Context
Communal violence, a complex phenomenon, has been over-simplified to suit a convenient political narrative.
India’s syncretic traditions and impact of invasions
- For aeons, India has had syncretic traditions inspired by the Vedic aphorism, “Ekam sad vipra bahudha vadanti” (there is only one truth and learned persons call it by many names).
- Because of this underpinning, Indian society has never insisted on uniformity in any facet of life.
- This equanimity of Indian society was, however, disrupted by invading creeds.
- The first such incursion came in 712, when Muhammad bin Qasim vanquished Sindh, and as Chach Nama, a contemporary Arab chronicle states, introduced the practice of treating local Hindus as zimmis, forcing them to pay jizya (a poll tax), as a penalty to live by their beliefs.
- In the 11th century, Mahmud of Ghazni, while receiving the caliphate honours on his accession to the throne, took a vow to wage jihad every year against Indian idolaters.
- The fact is, ties between the two communities were seldom cordial.
- There were intermittent skirmishes, wars and occasional short-lived opportunistic alliances.
- When Pakistan declared itself an Islamic Republic in 1947, it would have been natural for India to identify itself as a Hindu state.
- It didn’t, and couldn’t have — because of its Hindu ethos of pluralism.
- India, is, and will always be, catholic, plural, myriad and a vibrant democracy.
Conclusion
It’s relevant to recall what Lester Pearson (14th PM of Canada) said: “Misunderstanding arising from ignorance breeds fear, and fear remains the greatest enemy of peace.”
