Akhbar, p.12, (26/7/2008)

Sectarianism from an Indian perspective

By: Hussein Abdel Wahed

Khushwant Singh is an Indian journalist and diplomat. He specialized in the comparative study of religions and teaching in several Indian and American universities. Singh dedicated his life to discuss the issue of communal violence and its detrimental impact on the human societies and means of manipulating it by foreign powers to achieve their malicious aspirations in those communities.

He prepared a series of studies and books on this phenomenon, the most important of which is "The end of India". This book is considered as a wake-up call for the followers of all religions and sects in India and outside it to pay attention to the catastrophe that is waiting for them if they fall into the abyss of sectarianism and communal violence.

Singh, who belongs to the Sikh sect, showed how sectarianism has been used against the interests of India since the British occupation and the partition of the Indian subcontinent on religious lines till the occurrence of the terrible massacres India witnessed due to the communal violence that took place between Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs.  The enemies of India took advantage of the pluralism in India to divide the Indian people. The great leader Gandhi realized how dangerous this game was. In his point of view, secularism was the solution for this problem. But this secularism is not the western secularism which is confined to separating the state from religions. Gandhi's perception of secularism included equality, democracy, tolerance, respect of each other's religion and culture. There are several countries like Israel that might seem to be a secular democratic country but in fact it is a racist country as it does not practice equality and tolerance with others or even among its citizens.

Therefore, Khushwant Singh confirms in his book that the western secularism is not the solution for the problem of communal violence. Every person needs faith and belief in the values of the truth, good and beauty and respect of the religions and cultures of others.

Singh believes that communal tension still exists in India in spite of its democracy and its economic progress. The reason is that after the death of Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru applied the western version of secularism which means separating the state from religion. Relinquishing Gandhi's concepts meant the absence of justice and equality between citizens and the absence of the tolerance to the extent that each sect musters its might and waits the right moment during which it can put other sects under its control. This would be the end of India as Khushwant sees it unless everybody moves to avoid this tragic end before it is too late.

In his book, Singh gives a solution for facing the communal violence in his country. He proposes that the educational curriculums should concentrate on the values of tolerance, and equality. Media campaigns propagating sectarianism should be stopped and the role of the police should be enhanced to prevent any communal violence and arrest perpetrators; values of democracy, justice and respect of law should be instilled in all citizens. In addition, Gandhi's concept of secularism should be applied. What is more important is that the followers of all sects and religions should believe in the fact that the country is like a ship that has a place for everyone.