The intolerance does not
grow in one field of social life in isolation. In different arenas of
our life, it tends to run in a parallel manner.
In
Maharashtra, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) majority Government
in seat of power, we had a ban on the storing, selling and eating of
beef, a few months ago. This ban increased the problems of a large
section of society - the workers in abattoirs, those consuming beef, and
those selling beef.
The
workers of Devnar abattoir, located in Mumbai, the biggest one in the
area, rendered jobless due to this decision of the Government, are
writhing in the pain of unemployment.
Then
came the Government order that any criticism of Government servants
will be treated as sedition. This is an attempt to put a total cap on
the basic democratic rights, on freedom of expression and on the right
to dissent.
During
this period, the state witnessed the murder of two of its foremost
rationalist thinkers and leaders, Dr. Narendra Dabholkar and Comrade
Govind Pansare (who was also a political worker). for taking on the
forces of blind faith and for promoting scientific temper. In the
neighboring Karnataka, MM Kalburgi, the ex-Vice Chancellor of Kannada
University, Hampi, the tall scholar of Kannada and rational
intellectual, was done to death.
On
the heels of this comes the decision of Mira Bhaynder Municipal
Corporation to ban the non vegetarian food, except fishes and eggs,
during Paryushan, a Jain festival, for eight days.
This
ban has been put on for four days in Mumbai area, under Mumbai
Corporation. The BJP is in the lead in taking decisions in this
direction. As such, over a period of time, the number of days for which
this ban has been there is proportionally going up with the rise of
sectarian politics in the nation and in the state. As such, earlier,
during Paryushan, the ban was there for one day in 1960s, two days in
1990s, now it is four days in Mumbai and eight days in Mira
Road-Bhayander area. Interestingly, fishes and eggs, which Jains don’t
consume, have been spared from the wrath of the zealots who think
imposing one's sentiments is part of one’s religion.
Will there be such a demand for prohibiting garlic and root vegetables, which are also prohibited by Jain practices, next?
The country, as a whole, has been the victim of this food fundamentalism of the dominant forces. There are housing societies in Mumbai where the non-vegetarians are not allowed to stay.
In
Ahmedabad, Gujarat, I came across an interesting incident. I was
staying with a friend, who was living in a rented accommodation.
Suddenly, one morning, when we were sipping our morning tea, the
landlord barged in and headed straight to the kitchen. And then, after a
few minutes, he made his exit. I was puzzled. My friend explained that
it was a 'kitchen check', to examine whether any non vegetarian food was
being cooked or consumed! It was a very baffling moment for me.
One
knows that there is a sort of ‘food curfew’ during the day time during
Ramzan month in many Gulf countries, where Sheikhs are ruling with an
iron fist, in the name of Islam. Which community and whose sentiments
will prevail in a diverse society is a complex question.
How does one handle the food habits in a diverse society like ours?
As
such, earlier also, many a king has respected the sentiments of the
minorities. Akbar, when approached by the Jain delegation, did impose
restriction on non vegetarian food for some time. Babar, in his will to
his son Humayun, instructs that cow slaughter should not be permitted,
as deference to Hindu sentiments. As such, the basic aspect of teachings
of religion is to respect the feelings of other people in the society.
What
is taught is that the followers of that religion implement these in
their lives. The question of imposing one’s sentiments on the others is
the sign of one’s social dominance in the society.
Communal
parties, for the sake of vote-bank and for their political social
agenda, are feeling they can have their way and impose such practices on
the society. There are others who feel grateful enough if they can
practice their own things in their own family and social space, without
imposing it upon others.
As
such, what should happen in a democratic society? It’s very complex
question at one level. The point should be to respect each other’s
feelings and accommodate for that. Ideal is that the ‘other’ calls for
such a self imposition out of volition and respect. That’s what Mahatma
Gandhi teaches us time and over again. Be it the matter of religious
practices or food habits, his path was clear, let's follow our path
without imposing it upon others.
As such, imposing one’s sentiments on ‘others’ is the highest form of violence.
One of Gandhi’s writing on the issue of beef eating-cow slaughter is very illuminating, he writes:
"I
maintain that Muslims should have full freedom to slaughter cows, if
they wish, subject of course to hygienic restrictions and in a manner
not to wound the susceptibilities of their Hindu neighbors. Fullest
recognition of freedom to the Muslims to slaughter cows is indispensable
of communal harmony, and is the only way of saving cow."
Our
country has diverse food habits, from Arunchal Pradesh to Kerala to
Punjab and Gujarat, we inherit the rich diversity. With the rise of the
sectarianism and politics in the name of Hindu religion, Hindutva,
such intolerant things are being brought in with bigger aggression. The
section of Jain leadership, which is getting this done, is close to the
BJP. The BJP, in turn, has an agenda in all aspects of our
socio-cultural life.
The ban on beef eating is a deliberate ploy to sharpen the divisive politics, the politics which is polarising the communities.
One recalls the 1946 V. Shantaram classic film, Padosi,
where the two neighbors, Hindu and Muslim, love and respect each
other’s sentiments and feelings. There are legions of stories in times
past, where such camaraderie amongst these communities was a matter of
celebrating each other’s practices, not just tolerating them. It is this
intermixing at all the levels which gave us the diverse plural
heritage, the culture of joy, and celebration of diversity in our
country.
Such issues
related to bans have become an integral part of identity politics,
Islamism in Gulf countries and Hindutva in India. This is painfully
gripping our democratic society by the neck, and imposing suspicion and
dislike for the ‘other’.
The economic aspects of banning beef, and banning selective non vegetarian food during the Paryushan, is
of no concern to the political leaders who keep deepening their hold on
the section of community, not by harping on issues of dignity and
rights of the people, but by the intolerant attitude for the ‘other’.
From
over last one year, this stifling attitude is a retrograde step,
putting chains on our democratic freedoms. This is a regressive march,
inching towards the pattern of countries where democratic freedoms have
been put under the carpet in the name of religion.