Hinduism and Buddhism - Aryan culture Oppressive Caste System in India  Exploitation of Women  Honor Killing of Women Conquerors of India Muslim Rule British Raj Independence Struggle Creation of Pakistan Sikh Struggle in India Persecution of Muslims in India  Creation of Bangladesh  Destruction of Mosques and Churches in India Holistic and Eastern Medicine Core Issue – Kashmir Dispute Restoration of Hindu and Sikh Temples in Pakistan Pauper Nuclear Powers of South Asia

Fundamentalism in India and Pakistan Part - 2 By Shah N. Khan Click here for Part 1 Independence Struggle At the end of the 19th century Independence struggle as non-violent political movement started in India. The founding father of Pakistan Muhammad Ali Jinnah had joined All India Congress. And Hindu, Muslim and Sikh leaders were united in their struggle for Independence of India from British rule. But the extremists in the ranks of Hindus and Muslims created misconceptions and distrust. Muslims were wary that Hindu politicians would make India a Hindu tyranny. They formed All India Muslim League and demanded partition of India and creation of Pakistan in four provinces in which Muslims were in majority. Pakistan came into being in 1947. India professes to be a secular democratic country but the Muslim minority in India comprising 12% of India's population were often threatened, persecuted and discriminated against in employment and as well as in business and industries.

Persecution of Muslims in India  India has a Muslim population of nearly 200 Million —the world's second largest after Indonesia but India's Muslims are faring terribly. They are disproportionately likely to be in prison, unemployed, illiterate and poor. The economic gap between Muslims and other religious groups is widening. Headlines refer to Muslims as the new dalits—the group,  known as “untouchables” for centuries, at the bottom of the Hindu-caste heap. Though majority of Indians believe in multiculturalism and democracy the strong and vocal Hindu political parties like RSS still dream of reviving Ashoka Empire and annexing Pakistan, parts of Iran and Afghanistan in the great Hindu empire. They often declare in public meetings that Muslims in India cannot be tolerated. They must convert to Hinduism or go to Pakistan. During the last decade over 12, 000 Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and Nagas have been killed and their homes looted and burned by Hindu extremists. And saner elements in India and Human Rights Organizations have pinpointed complicity of some Provincial Government with the Hindu militants in riots against Muslims. Hundreds of mosques and churches have been burned and destroyed. Destruction of Mosques and Churches in India Hindu extremist demolished the 500 years old Babri Mosque with the tacit approval of Indian BJP Government. Hundreds of Muslims were slaughtered in the ensuing riots in the mid 90s.  In place of Babri mosque a Hindu temple is being built and the land has not been given back to the trust of the mosque and Indian courts have adopted dilatory tactics and no decision has yet been given in spite of lapse of over 12 years but  L..K.Advani who is a BJP leader and was India's Deputy Prime Minister was acquitted by the court of his alleged involvement in the conspiracy for demolition of the Mosque. Advani in his usual style of double talk has been favoring in public meetings the building of Ram Mandir in place of Babri mosque. Human Right Organization of India has accused the Chief Minister of Gujrat for plotting to kill Muslims and the Hindu militants under the police protection burned alive hundreds of Muslims. He often instigates Hindus by blaming Muslims for creating law and order situation and conspiring with Pakistan's secret agents for terrorist attacks, whereas Human Rights Organizations in India have been accusing him of protecting the Hindu extremists who attack Muslims and loot their shops and homes and burn their mosques.  Holistic and Eastern Medicine Early civilization in the sub-continent recognized two categories of diseases:  those attributed to the influence of evil demons or spirits, and those involving physical disability. Magic or prayers to the Gods and recitation of names of deities was a large part of treatment, some of these old practices still persists among poor and ignorant classes and quakes still exploit ignorance of the poor and make money.  . In the Middle Ages Hindu Vaids and Muslim Hakims learned herbal treatment and their research and experience helped in evolution of two important branches of Eastern medicine. Though the modern Western medicine, diagnostic and surgical procedures have acquired dominance, still millions of people are cured by Vaids and Hakims. . Core Issue – Kashmir Dispute Since 1950 UN had made several attempts to resolve Kashmir dispute by holding a plebiscite to enable the Kashmiris to indicate their preference if they wished to join Pakistan or India or become independent. But India has constantly defied UN resolutions  and deployed over 700, 000 strong Army to occupy major part of Jammu and Kashmir. During past 59 years over 80, 000 Kashmiris have been killed by the Indian Armed forces. Killings, arson and rape occur daily in Indian occupied Kashmir. Over three million Kashmiris have been forced to leave their homes and take refuge in Azad Kashmir and Pakistan. Hundreds of Kashmiri leaders have been jailed in India on fictitious charges and many have been killed by the army or its secret service 'RAW" and made to look like infighting or the work of terrorists. To diver attention from the atrocities of Indian forces on people of occupied Kashmir, the Indian leaders constantly accuse Pakistan of sending terrorists to India, but refuse to accept the UN observers on the line of control separating Azad and occupied Kashmir. India has been recruiting and training terrorists from the tribes belonging to Afghan Northern Alliance for attacks in Pakistan. Terrorists from India also enter Pakistan in disguise. The situation in Kashmir is more explosive as almost half the population of Kashmir took refuge in Pakistan leaving behind their lands and property, which were allotted to Hindus.  Islamic Republic In 1947 India was partitioned and India and Pakistan became independent states. However vast Indian territory lied between East and West Pakistan. East Pakistan was part of Bengal and there were wide differences in culture and language but Islam was the basis of unity of Pakistan. It is alleged that ethnic hatred between East and West Pakistan was fanned by India. However, due to political instability and wide differences among politicians army generals exploited the situation and Pakistan has been under the rule of military dictators on three different occasions dismissing democratically elected Governments. The struggle for restoration of democracy culminated in 1972 in separation of the Eastern wing of Pakistan comprising of   that became Bangladesh in 1972.  Under the constitution of Pakistan, all laws of the State must conform to the ideals of Quran and Sunnah but the progress in this regard has been slow. Contrary to popular belief in the West Islam, is not opposed to modernity and pluralism. Holy Quran and Sunnah lay down broad principles for building a just Society and also for good governance in which the minorities are allowed full freedom for social and religious customs and equal opportunities for justice and employment.  To me the systems of Governance, justice and accountability in USA for their own people appear to be closer to Islamic Ideals than most of the so-called Islamic states. Although majority of the people of Pakistan believe in moderation and have progressive and enlightened outlook for progress in a pluralistic society there is a small but very vocal minority of extremists. Though they are not hard-liners as the Taliban regime was in Afghanistan, to a much lesser degree the orthodoxy dominate in Islamic political parties of Pakistan. For instance in NWFP they prescribed Shalwar-Kamiz as school uniform instead of pant and shirt as if Shalwar is the Islamic dress. Improving education standards and removing illiteracy and ignorance is the need of time.  The supporters of Islamic Political parties damaged the billboards merely because they were displaying pictures of beautiful models, whereas it is incumbent on an Islamic State to protect the citizen's property. The plea of some religious parties to enforce Shari'a without resolving difference of opinions and without dove-tailing that with the modern courts of law is like going back to medieval ages.  But it is sanguine that they have not demanded compulsory use of veil or burqa in public places by Muslim women as Taliban had done in Afghanistan.  Destruction and Restoration of Hindu and Sikh Temples in Pakistan In 1947 as a result of partition of Punjab communal riots erupted and Hindus and Sikhs migrated to Indian Punjab and Muslims from Indian Punjab to Pakistan. Many places of worship on both sides were destroyed or taken over for use for their purposes. Many Muslim women were abducted in Indian Punjab and similarly many Hindu and Sikh women remained with their abductors. Their rape and forcing them into prostitution or keeping them as domestic servants is black chapter in the history of the sub-continent. When sanity prevailed and influx of refugees subsided, both the Governments of India and Pakistan agreed to exchange estranged or abducted women and rehabilitate them and restore the places of worship.  Both Bible and Quran prohibit usury. The Muslim bigots think the even banking interest is usury and the thinking of some Muslim politicians for abolishing interest from our banking system before modifying the monetary system is like putting the cart before the horse for State Bank is following FIAT (paper currency) system without any commodity base (like that of gold) that in itself is usurious as the purchasing power of the Rupee continues to decline with printing of new notes and deficit financing. At the dawn of Islam silver and gold coins were used as money and not paper currency. We need to shift to commodity base currency system before we abolish the interest. However, we should not allow any bank to charge more interest than that they give on their deposits. At least we must have anti-usury laws as they have in many states of America. .  The majority of Pakistanis are moderate and think that the religious political parties must work to promote tolerance and pluralism and help in modernizing our society by taking advantage of the great advancements in science and technology as well all the fields  including social and political science. Bigotry and despotism is being increasingly criticized not only the politicians but also the writers, poets and intellectuals who think that some of our so-called Muftis would like to shut our women behind burqa, demolish billboards and prohibit advertisements carrying the pictures of beautiful models, prohibit wearing shirt, pants or suits in Government offices, ban music and dancing, close insurance business, abolish banking Interest without realizing that Fiat (paper currency system) by itself is usurious and provision for loss of purchasing power has to be made. They gleefully get their pictures published or beamed on TV ignoring the hadiths about pictures. They ignore or interpret irrationally the hadiths or verses of Holy Qurant in a way that suits their purpose .  Pauper Nuclear Powers of South Asia  The real problems of South Asian countries are poverty and ignorance of its masses and exploitation by the corrupt civil servants, politicians, religious leaders, feudal lords as well as businessmen and industrialists as also the trade union leaders and in some areas tribal chiefs. General lack of unity and cohesion among the masses does not help in establishment of effective and strong institutions. Elite live lavishly but among the masses misery and want remain the foundation of the social structure, hunger and lack of shelter is common, disease pervasive, thievery normal, and graft and corruption taken for granted. Family fueds and revenge  or honor killings are frequent. Foreign infiltrators and drug smugglers exploit the situation. Both India and Pakistan have been spending heavily on armed build up. That has thwarted economic development and the problem of poverty and ignorance of masses remain unsolved. The funds that were allocated for making atom bomb would have solved many problems. Such as non availability of clean water, lack of health care in rural areas where thousands of children die due to undernourishment every day.  Both India and Pakistan are nuclear powers and have fought two wars. Before Pakistan acquired nuclear capability the aggressive attitude of India indicated their support to the old dream of Hindu militants for an empire like Ashoka Empire sprawling from Assam to Afghanistan and parts of Persia. The majority of people of India and Pakistan believe in moderation, peace and progress and would like to see friendly ties develop between their countries. Because of influence of US and other Western powers the leaders in the sub-continent negotiations have started in order to solve all disputes by dialogue. In some circles thinking is developing that India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan who are member of the SARC (South Asian Regional Cooperation) should for a union on the lines of European Union. (The end)