The secular and liberal character of the nation is under threat from illiberal forces. Fundamentalisms of all hues - religious, caste, ideological - are on the rise and agencies that ought to check these seem to be failing.
Recent violence against Christians in Orissa, Chhattisgarh and Bangalore, by Hindu extremist groups and the boycott threat issued against the Godrej family earlier this year by some Muslim organisations for hosting Salman Rushdie in Mumbai are examples of rising intolerance. Even Sania Mirza had earlier confessed that she contemplated retirement thanks to pressure from extremist groups. M F Husain and Taslima Nasreen were under attack for being outspoken in their creative works. Not to mention the grevious situation in the financial capital of the country: "Mumbai", where Mr. Raj Thackeray and his followers have made every possible effort to make their "Northie" cousins' life difficult in a city which was known as a place where dreams come true; a city which not only gave indians the reasons to dream, but it also gave them ample opportunities to live those dreams.
These seemingly unconnected events challenge two defining features of the Indian nation: freedom of speech and freedom of religion. Ironically, the latter is used to justify assaults on the former. State agencies and political parties that should defend the secular character of the nation often become accomplices in such attacks. What should we make of a senior minister who wants Taslima to beg pardon from religious extremists who have threatened to take the law into their hands? Does he really believe in the sanctity of law and the right to free speech? Similarly, judges should ask themselves if they ought to admit motivated pleas that are meant to harass celebrities. If at all they need to act, it should be to haul up overly litigious persons for clogging the judicial system.
Political parties have to share a large part of the blame for allowing extremists a free run. Each of these is bound by the Constitution to uphold secularism and free speech. But rarely have politicians shown the spunk to confront fundamentalists, who are in a minority. Instead, politicians seem to travel with the tide for temporary gains and not resist the attacks on the secular edifice of the republic. The rise of identity politics is symptomatic of the failure of mainstream political parties to defend the inclusive provisions of the Constitution. The time has come for democratic forces to close ranks and guard the republic.
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