Kashmir Times, 25 November 2009
Editorial
Ugly face of communalism
Inaction against communalists is a bigger cause of concern
A report in a national daily has pointed out how the Liberhan Commission probing the Babri mosque demolition has maintained that it was meticulously planned and indicted among other Lal Kishen Advani and even Atal Behari Vajpayee for inciting communal passion. The report has also not spared leaders of Muslim organizations for their irresponsible remarks and for not caring for the welfare of the Indian Muslims. The report has been lying pending with the government for over four months but there has just not been any forward movement on the case even as Babri mosque demolition, that sparked widespread riots throughout the country and caused an unbridgeable divide among the communities of the country, will be an 18 year old mishap next month. It is not simply the case of Babri mosque demolition alone. Anything that has communal overtones is something that successive governments in this country have dragged their feet over. Various courts and panel reports have been marked by either serious flaws or inordinate delays in filing reports on Mumbai riots that followed the blasts, the anti-Sikh riots of 1984 or the Gujarat carnage of 2002. Interestingly, in the Mumbai case, while action was indeed taken against perpetrators of the blasts, the riot hoodlums have been left untouched even as they caused acute panic among people, left many homeless and several killed or tortured. The Sikh victims of 1984 have not got any justice till date and the Gujarat victims continue to linger on in camps in neglect and face constant threat that is also state sponsored. The successive governments have virtually failed to act against irresponsive governments and take that much needed initiative in pursuance of justice. Justice delayed is justice denied, it is said. When it comes to victimisation through communal discourses and violence, justice is not the only casualty. Inaction on part of the government legitimises the communal discourse and more significantly, it encourages a vicious cycle of greater tyranny and thus perpetuation of more victimisation at the hands of communalists, whose hands only get strengthened by the inaction. It needs to be recalled that the founders of free India like Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had excessively cautioned against the majoritarian communalism being the greatest threat to the nation. The last three decades, with mounting cases of minorities being hounded in various parts of the country, amply demonstrate the perils to the country that Nehru talked about. Yet, the leaders who swear by his name or Mahatama Gandhi's fail to pay any heed.
|
