Basis for Hindu-Muslim harmony lies in history
“Desh ke gaddaron ko, goli maaro saalon ko” — a white T-shirt, an orange bandana on their head and hate slogans ringing from the crowd. This is the youth that we pinned tremendous hopes on for the future of our country. Three weeks ago, these slogans were raised in Delhi’s Rajiv Chowk Metro station; the video of which was viral around the country. The incident took place ahead of the fires that raged in North-East Delhi. More than 40 people were killed in the riots, 200 injured and many shops, homes, school buildings and vehicles destroyed. Even a mosque was burnt and razed to the ground.
We do not know who led these riots and masterminded such war-like destruction, but the responsibility of investigating and bringing to justice the perpetrators rests on the government. Many of those who participated in the rioting were not residents of the affected areas. There were also examples of inter-communal harmony where many protected those who were being attacked. People from both sides tried their best to protect themselves and each other.
An elderly Hindu woman who was trapped was saved by a Muslim man, who was informed of her trouble by her children living abroad. A Hindu wedding was cordoned off by their Muslim neighbours so the ceremony would not face interruption. In Seelampur, the Dalit community barricaded the area from rioters to protect Muslims. In Ramesh Park, Sikhs and Hindus surrounded and protected Muslims from rioters. Manjupur Bajarangbali saw Hindus sheltering Muslim neighbours in Bajarangbali temple. These are just some of the stories we are aware of, but many people demonstrated communal harmony and love in a time when peace was hard to find. Had this harmony not been displayed, and these Hindus, Sikhs and Dalits had gone their own way, there would have been more casualties in the now infamous “Delhi riots”.
Under the misconception that all Muslims that live in India are immigrants, the rage, hate and anger against ‘Muslim invaders’ is now being directed towards all of the approximately 20-crore Muslims living in India by certain political elements for temporary political gain.
If we examine history, we will realise that our neighbouring Muslim countries are but our own sister countries. India has had trade relations with the Arabs even before the birth of Prophet Mohammed. Among the early people to convert to Islam was a community known as Mastila. The spices and perfumes of Malabar were of great value and interest to the Arabs. After Prophet Mohammed gave due direction to Islam, oppressed communities in Kerela converted to Islam to escape caste oppression. It is evident from the fact that the average percentage of the SC population in the country is 16 per cent, but in Kerela it is only 9 per cent. Those who felt oppressed saw escape through conversion to Islam or Christianity. Between 1921 and 1941 several people from ‘untouchable’ castes in Hyderabad converted to Islam. In 1911, as many as 11,37,589 Malas and Mahars had come down to 10,76,539 by the 1931 Census. There are several such other examples across the country.
There is one reality that we must confront and understand: India is a relatively modern concept. In fact, in the time of the Mauryas, their empire spread from Afghanistan to Burma; the word Chakravarthi (Emperor) was coined for him. It had spread further from Chandragupta’s time to that of Ashoka’s. Buddhism, Jainism and Vedic practices were predominant in that era, and the resulting practices are what we call Hinduism. After the death of Ashoka’s grandson Brahadrada at the hands of the Brahmin king Pushyamiitra Shunga, he led the slaughter of ‘bhikkus’ and demolition of Buddhist places of worship. Post 700 AD, there was a rise in the killing of Buddhist monks and bhikkus at the hands of Muslim invaders and Vedic practitioners. Afghanistan, the present Pakistan and Bangladesh were Buddhist nations at the time. Many converted to Islam in order to escape the two-sided oppression from Hindus and Muslims; also because they had experienced oppression based on caste among the Hindus, they found equality before Allah in Islam better. This is a reason why we see a concentration of Muslims in these countries today.
This description and history is to show that most Muslims were once Buddhists or lower-caste Hindus who converted to Islam. Under the guise of protecting the “Hindu dharma, culture and traditions” these people are being declared terrorists by some. These are people who had left the Hindu religion because they were being oppressed in the name of caste; and today they are being attacked in the name of religion.
If we do not remove the reasons because of which these oppressed classes had converted to Islam and Christianity, it is unwise to hate or chastise those of the Muslim faith. If Muslims were to convert to Hinduism, which caste would they belong to? Hinduism is an amalgamation of castes that came about over millennia. We must formulate a plan for unity and harmony. Only that can save any religion or faith; else this hate will continue to grow and create conflicts of huge proportions.
