We, as a nation, have always shown extra-magnanimity towards minorityism, howsoever fanatic it may be. Our secular policy is heavily leaned in favour of minorities, irrespective of their fairness or genuineness. Since the dawn of Independence, this malign tendency has gained vigour. Congress is the main culprit, having a tradition of succumbing before the minority separatism by pursuing the policy of appeasement. Interpretation of secularism in the context of Indian polity has become perverse and far fetched from the reality.
Our politicians are always ready to defend even the indefensible just to project and prove themselves as true secularists. Our present UPA government especially has always been showing extreme indulgence to placate the interests of minorities. Inspite of merits and demerits of the case, the latest Haneef episode and his subsequent release from Australia speaks in volumes and demonstrates the government's keenness to get the political mileage and consolidate Congress Party'sminority vote bank. Had the government been as concerned and as agile and acted with such an alacrity if Haneef had been caught in the similar circumstances in Bangalore instead of Brisbane?
All the Indian versions of pseudo-secular embodiments also very often indulge in such kind of bogus secularism by labelling the BJP as an communal outfit. This rhetroic is used against the party, despite the fact that all these parties pamper the minorities and always give greater weightage following the old legacy of British rulers in commensurate with their notorious policy of divide and rule. It is a sordid reality that our present day ruling elites both in the centre and states are also emulating this tested dogma and doctrine in its entirety, which only exposes their hypocrisy and hollowness.
Each government in the past and for the present has shamelessly only encouraged the parochialism conceding narrow sectarian interests resulting in a perpetual war of interests. Is this true secularism? Undoubtedly, our secular policy gives impetus to separate tendencies. This concept of secularism has always been exploited by the political parties professing to be the champions and watch dogs of minority causes without going deep into their intricacies, practices and implications. It is most tragic to find that in India, the only abode of Hindus, except Nepal, whose religion and scriptures, holy books and shashtras depict and project their broadmindedness, considering the whole world as one community (Vasudhaiv Kutambakam) are labelled as Communalists, whereas, the most fanatic and obscurant elements are considered as secularists to attain or derive political gains out of this wrong interpretation. Is it not a fact that the term communal is being used and abused to malign only the Hindus? The late Giri Lal Jain of Times of India in one of his articles had emphasised that Ram was not a mere cultural hero of Hindus but an example for ordering the true national policy and a spirit behind the cohesive existence of all communities in a peaceful manner. This cultural integration does not appeal to our secular friends. They treat Ram an exclusive ideal of Hindus. Even the catholcity and broadmindedness of Hindus is anathema, spurning them to be metal abrasions. So long as the Indian Muslim'schauvinism and pan-Islamism exist on anti-Hindu feelings, based on religious dichotomy and dogmas, the Indian nationalism in the form of cultural parity between these two major communities and the concept of pluralistic society, cannot nurture and fructify and the evolution of a composite culture shall remain a pipe dream. Further, majority of Hindus after their harsh experience and maltreatment meted out to them by their secular rulers since Partition have started feeling, that they have achieved freedom from the subjugation of centuries and now possess powerful conviction that Indian state is their own and they have every right to express vigorously their new order of Indian nationalism, with a primacy of Hindu majority, though not anti-Muslim or anti-minorities. Though at present such a primacy does not exist, yet in the near future due respect is bound to be given to Hindus. In fact, the Muslims should reject the enemy within that adopts the path of extremism in the name of Islam.
There is no doubt that master political sharks have coined the words majority and minority as a strategy, the first to label the Hindus and the second tagged with Muslims, for their own expediency and aggrandisement, ignoring and forgetting the overall national interests. Thus, the application of true secularism in India has been completely eroded and the nation is very often stormed with floodgates of riots, religious strife'sand quarrels.
It is, therefore, necessary for every religion, sect and community residing in Hindustan to only think of the welfare and well being of the country first and everything else the last. This is true securlarism, which should be the aim, if we want to survive and keep our nation strong, united and its head high in the comity of world nations.
(The author can be contacted at C-517, Yojana Vihar, Delhi-110 092.)
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