According to Bipan Chandra, in his book
“Communalism in Modern India”, communal riots are not caused spontaneously and
also that they are rarely caused by religious animosity. They arise due to
conflicting political interests, which are often linked to economic interests.
While our leaders would like us to believe that communal conflicts in our
country, especially the recent ones, are an outcome of religious differences
they are not.
Yes, we have religious differences and a
past that has some times not been the brightest example of our ability to live
united. And yes, the foundations of our boundaries and our culture are rooted
in deep-seated and often divergent political beliefs. But we are human beings
capable of compassion, tolerance and peace. And yet, our leaders have been able
to diminish the functions of our sensibilities and convince us that there is a
divide and have been able to trigger hatred of those on opposite shores at each
other, profitably to satisfy the power and economic benefits of a political
class that is crass and unabashed at methodically deconstructing the dreams of
our founding fathers and freedom fighters who gave their lives so that we could
be free. Free from the oppressions of colonial rule, oppressive landlords and
the unscrupulous laws that sought to divide us as a united people and rule to
exploit our weaknesses.
We have faced Fifty-eight major communal
riots in 47 places since 1967, ten in South India, 12 in East, 16 in West, 20
in North India with a total death toll of 12,828 (South 597, West 3,426, East
3,581, North 5,224). This is in the land of many religions with none speaking
of hatred, conflict and killing in the name of God. Whichever name you give to
your God, no God, in any meaningful interpretation of any scriptures has ever
spoken of murder and bloodshed as instruments of a spiritual journey.
Religion is not about domination or
doctrines. Nor is it about erecting temples or building churches or mosques, or
attending public worship, or participating in any form of display of rituals.
Religion is about intellectual wisdom and a spiritual journey. And for long now
our political leaders would not like you to think so. Because in their
business, if religion were to become your personal guide to whichever higher purpose
suits your souls, there would be no divide between people across religious
borders that can be exploited for personal benefits. As long as we as a people
can keep fighting with each other instead of focusing on the real issues that
need serious national debate, the ruling class can get away with administrative
inefficiency, a complete lack of personal values and the most menial forms of
corruption.
The time is upon us to question whether
this nation needs to be built on religious principles. Is religion the purview
of the State? Are our individual guides of religion really so different that
the simple matter of coexistence must be the foundation of political and
national debate? Are political parties playing us across the board – Congress
or BJP, the Left or the Right or the national and regional political parties in
the name of religion?
Swami Vivekananda said “religions do not
come from without, but from within.” It is in our personal space where our
religion resides. And no one, no leader, politician or religious leader can
prevail over our own internal thoughts, beliefs and triggers. For till the day
that they do, till the day we make decisions and commit to actions based on
religious divide that has been inculcated in us from without, we can never be
truly free…
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