Sir,
So many totally false, but true-sounding arguments have been used in the last few years to whip up the communal passions all over the country. The saddest part is that with prolonged repitition of these otherwise morally untenable arguments, even many 'intellectuals' have been swayed. Some have come to believe these arguments and refuse to analyse anything themselves. Let us look at some of the arguments advanced by the groups propagating the communal agenda.

1. "Appeasement of Minorities" - This has been an oft-repeated argument. Many communal groups and their leaders give examples of special status for minority institutions and also the absence of common laws. While some of these demands to bring a uniformity is appreciable, one only has to see beneath the surface of these arguments to see that they are far from the truth. If really there was an appeasement of Muslim community, definitely there would have been some drastic improvements in their economic status all over the country. But if we observe in practice, that is not the case. In most parts of the country, majority of the Muslims occupy the lower rungs of the income ladder. The likelihood of coming across a Muslim CEO, a Muslim senior Bureaucrat, a Muslim senior army officer, a Muslim senior bank officer etc. etc. is very less, as compared to the ratio of Muslim population to the entire Indian population. A real high percentage of Muslims in the north India live in slums, and squalid living conditions. If one goes to places like Bhopal, Indore etc. the chances of finding Muslim bungalow owners in posh colonies is rather rare.
Now if the minority community had been pampered for the last fifty years or so,thus giving them some economic advantage, would the results not have been better?
Secondly most people overlook the fact, that the Hindu undivided family also has some tax benefits under our present laws. Does this amount to appeasement of any sort..?

2. The second convenient excuse given by Communal groups refer to "Conversions". As per our existing laws, conversion by fraud or force is definitely not permissible. (Now it is another story that we prefer not to implement some of our own laws, but try to merely cry foul when conversions do take place...) Other than that, conversions by persuasion or moral influence is not a crime. There are many of us, who believe that all religions are but different paths to the same truth. This is an appreciable belief, which doesn't create any kind of emotional tension in the society.
However, there are some who believe that all religions are not the same, and that some religions are closer to truth than other religions. Nothing can be done about these views, because any laws to curb views by force, jailing, executions etc. are detrimental to fundamental freedoms and will take us on the road to dictatorship and censorship of views. Now if communal groups justify violence against conversion and propagation of other religions, then it is like saying that I will physically hurt those with whose views I do not agree.
However, laws can be enacted to ensure that people do not abuse/attack others' religious affiliations, but merely restrict themselves to propagation of their own religion, if they choose to do so.


3. "Islamic Terrorism" - Many communal apologists talk about intolerance of Islam, terrorism of Islam etc. But my question to them is, is intolerance of one religion to be countered with making a tolerant and advanced religion like Hinduism, more violent and narrow just like Islam. (It is like saying that I will decrease the width of my road, because my neighbour is stupid enough to have a narrow road. ) Is our attempts to be like another Saudi Arabia (where hands are amputated for pick-pocketing and people stoned on suspicions of adultery) going to be India's main achievement in this century? A brutal Hindu fundamentalist country...?

One must also remember that, Muslim terrorism is a worldwide phenomenon. However, the terrorism among Indian Muslims has been far less than what is being seen in other so-called even 'Islamic' countries. Pakistan, having a less Muslim population than India, is grappling with this problem of extremism, on a scale much larger than us.
The causes for this world wide Muslim terrorism is not too difficult to trace. It is a big subject in itself. To put it briefly, I believe, the terrorism among many Muslim communities/societies world wide is the result of deep internal clashes within their psyche and their present and past generations. These deep clashes are caused because one part of their mind has been conditioned for years, to wear burqas, for women to be subjugated to men, to abhor alchohol and pork, to avoid interest rates in money, to avoid talk about sex etc. Suddenly because of the social, economic and communication revolutions happening around the world, they are finding events clashing with all these old perspectives with which they had been brought up. Suddenly they find women without burqas at workplaces, instant communications, sexual freedoms, freedoms to choose religious beliefs, freedom to choose alchohol, freedom of thought, all kinds of meats, pornography.. etc.

This drastic clash of values is something that
Muslim societies are facing worldwide. To these drastic ideological clashes of imbibed values v/s. upcoming global realities, one can add other equally distressing realities of terrible poverty and high rate of illiteracy. What we get out of this terrible mixture of clash of cultures (creating a mental schism), poverty and illiteracy is the hotbed of terrorism. I think another one of two Muslim generations will pass away in confusion and mental uncertainty about their identity, values, ethics etc. before they adapt to the changes happening around the world, in areas of technology, communication and social interactions.
Till that time, as a release for their deep tensions, psychic stress and as an escape from unpalatable realities of the global village, many young muslims, will hide behind unreal and utopian dreams by being part of terrorist networks, with some dreamy ideology.

4. "All Muslims are pro-pakistani" - This is yet another argument advanced by many communal groups. Examples are cited of how, many Muslims rejoice when Muslim countries, most notably Pakistan, wins cricket matches against India. This argument was demolished very beautifully in a speech by Shri Narayana Murthy, the founder of Infosys Technologies, and a widely travelled man.

He said that many Indians settled in Britain for the last two generations still cheer for India, in any India -England match. Does this mean, they are disloyal citizens and traitors ?
Similarly, many Jews and Algerians settled in France often cheer for their countries of origin in many football matches against France itself.
So let us understand that kind of feelings result out of a sense (true or false) of nostalgia for their group and people. We must remember that many of Indian muslims have their loved ones, torn away from them at the time of partition. So this kind of rejoicing is nothing but a celebration of the love for those separated, yet loved ones. It doesn't necessarily indicate that they are traitors and will be disloyal to their resident countries.

5. "Undoing Historical Mistakes" - History is like a moving river. It is not stagnant. But does trying to turn a clock back serve any purpose. Should the blacks try to undo the historical mistakes and enslave the whites now.
Just because temples were demolished and churches/mosques were built on them, during the dark ages of intolerance and lawlessness, should we go on a vindictive spree and demolish those churches and mosques to re-construct temples.
What is the difference, then, between us and those barbarians, who conquered India through brutal force, crime, rape, plunder and senseless murders.
Or are we in a mad rush to complete the Karmic balance sheet in our own way..?

It is very sad when I see the same arguments in different forms and variations appearing at different places to justify intolerance and communalism.

Staju Jacob