Alienation of India’s minorities

India, a multi-lingual and a multi-religious country, is facing a fresh storm over the government and the majority’s treatment of its minorities. A pluralistic society in character, the Indian government, now run by the Modi Sarkar, is at the centre of the melee. According to the figures available, some 82 percent of the total population is Hindu, around 11 percent Muslims, Christians (2.32pc), Sikhs (2pc), Buddhists (0.77pc), Jains (0.41pc) and others (0.43pc).
However, doubts exist about the authenticity of these figures as it is believed that the Muslim population has been significantly reduced in population censuses.
One side of the equation shows the socio-economic fabric of the Indian society is multifaceted as the country is divided not only among the majority and minorities but also castes, regional cultures, ethnicity, religions, etc. Then there are sub-divisions and divisions within sub-divisions in the society.
It is claimed that all the people falling under the minority communities in India get benefits in education and employment opportunities. However, this is largely untrue. Also, the minorities commissions formed in states of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chattisgarh, Delhi, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal to look after the issues related to minorities in respective states have been mostly ineffective.
A major problem for minorities in India is the issue of separate identity as a result of differences in history and backgrounds besides prevalent socio-cultural practices. They are unable to adjust with the majority community.
Then there is an acute problem of feeling of insecurity, which has heightened over the years. In fact, since independence, the minorities are at the mercy of the majority community as exposed by thousands of deaths in bouts of communal violence. Members of the minorities lost their lives and livelihood in these clashes and the ugly practice continues with the Indian government turning a blind eye to the issue.
There have been numerous examples of state sponsored campaigns of communal violence that has plagued the Indian society. The Rajiv Gandhi government failed to provide security to the Sikh community in New Delhi after the assassination of prime minister Indira Gandhi in 1984. The government of Indian Gujarat looked the other way as Muslims were indiscriminately killed in the 2002 communal violence. While these are some major examples, violence against the minorities on a smaller scale continues every day.
The growing discrimination in the Indian society has denied the minorities opportunities for development. While there have been some members of minorities who have risen to the top posts, such people are very few in proportion to the numbers and strength of their community.
While India claims itself as a secular country and declares that the very spirit of its Constitution is secular, the practice by subsequent governments and political parties has been otherwise. Repeated incidents of religious violence and against minorities have shown that no political party is sincere towards the goal of secularism. The sinister efforts by the Modi government to politicise communal issues, make common cause and take political advantage out of it will create further polarisation in the Indian society. The claims of being a geographically sprawling and diverse democracy are under severe strain. It is something the today’s world cannot ignore or overlook.