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Looking at Riots

Looking at Riots

Author: M. V. Kamath
Publication: The Free Press Journal
Date: June 6, 2004

Book review of Islam and religious riots (A case study) By R. N. P. Singh 364pp. Delhi: India First foundation, Rs.500.

One does not expect Sonia Gandhi to have time to read looks but whenever she finds it, she must manage to read books life M.J. Akbar's Riot After riot, Pirata Venkateshwarlu's Red Terrorism in India (remember she is getting the support of the leftist parties) and now, the latest, R.N.P. Singh's Islam and Religious riots: A Case Study.

Should she engage herself in this self-educational activity, she might be more careful in using a word like 'secular' when she refers to her party or partymen. Singh's book has a sub-title: "Riots & Wrongs, which tells it all. Singh, incidentally, is not just anybody. If he speaks with authority, it is because he is an ex-officer of the Intelligence Bureau, has been the recipient of the Indian Police Medal and the President's Police medal. Just as importantly, this book carries a Forward by K.P.S. Gill, former DGP of Punhab. Gill is very forthright in his comments.

He writes, "Much of the secular discourse in India has been based on a politically correct refusal to confront the nature of religious communities and institutions and their past and present activities; and on the fiction that 'all religions are equal' and that their inherent message is the same. The truth is, unless communities acknowledge reality warts and all and recognize the transgressions of their own history within a constructive context, no real solution to the issue of communal polarization and violence in India can be brought about".

This is telling the truth.

It was under a secular congress government's presence in Uttar Pradesh that police arrested some seventy odd Muslims and unhesitatingly shot them all without trial and had their bodies thrown into the river. In Delhi there was a secular Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi them. Singh's case study of religious riots in India is comprehensive and is probably the first book of its kind, at least in recent times. It is divided into four parts.

Part I takes a fresh look at Islam and Conflicts. Part II makes an inquiry into why Hindu-Muslim synthesis has failed and studies why peace co-existence with other communities is anathema to Islam. Part III deals with communalism and communal riots and what the author calls "single dimensional approach to riots". It also makes an effort at taking a realistic perspective of communal riots. Art IV consists of chronological overview of all communal riots I India for over two centuries beginning at a time when there was no BJP, no VHP, no RSS and no Narendra Modi.

Unless one studies this background to communal violence, due will never he able to understand contemporary life in India. Then, of course, there are appendices and tables in connection with communal riots. This is the work of a scholar and an expert. The accompanying bibliography clearly indicates that Singh has taken his job seriously and read widely. There is one glaring omission in the book through. Singh does not write about the events that followed the assassination of Indira Gandhi and the ruthless killing of hundreds of Sikhs by Congressmen.

In fact more people were killed in the anti-Sikh riots that followed than were killed in Gujarat following the Godhra incineration of over fifty Hindu women and children in a railway coach. Singh dismisses it as an "unfortunate Hindu-Sikh riot", somewhat rare. He may argue that this book is about Islam and religious riots, which would be a weak argument for not exposing congress misdeeds, but let that, go. Singh says that the term 'communal riots' in the Indian context is generally used to refer to clashes between Hindus and Muslims and harbours an in-built religious connotation.

Conventional wisdom attributes the malaise, says Singh, to the British strategy of 'divide and rule' implemented in the wake of the first struggle for freedom in 1857. That is party true. Yes the British did attempt to separate Hindus and Muslims to keep both under subjugation but there have been riots in India even before the British consolidation their power in this country. It is interesting to learn that the "first communal riot" took place in Ahmedabad in 1713. That by itself calls for further study. Gujarat, it seems, has been peculiarly susceptible to communal riots and there have been riots in Ahmedabad in 1730, in 1937, and some other times. But Hindu-Muslim riots have had an all-India character, riots having taken place in 1806, 1809, 1813, 1820, 1833, 1837, 1850, 1853 and so right upto 1897.

Singh believes that the post-independence riots were "perhaps due to the Hindus' heightened distrust towards Muslims and vice versa" and that "the typical Muslim outlook towards nationality, nationalism and a soft corner for the partitioned part that is, Pakistan, further fuelled it". And he adds, "The Muslims who stayed back in India were perhaps hopeful of further partitions of India if the situation so demanded". To buttress this point Singh adds: "Shortly after partition, the views of one Qamarudding Khan, spokesperson of Oligarch Muslim University, appears in Light of Lahore. It advised the Indian Muslims to lie low for some time owing to tactical reasons and that soon they should stand up for a similar cause, that is to demand partition of Muslim majority areas of India". Wrote Qamruddin Khan: "The five crore Muslims who were compelled to stay back in India would d have to fight for another freedom struggle. The fight would be mainly fought on the eastern end and th! e western areas bordering Pakistan did not mean that the Indian Muslims would invite Pakistan for help. However, it was certain that Pakistan's presence in the neighbourhood would embolden the Muslims. The Indian Muslims have half the battle and for total victory they will have to scheme out another plan".

Further Qamruddin Khan wrote: "At the moment, the Muslims should refrain from politically confronting the Hindus . After a while the Indian Muslims should try to develop concentrated pockets. The Indian Muslims should maintain close relations with Pakistan and for running organizations, they should take help from them". Can this possibly be one explanation why there have been to many communal riots in Gujarat, which, incidentally is geographically close to Paistan? Out secularists and liberals must study this further. Singh's book is an excellent introduction to the subject He refers to the Khalistani Movement to Punjab, Pakistan's support to it and the involvement of the ISI in Indian affairs.

This is a book for our editors to read and digest. Perhaps they will be better able then, to appreciate Narendra Modi and the affairs in Gujarat a little better.
 


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