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APROPOS of Mr Hari Jaisingh’s “A polity under siege: tolerance holds the key” (February 5), the real danger arises from the clergy working at the grassroots level in all religious communities. Ignorant of the loftiest ideals of conduct enshrined in their scriptures, they misguide the people by misrepresenting their faiths. They extol their religions and try to play down other faiths. Sometimes they propagate the views which were never preached by their prophets.

One of the greatest obstacles to peace and happiness is religious intolerance. The self-styled protectors of various religions fight over non-essentials and cause bloodshed. They do not care to realise that all faiths are similar so far as their basic tenets are concerned. While addressing the World Parliament of Religions at Chicago in 1893 Swami Vivekananda had said: “I am proud to belong to the religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true.”

As I feel it, no scripture is complete in itself. They are all complementary to one another. This is the reason why the Quran asks us to study the Christian and other scriptures with equal respect. If we make discrimination between various scriptures and Messengers of Truth we are sure to generate parochial passions which account for communal flare-ups and the division of the grand family of nations into narrow ethnic entities and warring groups.

The best means to promote peace and harmony in the world is to disseminate the age-old ideal of universal brotherhood. The Vedanta philosophy tells us that as the different streams originating from diverse sources mingle in the ocean, so all faiths ultimately lead to the same God. Terrorism and fundamentalism which have drenched the world with human blood are the handiwork of Satan and must be condemned in the strongest possible words.

If there is only one God, there can be only one Brotherhood. It is an irreligious act to break up universal brotherhood into small jarring communal camps. The word “Religion” derives its etymological root from the Latin word “Re” and “Ligare”, meaning “to bind back”. The Sanskrit word “Dharma” has exactly the same significance with root in the word “dhr” which means to sustain and bind together. The word “Islam” having its root in “Salam” means peace and not unjust war and wrong-doing.

Thus a true religion demands complete dedication to the cause of universal love and tolerance. But do religious bigots and fanatics understand the significance of all this?

A deep-rooted problem

Amidst the prevailing atmosphere of lack of mutual tolerance and understanding among different communities, the suggestion of some purposeful debate for building a tolerant society cannot be more timely. The violence against Christians in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh was still being deplored when the heinous crime of burning alive of Staines and his two sons brought discredit to the whole nation. But it is a matter of some satisfaction that this insane act has been condemned by almost every Indian irrespective of political or religious affiliations.

But the problem is deep-rooted. There cannot be any short-cuts. To blame any single community is not going to help. The media in general and the English media in particular has not played a positive role. They are indulging in over-stretched one-point programme of bashing certain Hindu outfits. There is no point in saying that there are fundamentalist elements in every community.

Fortunately, our nation has only a handful of people who are not peace-loving and God-fearing. This small percentage is the source of all trouble, and its activities need to be curbed before it is too late.@@Here are some suggestions:

Intelligence agencies need to be geared up to maintain a roaster and keep watch on mischievous elements so as to nip their illegal activities in the bud.

Every single communal incident must be probed by a judicial commission within a minimum time-frame, its recommendations implemented religiously and the the culprits taken to task without any loss of time.

The media can play a vital role by avoiding sensationalism and remaining impartial and constructive so as to keep the tempers cool.

Intellectuals have a very vital role to play. But, unfortunately, the majority of them are mute spectators, and some cannot rise above petty politics.

It is absurd to say that one changes ones faith out of sweet will. There is definitely some kind of allurement, temptation or coercion. Every action has a reaction. So it is imperative to ban by law all kinds of conversions and reconversions.

Moral education should be included in the school curriculum.

This delicate issue should not be left to the whims of politicians, as they have their own axes to grind. Let reputed and non-controversial social and religious personalities of all faiths sit around a table and coolly discuss and debate and find out ways for forging communal harmony. They are the only people who provide a ray of hope in this murky atmosphere of mistrust and narrow-mindedness.

May God help the nation!

J. K. MAGO
Panchkula

The basic threat to our polity appears to be emerging from the negative approach of people associated with some of the religio-political outfits who, in their misguided zeal to propagate their religion overtly and covertly, are unleashing the forces of hatred, distrust and disharmony. It is the unfailing and bounden duty of the governments at the Centre and in the states to identify the protagonists and other functionaries of such organisations and take steps to control their activities. The laws of the land empower the authorities to tackle such elements effectively for the preservation of peace and order.

It goes without saying that the enforcement of laws without fear, favour or prejudice is basic to the functioning and survival of all democratic institutions in the country. In case this is not done, there is every possibility of the administration compromising with evil forces. It is imperative to maintain the supremacy of law over men and institutions.

It has been rightly pointed out that the political leadership has by and large failed to provide the role model for citizens in principled conduct and high moral values. As a result, cynicism and woeful lack of commitment to public welfare have crept into the attitudes of people, thereby eroding the credibility of our public institutions for delivering the goods.

What do the law-abiding citizens expect from the government? Only respect, justice and fair-play! And the moot question is: do they get it? If not, why is there no effective governance in the country?

The government must view the restlessness in society in a larger perspective to get rid of the present gloomy scenario of intolerance. It must show the same spark in creating tolerance in society it exhibited with its path-breaking decision to allow the India-Pakistan hockey match in spite of the fiery opposition from Mr Thackeray of the Shiv Sena. A bitter political divide between the BJP and its allies arrayed against each other is an unfortunate fact of life, and it cannot be wished away without the steps to harmonise their relations.

The watchful elements among the Hindus are apprehensive that faster growth of non-Hindus will result in a further vivisection of their country. Hence their strong opposition to conversions. This opposition leads to clashes and strife. No prudent nation would and should tolerate this kind of development. The remedy to maintain peace in the body politic is to ban conversions so long as religion does not cease to determine political contours. If Christians claim their divine right to convert people to their faith, so is the Hindus' divine right to reconvert their people.

Hindus are tolerant, by temperament, by tradition and by religion. But the environment of fundamentalism within the country and in the Muslim countries around has shaken them to safeguard their interests. One-sided secularism has betrayed them in the recent past.

	M A I L B A G	Friday, February 19, 1999
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