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Symbols: How France can pursue its ON RECORD |
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PROFILE
KASHMIR DIARY
REFLECTIONS
DIVERSITIES — DELHI LETTER
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Symbols: How France can pursue its secular agenda PRESIDENT Jacques Chirac and the Cabinet of France adopted on January 28, 2004 a Bill for parliamentary approval to “ban conspicuous religious symbols in public schools.” The proposed law aims to “ban religious symbols like Muslim veils, Jewish skull caps and large Christian crosses from public schools” on the plea that religious symbols should not be displayed by the believers in secular public educational institutions. The current debate in France in particular and protests by minority religious groups in other European countries in general, on the issue of proper balance between the idea of banishment of religion and its symbols to the private domain and proper respect for the rights of cultural minorities to publicly identify themselves through their religious symbols is a result of mismatch between the mainstream secular population and minorities which are at the margins of society. The moot question is: should a secular state impose its dicta on social groups who are not fully prepared to accept the mainstream secular value system? What is the task of a secular state if some important segments of society are intellectually and culturally not in tune with the mainstream public values of secularism? A special problem for Europe, which it cannot ignore, concerns the immigrant populations and ethnic minorities. Every European country, including France, has peoples and ethnic groups from erstwhile colonies living in the metropolises. A train to Europe, cutting across various countries, consists of passengers, belonging to Asia, Africa and Arab countries who may be third or fourth generation German Turks or French Algerians or British Asians. These minority groups feel very happy in extremely tolerant, democratic and secular European societies because Right wing religious and racist groups are always targeting the immigrant populations. French have their own very powerful anti-immigrant Right wing parties and politicians. How can the French state ignore the specific insecurities of the marginal cultural groups in the name of implementation of the pure model of French secularism? Cultural minority groups will be completely submerged in a mechanical mainstream hegemonic secular model which is in basic conflict with the other fundamental value of democracy i.e. pluralism. Have the European secular states anything to learn from Indian philosophy and parix of secularism? While cultural pluralism is not an imposition in an accommodative model of secularism as practised in India it is in conflict with the monolithic model of French secularism. A composite model of secularism like that of India provides spaces to cultural minorities to enjoy cultural freedoms because society has to accommodate multiple groups which are at different stages of their intellectual and material development. Every cultural group in France is not equally committed to the highest values of French Enlightenment, and it is particularly true about immigrant ethnic cultural minorities who have migrated from erstwhile colonies of Africa to the metropolitan France. The French must cope with real social problem of unequal levels of cultural consciousness among multiple ethnic groups while implementing their secular agenda. India has a lesson to teach the French when Nehru piloted the Hindu Code Bill and he did not touch Muslim minority Personal Civil Law because the Muslim minority was not intellectually and materially ready to accept such a secular law of the State. Gandhi elaborated on Indian secularism when he observed: “The State would look after your secular welfare, health, communications, foreign relations currency, and so on, but not your or my religion. That is everybody’s personal concern”. This philosophy of Indian secularism is reflected in Article 15 of the Constitution which states that ‘The State shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion, caste, sex....” and Article 15 is reconciled with Articles 25-28 which guarantee to every citizen the “Freedom of Conscience and Free Profession, Practice and Propagation of Religion.” Article 29 states that “The State shall not impose upon it any culture other than the community’s own culture.” India synthesised the architecture of secular state with the reality of cultural pluralism and religious diversities. Cultural minority groups in France have apprehensions from secular majoritarians and the task of the state is to give a lot of time to immigrant ethnic groups to come to the level of an average French mainstream population. Any social legislation has to keep in mind the stage of development of social group which is going to be impacted by it and the French state is caught in such a situation of its own making where it is not able to make secularism co-habit with ethnic multiculturalism. When state leadership is advanced of the stage of development of cultural world view of minorities, even its well-intentioned steps, create a fear among the minorities and the French state has made cultural minorities insecure in its zeal to impose the Enlightenment model of hegemonic secularism. If all groups were prepared to accept such a law, the law would have been irrelevant and not at all required. Since minorities have expressed great apprehensions, it is for the French state to understand that ethnic minorities will need more time to come to terms with mainstream secular culture of France. Finally, it deserves to be stated that a secular state has to do a tightrope walking while reconciling the complex interests of diverse cultural and religious groups and their religious feelings. A warning should be given that religious fundamentalists are always ready to fish in to the troubled waters. Priestly class is always ready to jump with a slogan “religion is in danger” whenever any reform measure is undertaken by the secular state. These are the dilemmas of social reality which have to be kept in mind by the public policy makers. European cultural and religious minorities also feel insecure at a time when the thesis of “Clash of Civilisation” has been interpreted in the light of historic contest between Christianity and Islam. Islam is under siege in Europe and America because of the protagonists of the thesis of “clash” among the major religions of the world. This social context is hardly conducive to France’s reformist secularists or other European countries. The writer is former Professor of Political Science, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi |
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ON RECORD
A well known lawyer, former Additional Soliciter-General and Rajya member MP, Ashwani Kumar has been associated with the Congress party since the seventies. He is presently the chairman of the AICC Vichar Vibhag and is on the Congress party’s panel of spokespersons. Describing the BJP-led NDA as a National Debilitating Alliance, he observes that the party with a difference cannot think beyond a non-issue of Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s foreign origin. Excerpts: Q: The BJP has, once again, raised the issue of Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s foreign origin. There is also a legal view that her Indian citizenship is shaky as she has acquired it through an executive order which can be withdrawn. A:
The foreign origin issue of Congress president Sonia Gandhi which the BJP has declared as the centrepiece of its campaign demonstrates the political bankruptcy of the BJP-led NDA alliance which I would term as the National Debilitating Alliance. It is ironic that a party which claims to be a party with a difference and touted an original agenda for the nation cannot think beyond a non-issue. Sonia Gandhi, of her own volition and not as an accident of birth, chose to become a citizen of India over 32 years ago when she had no political role for herself in mind. That the people of India have accepted her credentials as an Indian has been repeatedly demonstrated in the court of the people. She is the undisputed leader of India’s oldest political party with which the values of the Republic are associated. As far as the legal argument regarding her citizenship is concerned, particularly the ones which appeared in The Tribune articles, I can only say that the argument is legally flawed to the core. The Constitution of India as well as the Citizenship Act under which Mrs Gandhi was accorded citizenship do not make any distinction as to the incidences thereof on the basis of the mode of acquisition of citizenship. It would be a travesty of the provisions of law to argue that there is a superior and an inferior quality of citizenship as argued in the articles in The Tribune. In fact, the reasoning expounded in these articles was also advanced in a Supreme Court judgement which eventually dismissed the challenge for the same reasons. All I can say is that legal arguments are invented from time to time to question in vain the inescapable reality that Mrs Sonia Gandhi is today accepted as a citizen of India. Q: Now that the leadership issue of the alliance being put together by the Congress has been left open, how would you counter the BJP campaign of “Atal versus a question mark”? A: Just as water finds it own level on every terrain, the people of India will be able to identify their next Prime Minister through consensus and collective wisdom of the leadership of the secular alliance. As far as Mrs Gandhi is concerned, she is the only and undisputed choice of the Congress party. But as the Congress president stated herself, the decision as to the next Prime Miniter will be taken collectively in consultation with all concerned. You will recall that a question used to be asked “After Nehru Who?” and, at that time, it seemed a pertinent question to ask. And yet the nation did produce successive leaders, most of whom were Congress leaders. This time also, I believe, there will be no difficulty in choosing a leader of the secular alliance post-elections. The star campaigner of the Congress will be Mrs Sonia Gandhi and after the secular alliance secures a majority in Parliament, if circumstances so warrant, the Congress will facilitate a selection of the Prime Minister from amongst the allies. Q: Don’t you think that the Congress party’s campaign on Bofors could prove counter-productive? The BJP has already begun to say that all those who were in the forefront of the campaign in the late eighties are now your allies. What is your response? A: The judicial and decisive exoneration of Rajiv Gandhi in the Bofors case has vindicated his statement in the Lok Sabha that the allegations against him in this case were wrong. This decision, vindicating a much maligned and tormented Rajiv Gandhi, is certainly not a matter of mere legality but one that touches an emotional chord among countrymen. Q: The Congress party’s efforts in forging a secular alliance have run into trouble with the Bahujan Samaj Party staying away. The Congress has lost ground in several states...how do you rate your party’s prospects in the coming Lok Sabha poll? A:
Taking a holistic view of the national situation and considering that the Congress tally in the 1999 elections was its lowest, we can only go up from these numbers. Taking into consideration the track record of governance by the NDA government at the Centre, the BJP and its parties can be reasonably expected to lose a large number of seats presently held by them. The other reality is that in states like Delhi, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan etc where we have a few seats in the Lok Sabha, we can reasonably hope to do better. If anti-incumbency could work against us in the assembly elections, there is no reason why the electorate should not call into account the acts of omission and commission by the NDA government. We have in place winning and credible alliances in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and hope to clinch winning alliances and seat adjustments with other parties, including the BSP. Even if two-thirds of our proposed alliances fructify, of which I have no doubt that the Congress and its allies will register a decisive victory in the elections. Q: The BJP’s poll campaign appears to have got off to a flying start. What are the issues the Congress plans to take to the people? A: The Congress will come forward with a vision statement for the future of India very shortly. We propose to go to the people on an agenda of national renewal and reconstruction on the basis of the party’s policies and ideology. We will promise hope to the younger generation and also tell the people that a new Congress represents the aspirations of a young and progressive India, a Congress which is internally united and confident of optimising its potential. Q: You say the Congress is internally united but what about the dissidence in states like Punjab? Won’t you have to pay a heavy price for the factional battle in the state units? A:
The dissidence in the Punjab Congress in the last few weeks has not helped but that situation is now behind us. A united Congress under the leadership of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh is determined to inflict a crushing defeat on the Akali Dal-BJP alliance. Keeping aside the pressures of factional politics, the Congress will field the most acceptable candidates to contest the Lok Sabha elections. |
PROFILE
His meeting with the Mayor of Hongzhou City, Mao Linsheng and talks with Vice-Mayor of Shanghai, Zhou
Yupeng, who is in charge of foreign trade, opened prospects of Tata group, expanding their business there. Beijing has evinced interest in Indian investment in its booming auto, steel and hospitality areas. On his part, Tata sees potential in exporting auto components from China and developing a joint auto product venture. Ratan Tata is India’s industrial giant. A qualified architect and pilot, he joined the Tata group when he was barely 23. He worked hard with an unmatched dedication to go up the ladder. It is said that JRD Tata patronised his nephew because of his “modern mind” and extraordinary acumen. So impressed was the elder Tata with Ratan’s performance that he nominated him in 1991 as head of the Tata group with the mandate to consolidate the group’s various business activities. The nephew did so beyond his uncle’s expectations. Had JRD been alive today, he would have been surprised by the achievements of the group, the latest being Tata Indica. The first and mass-market car designed and built by an Indian company, was Ratan Tata’s brain child. Recall the days of the Trinity — Ambassador, Premier-Fiat and Standard — when one scrambled to spend hard-earned money and begged for a car with all its defects. The dealers too treated the customers with disdain. Indica has put India on the world auto-map with Ratan Tata’s conviction that “India is capable of doing anything it wishes to do if you do not constrain the people”. From this premise of faith rose a master plan with sound business sense and Ratan Tata committed his company to developing an original Indian car. Inspired by the confidence of the Chief, Telco team rolled up its sleeve and put its head down on the job. A team of over 700 engineers, who had never worked on a car before, developed a prototype at a cost of Rs 280 crore. An unused Nissan plant bought in Australia was cut up into about 800 containers and reassembled in Pune. Telco engineers robotised the assembly plant with a high degree of automation. This level of automation had never before done in India. The plant has now produced over one lakh cars, making over 250 cars a shift, or one car every 105-130 seconds, it is claimed. Born in Mumbai, Ratan Tata received the Bachelor of Science degree in Architecture and Structural Engineering from Cornell University in 1962. He also completed the Advanced Management Programme at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Business Administration in 1974-75. Joining the Tata Group in 1962, he worked his way through various companies before being appointed Director in charge of Nelco in 1971 and Chairman of Tata Industries in 1981. Ratan rose to the top in 1991 having been nominated Chairman of Tata Sons, the group holding company by
JRD. Ratan is taking the Tata’s empire from strength to strength. He is now venturing into China in a big way and negotiating with several Chinese steel firms including
Baosteel. If the deal is clinched, it would enable intermediary steel products to be shipped from India to China where they could be finished. |
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KASHMIR DIARY
LARGELY unnoticed by people elsewhere, much of Kashmir observed a bandh last Wednesday. It was the 20th death anniversary of Maqbool Butt and the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front had called for all shops and other establishments to close. It might seem like just another in the string of protest closures that have become integral to Kashmiri life but, at a time when peace negotiations are underway, it was significant. For Maqbool Butt, more than any other Kashmiri, symbolises the demand for independence from both India and Pakistan. In the decades when most of the groups contesting Kashmir’s accession to India were dedicated to Pakistan, Butt was the most dynamic of those who openly espoused the establishment of an independent Kashmir. To be sure, State Department records show that Sheikh Abdullah had the same goal in mind during discussions with Loy Henderson, the US Ambassador to India in the early fifties, but Abdullah fought shy of talking to other Kashmiris about the possibility. It was Butt who, having participated in the founding at Muzaffarabad of the Jammu and Kashmir National Liberation Front — which became the JKLF — arrived in the valley in 1966 to push the independence idea. He was 22 when he had crossed the Ceasefire Line in 1958 and worked as a journalist in Peshawar for a few years. Some Kashmiris say Butt also spent time in China. Whether or not that is true, Butt was almost certainly a Leftist thinker with modernist ideas, inspired by nationalism rather than religious zeal. He was arrested while he was in the valley in 1966 and convicted of the murder of an Intelligence man who had slipped into his little group but he escaped from jail and returned to Muzaffarabad. There he was arrested again and tortured, suspected of being an Indian agent, but his determination remained undimmed. He returned to the valley in 1978 to make fresh efforts to drum up support for insurrection. He told people like Shabir Shah and Hazl-ul Haq Qureshi — a member of the Hurriyat team that met Prime Minister Vajpayee last month — that he would arrange arms and funding if they could get an insurrection going. They got cold feet, however, and Butt was arrested again, for killing the manager of a bank that he and his associates were trying to rob. Butt remained in jail for a few years but was hanged after a group of JKLF leaders, led by Amanullah Khan, killed an Indian diplomat in London. It is important for people in both India and Pakistan to become familiar with the little-known figure of Butt, for he more than anyone else is a powerful symbol of the Kashmiris’ sentiment for independence. The JKLF has no militant clout now and its influence is of no greater impact than that of a minor political group. So last week’s response to its call must reflect a widespread sentiment among the Kashmiri people. Ironically, a bandh call when Butt was hanged in Delhi’s Tihar jail had barely any impact in Srinagar. Shops shut in some towns in the north of the valley, closer to Butt’s home in Trehgam, but very few in Srinagar were then concerned about Butt or what he represented. Even when some university students tried to organise a demonstration to mark the 40th day of his death, barely a hundred participated. That was 20 years ago. Clearly, the Kashmiri mood has changed since. Tacticians in both India and Pakistan might hope that they can divide the state of Jammu and Kashmir between themselves, drawing a line northwest or southeast of the Kashmir valley, but the Kashmiri population of the valley — at the heart of the problem — have other ideas. It is counterproductive to turn a blind eye to these ideas, for Butt’s iconic memory could keep the flame of insurrection alive against either India or Pakistan or both. The popular observance of this anniversary shows that most Kashmiris have not given up on the dream of independence even though the international mood has turned inimical. The US at least would probably not want to help in the creation of one more Islamic state, and that is how the world has come to view the Kashmiri movement. Butt’s ideology was very different but, over the past decade-and-a-half, overzealous ISI officers turned the movement he sparked into a jihad, hamhandedly replicating many of the ideological patterns that were developed for Afghanistan. The Kashmiri people cannot pin the blame entirely on the ISI’s handling of its aid to their movement, however. The majority went thoughtlessly along when a host of swashbuckling Kashmiris heroes set themselves up as commanders of outfits in 1989-90 that sought to rival the JKLF, the spearhead of the insurgency against India. Even greater
damage was done to Kashmiri nationalism in recent years, when most people stood by as the ISI sent hardcore Islamists from the madarsas of the Jamiat-e-Ulema Islami and the Dawat-e-Irshad, under the banners of the various Harkat outfits and the Lashkar-e-Tayyiba respectively. Now that global currents have turned vigorously against such groups, Kashmiris find themselves hoist on their petard. |
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REFLECTIONS MY United Nations office had received a copy of the NREyes. (Pravasi Bharatiya): Profiles in Success. A select gallery of successful Non Resident Indians who became Pole Stars for the country of their roots as well as of their current residence. I got reading this compilation. Each of the persons profiled is in some many ways unique and universal, which inspired me to share through this piece of writing what would be an equal inspiration for others. Allow me to highlight the select few. I am inclined to begin with Deepak Chopra: To a question: What is your work ethic? This is what he said… “Do something that means something to you. Which also has a meaning and purpose for others. But it must be enjoyed; if it is a drag, don’t do it! When you express your unique talent in your unique way and have a relationship with the larger web of life, you accomplish a lot…” Next question…. Would you have changed anything in your life? “ …I believe in spontaneous right action. I believe in circumstances presenting themselves to you for a specified reason. And if you’re alert to what’s happening around you, then you make a certain choice, and that one choice spins off a series of events that unfold from eternity.” Now to Kawal Rekhi…also called the Godfather of the Silicon Valley’s Indian conglomerate. “I do not invest in ideas I invest in people.” …. At the end of the day you don’t measure your success by how much money you made. It’s how much good you did. It’s what my children think of me, what my fellow-human beings think…” Now to Rajat Gupta…of the McKinsey fame. To a question… Is there a book or a person who has influenced your life? “My father was Gandhian and very involved in the independence struggle in India. When I was around 15, he became sick and died when I was 16. But in the last year of his life I spent a lot of time with him. He was asked by the doctors to take long walks. After school, I would go for long walks with him. We did this for several months. During our walks, we would talk a lot about life and its meaning. And that series of discussions actually shaped my values more than anything else. We discussed almost everything: what is success? What is the right philosophy of life? How do you look at success? “I would say that the philosophy underlying the Gita — the concept of Karamyogi — probably explains how I have led my life and how I aspire to lead my life. It is quite well summarised in one shloka: Karmanevadhikaraste Ma phaleshu kadachan Which means, you have the right to work, never to the reward thereof. Not only should you work and do what is right but also you should do it with right motivation. And always do your best and never get attached in
action. So, basically if you do your work without worrying about rewards, you will be at peace with yourself.” This much for this
fortnight… |
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DIVERSITIES — DELHI LETTER
IF I don’t start off with the Valentine’s Day munch-crunch happenings, I’d be labeled a poor-doer. Bypassing the usual, this year the V-Day fever seems to have finally hit the middle-aged and the aging too. Good, I should say. And the facade that’s broken for that one day ought to be carried forth. As I am doing this column early Saturday morning, I don’t know which one of the several programmes that I would attend — Jazz music concert on the India International Centre lawns; Tea at Ajit Cour’s Institute for Arts and Literature for the visiting writers’ delegation from Pakistan with love thy neighbour theme hanging heavy; the inaugural of the 16th World Book Fair at Pragati Maidan; and then a meeting with Khushwant Singh who could teach the rest of our men what caring and bonding is all about, what it takes to be a genuine friend all around the year and not on just a chosen day or for just a few hours.
Filmstars’ beeline New Delhi is getting worse as the winter is at its best. Mumbai filmstars are making a beeline to Delhi. Shahrukh Khan’s spouse Gauri has her family home here and so he is more often spotted here. Then came along Sushmita Sen with her daughter Renee. They had a photo session as though doing it to the finish. Then followed Pooja Bedi, Pooja Bhat, Simi Grewal — each one of them with a mantra huddled and cuddled on how to go about hopping and skipping and pulling along life all day long. The only positive aspect is that an average citizen of this city isn’t really taken up by them. I think it was not long back when I’d spotted Dimple Kapadia at the lobby of the Oberoi hotel. This brings me to write that her former spouse Rajesh Khanna has also been here on the high horse of politics. Maybe, he is on a comeback mood to politics.
Festival of water The thrust on water is getting predominant. Weeks before, I had mentioned in these columns the dismal water scenario. Last week, Tilonia’s Bunkar Roy had invited me to attend a meet on water and again the dismal water diminishing scene was almost scary. Almost four decades back after studying at St. Stephen’s College here, Bunker Roy chose to dig wells in one of the districts of Rajasthan. He continues to live there with his wife, Aruna Roy, who quit the Indian Administrative Service to live and work with the people at the grassroot level. Coming week (Feb 16-22), the IIC in collaboration with Sangeet Natak Akademi is organising a Festival of water. “The festival is an attempt to highlight the importance of water and the powerful role it plays not just in our daily lives but also in shaping the culture and imagination through performing and visual arts, poetry, films and talks and discussions...”
Some concerned citizens gathered at the Vithalbhai Patel House to voice their anguish at not just the attack on Pune’s Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute but also of the more recent attack on M.F. Husain’s paintings and that of the late N.S. Bendre and also Kolkata-based artist Chittravanu Mazumdar at Surat’s art galley owned by industrialist Praful Shah. Artist Krishen Khanna feels that he doesn’t feel safe these days as the basic freedom of an individual is at stake. Writers Gita Hariharan and Gita Kapur said that today artists will have to think twice before putting forth their creativity. Senior lawyer Rajeev Dhavan said nowadays lumpen elements with political connections and patronage seem to be on the prowl.
Speaking sense Thank you Ezekiel Isaac Malekar. I have known him as the Jew Priest of this city living at Judah Hyam Synagogue on Humayun Road. Perhaps, he is the only rabbi in town. When I met him at a seminar, he gave me his visiting card. I was left impressed. He is the Deputy Registrar (Law) with the National Human Rights Commission. At the seminar he spoke so much of sense that I was actually left asking myself — why can't religious heads be so outspoken, speaking relevant stuff? For instance, he asked why Indians don’t realise the importance of September 11 in a different context altogether? Mahatma Gandhi was thrown off a running train in South Africa on Sept 11 and that incident alone changed his entire perception; that was the turning point of his life and of our lives too. |
To the alone, life is eternal; to the alone, there is no death. The alone can never cease to be. — J. Krishnamurti He who himself is beguiled, beguiles his comrades too. — Guru Nanak When Vedanta says “Give up love”, it only means “Give up hatred”. Therefore transform this unilateral passion to universal adoration. Develop unison with the world and God. — Swami A. Parthasarathy Saints have never submitted to any coercion. If ever they have, it is to the Almighty. If ever they think of doing anything, it is not to hurt anybody. Only the pretenders are afraid. Saints are not because they are the True ones. They have attained the Divine Truth. — Nirankari Baba Hardev Singh Purchase not friends by gifts; when thou ceasest to give, such will cease to love. — Fuller |
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IT was a rare honour indeed not only for Ratan Tata but also India when the Mumbai-born industrialist was made honorary Economic Adviser to the East Chinese city of
Hongzhou, known as the main engine of China’s near-double digit economic growth. Tatas have a state-of-the-art software facility of Tata Information Technology, a wholly-owned foreign entity of Tata Consultancy Service, located in
Hongzhou, capital of Zhejiang province. Ratan Tata has played a leading role in India’s entry into the field of information technology and communication. Tata Consultancy Service is India’s largest information technology company, top software and service exporters and the sixth fastest growing consulting company in the world.