COMMUNALISM

Anirudh Deshpande on the Communal Question

As we approach the end of the 20th century, it is becoming politically clear that the future of united India will increasingly depend upon the successful combination of secularism, federalism and social democracy. This assertion will remain valid even if a BJP-led coalition comes to power at the Centre some time in future. Parties which will swim against the tide of Indian history will first damage the country and then. like the Congress, sink into oblivion. If the federal principle is not respected by all parties, the Indian Republic. like the aged Mughal Empire in the 17th century. Will probably collapse under the weight of its growing internal contradictions in the coming century.

The past. present and future in the Third World with its colonial background are peculiarly important. Since these three are inter-related. forms of political praxis usually begin with a reference to specific historical interpretations of social continuity and change. Thus the secular theorist is usually not ashamed to admit that his historiography is neither pretentiously objective nor pseudo-intellectually relativist. He is also convinced that the twin props of his vocation, that it. Progressive ideology and rational history. Create the basis for the supremacy of reason over prejudice in any society fit to be called consciously scientific and modern.

Admittedly the communal question is not historically over determined. And the attractions of getting on with contemporary politics are great. After all the intellectual free market does not over-tax your mind. Some people would actually have us believe that history is irrelevant to the debate on communalism. Unfortunately, these people forget the Hegelian dialectic of thesis-antithesis-synthesis, according to which the future is based on the present. Which in turn is forged with the material and intellectual tools fashioned in the past. Hence only a permanent critique of any social formation can be the basis of its progress towards a higher stage in evolution. Considering this, the secular ideology. both Centrist and Leftist. Must derive sustenance from unconventional. radical and rational interpretation of Indian history to re-establish the hegemony of a secular consensus in Indian civil society. The history of entrenched coalitions free of fragile crutches and brave enough to respect the verdict of the electorate will begin after the true secularists win back the space lost of communalists and other political opportunists.

Locating Jnaneshwar. Shivaji and Aryabhatta in their respect centuries is undoubtedly important, but the khaki brigade too will concede that a laboured chronological fetish is a poor substitute for socio-religious history.

That the BJP is not a worthy heir to the legacy of the Bhakti tradition and Shivaji's swaraj. Both would not have sanctioned Ayodhya and its aftermath.

What about the contributions made to Indian culture by the Sufi traditions of the medieval period? Heterodox movements like Buddhism and Jainism which, departing from Hinduism, became full-fledged religions in Ancient India enriched the Indian social fabric. Similarly the message of Nanak and Kabir inveighing against orthodox Hinduism and Islam will not bolster the scheme of history prepared in the secular cause. The specificity of medieval Indian history proves that Indian talent in all fields flourished in Mughal India due to various causes. From the other side "facts" like the friendship between Sadashiv Rao 'Bhau' and Ibrahim Khan Gardi' and the employment of Muslim mercenaries bythe Marathas weakens the description of the Marathas as a predominantly "Hindu" power.

The argument that India is secular because of liberal Hinduism implies an old, though hidden, prejudice of majority communalism. The secularist who banks upon this overlooks the reactionary caste system and provides a backdoor entry to the so-called soft Hindutva. But once secular history becomes comparative the communal myths favoured by the Western media and communal organisations fall apart. Egypt and Turkey are politically secular and socially liberal. Guided by modernist visions they conserve their pre-Islamic past. Most of Central Asia, after breaking away from the USSR. is not bigoted. Indonesia openly celebrates its historic connection with Ancient India.

Leaders exercising power should continuously identify those elements of history which might constructively define the future. There is no point in learning the wrong things.

Indian history is rich in expressions of popular religions and their synthesis has created the basis of the Indian civilisation. But this phenomenon cannot be reduced to the struggle between Hindu "udaarvaad" and"kattarvaad". A resurgent secularism can hardly afford the appeasement of latent Hindutva at the enormous cost of total history.

Muslim Minorities Urdu-speaking Population in Greater Karachi, Pakistan

1970: 68%

1981: 54%

1996(estimated): 40%