Hindustan Times ST (Jaipur)

You’ve said that the greater emphasis on a particular identity the greater will be the emphasis on the exclusion of the other. This is true in the case of Muslims in India. But there also seems to be a push in India today to broaden the idea of Indian ide

-

A bigger emphasis on a particular identity can exclude others as is happening today. With the emphasis on Hindus – and that too not all Hindus but those with a particular pattern of life – being the primary inheritors of Indian culture, and with history being projected as that of the majority community, there is a further marginaliz­ation of the minorities. Those such as Dalits and Adivasis who are not Muslims and Christians, are sought to be brought into the majoritari­an mainstream by converting them to Hinduism. It is ironic that religious conversion to Islam or Christiani­ty is deplored and

Differenti­ated religious laws being incorporat­ed into civil codes undermines secular society. Eventually a new civil code should replace the religious codes and be brought into practice. OF THE NORTHEAST

thought he was a ‘safe’ judge. General V Raghavan would represent the army’s interests; Dr Nakade was a friend of the Home Minister and PP Shrivastav was a home ministry person. Sanjoy Hazarika was in a minority. How were we to know that he would turn everyone to his side? Now, we are stuck with a report we can’t implement.”

“I thought Narayanan’s remark was one of the greatest compliment­s I had received,” he recorded.

This remark also nicely illustrate­s Delhi’s cynical strategy in “managing” the turmoil in the Northeast through the past

 ?? PHOTO ?? Mizo leader Laldenga in 1986 at a peace camp near Aizawl for the rehabilita­tion of Mizo National Army personnelH­T
PHOTO Mizo leader Laldenga in 1986 at a peace camp near Aizawl for the rehabilita­tion of Mizo National Army personnelH­T

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from India