives. Some of the themes Baatcheet has explored
are Sufi and Bhakti traditions and their powerful proponents like Kabir,
composite culture in India, theatre and other art forms and their place in
social change. The attempt is to make people aware of syncretic religious
traditions and composite culture which have evolved over hundreds of years from
rich contributions from all communities. India is replete with composite culture
and saint thinkers who have influenced and permeated the Indian socio-cultural
landscape of India to be an integral part of Indian ethos. Thus, today it is
crucial to go back to the people with this message of composite culture,
composite nationalism, love, equality and acceptance to reclaim the diversity
and democratic institutions in India which belongs to all irrespective of caste,
religion, gender and class. In a society where hatred, fear of the “other” and
exclusion are becoming the norm, Basavanna, famed saint thinker has powerful
words which call for love, acceptance and inclusion. He says,
Don't make me hear all day
'Whose man, whose man, whose man is this
'Whose man, whose man, whose man is this
Let me hear, 'This man is mine,
mine
this man is mine.'
this man is mine.'
O lord of the meeting rivers,
make me feel I'm a son
of the house.’
make me feel I'm a son
of the house.’
---------------------------------------------------
Centre for Study of Society and Secularism
Mumbai.
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