“Indian Muslims’ Tryst with Democracy”

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By Syed Ali Mujtaba, Copy Edited By Adam Rizvi, The India Observer, TIO: Whenever the secular forces become weak, the communal forces take over the society, making use of religion to capture political power. The majority group uses its religious index to create ‘us’ vs ‘they’ elixir and make the minority the enemy of the majority to consolidate its vote bank. This design ensures such forces remain in power for eternity.

India has witnessed all this since the BJP came to power in 2014. Since the beginning the BJP started attacking the word ‘Secularism,’ to the level, that people started believing it as ‘sickularism,’ meaning anti-Hindu.

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The BJP openly and blatantly started attacking secularism to promote majority communalism in democratic India. Today the Hindu majority communalism has taken over the entire state power in the country.

Majoritarian communalism has given a new meaning to the word democracy. It has become synonymous with the term tyranny of the majority and many Indians now call it ‘demoncracy.’

Indians have been living in such ‘demoncracy’ state for the last ten years or so and the wrath is blatantly directed at the Muslims. No voice of sanity is being heard from anywhere in the country on how to de-communalize society.

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In the run-up to the independent movement, we saw the ugly face of communalism and our freedom fighters to de-communalize the Indian society enshrined the word ‘secularism’ in the constitution. This gave a perspective to the future Indian democratic state.

However, this vision has now got blurred with the BJP turning secularism on its head and making India a  ‘demoncracy’ state.

Each one of us is watching how secularism has been weakened in India and majority communalism that’s primarily directed against the Indian Muslims is having a free run. Since Indian Muslims do not have any wherewithal to combat the majoritarian communalism they are suffering in pain unable to resist this challenge.

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However, voices of moderation are emerging in private circles to de-communalize Indian society. The basic premise is the Hindu society has not given any license to the BJP to rule India on the plank of ‘Hindutva’ forever.

 Here are some suggestions being made on how to combat communalism and restore secularism as enshrined in the Constitution. This needs deep thinking as this seems the only way to get rid of the menace of majoritarian communalism in India.

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First, there is a need to reform the present criminal justice system, speedy trials, and adequate compensation to the victims which may act as a deterrent to the perpetrators of communal violence.

Second, increase in the representation of minority community members in all wings of law enforcement, and training forces in human rights, especially in the use of firearms in accordance with the UN code of conduct.

Third, codified guidelines for the administration, specialized training for the police force to handle communal riots, and setting up special investigating and prosecuting agencies to dampen communal disgruntlement.

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Fourth, emphasis on value-oriented education with a focus on the values of peace, non-violence, compassion, secularism, and humanism as well as developing scientific temper (enshrined as a fundamental duty) and rationalism as core values in children both in schools and colleges/universities, to preventing communal feelings.

Fifth, the government can adopt models followed by countries like Malaysia which has developed early-warning indicators to prevent communal clashes. The Malaysian Ethnic Relations Monitoring System (known by its acronym Mesra) makes use of a quality of life index (including criteria such as housing, health, income, and education) and a perception index to gauge people’s needs and feelings about communal relations in their area.

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The government can also take a cue from the Hong Kong model of combating communalism by setting up an “Inter-Faith Relation Unit” to promote racial harmony and facilitate the integration of religious minorities can be emulated by India.

The Inter Faith Relation Unit has established a hotline for complaints and inquiries on communal discrimination. Meanwhile, to create awareness about communal harmony, this body talks to schools about the culture of ethnic minorities and the concept of communalism and communal discrimination.

Sixth, the government can encourage and support civil society and NGOs to run projects that help create communal awareness, build stronger community relations, and cultivate values of communal harmony in the next generation.

Seventh, the government should launch minority welfare schemes and implement them efficiently by the administration to address the challenges and various forms of discrimination faced by minorities in jobs, housing, and daily life.

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Eight, a proactive body like the National Foundation for Communal Harmony (NFCH) is needed for promoting communal harmony in the country. The NFCH should assist in the physical and psychological rehabilitation of the child victims of communal riots besides promoting communal harmony, fraternity, and national integration.

Nine, legislation is required to curb the communal violence. The Communal Violence (Prevention, Control, and Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill, 2005, that is kept in cold storage must be enacted in the country.

Ten, the movement towards protecting the constitution should be intensified, and upholding the value of secularism to protect Indian Muslims and treat them as equal citizens should be reinvigorated.

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India offers Muslims a hell of opportunities to all its citizens and this holds for Muslims as well. The new generation of Muslims is aware that the BJP rule is a passing phase in Indian democracy. They can overcome the crisis with the support of the secular forces in the country. They know their hostile forces can be defeated by the non-communal forces that are willing to support the Muslims to end the ‘demoncracy’ rule in India.

Muslims are optimistic that a new dawn is waiting for them when Indian democracy makes a rebirth and Indian society is de-communalized. And that would be Indian Muslims’ Tryst with Democracy.

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Curated and Compiled by Humra Kidwai

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