Sunday, June 29, 2003		Books

Globalisation, Hindu Nationalism & Christians in India
by Lancy Lobo. Rawat Publications, Jaipur. Pages 240. Rs 450.

THE last 20 years or so have been very critical in the contemporary history of India. Indian economy, politics and society have seen many new processes and trends emerging during this period. Globalisation and Hindu nationalism are two such important new phenomena that made their presence felt on the Indian scene during this period, more or less, simultaneously.

At the face of it they obviously appear contradictory. In a world dominated by US-led capitalism, globalisation would not only integrate Indian economy into the global market but would also inevitably bring with it Western values, leading to some kind of cultural homogenisation at the global level. The cultural agenda of Hindu nationalism, on the other hand, is openly sectarian. While it wants cultural homogenisation at the national level, in relation to the outside world it presents itself as a movement against "external" influences, economic or cultural.

The unfolding of these two processes has many implications for communities and their identities, for the majority as well as the minorities. Lobo contends that despite the obvious contradictions, the twin processes feed into each other. Globalisation creates a certain cultural homogenisation of the world expressed most clearly in the icons of consumption, invariably leading a sense of anxiety, which in turn gives boost to religious fundamentalist forces.

Lobo’s primary objective in the book is to look at the impact that these processes have on Christians in India. Though they constitute a very small proportion (around 2 percent) of the Indian population, their involvement with voluntary service has been significant. They provide nearly one-fourth of all such service in India. Apart from a large network of educational institutions, they also run hospitals and homes for the elderly and disabled. Though beneficiaries of their work come from all castes, creeds and cults, the Christian missionaries have worked most relentlessly among the tribal communities. Thanks to their work, some of the tribal communities such as those in Gujarat, have experienced some upward social mobility. Coupled with related processes of democratisation, tribals have become quite aware of their "rights". They are no longer willing to "be hoodwinked, cheated or alienated from their lands as easily as before". The losers are obviously the traditionally dominant groups. It is in this context that we ought to understand the growing incidence of violence against Christians, Lobo argues. In order to reinforce their domination, these erstwhile dominant sections use the anxiety generated by globalisation to mobilise religious sentiments against minorities. The only way to beat the missionaries is by using the conversion stick.

While the dominant Hindutva forces attack Christian missionaries, they are not willing to reform Hinduism. In fact, Lobo asserts that in most cases those among the tribals and dalits who have moved to Christianity have done so not merely because of the lure of the missionary but also due to the push of the hierarchical structure of the Hindu society. In its given social structure, it is difficult for Hindu society to integrate tribals. For example, what position will they be assigned in the traditional caste order?

Lobo is also critical of the Christian churches for their apolitical approach. Christian activists need to identify their enemies and friends and they can no longer avoid politics, he maintains. They ought to align with other minority groups and identify with the politics of lower castes. The Christian churches should also review critically the predominantly middle class orientation of their educational activities. The urban middle classes send their children to convent schools run by the Churches not because they want their children to learn Christian values but solely because of the quality of their teaching, particularly the English language, which helps the children make successful careers.

Church activists also need to get out of the old paternalistic attitude towards the poor and move to "a participatory approach" where individuals and communities are made to get involved as equal partners in the processes of deciding what is good for them. Such an approach is empowering, democratic and inclusive. Making people participate also requires sensitivity to local cultures. Most importantly such an approach will go along way in strengthening democracy at the grassroots level. The chances of extremist ideologies, such as Hindutva, gaining foothold in a democratic setting are much lesser than they are in a hierarchically divided and unjust society. Lobo’ s book is not a conventional sociological study of the processes of globalisation or the rise of Hindutva politics. He is not interested in identifying socio-economic or psycho-cultural factors that have given spurt to such politics in contemporary India. His is a passionate argument and appeal against the Hindutva politics/ideology and West-centric globalisation.