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Hinduism and Secularism: A Critical Study; by RS Misra; Motilal,
Banaridass, publishers; Pages 199; Rs 74.
What is this
"secularism" that politicians of the United Front and the Congress
party are talking about? How relevant is this talk? What is
secularism anyway? Has it done India any good? These issues have
been discussed in a most cogent and ,logical manner by, Dr Misra,
formerly Malaviya Professor of Comparative Religion, Department of
Philosophy, Banaras Hindu University.
We do not, of course, need Dr Misra's analysis to know that the
secularism of the Congress and the constituent parties of the
United Front is as bogus as bogus can be. It is the Communist
Party of Kerala, for instance, which demarcated boundaries to form
a Muslim-majority district, Malapuram, in Kerala. A more communal
step is hard to conceive. It was the Congress party which, in an
effort to mollify the Islamic fundamentalists in the country,
overturned law itself in the infamous S hats Banoo case.
And what sort of secularism are we following' when Haj traffic is
heavily subsidised by the government of India? Only recently a
retired top official (TV Rajeswar) was to point out that "the
subsidies extended, to the (Haj) pilgrimage by way of reduced plane
fare and in other forms are impermissible in a secular society."
The public should know that our 'secular' government came up with a
bill of Rs 93 crore for the Haj operations. That works out to a
subsidy of about Rs 12,000 per pilgrim.
How would the. government of India react if Hindus were to demand a
subsidy to the same amount for their pilgrimage to Banaras? And
what sort of 'secularism' is the Muslim League practising when its
MPs in Parliament demand separate reservation for Muslim women?
Though Dr Misra does not refer to these specific instances, it is
his contention that 'secularism' as practised in India has
disrupted the value system which for centuries governed life in the
country. According to Dr Misra "the sovereign state of India lost
its real secular character the day it retained the Muslim Personal
Law and failed to formulate a common civil code of personal law
applicable to all the citizens of the country in a uniform way." As
he put it, "this arbitrary and unjust application of secularism by
the state has created an impregnable barrier in the way of unity
and national integration."
It is Dr Misra's argument that "Indian secularism has shown no
hesitation in making compromises even on fundamental principles
which provide meaning to secular ideology and constitute its
foundation." Dr Misra notes (his book was written before the recent
debate in the Lok Sabha on the Women's Bill) that while the secular
democratic state of India shows great concern for the freedom and
emancipation of Hindu women, "it sees no injustice In turning its
back on the Muslim women and keeping itself quite unconcerned with
their fate and welfare."
Secularism in India, according to. 'Dr Misra "suffers from inner
contradiction," a statement too obvious to be repudiated. And he
adds with full justification that "secularism in this country has
turned into a game that is played by the: politicians and the
political parties to promote their own interests." How right he is.
The cynical manner in which the parties of the United Front
arrogate to themselves secular virtues has to be seen to be
believed. These are the very parties which argued in the Lok Sabha
that "reservation is not meant for baal kati women" meaning women
who bobbed their hair?
The men who made such vulgar comments are all from the so-called
"secular" parties that form the United Front! Correctly has Dr
Misra diagnosed their disease as when he writes: "The ideology of
secularism called dharma nirpekshata has created an atmosphere in
the country where the people, specially those who enjoy wealth,
power and position, have become mostly value-free." It is hard to
differ from Dr Misra when he says that "these people who wield
influence and power in the different spheres of national life,
namely political, economic, educational, etc. show scant regard for
the precious moral values in their actions and behaviour."
It is Dr Misra's firm view that the artificial separation in India
of dharma and man's, secular life has been' the cause of our
degradation. According to him dharma or religion is still a living
force in India and it can resolve the crisis of values only if its
dignity is restored. But who can teach our illiterate politicians
about dharma? They behave as if they had never heard of it.
Restoring dignity to dharma means "rejection of the ideology of
dharma nirpekshata."
Dr Misra makes no compromises when he asserts that "secularism in
India can serve the cause of society and nation. only if it
operates on the basis of dharma, the universal spiritual religion."
To Dr Misra it is clear as crystal that "secularism of the Western
or American model has lost all its meaning and purpose in this
country" and that 'lit is diametrically opposed to the religion and
culture, of India."
Dr Misra does not mince words when he speaks about Islamic
fundamentalists. He writes; "The Muslim religious leaders show
their faith in secularism, dharma nirpekshata, only because it has
given them special privileges which are denied to Hindus and other
communities. They are folly aware of the fact that Islam and
secularism are poles apart and can in no way be reconciled.
And he adds: "The rulers and, others political leaders have also to
realise that the politically motivated and one-sided implementation
of secularism has done special damage to the majority community in
many ways." Pointing out the fate of Kashmiri Hindus who have had
to flee their homes of centuries, Dr Misra says: "The leaders of
Leftist and pro-lefties who raise great hue cry over little issues
have remained completely cold and undisturbed over this great
tragedy. Hinduism for these people has become another name for
communalism.
Can Hinduism afford to keep Itself under subjection to secularism
any longer? No, says Dr Misra emphatically. He says that if
Hinduism declines, India cannot rise and prosper. According to him
"Hinduism with Its great and magnificent cultural heritage
can-alone keep the head of our country high among the nations of
the world." A lot of people have been talking about secularism
somewhat loosely, but this is surely the first time that a scholar
has discussed the subject with such convincing frankness.
Every MP belonging to the United Front should read it if only to
realise what crimes have been committed against India in the name
of secularism. Dr Misra's brief work in, the Circumstances comes
at a most opportune time, it should start a nationwide debate to
put the country on the right path.
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