Fundamentalism and the Sikh Religious Tradition by T.N. Madan
Fundamentalism and the Sikh Religious Tradition by T.N. Madan
Fundamentalism and the Sikh Religious Tradition by T.N. Madan
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two riparian states, namely, Karnataka <strong>and</strong> Tamil Nadu, regarding <strong>the</strong>ir river rights; <strong>and</strong><br />
yet never has a Congress Ministry of Punjab, or, for that matter, <strong>the</strong> Centre considered it<br />
necessary to object to this drain of water <strong>and</strong> power from Punjab to <strong>the</strong> non-riparian<br />
states. And when <strong>the</strong> Dharam Yudh morcha was started, <strong>the</strong> Centre found itanecessary to<br />
make <strong>the</strong> army attack as a justified measure, to sidetrack <strong>the</strong> real problem. Could any<br />
secular Administration in India or outside, think of justifying an attack on Somnath,<br />
Vatican in Rome, or <strong>the</strong> Temple at Jerusalem ? Even a colonial government held a public<br />
enquiry, censured Dyer <strong>and</strong> removed <strong>the</strong> Governor, when 1300 persons were killed at <strong>the</strong><br />
Jallianwala Bagh. But over 3,000 innocent pilgrims are reported to have been killed in<br />
Bluestar attack, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>re is not a word of regret or enquiry. Instead <strong>the</strong> military officers<br />
were decorated <strong>and</strong> rewarded. No one can fail to note <strong>the</strong> contrast in approach, public<br />
conscience, <strong>and</strong> sense of responsibility in <strong>the</strong> two cases. Could pogroms be organised in<br />
Delhi <strong>and</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r Indian cities against one's own citizens ? <strong>Madan</strong> has maintained equal<br />
silence about <strong>the</strong> organised attack on Babri Masjid <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> fact that it is backed <strong>by</strong> an<br />
Indian Party that is in power, in most states of <strong>the</strong> Cow-belt. It is also well known that<br />
recently 47,000 Muslims have been converted to Hinduism in Rajasthan. Separately, we<br />
have slated of <strong>the</strong> disillusionment of <strong>the</strong> Parsi Community in relation to <strong>the</strong> Nariman<br />
affair.<br />
One of <strong>the</strong> first public acts done with blessings of Mahatma G<strong>and</strong>hi, was major<br />
renovation of Somnath Temple involving even demolition of old graves. Fur<strong>the</strong>r, cow<br />
being sacred to <strong>the</strong> Hindus, its slaughter has been banned. Not only <strong>the</strong> acceptance of<br />
Hindi in place of Hindustani was a clear step to declare Hindu culture as <strong>the</strong> national<br />
culture, but <strong>the</strong>re have been positive steps to help <strong>and</strong> promote Hindu religion. Decades<br />
back Article 290 A of <strong>the</strong> Constitution made it m<strong>and</strong>atory for <strong>the</strong> Tamil Nadu <strong>and</strong> Kerala<br />
Governments to sanction heavy payments for <strong>the</strong> maintenance of Hindu Temples. In<br />
1951 in Madras an Act was passed, creating a Government Department <strong>and</strong> appointing a<br />
Minister to administer Hindu endowments. A draft Bill of 1959, later approved, declared<br />
Temple employees as Government Servants, <strong>and</strong> authorised <strong>the</strong>. Revenue Department to<br />
collect rent of Temple l<strong>and</strong>s." These facts <strong>and</strong> realities about <strong>the</strong> consistent rise of Hindu<br />
orthodoxy under <strong>the</strong> garb of Indian Secularism, that convey alarming messages to <strong>the</strong><br />
minorities in India, have been completely omitted <strong>by</strong> <strong>the</strong> learned scholar.<br />
It needs to be understood that <strong>the</strong>re has been in India, <strong>the</strong> clear presence of<br />
Hindu orthodoxy, since <strong>the</strong> beginning of <strong>the</strong> century <strong>and</strong> its growingly aggressive<br />
tendencies. An extremely centralised consitution has been framed, with fur<strong>the</strong>r periodic<br />
centralisations <strong>and</strong> encroachments on <strong>the</strong> meagre autonomy of <strong>the</strong> states. There has not<br />
been any time since Partition, when <strong>the</strong> Congress has exhibited its seriousness to take<br />
into consideration <strong>the</strong> legitimate interests of <strong>the</strong> minorities. So far as Punjab is concerned,<br />
it has been a virtual sub-state with hardly any material autonomy.<br />
The important fact is not Secularism versus <strong>Sikh</strong> or Muslim <strong>Fundamentalism</strong>, or<br />
that of any o<strong>the</strong>r minority, but whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> Secularism of <strong>the</strong> type embodied in <strong>the</strong> Indian<br />
Constitution, can be sustained in <strong>the</strong> presence of evident <strong>and</strong> growing communal trends in<br />
<strong>the</strong> Indian polity <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> principal political parties.<br />
IV. SECULARISM - ITS PROBLEMS<br />
It appears to us that Secularism, including Indian Secularism, has created<br />
problems, which <strong>by</strong> itself it is unable to solve. First, we shall consider <strong>the</strong> problems of<br />
Secularism as a whole. Secularism, according to its literal meaning, is <strong>the</strong> belief that <strong>the</strong>