One
of the repeated calls of Saffron Parivar – RSS, VHP, Bajrang Dal
etc. – against Christianity and Islam is that they are foreign
religion. The objectionable remark made by Food Processing Minister
Niranjan Jyoti in Delhi where she tried to polarise the citizens as
followers of Ram or bastards (Ramzadon
ya haramzadon)
points to this. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat statement that all Indians
are Hindus, thereby implying that Indians who are not Hindus are
foreigners offers another glaring example. The state also perhaps
unwittingly reinforces this idea when those from Scheduled Caste lose
their entitlements to certain benefit, say, reservation in
state/Central scheme, once they convert of Islam or Christianity.
Conversion to Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism etc. do not merit losing the
reservation benefit. The Scheduled Tribes are exempted from this
implication though.
From
time to time one hears the rhetoric that the religious majority in
India is not allowed to exercise its religiosity openly; that the
religion is under siege. This is also the kind of rhetoric emerging
from the Buddhist Sinhala community in Sri Lanka. The solution to get
out this siege then is to pedestal the religion of the majority above
the rest. The proposal by Union Minister for External Affairs Sushma
Swaraj to declare Bhagavat Gita as the national holy book of India
has to be interpreted as a call for such measure. On the flip side,
by associating nationalism with religion, the rhetorical device
becomes a perfect political tool to subdue the religious minority and
hound them into a ghetto. Religion of the minorities are labelled as
foreign and unpatriotic, if not traitorous. In Sri Lanka, Muslims and
Christians become the victim of such scheme in the hand of Sinhala
Buddhist nationalists. Even in India, during Vajpayee's tenure,
religious minority received battering in significant measure
specially in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha. In Myanmar and Nepal
too, such voices emerge from time to time, sending messages of
intimidation to certain religious minorities.
With
widespread use of modern technology, information of any kind now
quickly spreads to different corner of the globe. The demolition of
Babri Masjid in 1992 at Ayodhya, UP, by the volunteers of Sangh
Parivars brought about religious riots between Hindu and Muslims
across different Indian cities. The effect was felt in Pakistan and
Bangladesh too, resulting in Islamic hardliners destroying hundreds
of temples and homes. A Danish political cartoon on prophet Mohammad
(Peace Be Upon Him) evokes sharp response even in Indian subcontinent
as well. Nearer home, Christians and Muslims are not in minority in
all the states in India. Sangh Parivar violent mischief can backfire
in states where these communities are in majority. Given this
volatile and complex environment, it is the responsibility of every
religious and institutional leader to uphold and instil democratic
values. To that end, forceful conversion or attempt to convert others
through inducement should be restrained. Those in the government must
also ensure that non-Hindus are not pushed to second class citizens
of the country.
On
the other hand it is important to take note that Christianity in the
sub-continent is almost 2000 years old. If one is to insist that
Christianity is of foreign origin because Jesus Christ was born in
present day Israel, one must also insist that Guru Nanak of Sikhism
was born in present day Pakistan, and Gautama Buddha in present day
Nepal; and Parsis came from Iran. Besides, the tribals in the North
East have never been exposed to Hinduism. There was no point in
Indian history when every individual followed Hinduism. Any attempt
to rewrite history that India has always belonged to the Hindus will
be based on concoction of history. Christians must resist religious
bully with pen and truth.
It
is high time that everyone realises that Christianity is here to
stay. Jesus Christ was born in a hostile political environment. The
Roman empire, however, could not keep him buried in the tomb; the
tomb lies empty. Tertullian in the third century says that the blood
of the martyrs is the seed of the church. History has proved the
words right. Whether it is the might of the state or the jaw of the
lion, the church is the kind that does not crack under persecution.
The church means no harm to anyone; the church prays and works for
truth and peace to prevail!
(This article appears in The Hornbill Express on 15th December, 2015)
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