The countries of the sub-continent seem incurably afflicted with the disease of religious fundamentalism. In the name of religion, freedom is constrained, crime is committed, law and justice are distorted or perverted, people are hounded, human rights are trampled underfoot. Those who perpetrate all this are usually less concerned with being religious themselves than about the religion and religiosity of others. In India too religious fundamentalism has again raised its ugly head. Previous instances such as the razing of the Babari Masjid are still fresh in mind. Subsequently the Vishwa Hindu Parishad is reported to have, among other things, terrorised Muslim villagers in Gujarat.

There have been barbarous incidents by Hindu zealouts against also the Christian community. For instance, the gangrape of some nuns in the 1990 Gajraula case. Another incident against nuns took place a few days ago. Hooligans invaded Preeti Ashram in the Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh. They ... looted the place, and then raped some middle-aged nuns. The fact that the central secretary of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad B.L. Sharma 'Prem', has stated that the incident was the result of the "anger of patriotic Hindu youth against anti-national forces" supports the suspicion voiced in some quarters that the hooligans took inspiration from the VHP.

It would be relevant to recall that the VHP's self- appointment as guardian of Hinduism has not been accepted by religious authorities such as the Shankaracharyas. Two Shankaracharyas were reported recently to have denounced the VHP for its misleading approach to Hinduism. As for the constant refrain of VHP leaders about Christian missionaries tempting Hindus to conversion, the Parishad's leaders might usefully ponder on why certain classes of Hindus are so easily tempted to leave the Hindu fold. If these leaders do manage to think upon this honesty and independently they might realise that those who leave Hinduism for Christianity do so usually to escape humiliation, indignity, illiteracy and all kinds of insecurity ...

In Pakistan, religious fundamentalism has been endemic ever since the country was created in 1947. Islamism there is connected with the problem of national identity ... They have to keep alive the "two-nation theory" on the basis of which India was partitioned in1947. Part of the sustained emphasis on Islam is occasioned by claims to and concerns over territory and Muslims under Indian administration. The clergy in Pakistan has been continually pampered, and is one of the prime supports for Pakistani terrorism against India. It has acted mostly in concert with the Pakistan army, Now the Nawaz Sharif government has bowed to its writ and is in the process of bringing Pakistan wholly under Shariah law. .. Bangladesh are not to be left behind in religious fundamentalism. One of several instances of intolerance relates to Taslima Nasreen, who has returned temporarily to visit her ailing mother in Dhaka. She had fled to Europe from mullah wrath. Her presence now in Bangladesh has provided religious fanatics with an opportunity to exhibit their Islamism ... Taslima was charged in 1994 ... with blasphemy and with attacking Islam in newspaper articles. Now mullah-led parties are again organising street protests and howling for her blood.

It is sad that people, who seem ready from a mistaken sense of piety and faith to heed and follow fanatical organisations such as the VHP in India, and various fundamentalist ... groups in Pakistan and Bangladesh, are unable to see that religion everywhere is essentially a social organisation. It has little to do with spirituality which can only be sought on a personal basis. In the 21s century ... religious fundamentalism will seem utterly discordant. But will the countries of the subcontinent ever be free of religion-based hatreds and rivalries?               (Source: The Hindustan Times, 7 October, 1998)