Religious intolerance, intolerance based on religions, often becomes a cause of concern in India. Intolerant attitude surfaces through a variety of forms including the suppression of religious minorities, reduced religious freedom and religious conflicts. During the last few years, religious provocations, anti religious laws, protests and conflicts were notable in the country. A few years ago, the government initiated the religion based NRC (the National Registers of Citizens), which not only created huge criticisms within and outside of India but also led to protests and clashes in several parts of India. Very recently, protests and clashes erupted in several states of India, a religiously pluralistic and multi-ethnic democracy, based on the controversial comment of a political leader.
No doubt, most Indians are not religiously intolerant. Indeed, Indian political leaders, educated elites and many others mostly do not support religious conflicts with Indian Muslims or other religious minorities in India. Consequently, protests of political leaders and educated elites in India against religion based conflicts or the suppression of religious minorities including Muslims and Christians are also often seen. In recent years, thousands of people, including church groups, have gathered across India to protest mounting religious intolerance and express their solidarity with the victims of religious persecution. Also, India, the second most populous country in the world, has a long history of communal harmony which it enjoyed for hundreds of years, even if it has a long record of communal riots including the riots that occurred at the time of the division of the then Indian subcontinent in the 1940s.
Of course, the reasons for religious intolerance in India, which is rendered as the birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism, are diverse. The contradictory nature of religion are partly responsible for it. For example, cow meat is consumable in Islam but not in Hinduism. Religious conflicts occurred many times in Gujarat and a few other areas based on the slaughtering of cows. Besides, there is a presence of extreme Hinduism among a portion of Indians, no matter whether it is because of the partition of the Indian sub-continent based on religions or any other reasons. Also, political reason often plays an important role in religious intolerance in India. According to available sources, political leaders use religion as a means to get support from extreme Hindu voters, who consist of a significant portion.
It is undeniable that religious intolerance and conflicts have many economic, social, religious and other negative consequences in India. It leads to deaths and reduces the freedom of religion of religious minorities. The freedom of religion of not only Muslims but also Christians is affected by such an attitude. Of course, religious conflicts bring a negative image of India to the world, even if it can benefit politically within the country. The latest report issued by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom classifies India as a Tier 2 country due to persistent unfriendly conditions to religious freedom. What’s more, religious discrimination and intolerance can have significant impacts on future generations. On some occasions, religious suppression in India also leads to religious conflicts in other South Asian countries.
It is, thus, imperative to address religious antagonism in India. In this respect, it is important to make sure that people of every religion including Indian Muslims and Christians (consisting of 14.2 percent and 2.3 percent of the total population respectively) can enjoy their religious freedom without any coercion or fear. Of course, efforts are needed to end religious provocation and promote an attitude of religious tolerance in India. Along with religious institutions and civil society organizations, political leaders may play some effective roles here. Of course, religions should not be used as a means of winning elections. In this respect, political leaders need to understand that it is difficult to end religious hatred, intolerance and conflicts in India unless religion is stopped to be used as a political weapon.
Of course, religious intolerance in India is not an isolated phenomenon in the region. Indeed, religious intolerance is reflected in violence and some other forms in some other South Asian countries including Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Very recently, a temple was attacked and destroyed in Afghanistan. It is not unreasonable to say that religious repression in neighbouring countries can provoke some religiously intolerant Indians to perpetrate violence against religious minorities. Thus, along with India, it is desired that religiously intolerant attitude is changed (alternatively, tolerant attitude is established) in other South Asian countries.
