Secularism means no hurt to Islamic sentiments in
India
The Preamble to sanctified Constitution declares India
to be a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic along with promising
its citizens of justice along with equality, liberty and enterprises to promote
fraternity among the citizens of the State.
If any Indian is asked ever whether the aforementioned cardinal
principles of India can be challenged, he/she will state the word ‘no’
categorically. Won’t you state the same as well?
What none does know even if the cardinal principle of
secularism can’t be challenged, it can certainly be sacrificed or compromised
to pacify Islamists in particular. Prabha Parmar, with post-doctorate
fellowship to research in literature, bears testimony to the same; she, owing
to the objection of Darul Uloom-Deoband, has been forced to call the research a
halt midway. Her greatest crime has been to research on novels of Salman
Rushdie – a name that is enough to add salt to the gaping wound of Islamists.
Nevertheless, apart from those of Salman Rushdie, novels
of Amitabha Ghosh and Bikram Seth were also in the inventory of researches of
Prabha Parmar. But all these justifications and Prabha Parmar’s standpoint that
this is not premeditated on her part to lash out any community’s feelings have
fallen on deaf ears. Darul Uloom-Deoband has not changed its views and Prabha
ji, to steer clear of any disturbance, has appealed to Board of Chaudhary Charan
Singh University (Meerut) to change subject of her post-doctorate fellowship.
It is to be noted, Darul Uloom-Deoband criticizing the
university’s decision to let anyone research on novels of Salman Rushide warned
that they would not allow it to take place.
Prabha ji was destined to research on “Use of Magic
Realism in the major Novels of Salman Rushdie, Amitabha Ghosh and Bikram Seth”
and as per latest developments, Chaudhary Charan Singh University has cancelled
doctorate fellowship of Prabha Devi.
No ill-feeling must be shown to any religious view and
the State as an institution has no relation to any particular religion – this
has been the basics of Secularism ever since its first use by George Jacob
Halyoake, British writer, in 1851. But in India this definition is changing
gradually – it’s more linked to pacify Islamists these days. How can researches on works of an author
assail a religion?
At first,
Preamble to the Constitution of India declared the State as sovereign,
democratic republic but the 42 nd Amendment in 1976 introduced two more words
to it and hence, India, at the moment, happens to be a “sovereign socialist
secular democratic republic”.
If
audaciousness of Islamists is allowed to go on, without doubt, the next
amendment will add new salient features to secularism –no hurt to sentiments of
Islamists. And it may happen soon!
Let’s wait
for the same.
(Darul Uloom-Deoband)
(Salman Rushdie)
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