[Reader-list] [Lalgarh Does not Exist]

[Rakesh Iyer]

Dear Kshamendra and Rajen ji

I address both of you, though in separate sections. Hope you both don't
mind.

I have a small point to make. When you say that religious extremism is
different from Maoism or Naxalism, then I think this may not be completely
true.

It is true that the agenda of the Al-Qaeda and their affiliates is to
establish Islam as the rule of law across the world, but the people who join
these organizations may not necessarily believe in it. Most of the people
who join this, even if police versions of investigations are accepted, are
joining them because Muslims are suffering.

The same causes are found to be stated by those caught as those stated by
the Maoists : discrimination, injustice, discontent. The argument that
Muslim ghettoes in cities are yet to develop, they are targetted during
communal riots first by the rioteers and then by the police, and also after
any terror attack; that their educational and employment status is very bad
as the Sachar Committee Report says, and that they are discriminated on the
basis of religion, is something pointed out to be the reason for their
attack. And in particular, the argument that their women are targetted (as
was the case in Gujarat riots) and their places of worship are destroyed, is
something used to prove that they are not safe being the minority section in
India.

This in some sense is also the argument, in terms of injustice and
discontent used by Hindutva extremists.

And to some extent, on both sides, the arguments are true. Muslim
appeasement indeed has taken place, which is why Muslims haven't managed to
progress really in India. And both kinds of extremism seem to keep the
Hindus and Muslims apart.

Therefore, stating that one part of the problem is based on discontent and
the other is not is not correct. What needs to be done is to abhor violence
and act against those who act in this way. Just because Muslims are
appeased, or because 58 Hindus are burnt in Godhra, doesn't give any Hindu
the licence to rape a Muslim woman or burn Muslims alive. Similarly, just
because post-Godhra violence hasn't gone to courts for justice, doesn't mean
Muslims also join terrorist organizations of any kind to conduct blasts like
1993 and recent ones.

And for you Mr. Rajen. A democratic system of governance is also based on
faith, not the faith of religion of course, but faith in democratic ideals,
faith in improvement in the life standards of people, faith in the fact that
one may be the weakest in the system but his/her voice would still be heard
and given due respect. And this is a perfectly rational thinking I believe.

I don't feel faith causes violence; religion can certainly do so. Therefore,
it's religion one has to be careful of, not faith. Faith allows others to
believe in what they do, and faith doesn't believe in proselytization unlike
religion.

Regards

Rakesh