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The time we live in is turbulent . Our epoch is epitomised by startling advances
on the one hand and conditions of extreme socioeconomic retrogression and
distress on the other. This has created convulsions which are exploding across
the planet.
Both a consequence and a cause of this turbulence is a resurgence of fanaticism
in religion. Religious fundamentalism has appeared in this century as a
prominent tendency, a habit of mind found within religious communities and
paradigmatically embodied in certain representative individuals and movements.
Fundamentalism can be defined as a movement or attitude stressing strict
adherence to a set of basic principles. It manifests itself as a strategy by
which beleaguered believers attempt to preserve their distinctive group identity
This attitude has led to precipitation of movements demanding separate states or
territories based on religious, linguistic or cultural homogeneity. Scores of
such movements like the demand of Sikhs for a separate regional identity called
Khalistan, militant activities in the name of "Jehad" by Muslim fundamentalists
in Kashmir, the Babri-Masjid episode in Ayodhya based on the agenda of
"Hindutva", demand for separate Bodoland in North-east, the Godhra Carnage of
2001 etc. are tearing apart the Indian ideals of "unity in diversity".
Indian experience with fundamentalism has been traumatic and soaked with blood.
Father of the Nation - Mahatma Gandhi, before he could fully savor the fresh air
of independent India, fell victim to a Hindu fundamentalist's bullets. Prime
Minister Indira Gandhi was shot down by her own Sikh bodyguard in the aftermath
of the Sikh fundamentalist movement that brushe passed the vibrant state of
Punjab in the early 1980s. And a female suicide bomber of the Tamil
fundamentalist group from Sri Lanka blew up Rajiv Gandhi, who had succeeded
Indira Gandhi as Prime Minister. The assassinations of the Mahatma, Indira, and
Rajiv serve as stark reminders of what happens when contractual bonds holding
together the complex social elements composing the body politic are broken and
when political affiliations are weakened.
There are many causes that are contributing to the rise of fundamentalism in
India . The growing frustration and discontentment in the youth owing to myriad
problems such as unemployment and poverty have given birth to conflicts among
different groups. Population growth on the one hand, and advanced means of
communications on the other disrupt accustomed ways of life. They help to create
personal uncertainty, isolation, and disappointment. The resulting distress
often finds expression in fundamentalist movements that attempt to counteract
uncertainty, isolation, and disappointment by forming supportive communities of
fellow believers. Because of the multicultural basis of the Indian society, the
feelings of insecurity, intolerance and identity consciousness have been growing
among the masses, leading to demand for special privileges by various
fundamentalists.
Moreover the coalition politics and absence of "majority governments" has led to
rise in the importance of regional parties. Such regional parties support the
demands of fundamentalists for granting special privileges to particular groups
residing or belonging to particular regions and thereby obstruct the process of
national integration. India has proved to be a "soft state" by often acceding to
the demands of the fundamentalists. The policy of tolerance and the aim of
appeasing all sections of society has made the nation prone to frequent clashes
between ethnic groups.
Communalism in the contemporary Indian context is a visceral form of antagonism
and antipathy between communities of different cultural, linguistic, and
religious identities. communalism often gives rise to conflict and violence
between communities. But no single form of communalist conflict has cost so many
lives as that between Hindus and Muslims. Fundamentalism thrives within this
system as a distinctively extreme reaction to threats to communal identity. It
is a militant form of religious separatism.
In a country that has many religions, the government and the people must realize
that religion and the state have to be separate. Mixing the two has never
worked, and it never will. The stability of the state system depends critically
on the state's role in balancing and mediating relationships between thousands
of separate communities. Such balancing requires careful and measured degrees of
impartiality, neutrality, syncretism, and tolerance.
Stringent steps are indeed required to curb this growing tendency of
fundamentalism. Religious groups that propagate prophecies of separation and
dominance over minorities should be banned and conscious efforts should be made
by the administration to check their proliferation. Focus should be made on
empowerment of people by providing basic facilities like education, housing,
employment etc.. Appropriate measures to check other socio-economic problems
should also be implemented. Due importance must be given to multi-dimensional
development of backward regions through policy measures and upliftment of
minorities through implementation of Constitutional provisions. Secessionist
tendencies should be curbed by appropriate usage of laws like POTA (now
repealed). Also regionalism in politics should be discouraged.
Our collective survival lies in recognizing that religious fanaticism is not the
solution to the problems of our developig economy. We have but one choice, the
path of secular humanism, based on the principles of logic and reason. Our
founding fathers gave us a nation founded on the principle that power belongs to
the people and set us on the path of a secular democratic state that respects
integrity and equality along with religious freedom and human dignity. This
alone can offer us the hope of providing every citizen with the right to life,
liberty, and the pursuit of excellence.
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