In the beginning of January 2020 two very disturbing events were reported from Pakistan. One was the attack on Nankana Sahib, the holy shrine where Sant Guru Nanak was born. While one report said that the place has been desecrated, the other stated that it was a fight between two Muslim groups. Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan condemned the incident and the main accused Imran Chisti was arrested. The matter related to abduction and conversion of a Sikh girl Jagjit Kaur, daughter of Pathi (One who reads Holy Guru Granth Sahib in Gurudwara) of the Gurudwara. In another incident one Sikh youth Ravinder Singh, who was out on shopping for his marriage, was shot dead in Peshawar.
While these condemnable attacks took place on the Sikh minority in Pakistan, BJP was quick enough to jump to state that it is events like this which justify the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Incidentally CAA is the Act which is discriminatory and relates to citizenship with Religion, which is not as per the norms of Indian constitution. There are constant debates and propaganda that population of Hindus has come down drastically in Pakistan and Bangla Desh. Amit Shah, the Home minister stated that in Pakistan the population of Hindus has come down from 23% at the time of partition to 3.7% at present. And in Bangla Desh it has come down from 22% to present 8%.
While not denying the fact that the religious minorities are getting a rough deal in both these countries, the figures which are presented are totally off the mark. These figures don’t take into consideration the painful migrations, which took place at the time of partition and formation of Bangla Desh later. Pakistan census figures tell a different tale. Their first census was held in 1951. As per this census the overall percentage of Non Muslim in Pakistan (East and West together) was 14.2%, of this in West Pakistan (Now Pakistan) it was 3.44 and in Eat Pakistan it was 23.2. In the census held in Pakistan 1998 it became 3.72%. As far as Bangla Desh is concerned the share of Non Muslims has gone down from 23.2 (1951) to 9.6% in 2011.
The largest minority of Pakistan is Ahmadis, (https://minorityrights.org/country/pakistan/) who are close to 4 Million and are not recognised as Muslims in Pakistan. In Bangla Desh the major migrations of Hindus from Bangla Desh took place in the backdrop of Pakistan army’s atrocities in the then East Pakistan.
As far as UN data on refugees in India it went up by 17% between 2016-2019 and largest numbers were from Tibet and Sri Lanka. (https://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/migration/publication…)
The state of minorities is in a way the index of strength of democracy. Most South Asian Countries have not been able to sustain democratic values properly. In Pakistan, the Republic began with Jinnah’s classic speech where secularism was to be central credo of Pakistan. This 11th August speech was in a way what the state policy should be, as per which people of all faiths are free to practice their religion. Soon enough the logic of ‘Two Nation theory” and formation of Pakistan, a separate state for Muslim took over. Army stepped in and dictatorship was to reign there intermittently. Democratic elements were suppressed and the worst came when Zia Ul Haq Islamized the state in collusion with Maulanas. The army was already a strong presence in Pakistan. The popular formulation for Pakistan was that it is ruled by three A’s, Army, America and Allah (Mullah).
Bangla Desh had a different trajectory. Its very formation was a nail in the coffin of ‘two nation theory’; that religion can be the basis of a state. Bangla Desh did begin as a secular republic but communal forces and secular forces kept struggling for their dominance and in 1988 it also became Islamic republic. At another level Myanmar, in the grip of military dictatorship, with democratic elements trying to retain their presence is also seeing a hard battle. Democracy or not, the army and Sanghas (Buddhist Sang has) are strong, in Myanmar as well. The most visible result is persecution of Rohingya Muslims.
Similar phenomenon is dominating in Sri Lanka also where Budhhist Sanghas and army have strong say in the political affairs, irrespective of which Government is ruling. Muslim and Christian minorities are a big victim there, while Tamils (Hindus, Christians etc.) suffered the biggest damage as ethnic and religious minorities. India had the best prospect of democracy, pluralism and secularism flourishing here. The secular constitution, the outcome of India’s freedom struggle, the leadership of Gandhi and Nehru did ensure the rooting of democracy and secularism in a strong way.
India so far had best democratic credentials amongst all the south Asian countries. Despite that though the population of minorities rose mainly due to poverty and illiteracy, their overall marginalisation was order of the day, it went on worsening with the rise of communal forces, with communal forces resorting to identity issues, and indulging in propaganda against minorities.
While other South Asian countries should had followed India to focus more on infrastructure and political culture of liberalism, today India is following the footsteps of Pakistan. The retrograde march of India is most visible in the issues which have dominated the political space during last few years. Issues like Ram Temple, Ghar Wapasi, Love Jihad, Beef-Cow are now finding their peak in CAA.
India’s reversal towards a polity with religion’s identity dominating the political scene was nicely presented by the late Pakistani poetess Fahmida Riaz in her poem, Tum bhi Hum Jaise Nikle (You also turned out to be like us). While trying to resist communal forces has been an arduous task, it is becoming more difficult by the day. This phenomenon has been variously called, Fundamentalism, Communalism or religious nationalism among others. Surely it has nothing to do with the religion as practiced by the great Saint and Sufi traditions of India; it resorts mainly to political mobilization by using religion as a tool.
Comments
They didn't ask you to wear shorts or bikinis
They just said no bhurka
Once you join the college,you are meant yo follow rules.
If you are not ok with it join another college which respects your tradition
They didn't ask them to wear shorts or bikini,they just said no bhurka
Rules of college to be followed once you join it,if you are not ok with it join another college which respects your tradition
Some fools here don't know the constitutional rights of students and commenting asking to go to Muslim colleges. Then let the college announce that they cannot follow our indian constitution.....
I dint see all these people commenting where their cow gods are in trouble....specially kotiaan ....we will take care of our problems....you first settle your GO Gods problem first....ha ha ..arrange to clean the city from plastics and feed them with grass......good luck....
Neren when did you travel from Thailand to Singapur. Might be the Govt of Thailand refused to give shelter like Indian govt did to you Poor Naren. Next he will be HELL.
Me Naren Hindu Lady sanyasi also wearing towel on her head gujrathi and Rajasthan Hindu women without head covered not coming in front of elderly person Christian nuns also wearing hijab that means hijab his good for ladies. If purchased fish you are not taking naked fish without covering then how you allowd your mother or sister allied without covering head
Kotian. A simple example. Just read and understand
For kachra what u do. U will burn of course.
For treasure what u do. U will hide in the ground of course.
After dead some people burn them. As some people hid in the ground
Simple message is that it is because of the huge donations given by the muslims the school and colleges are being filled and if we muslims decide to send our children only to muslim institutions then the closure of many of the non-muslim institutions will be near.
Dear Danish,
Your comments shows how much knowledge you have about islamic countries. Just visit dubai and see how non muslims are practising their faith. Don't blame with half knowledge like our Feku.
NARENANNA .....We no longer require messenger like you ....we already have ADVANI anna .....who followewd Sharia by saying ....death penalty for Rapist
NAREN JOKES
What a boring and miserable person you are naren. We are fed up reading your comments and now we are taking it as narens jokes. Keep going you will be famous as sardar jokes one day .. Hahaha.
There is a pretty common story that a NON MUSLIM asked a MUSLIM man why Muslim women covers themselves in HIJAB.
He took a piece of CANDY , took it out of the wrapper and threw it on the Ground. Candy got dirty, ants came & swarmed it, etc...
He took another piece of CANDY that was wrapped and threw it on the Ground as well.
Then he asked the NON MUSLIM man if he wanted the wrapped candy or the unwrapped candy? He of course said the Wrapped ONE.
The unwrapped was to symbolize uncovered women... How they are walking through this filthy world.
The Covered women was symbolized by the Wrapped Candy which protected from the dirty things on earth.
Its your choice... to follow the divine msg or not.. Nobody is forced by GOD.
If the Virgin Mary appears wearing a Veil on all her pictures, How can you ask me to sign on a Hijab ban law?
Roberto Maroni (Italian Foreign & Labour Minister)
muslim education institutes are not on par with education , so they join hindu and christian owned ... so no place for sharia .. kick those out of college ... no mercy must be shown on jihadist encouraging activities ... we have seen deep penetration of islamic state element in the coastal . .. one banner showing they will teach lesson in their own terms ... fire pellet guns on them ...beter join madrasa guys ... go please hahaha...
A BJP MP rejected USA visa because they told him to remove turban for security check. He rejected the American visa instead.
Anybody to blame him? No, this is our culture.
If a girl wear half naked skits or tight jeans pant and breast showing clothes, then these so called educationists are happy.
Hijab is the right of a muslim girl. Turban is the right of Sikh students, in a secular country they have the right to observe their religious dress code.
better to boycott such kind of institutions and go for islamic colleges.
Finally chairman by self unveiled his mask. Hope if he continue his dirty mentality then his institution may lose his respect and not fit to educate our future generation.
It will be unfortunate to Great Nation
its not Group of Muslim Students.............it is CAMPUS FRONT OF INDIA
Beedi workers ( look at pic in which women has come along with her daughter ) ...2 faces I can make out they are from bunder involved in cattle thefts before ..correct taane faizahal Bhai ? Idara bagge nimge idea iratte ..haha ..salafists are getting lot of funds from wahabist countries ..so they are organising this .. Give them tc so that they can join their community owned collegese...comedy thing is minority particularly one community owned colleges and schools are not of good standards ...haha ...quality of teaching staff is not up to the level ...so they join colleges owned by Hindus and Christians .madrasa untalla babes ..go and join na ? Hahaha...
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