Gods Clash, Creatures Tremble
Despite the unleashing of ancient enmities between Hindus and Muslims in India, with the historic memories of the horrible and deadly clashes between both religions during the time of the creation of Pakistan from part of India when thousands died in that great exchange and upheaval of populations, it almost seems as though the two religions are making strides to live more reasonably together.There have always been good relations between Hindus and Muslims on an individual basis, from the many books I've read about India. It's just that in the aggregate, there are huge aggravations and distrust between the two communities in that immensely populous country. It seems that the hatefully violence-prone Islamist fundamentalists enter India by stealth from Pakistan, to wreak havoc before withdrawing to the safety of Pakistan.
One has the impression that their vitriolic haranguing of India over Kashmir, and their vicious and violent attacks within India, like the one in Mumbai, are not supported by Indian Muslims. Still, there's little doubt the two communities live in uneasy communion with one another, with long-simmering and dangerous enmities easily ignited resulting in mass bloodshed.
As though India hasn't sufficient problems with the fiercely ideological and violent Naxalites, and with the profound political and social disagreements with its Sikh populations and its Tamils, agitating for homelands of their own.
The recent court decision by the Allahabad High Court over the true ownership of the sacred ground in the ancient town of Ayodhya where Hindu extremists tore apart the 16th-Century Babri Mosque, believing that it was constructed over the birthplace of the Hindu god Ram, appears to have been a masterful stroke of jurisprudence and practicality, worthy of biblical King Solomon.
That Muslim clerics urged their communities to remain calm and accept the verdict, and that Hindu leaders did the same with their followers, speaks to reasonable accommodation and the triumph of reason over passion. Perhaps there is hope for people after all, who are capable of relinquishing their ancient antipathies toward one another in the open spirit of reasonable communal life.
One can only hope that this surface-appearing willingness to live with some semblance of harmony rather than succumbing continually to distrust and hatred can send down deeper roots that will not shrivel into violence at the provocations that continue to build through the country's neighbours in Pakistan for whom India represents not a neighbour but an enemy.
Labels: India, Pakistan, Political Realities
posted by Pieface @ Friday, October 01, 2010
<< Home