Initial Publication: May 1998
Last Updated: Sep 2004
Towards a More Equitable Secular Milieu
The gruesome acts of arson in Godhra followed by the gut-wrenching retributive violence in Gujarat's big cities and smaller towns has naturally alarmed and saddened many Indians.
As we mourn those whose lives were sacrificed in an orgy of punishing rage, it is important that we redouble our efforts to ensure that every community in India feels safe from the threats of religious extremism.
Here we offer some views on how to reinvigorate India's secular polity:-
Emphasizing the need to isolate those who attempt to use religion as a tool for hate-mongering or anti-national activities, this analysis takes a special look at the Hindutva movement - and how it is likely to be viewed in the aftermath of Gujarat's tragic carnage:
The Hindutva Agenda in the Context of the Gujarat Tragedies
We also look at the question: Was Godhra a Pakistan-initiated Conspiracy?
The Result of a Study conducted by an investigative team for the Council for International Affairs and Human Rights concludes:
The Godhra train carnage in Gujarat on February 27 was an "act of terrorism planned at the behest of Pakistan to foment communal riots all over the country".
Godhra - a Pakistan-initiated Conspiracy?
This view attempts to analyze and critique past approaches to building secularism, eventually suggesting that just as the concept of Swadeshi united India's Muslims and Hindus in the freedom movement, an enlightened movement for social reconstruction may once again enable Indians to transcend religious barriers:
Ensuring Secular Harmony in India - Searching for Answers
Also see this letter from Gujarat shedding more light on the role of Ahmedabad's Police Force during the communal riots.
Although some analysts write as though secularism is a uniquely Indian problem, this opinion piece exposes the sanctimonious hypocrisy of Pakistani and Bangladeshi journalists when they expound on this subject.
More importantly, it documents the systematic discrimination and widespread human-rights violations that have been compelling minorities from Bangladesh to flee into India
Secularism in the Context of the Two-Nation Theory
Also see The 2-Nation Theory and Partition for a more detailed and historical perspective on this subject.
Back for other selections from South Asian Voice for other articles on issues confronting India and the region.
Also see South Asian History or Topics in Indian History for other relevant essays that shed some light on the history of the subcontinent.
From our Archives:
Earlier in May 1998, we had published these essays by scholar and activist, Asghar Ali Engineer who has written several articles on partition, the interpretation of Islamic texts, secularism and democracy, and on various contemporary issues affecting Muslims in the sub-continent.
We are grateful he has given us permission to include them in our site.
Perspectives on Partition
Fault Lines in Two-Nation Theory
Secular Interpretations
Urdu and its Contribution to Secular Values
About Asghar Ali Engineer: Asghar Ali Engineer has been Chairperson of the Center of Study of Society and Secularism in Bombay, is an author of several books including 'Babri-Masjid Ramjanam Bhoomi Controversy', 'Delhi Meerut Riots', 'Indian Muslims: A Study of Minority Problems in India', 'The Rights of Women in Islam', and editor of Indian Journal of Secularism. He has written extensively on the subjects of partition and secularism. Asghar Ali Engineer was presented with the National Communal Harmony Award by the Govt. of India for 1997 for his untiring work in the cause of communal harmony.
Also see these articles on Human Rights and Democracy in Pakistan:
Blasphemy Laws and Intellectual Freedom in Pakistan
Trade Union Rights in Pakistan
Back for other selections from South Asian Voice for other articles on issues confronting India and the region.
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