COW SLAUGHTER

Views of Environmentalist Devinder Sharma on Mad-Cow Disease

Attempts to import exotic cattle from abroad to increase milk production in India have failed because foreign cattle cannot adjust to our climatic conditions and they perish here. India cannot become a 'gao shala' for the world and we must realize the importance of our own breeds instead of talking about cross-breeding with foreign cattle.

There is no shortage of cattle in India. It is evident from the fact that we are the second biggest milk producer in the world. While India's population has multiplied, the. milch cattle has not grown at the same pace, which gives the impression of shortage.

(Source: The Times of India, 11 June, 1996)

M.V. Kamath on Another Pakistan!

What Muslims living in Muslim-majority areas in India are capable of doing can be seen from some of the statements made by the Milli Parliament' of Islamic fundamentalists that concluded in Patna on 19 January, 1996. That 'Parliament' pledged to "liberate Muslims in India from the tyranny of non-Muslim political leadership". The 'Parliament' also resolved those Muslim groups, institutions and ulema should work together to forge an Indian federation of 122 demilitarized autonomous states, no doubt so that they can be controlled by Muslim forces. Declaring that concepts of democracy and secularism are un-Islamic, the Milli 'Parliament' said: "It is haram (Islamically prohibited) for Muslims to work for strengthening any such un- Islamic systems (democracy and secularism). It is haram for Muslims to accept the political leadership of Kuffar -Mushrikeen (non-Muslims)." Among other statements passed by the 'Parliament' are these:

The present (secular) political system cannot protect the legitimate political rights of Indian Muslims.

• All Muslim MPs, whichever the ticket, are lackeys of Hindus. Muslims must support only those leaders who can lead the namaz in mosques (which would mean Muslims only).

Secular democracy is a constitutional fraud and is haram.

Muslims must not help consolidate the un-Islamic system of India.

• There is need for separate electorates based or proportional representation of Muslims. (Which) means that Muslims should not think of joining the mainstream as Indian citizens, but must vote as Muslims).

There is need for a nation-wide self-defense security system to withstand the suffering from communal riots (which means that there is need for a separate Muslim armed force).

The Milli Parliament' was attended by over 3,000 Muslims hailing from different parts of India. It cannot be said that this is a wayward group that has no standing in the Muslim community in the country. It apparently has.

The point to be remembered is that when the Muslim league under M.A. Jinnah first demanded Pakistan, many in the Congress, including Jawaharlal Nehru, pooh- poohed the idea. For the growth of the League, the British were than blamed. Now our 'secularists' are pooh- poohing the Milli Parliament', but if it turns out to be a menace, convenient scapegoats will be found in the RSS, VHP and BJP. After fifty years of lying low, Muslims in India seem hell-bent on creating trouble for the country. The government is warned. It ignores the Milli "Parliament' to the nation's peril.

(Source: The Organizer, 17 March, 1996)

Communalism: Responsibility of Majority and Minority Raj Babadur Gour in The New Age, 16-22 June, 1996

The States Reorganization Committee (SRC) made a very pregnant remark in its report on the question of guarantees for the minority. It said:

"We wish to emphasize that no guarantee can secure minority against every kind of discriminatory policy of a state government. Governmental activity at state level affects virtually every sphere of a person's life and a democratic government must reflect the moral and political standards of the people. Therefore, if the dominant group is hostile to the minorities the lot of minorities is bound to become unenviable. There can be no substitute for a sense of fair play on the part of the majority and a corresponding obligation on the party of the minorities to fit themselves in as elements vital to the integrated and orderly progress of the state".

This observation by the SRC was "endorsed" by the government of India in a document of the union home ministry entitled "Safeguards for Linguistic Minorities" and submitted to the Parliament in 1956. But it must be said with a sense of agony that this has not been adhered to and implemented in practice.

Primarily it is the responsibility of the majority to see that justice - social, economic and political, is meted out to all the minorities.

Our country is perhaps the only one in the world with a unique pluralist character. Plurality of religions. plurality of languages and plurality of ethnicity are our distinguishing features. And we have to take pride in it. Protection of this pluralism has to be our responsibility. Only thus can we impart stability to our society and strengthen the unity of our country.

This must be fully understood by the majority and it is the task of all secular and democratic forces to take this message to every home. Justice social and economic, must reach all and this is our responsibility.

Any sense of insecurity and injustice is bound to alienate the minorities and harm the country and the people as a whole.

So too the minorities of all hues have to realize that justice to them has to be secured by winning the majority to support their cause.

Without their full participation in the democratic process and in the framing of policies for the country as a whole, they cannot contribute to the "integrated and orderly progress" of the entire country and secure justice for themselves.

On the other hand, exclusiveness, born out of frustration will only help the communal forces among the majority. This will develop into a vicious circle and poison the entire social environment.