Communal Violence Patterns
What is obvious from this list is that the months of December and March are unusually susceptible to spells of communal violence. Is it something in the air during these winter months that leads to madness? Good thing the summer monsoons will be here soon . . .
There is no doubt that the destruction of the Babri Mosque is the mother of all reasons. Right-wing hindu idealogy claim that it started even earlier when the Emperor Babar built the Babri Mosque. Getting a clear view on this controversial issue is not easy but this Wikipedia article comes in handy. We may never know with certainty if there was a temple that pre-dated the mosque and if that was actually the birthplace of Ram. It seems to be a matter of faith.
However, what is clear is that Babri Mosque demolition had a negative impact on communal relations -- even beyond India's borders. There were widespread protests all over the subcontinent after this incident, which unfortunately culminated in the Bombay riots. Feeling slighted after the riots, the gangster Dawood Ibrahim on behalf of the muslim community, set of a series of deadly bomb blasts in Bombay.
I have yet to fit the attack on the Indian parliament into this pattern. So, let's skip that one for now. . .
The Gujrat riots started on the train carrying passengers who were Hindu activists called Kar Sevaks returning from the Hindu religious site of Ayodhya, including the Babri Mosque site. Lastly, the second set of Bombay blasts coincided with publication of a report from the Archeological survey of the Babri Mosque site (though this might have been purely coincidental).
If you have read this far, you are probably wondering where I am headed with this rant. It is true that incidents of communal violence (percieved or real) creates a cycle of violence. The curious thing in this case, is that the slanted reading of history of the Babri Mosque have been used to incite people on both sides. In this atmostphere, people consult 'communal discourse' for their perspective and historical accounts tend to segregate along communal lines.
This distorted view of history is very prevalant. The right-wing hindu perspective of father India wallowing in glory rudely interrupted with the coming of the muslim invaders followed by the British is as ludicrous as the muslim perspective that doesn't even recognize a history pre-dating the greatness of the Moghul empire. Unfortunately, the limited and extremely sanitized politically correct reading of history taught in Indian schools somehow does not go down well on most people either. I don't know about everyone else but I would like to read a more realistic recounting of history -- including the brutality, the power struggles and the dynamics involved in the creation of civilizations from chaos that flourished and then perished.
There is no doubt that the destruction of the Babri Mosque is the mother of all reasons. Right-wing hindu idealogy claim that it started even earlier when the Emperor Babar built the Babri Mosque. Getting a clear view on this controversial issue is not easy but this Wikipedia article comes in handy. We may never know with certainty if there was a temple that pre-dated the mosque and if that was actually the birthplace of Ram. It seems to be a matter of faith.
However, what is clear is that Babri Mosque demolition had a negative impact on communal relations -- even beyond India's borders. There were widespread protests all over the subcontinent after this incident, which unfortunately culminated in the Bombay riots. Feeling slighted after the riots, the gangster Dawood Ibrahim on behalf of the muslim community, set of a series of deadly bomb blasts in Bombay.
I have yet to fit the attack on the Indian parliament into this pattern. So, let's skip that one for now. . .
The Gujrat riots started on the train carrying passengers who were Hindu activists called Kar Sevaks returning from the Hindu religious site of Ayodhya, including the Babri Mosque site. Lastly, the second set of Bombay blasts coincided with publication of a report from the Archeological survey of the Babri Mosque site (though this might have been purely coincidental).
If you have read this far, you are probably wondering where I am headed with this rant. It is true that incidents of communal violence (percieved or real) creates a cycle of violence. The curious thing in this case, is that the slanted reading of history of the Babri Mosque have been used to incite people on both sides. In this atmostphere, people consult 'communal discourse' for their perspective and historical accounts tend to segregate along communal lines.
This distorted view of history is very prevalant. The right-wing hindu perspective of father India wallowing in glory rudely interrupted with the coming of the muslim invaders followed by the British is as ludicrous as the muslim perspective that doesn't even recognize a history pre-dating the greatness of the Moghul empire. Unfortunately, the limited and extremely sanitized politically correct reading of history taught in Indian schools somehow does not go down well on most people either. I don't know about everyone else but I would like to read a more realistic recounting of history -- including the brutality, the power struggles and the dynamics involved in the creation of civilizations from chaos that flourished and then perished.
5 Comments:
My only criticism is that we Hindus prefer the term Mother India.
I'm reading your book recommendation the Idea of India right now. It's slow going but rather interesting. On a more personal note, I was talking to my Mom the other day (I have her reading the Indu Sundaresan books, The Twentieth Wife and Feast of Roses) and she made the comment of how surprised she was that it seemed as though many customs she considered to be purely Bengali were actually derived from the Moghul Empire.
Yes, babri masjid violence spread far beyond the borders of India. I was then a medical student at Chittagong, Bangladesh. Still remember that fateful night. I woke up at my dorm room by soft, intermittent knocks. At the door was my class mate, star athelet of my class, ex national team basketball player and exceedingly nice person, Goutom ( name changed for privacy). Fear of death all over his face. I've never seen a person in my life so scared ( How many of us will know what is the fear of impending death?). He, with his twin brother, trembling, requested me for a shelter for the night.
This twin are of hindu community of Chittagong town, son of one of the most respected doctor's of the town and from very well off family.
As a reaction to babri mosque destruction, there house is being attacked repeatedly all night. All family members are hiding in different muslim neighbour's house.
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AS a reaction to babri mosque demolition, there have been sporadic attacks on Hindu households, temples all over the Bangladesh. Each and every member of the minority hindu community of Bangladesh were terribly shaken by this unforeseen incident.
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I can't understand what sort of mindset you have to have to be able to burn some innocent human to death only because of his/her ethnicity or religion? How to eradicate this lethal mental disease? For God's sake, we conquered moon 35 years ago, we are now reaching beyond our own sola system, we are making artificial hearts, we are playing with nano-technology. Why can't we cure ourselves of these horrendous disease?
-----Rumi Ahmed
I am not sure what patterns are you seeking, and how you are clubbing attack on the Indian parliament with events such as Babri Masjid demolition, Bombay riots, Gujrat riots, and Bombay blasts. Let me go into these incidents and explore the inter-connections.
Babri Masjid demolition was totally uncalled for for the nation. One can understand how Ram Mandir could be important to a section of people, but if the Mandir was to be constructed, there is a peaceful way to start a dialog between the two communities and arrive at a mutually acceptable solution. Moreover, a mob barging in and tearing a structure down was a breakdown of law and order.
Having said that there are various other angles to the story. BJP has been able to exploit some vent up resentment among the many hindus (it may be wrong to have that resentment, but it is there and it is there for a reason). Incidents such as the hindu genocide in Kashmir, and dislocation of thousands of hindus due to an armed separatist and jihadi movement, and condoning of these incidents by the congress. Our generation was born into a relatively peaceful time but there are people from the era of the partition who have not forgotten the massacres and rapes of the partition and Direct Action Day (see 11.6 "Riot Strategy", as opposed to this version of the Direct Action Day popular in Bangladesh. Allegedly, Suhrawardy changed his speech at the last moment to target Hindus instead of independence from the British). The historical pattern of riots (except Babri masjid demolition) has been that some muslims start the violence (notably stabbing, throat slitting, and rapes), Hindus "retaliate" and kill innocent muslims, and violence spreads. Of course, the viciousness of hindu retaliation has been increasing in recent years. The retaliation is just as ridiculous as avenging riots by blasting bombs (as Dawood did).
What I am saying is that there is a context that the muslim countries and secularism enthusiasts ignore knowingly or unknowingly. The deeper context is that the spread of Islam has been through the sword (which even Indian school history textbooks choose to ignore), and then spread terror and shame through rapes and massacres. "You can do whatever you want with the women who are won over" is part of the hadits, can you can correct me if I am wrong. The raped womenfolk have no choice but to to accept islam as they won't be accepted back (which itself is ridiculous), and the next generation will be muslim. Excellent strategy. Yes, once they become islamic, there is a code of conduct towards women (which has some good points, and some bad points). The converted men are also so terrorized that they do not dare to leave islam even during peaceful times. Tell me if any muslim that you know can dare to say openly that he/she is not a muslim anymore? Handful of cases around the world, and they have a website (faithfreedom.org). Only with the advent of internet did people find courage to talk about islam... anonymously... like me.
Ok, then riots followed the mosque demolition all over the Indian subcontinent, and then riots happened in Bombay. Then bomb blasts (to "avenge" riots).
Then Godhra happened, allegedly following the same pattern, but with greater hindu backlash.
Now, the attack on the parliament is not part of this communal tension. No surprise that it does not fit the pattern that you seek. It was an act of terrorism against Indian democracy... against the most diverse, and one of the most free nations of the third world. Fundamentalist islam does not want India to succeed and flourish. Because, if it does, the Indians will prove to the world that inspite of over population, megre resources and HUGE diversity, peaceful co-existence is possible without having to be dogmatic about one particular ideology. And India will do it without the use of force on its people. No other nation (not China, not USA, not Saudi, not Pakistan) fits the model today that India can become. China uses force and restricts freedom, so does Saudi, Paksitan is again islamic and in chaos, and USA survives on overconsumption (although it seems to give a lot of freedom, but it is largely white christian. Most incoming migrants are those who bring something to the economy, and increasing cutural diversity is a side effect). A small jolt to the economy was enough to produce some resentment towards talented migrant workers. And then President Bush points fingers at increasing consumption in China and India for the increase in the oil prices in USA.
Also, many muslims in Pakistan and Bangladesh seem very eager to dissociate from India and anything that was born out of non-islamic sources (notably hindu). They forget that whatever positive differences their lives have (especially women's lives) from that of the Arabland and Taliban regimes is due to an Indian legacy. The cradle of the civilization that was arguably very advanced in its thinking cannot be celebrated by Paksitani people even though they have archeological remains of the landmarks of the civilization. Why? An eagerness to dissociate from "India" or hindu. Incidently, hindu was a name given by the arabland to India. When a resentment developed in the muslim community towards the word "hindu", the western version "India" was accepted. After partition, "India" or "Indian subcontinent" became resentful, so "South Asia" was born (which the Indian communists and secularism over-enthusiasts love). India's success as a model is critical to the quality of life and flow of ideas into rest of the subcontinent, and a large part of Asia, Africa, and the third world in general. Neither the Indians, nor the other countries in the subcontinent realize this much.
On an endnote: I think that people should revisit their own faiths and think critically, rather than being defensive, playing the victim, and being revengeful against someone who is not the real perpetrator. This can only happen if people talk freely to each other. History ignored will repeat itself. And dwelling in history will not move us forward. Think, think, think... with a direction... a constructive one.
[[As far as BJP vs. Congress is concerned, the so-called 'secular' congress was in power, and could have deployed military to disperse the Kar sevak mass that had built up leading up to the demolition the mosque. But, it gave a tacit underhand approval to BJP's kar sevaks by not preventing build up. Moreover, it reaped the benefits of BJP being branded as a saffron party. Let us not forget that the same congress was allegedly involved in inciting and not-controlling anti-sikh riots following Indira Gandhi's assassination in 1984, and Rajiv Gandhi said of the riots "When a big tree (Indira) falls the earth shakes (riots happen)". Now it has gotten the "secular" stamp, and it tries to strengthen it further for its political interest by appeasing minorities above the call of national interest.]]
--An Indian
Today's news: Two killed and four's throats slit in Kashmir... all 4 muslims. Now, does this fit a pattern of communal violence, or does it fit a pattern of dogmatic beliefs and terrorism? The terrorists first targetted hindus in Kashmir, and now since there are no hindus left, they are targeting muslims. Basically, thay hate anything democratic and different... and Indian parliament is a symbol of that institute.
--An Indian
In response to one of the comments that so corrosively misqoetes the hadith. Dear, Indian,a word of advice. In today's age of blogging, you need to be extremely careful about how you unleash your pen, or I should say browser.Inspite of not being a Muslim ,I 've made athorough study of Islam and no where does it ever say that rape or murder is allowable. In countries like Suadi Arabia,swift execution sentences are ordered to rapists, unlike as in India where women are raped in broad daylight whether in their colleges or in an national monument and after months of runnig to the courts usually what it gies is another date.This kind of misinformation lead by ignorant people is widely responsible for the Islam phobia in India.
P.S :It's spelled "Hadith" and not hadit.Make sure next time you know the spelling of the volume before you qoute or misqoute.
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