While celebrating the 75th year of our Independence, one major discomfort we encounter is the growing incidents of caste and communal violence that have taken place in recent times in different parts of the country. The violence has impacted a large section of poorer people of our society who otherwise mostly belong to the socially marginalised and economically exploited sections. It is observed that mostly the illiterate unemployed youth of marginalised sections who are being motivated by communal crowds for the purpose.
The growing caste and communal violence in various parts of the country is mostly being engineered by communal and fundamentalist outfits. The nature of violence includes organised killing, mob lynching, honour killing, house burning, damaging property, brutal physical attack, rape, mass attack over hamlets, abuse in public places and attack on people having different opinions and dissent. The violence has wrecked havoc for thousands of families and led to loss of earning members and distress migration.
Our youth and children are being motivated to become identity conscious with reorientation about past and our history is being retold in caste and communal line so that we can have more conflict and polarisation of society on caste and communal line. Our youth and intellectuals are being encouraged negatively to get engaged in unproductive debates and discussions in social media. The whole process is affecting productive engagement of nation building in a more rational way at par with other developed nations. As countries are engaged more in conflict over traditional faith and worship and religious differences, they still remain backward in many ways and are in grip of civil war with huge loss of human life and property. History shows that in any society violence has a long term ramification over work culture and production relation that ultimately affect the growth. It divides the working population and spreads a culture of hate.
The NCRB reported that in 2020 there were about 60,000 atrocity cases committed against the members of SCs (50,291) and STs (8,272). Along with this, the religious minorities, mostly Muslims and Christians, women and children, are prominently featured among the victims in the crime reports. It is reported that attack on religious minorities, SCs and STs is on the rise with cases relating to beef eating and its business , food ,dress, inter caste and inter faith marriages, conflict over place of worship and rituals. The conversion of religion of low caste people has not contributed much to change their social status.
Majority of the violence cases have a strong caste angle as the so-called low castes among Hindu, Pasmanda Muslims, Mazhabi Sikhs, Dalit Christians and Tribals were featured as the worst sufferers. The NCRB data on prisons says our jails are crowded with SCs, STs and Muslims in large number disproportionate to their population percentage. With increase in number of incidents of violence, there have been thousands of cases pending for trials and mostly, the poor people are languishing in jail as convicts and under trials in the absence of a robust criminal justice administration.
It is being observed that in a number of cases of violence, the local police have not been proactive by initiating timely action to avoid the conflicting situation. According to jurisprudence and constitutional morality, the spirit of law must be to protect the weak and poor, the deprived and marginalised section of our society, while dealing with cases relating to violence against them but experience shows that police have not played their role to protect the weaker sections such as SCs, STs, women and religious minorities. It is also noticed that the Government offices, mostly police stations, have small temples in their campus and the photos of god and goddess are being displayed in the office walls. It contradicts the secular character of the State administration whereas ideally Government offices and specially police stations must be free from such display. Rather the photos of our national heroes, State icons and national flag may be displayed as a mark of secular nationalism.
It is suggested that the Government may proactively go for the formation of peace committee involving people from different socio-religious groups including social activists of the area to maintain peace and social harmony among the people. The local committee should discuss the Constitution of India, especially the Preamble, fundamental rights, directive principles of State policy and most important, the fundamental duties mentioned in the Constitution. Our educational institutions and Government offices must have regular sessions over constitutional values and morality and every citizen must try to cultivate it into practice in their family and public life.
The Government must instruct local administration and police stations for monitoring caste and communally motivated provocative speech and discussions being delivered during public meetings by dominant caste and communal outfits and also impose a full ban on carrying of weapons during religious processions and rallies to avoid any kind of violence and unwanted situation. The growing incidents of violence are building a potential threat to our secular ethos, social justice ideas and constitutional democracy. The idea of modern India as a nation emerged during struggle against all forms of inequality and discrimination for establishing liberty and equality. The Preamble very well explains the character of India as a country that keeps us united in spite of diversities and differences. Any kind of domination and forceful imposition for a monolithic religion, language, food and cultural practices may be detrimental to the real spirit of secular nationalism and social harmony.
(manasbbsr15@gmail.com)