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| Tuesday, 18 May 2004 |
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Secularism's moment of triumph Asia watch by Lynn Ockersz By bringing the "grand old party of India" - as the Congress party is described - back to power, the Indian voter has not only protested unequal prosperity but spoken emphatically for a full re-instatement of secularism or cultural and religious equality.
Although it needs to be admitted that outgoing Premier Atal Beharee Vajpayee had managed to keep the lid on deliberately - churned Hindu militancy and extremism during his years in power, India's secular identity did take a beating an account of the patronage which was extended to Hindu extremism by some sections of his administration. Vajpayee, for instance, did a delicate, tight-rope walk on the explosive Ram temple issue but the question was constantly kept alive by some dominant interests which sought to translate anti-Muslim sentiments into votes. They succeeded considerably in Gujarat, for instance, where the BJP managed to acquire power in state assembly polls two years ago in the wake of massive anti-Muslim riots which were triggered by religious extremists in the state. By returning the Congress to power, the majority of Indian voters are showing their preference for not only a development style which attaches priority to economic equity and greater concern for the so-called economic underclass, but are urging a return to India's founding ideal of secularism or religious equality. As the party which spearheaded India's campaign for independence and which had a hand in shaping Independent India's foundational values, the Congress is being seen by the majority of Indian voters as the party which is most suitable to usher in a period of economic and social stability. The substantial endorsement of Italian-born Sonia Gandhi as the foremost political leader of India, bears this out even further. It was the endeavour of sections of the BJP and its allies to project Sonia Gandhi as unfit to lead India on account of her "foreign" origins. It may be recalled by the reader that this issue was discussed in this column sometime back when the question was raised: "Who is an Indian?" Could "Indianness" - it may be asked afresh - be equated with only those inhabitants of India who speak the majority language and profess the majority religion? If the latter question is answered in the affirmative - as Sonia Gandhi's political opponents are trying to do - Indian secularism which upholds religious and cultural equality would be seriously eroded. By voting for the Congress and Sonia Gandhi, however, the Indian voter has rejected the anti-minorities agenda of the critics of Indian secularism and re-endorsed India's founding ideals of equitable development and religious and cultural equality. In other words, Hindu communalist forces today stand rejected by the majority of the Indian electorate. This aspect of the Congress triumph cannot be emphasised enough. This Indian electoral verdict is one of the clearest indicators of present times that an ultra-nationalist agenda wouldn't have many takers for long in the South Asian context. To be sure, ultra nationalist forces have been registering some gains in recent times in this part of the world but it is an open question whether they would be able to hold sway over voters for long. This is on account of the increasing political assertiveness of communities - particularly those considered "minorities" - in the South Asian scene. Those "older" parties and their coalitions seeking to rule in South Asia or prolong their tenures, have no choice but to seek accommodations and power - sharing arrangements with "ethnic" parties which are at present proliferating. This consideration would force on these "older" parties a culture of inclusiveness which implicitly upholds secularism or the separation between State and religion. |
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