In a nation as diverse as India, the relentless pursuit of electoral gains has overshadowed efforts to foster genuine unity and social cohesion

It is indeed disconcerting that every aspect of life in India is impacted by the process of garnering votes in the next election, and the unscrupulous politician never hesitates to use it to create a wedge between people of varied religious pursuits. I say this as I reflect upon the Bahraich clashes, these were indeed communal whether we like to use that term or not! And these are a continuation.   Reports of stone pelting on religious processions are now considered routine, except by the real victims, no one cares much about what media reports with adequate caution.

It is indeed disappointing to recall that the culture of wasting time and human resources that could better be utilised for deliberations on national concerns and issues is deliberately wasted, for presumed petty political gains.

When parliament is disrupted, when the Supreme Court finds time to listen to frivolous repeated petitions from politicians who fight cases on public funds, the national interest ipso facto gets relegated to the background. 

One could go on citing instances of the decline in the conduct of leaders - exceptions apart - who enter politics just to look after themselves, their family and their clan! They hardly care for the loss of public credibility of the elected representatives amongst people and the public!  Not many would even be aware of the resignations of KD Malaviya, TT Krishnamachari and Lal Bahadur Shastri?  Over the last seventy-five years people have learnt to comprehend the real intentions of the politicians of different hues, their proclamations notwithstanding, they know who is communal and who is not!  This incisive analytical skill emerges from the realisation that India abounds in the presence of diversity, be it of races, climate, language, cultures, flora and fauna, and most prominently and importantly, of religions and faiths. The beauty lies in the presence of harmony, bonhomie and lasting unity that makes this nation unique in multiple ways.  It is a robust democracy that was ushered in after independence and has survived a couple of upheavals, uncertainties and even the dreaded Emergency of 1975-77. What makes India click? It is the eternal strength of the ancient culture that guides the organisation of the personal and social lives of individuals, families and communities through high moral, ethical and philosophical inputs that possess the strength to accept the universal unity of humankind. 

It prepares people to value caring for others including nature, the learned of the past and present, and remain ever grateful to the family, parents, community and the nation. The culture so strengthened exhorts the individual to remain ever prepared to sacrifice personal good for the community good. The Indic religions accepted, and propagated the philosophy of the ‘Search for Truth’ - the ultimate human pursuit of the ultimate perfect- by each religion being one of the many available paths to reach the same goal!  If one accepts this premise, then there is no scope for any bitterness or any of the induced, lured or enforced religious conversions!

Every Indian, irrespective of his religious persuasion, needs to realize that conversions were not part of ancient Indian philosophy and thought, as acceptance of diversity based on equality makes it irrelevant and irrational.

Organised efforts to convert people to one’s religion were non-existent before the arrival of the Abrahamic religions.   The tragedy of the current-day political discourse in India is its total concentration on irrelevant negativity and its total targeted focus on votes in elections. Gandhi ji had mentioned in 1922 that ‘defects of elections’ would weigh heavily on our people once the British left India! 

The citizens realise it, but politicians do not!  Why not focus on the essentials of democracy, positive and forward-looking aspects of the national policies that would better the lives of the last man in the line who was the focus of Gandhi?   The right path to be followed is known to all those in power, and also those eagerly awaiting people’s mandate to grab the power again!

Thus, the fact remains that apart from the memories of invasions communal hatred persistently ignited by the British, India could maintain social cohesion and religious amity.   It is also a fact that to disrupt it, sustained attempts by the inept religious leaders to widen the wedge persist. They exploit the chilling scars of partition to augment the perceptions of ‘being different’ between the two communities. There are external agencies that openly interfere in disrupting the religious fabric of India. India opted for a secular state while Pakistan, created on communal lines, opted to become a theocratic state, mischievously pretending to give equal rights to the followers of other religions. The partition of Pakistan created the possibility of minorities being treated better in Bangladesh. It has proved a myth after the recent change of government here. Hindus are being subjected to targeted killing and violence.   Overall, it seems to be an irretrievable, human ingenuity could always find a way out, and it must do so. I interact with intellectuals who practice Islam and know its basic philosophy.  They are convinced that Islam is being wrongly understood not only by persons of other faiths but unfortunately by numerous practitioners of Islam, including the devout religious persons!  This they tell me unhesitatingly, is because of the firm foothold of the clergy unwilling to accept that times are changing fast, and dynamism is a compulsory component of human civilisation.

May be, universal spread of modern education could help.  Educated young persons shall have to shoulder a big responsibility. It is the initial home and family education that sows the seeds of acceptance of diversity in the child’s psyche, and that determines his future approach and attitude towards other religions. It is well known that Pakistan is seriously deficient on this count. India too has work to do on this front.

(The writer works in education, social cohesion and religious amity. He is an Atal fellow with the PMML, New Delhi; views are personal)