Hindu-Muslim Unity

When one is presented the relationship about Hindus and Muslims in the Indian context one is often confronted with a violent picture. This picture becomes more absurd when the western media is painting the picture. These violent clashes between Hindus and Muslims are indeed essentially defining the relationships between these two faiths. Often the confrontation between Indian Hindus and Muslims affect the relationship between the two faiths in the Indian diaspora. In Trinidad the split between Indians along religious lines can be traced to the partition of India in 1947. This split led to the collapse of the famous “India Club” in Trinidad.

Ironically when there are instances of cordial relationships between the two faiths in India these are given the same level of prominence in the media as the conflict, that is of course if these are even reported. This omission has led some to conclude that there is perhaps an agenda to divide the Indian peoples along religious lines and indeed influence the Indian Diaspora as a result. During the past years there have been major developments in fostering better relationships between these two faiths by some of the strongest adherents of each faith. Yet these landmark discussions have failed to secure honourable mention in most media. This despite the fact that these discussions have been held over the past ten years. The fiery Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh began a “friendship mission” since 1996. And the target is none other than its ‘erstwhile enemy’, the Muslim community.

The RSS functionaries began meeting Muslim leaders to “get itself rid of the fascist tag” the top brass led by then deputy general secretary KS Sudarshan conducted heart-to-heart talks with the Muslim leaders. Contentious issues like the Babri Masjid, uniform civil code, recurring communal riots, deteriorating socio-economic conditions of Muslims, distribution of provocative pamphlets by the Sangh Parivar during the pre-and post-Ayodhya riots period, as well as the prevailing gun culture in Kashmir were discussed threadbare. The RSS wanted to get rid of the hostility and mistrust that marks the Hindu-Muslim relation. The media, he claimed, has contributed substantially to this by portraying the RSS and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad as fascist and fundamentalist organisations. “We are a very disciplined organisation with a commitment to social causes. The Muslims too are victims of the mischievous propaganda of the press,” he said. Akhbar-e-Alam editor Khalil Zhahid concurred, and added that the differences between the two have reached hysterical proportions. “It is time we sat down and debated issues amicably, instead of accusing each other of being communalists,” he said. (The Sunday Observer, 18-24 August 1996)

It is said that the number of Muslim swayamsevks, who participated in the Vidarbha regional camp of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh held near Nagpur was 100. Sangh authorities refuse to give official figures, saying: “The policy of identifying the Muslims as separate entities and then appeasing them has cost the nation a lot. To us, all our members are just Swayamsevaks.” Rafiq Taj Mohammed Rangrej, a grocer says: “RSS is an organisation of patriots. I have been a member for the past 30 years. Local Muslims boycotted me. Pelted stones at my house, in the beginning. When I lost the election, they celebrated with slogans like ‘Diwan wizla, Miyam nijla’! (Light went out, Miyan slept).

But it makes little difference. I braved them all. Mein bikau nahi tikau hoon.” Mr Rangrej said that the Muslim youth was increasingly attracted to the RSS. “Between 1995 and 1997 as many as 52,680 Muslims in Maharashtra became haratiya Janata Party members officially,” he says. “I am a religious Muslim. Those who can’t be loyal to their religion can’t be loyal to their motherland, and vice versa” (Muslim in the RSS: loyalty to India is loyalty to Islam, Author: Pratap Thorat Publication: The Asian Age Date: January 13, 1998)

In January 13, 2004 the RSS-Jamiat began talks on volatile subject of Ayodhya Top leaders of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind met in January 2004 to discuss a formula to solve the Ayodhya temple-mosque row. This was the second direct meeting between the RSS and Jamiat on the issue. The 16th century mosque in the temple town of Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh was razed by Hindu on December 6, 1992. Hindu organisations believe an ancient Ram temple existed at the spot where the Babri Masjid was built. “We are looking for a possible solution to solve the dispute. We are trying to find out a formula that satisfies both sides. There will be no loser or winner,” said a leader involved in the negotiations. Formed in 1919, Jamiat opposed the creation of Pakistan.

It is also an important constituent of AIMPLB. Jamiat spokesman Abdul Hameed Nomani said: “Yes, we are meeting RSS leaders but it is not only on Ayodhya. It involves talks on various issues like misconception on various aspects of Islam. We are giving them the true picture of Islam.” He said a new formula to solve the crisis may be mooted but it should be put forward by the RSS. “We will not propose any formula of our own,” he said. Earlier this year, a similar initiative by a leading Hindu pontiff, Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati, to bring the Hindu and Muslim leaders together and find a possible solution of the Ayodhya dispute had failed twice.

Even the issue of the sacredness of the cow has been the fertile ground for religious unity. The Darululoom in Deoband, a top religious body of Muslims, issued a “fatwa” (religious order) against slaughter of cows in the country. A three-member committee of the Darululoom has recommended that Muslims can slaughter animals other than the cow on Id-ul-Azha, according to Maulana Zafarullah. (The Hindu, 2.2.2004) The BJP and various organisations, including the RSS, welcomed the move and said it was a step in promoting unity and brotherhood between Muslims and Hindus. Given the organised unity talks with Hindus and Muslims in India, the Indians within Diaspora should take note and recognize the commonality of their Indianess and emulate the action in India in this regard.