So the debate on intolerance or rather tolerance has been raging and after trying to ignore it for some time, reluctantly here is my two cents on it.
The true question is, Are Indians tolerant? When I say Indians it basically distils down to, Are Hindus tolerant?
A couple of years ago, I met someone whom I think is a very intelligent sorted kind of a person. He said to me that India is a secular country because Hindus are a majority. Of course I was aghast at his conclusion. Not only this was generalization of a community as large as Hindus or Muslims, but also this was a very myopic view from where in the time line we are standing. I immediately knew that he had very little knowledge of early India or even the great Islamic Renaissance of 700 to 1200 AD to make that judgment.
But before we move into the debate, let me also clarify that there are two different Hinduism. Vedic (approx.. 1000 BC to 500 AD) and Puranik (approx.. 500 AD to today). Most of the people who follow this religion today belong to the Puranik form and not the old Vedic form. A simple and clear indication is Idol worship, which is clearly being from the Puranik period and not in the old Vedic period. Today, most Hindus seem to associate Vedic greatness as their own, but that is not the case at all.
The great philosophical and scientific thoughts that arose in Vedic period came about because of the free thought which prevailed then, the idea that you could question everything, including the existence of God/Gods or how to till a land properly. These could be debated in the open with very little worry any repercussions. The rise of Buddhism and Jainism are a clear indication of that openness. Gautam Buddha was as far as possible in his philosophy from the prevailing thought of those times. Even Jesus and Prophet Mohammed were not as radical as Siddhartha was from his present surroundings. Just the idea of creating a sect where morality and ethics were devoid of the concept of God is phenomenally radical.
As bigger cities declined, India went through physical transition and this was combined with the decline of Buddhism. A new form of Hinduism crept in. This had every ill, that we can think of in a religion. Brahmins tried to take control of the power structure of small towns and villages. This formalized and laid foundation of a rigid caste system. Control of Meat eating and particularly Beef eating led to a kind of dietary fascism. With this rise of new form of religion the decline of Indian civilization was truly on its way as scientific & free thought were discouraged.
This Hinduism is still being followed by the same old notions and same old Gods. Yet for some reason the adherent of this faith seems to be claiming that they are tolerant. How?
Let me clearly state this that Hindus in the last 1500 years have never been tolerant people. We have a very intolerant society and we are making it worse.
Look at any of these and you would realize the how tolerant as a society we have been.
1. How upper caste Hindus have treated the lower caste and the tribal populations. This has been the most brutal form of slavery. This is where the identity, self esteem and ability to think was wiped out not only for one set of people but for many many generations over a millennia. Even now the caste discrimination is deep rooted. Every few days we hear of a caste based violence and in 90% cases it is the upper cast folks brutally treating the Lower cast.
2. Look how we treat our economically deprived. You take a look at an Indian in his or her behaviour with anyone who is economically deprived, they behave with utter disdain. They laugh and make fun in the most condescending manner. The exploitation of child labour in our homes & road side is rampant.
3. How the society has treated women and how it still treats her. Even worshipping Goddesses haven’t made us treat our women better. Most people still treat them as a property and even the liberated educated women are still persecuted at work and home for their gender. This is a country where a formal method of killing a widow originated and gained precedence to the point where today they have temples for women who have committed Sati. Rape is common, it is a country where marital rape is actually allowed by law. Sexual exploitation is so rampant that it is considered to be an act of valour.
4. Look, how people treat LGBT people around us. If that is not, intolerance, what is? It is here where a prominent Guru associated with the present regime claims to have a cure for being gay. Look how all of us treat a Hijda who knocks on our door. I think this is intolerance, which reflects in our words and actions.
5. Our treatment of our minorities? Most of the present day controversy is around religious intolerance.
Our minorities are looked down upon from the word go. If you are born as one in this country you are fighting against the odds from the very beginning.
If you are of a minority religion, leave aside being a Muslim, try being a Sikh and then try to get an apartment in Mumbai. If you are not discriminated, I would pay your rent. Ever try sending a resume to a firm with a Muslim name and see how many times they call you back. The sad part is this is so ingrained in our society that when someone makes a generalized comment that Muslims behave this way or Christians do this we don’t even bat an eyelid. There is no one to stand up and fight for their identity and cause.
As Muslims started settling in India, it largely was quite transition. (Don’t confuse this with the Islamic rulers attacking the throne of Delhi). But, there are very few instances in the world where it happened the way it happened in India. Even millennia later you can see there has been no assimilation. In a village, Hindu areas and houses normally do not co-exist with Muslims. I wonder why? Merging of religion happened at a superficial level but rarely a new thought of a common religion came out. Or even when it came out it was thwarted very quickly, sometimes by ruling Muslim elites, but mostly by Brahmin dominated structure of Hindusims.
Another aspect of this has been that the politicians and the right wing people keep pointing out how the Muslim rulers used to persecute their Hindu subjects, but have they ever looked at the power struggles between Shaviks and Vaishnavs. That was equally brutal, they might have actually led to more people being killed and more temples being destroyed. In the last phases of Buddhism in India, Hindu rulers were equally discriminatory and cruel towards Buddhist monks and subjects.
6. Look at our feudal lords, they were kings of the bygone era and politicians now. Look how they treat common people. Try raising your voice against any of them.
7. Ever looked at how Indians treat people of darker complexion. Leave aside Blacks, we even are intolerant towards our own kids who have a darker complexion.
HOW ARE WE A TOLERANT SOCIETY? I fail to understand. I know some people might say that the cases that I am pointing out to are of discrimination and not per say intolerance. But I refuse to make that distinction. No discrimination comes without intolerance.
When likes of, Shahrukh or Amir says that there is a rise in intolerance we should pay attention. When people of their stature see and say that there is discrimination and intolerance, think about people who do not have a voice.
What should the Government or people in power do? I am always reminded of a story, which heard on TV. C Rajagopalachari and Nehru never got along, they had vast difference in opinion. One was the working head of independent India and other its figurehead. After Gandhi Ji & then Sardar Patel passed away, Nehru often went to Raja Ji for his counsel. One day when one of his senior colleagues asked him why does he go to Raja Ji when he disagrees with him all the time. He quoted Gandhi, ‘He is the keeper of my conscience, without him I wouldn’t know what am I doing wrong.’ I know that these were a different class of people, but it at least this tells us to keep our critics close to us and listen to them.
And critics of this piece, Don’t even compare India to Pakistan or Saudi Arabia, that is the stupidest thing you can do. Also, please don’t give me the logic that the US also has intolerance and discrimination, again that would be an idiotic logic.
Think of a Young, Poor, Lesbian, Lower cast, Muslim(yes, there is castism in Indian Muslims too) woman, living in a small village with no guardian to protect her. Think of her perils and then talk about tolerance. Till she is treated with respect, dignity and gets her full rights as a citizen this debate is futile that India & Hindus are tolerant.
