Diversity and Pluralism- Challenges to pluralism PDF

# Foundation Course: Semester - 1 ## 28. Diversity As Difference Cultural diversity is the variety of human societies or cultures in a specific region/country, or in the world as a whole. The term is also sometimes used to refer to multiculturalism within an organization. The more obvious cultural...

# Foundation Course: Semester - 1 ## 28. Diversity As Difference Cultural diversity is the variety of human societies or cultures in a specific region/country, or in the world as a whole. The term is also sometimes used to refer to multiculturalism within an organization. The more obvious cultural differences that exist among people include language, religion, dress, food habits, customs and traditions. There are also significant variations in the way societies organize themselves, in their shared conception of morality and in the ways they interact with their environment. The intangible cultural heritage, transmitted from generation to generation, is constantly recreated by communities and groups in response to their environment, their interaction with nature and their history and gives them a sense of identity and continuity, thus promoting respect for cultural diversity and human creativity. Certain cultural diversities need to be looked upon as positive differences due to the following reasons: 1. **Pride in Cultural Heritage:** The diversity in cultures generates a sense of pride in cultural heritage of one's country. For instance, India has about 1652 languages. Indians living abroad or Indians conversing with foreigners in India may develop a sense of pride while discussing about diverse linguistic heritage of India. 2. **Inter-culture Influence:** Various cultural groups influence each other. For instance, the wearing of mangal-sutra by a married Hindu lady has influenced the Christians as well, and now some of the Christian married ladies also wear mangal-sutra. 3. **Communal Harmony:** Although, there are language and religion-based conflicts in certain parts of India, yet the majority of Indians prefer to live in harmony with each other. Inter-group unity can be seen in inter-faith or inter-religion meets, cultural festivals such as the Carnival in Goa, and Onam in Kerala, where people of different religions, castes, and other diversities take part with equal fervor. 4. **Rich Taste of Diverse Cultures:** Cultural diversities enable people of the society to enjoy the rich taste of diverse cultures. For instance, different cultures have different food habits and cuisine. For instance, Punjabi cuisine is different from that of Gujarati, South Indian and Goan. Therefore, people of India can relish the variety of cuisines of different States. 5. **Promotes Humanistic Values at Workplace:** When an organization has a group of employees belonging to diverse cultures, it demonstrates that the organization recognizes the diversity that exists in people of different backgrounds. It makes the people of the organization think that their value and worthy contributions are being realized by the organization and the management. 6. **Exchange of Innovative Ideas:** When an organization comprises of people with diverse backgrounds, cultures and experiences, new creative and innovative ideas crop up in the minds of different people. It is natural that people with varying experiences and perspectives in life would be able to generate unique ideas and solutions to problems. This is of immense value to the organization, its employees and the society as a whole. Such dynamic exchanges that take place between people having different perceptions yield creative results. Such a situation is never created in groups of people who think similarly and belong to similar cultures. **Note to Students:** * This chapter has a lot of statistical data. It may be difficult for you to remember most of the data. The data is written to support the matter. You may use selective data. For instance, in the case of literacy, you may use the data of highest literate state (Kerala - 94% 2011 Census) and the lowest literate state (Bihar - 64%). ## 29. Overview of Indian Society ## 114. III. Linguism India is a land of languages. In India, it is estimated that there are 1652 spoken languages. In fact, languages offered a special problem to the makers of the Constitution due to the plurality of languages. The workers of the Constitution had, therefore, to select some of these languages as the recognized medium of official communication in order to save the country from utter confusion. Fortunately for them, the number of people that speak each of these 1652 languages was not even, and therefore, 14 languages were included in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution. Later on four more languages were added taking the total to 18 recognized languages in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution. Together, the 18 languages are spoken by over 91% of the total population of India. Hindi, including its kindred variants - Urdu and Hindustani is spoken by 46% of India’s population. Therefore, Hindi was accordingly prescribed as the official language of India (subject to continuance of English for the same purpose for a limited period of 15 years). Although Hindi was prescribed as the official language, the makers of the Constitution sought to provide relief to regional linguistic groups by allowing the respective State Legislatures to recognize some language(s) other than Hindi as the language(s) for inter-State official transactions. These provisions, thus, recognize the right of substantial section of State’s population to have the language spoken by them to be recognized for official purposes within the State. The Constitution provides for the appointment of a Commission and a Committee of Parliament to advise the President of India as to certain matters relating to official language. The Official Language Commission was, accordingly, appointed in 1955 with Mr. B.G. Kher as Chairman. The Commission submitted its report in 1956 and was examined by the Joint Parliamentary Committee in 1957. One of the main recommendations of the Joint Parliamentary Committee was that: * English should be the principal official language and Hindi the subsidiary official language till 1965. After 1965, when Hindi becomes the principal official language, English should continue as the subsidiary official language. ## 115. Concept of Disparity - 2 The Report of the First Official Language Commission was published in 1958. The publication of the Report received sharp criticism from the Southern States, and they denounced the official use of Hindi language. To overcome such a situation, Mr. J. Nehru, the then Prime Minister made a statement in the Lok Sabha in 1959 that Hindi would not be imposed on the non-Hindi speaking people without their consent, and that English would continue to remain an "associate language" for the Union of India for an indefinite period of time. The Official Language Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha in 1963. This Bill provides that the English language may be used in addition to Hindi as an official language. In 1965, Hindi was made the Principal Official Language of India. This led to anti-Hindi riots in Southern India and West Bengal in 1967. The anti-Hindi agitation was so strong in Tamil Nadu that it almost separated Tamil Nadu from the rest of the country. Therefore, in 1968, the Parliament passed the Official Language (Amendment) Act, 1968. This Act gave a statutory guarantee to the non-Hindi speaking States that English would not be replaced by Hindi for any official purposes, unless and until the States are ready for switch over. The adoption of this Bill led to the anti-English riots in parts of North India. In repulsion, there were again anti-Hindi riots in Southern India. Apart from the Hindi v/s English riots, the States also witnessed other linguistic riots. For instance, when the Government of Goa announced two official languages within the state, there were Konkani v/s Marathi riots that affected the normal life in Goa for some days. **Measures to Resolve Linguistic Conflicts:** The major linguistic conflict (Hindi v/s English) has been resolved by passing of Official Language (Amendment) Act, 1968. The provisions of this Act are: * **Continuance of English language for official purposes of the Union and for use in Parliament, in addition to Hindi.** * **Optional use of Hindi or State Official Language in addition to English.** * **English shall be used for communication between the Union Government and a State which has not adopted Hindi as its official language.** * **And where Hindi is used for communication between one State and the other, which has not adopted Hindi as its official language, then such communication in Hindi shall be accompanied by an English translation thereof.** The Constitution of India lays down special directives in respect of not only the official language but also the other languages in use in the different parts of the country in order to protect the interests of linguistic minorities. As regards Hindi as the official language, the Government of India has taken a number of steps for the popularization of Hindi language amongst the non-Hindi speaking people, particularly, its employees. Special efforts are now being made in non-Hindi speaking States to teach Hindi, so that Hindi language may serve as a medium of expression for the elements of the composite culture of India. ## 116. IV. Regionalism Webster’s Dictionary defines regionalism as division of a country into small administrative regions. In the context of this subject, regionalism refers to loyalty of people to a particular area within a State or a country, usually characterized by common culture and language, or historical and social background. At times, regionalism tends to pose a danger to the national unity when regional loyalty becomes the guiding passion and overrides all other national considerations. In India, certain selfish political leaders from various regions have sought to build up a regional base for them at the cost of national unity. At times, even within large States such as Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, etc., certain regions tend to get neglected and others get developed. In Maharashtra, there is more concentration for development in Central Maharashtra region, and Mumbai, whereas the development in regions like Konkan, and Marathwada is quite lacking. The underdeveloped regions are neglected and are treated as "refugee regions". At times, the regional interests may even clash with the national interests. For example, the Tamil Nadu's opposition for Hindi has hampered the efforts of popularizing the Hindi language in that State. Regional conflicts do damage the integrity and unity of the nation. Extreme form of regionalism may help some politicians to establish their leadership and influence over the local people, but it is not in the interests of a nation. For instance, the demand for Khalistan, Bodoland, etc., has affected the unity and integrity of India. Regionalism can cause inter-State tension and confrontation. Border issues such as Belgaum border issue between Maharashtra and Karnataka had created a feeling of insecurity among the people of Belgaum. Fortunately, the issue has now been resolved. Likewise, the sharing of Cauvery river water between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu has created a major inter-State conflict and both the States have witnessed agitations and riots, which in turn affected peace and development in the region. There has also been a water dispute over Krishna river in the States of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. **Measures Suggested for Resolving Regional Conflicts:** * A cooperative spirit must be developed between the conflicting regions. For this purpose, the political and social leaders, as well as media should play a positive role. * Special incentives must be given to industrialists for setting up units in backward areas. At present, most of the State Governments are providing special incentives such as tax holiday, cash subsidy, etc., for setting up units in backward areas. * The Central Government should make all possible efforts to resolve the dispute in a true spirit of national unity and integrity. Both the Central and State Governments should pay greater attention to the development of backward regions rather than concentrating on selective well developed regions. * The principle of unity in diversity must be popularized in schools, colleges, management institutes, religious and social places. This can be done by the collective effort of the concerned authorities. * There should be continuous dialogues and other forms of interactions such as sports and cultural exchanges between the various regions so as to foster regional cooperation. * As far as inter-regional development within the States is concerned, the Block Development Officers, and the District Development Officers must be made accountable for the development of the region, and efficient officers must be suitably rewarded. * Proper allocation of funds for regional development by the Central and State Governments, and there should be proper coordination between the Central and State Governments’ administration in monitoring the utilization of such funds. ## 108. I. Communalism Communalism is a belief or an ideology of a social, political or a religious group that their religion and practices are superior to those of other groups. Communalism is opposed to secularism. According to Prabha Dixit, "Communalism is a political doctrine which makes use of religious and cultural differences to achieve political ends." According to Collin English Dictionary, Communalism refers to "loyalty to the interests of one's own ethnic group rather than to society as a whole." A communal group promotes the interests of its own members, and in doing so may even be hostile to the interests of other groups or communities. The communal groups try to provoke other groups through their fundamentalist speeches and actions that leads to violence and lawlessness in the society. Communalism is not new in India. For centuries, there were communal tensions, especially between Hindus and Muslims. The communal conflicts reached a peak during the days of India’s partition in 1947. Since the creation of Pakistan, Muslims have become a stereotype for accusation as anti-national and anti-social The religious and political fundamentalists are responsible for violent clashes between the Hindus and Muslims. Such clashes affect not only the two communities, but also the other communities in India. The communal clashes that took place due to demolition of Babri-Masjid and in Gujarat State on account of the fire in the Sabarmati Express near Godhra Railway Station in 2002 have also aggravated the communal problems in India. The Islamic fundamentalism that is sweeping West Asia has to some extent influenced Indian Muslims as well. As a reaction to this, Hindu communal leaders are urging the Hindu community to assert its claim as the sole patriotic group in India. These issues are politically motivated by certain parties to gain undue political mileage. Apart from Hindu-Muslim communalism, there are also cases of Hindu-Sikh communalism, and Hindu-Christian communalism. **Causes/Factors Responsible for Communal Violence:** 1. **Growth of Communal Organisations:** The growth of communal organisations or groups has aggravated the problem of communal discord. The communal organisations instigate communal violence. 2. **Political Parties :** The backdoor support to communal activities by political parties help to gain political mileage. 3. **Absence of Uniform Civil Code :** The absence of a uniform civil code and the special provisions given to certain communities have added to communal violence. 4. **Inflammatory Speeches :** The inflammatory speeches by communal leaders may result in communal violence. The illiterate and ignorant masses get carried away by such speeches. 5. **Local Problems :** Communal violence may outbreak due to local problems. The local problems involving two different communities, such as molestation of a woman by a man of another community. 6. **Petty Issues:** Flimsy or petty issues such as slaughtering of a cow, or singing of religious hymns during a religious procession, etc. may be the cause of communal violence. 7. **Failure of Law and Order:** The failure of law and order administration to act swiftly in response to certain minor disputes involving the two different communities, which later on turn to major communal clashes. 8. **Yatras by Political Leaders:** Yatras by political leaders that have resulted in several riots in several states, such as Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, etc. 9. **Disappointment of Hindu Community:** The growing disappointment among the majority Hindu community is responsible to a certain extent for communalism in India. Some of the Hindus feel that due to the vote bank politics of the minority community, the larger national interests are sacrificed. 10. **Religious Conversions:** Religious conversions by fundamental Christian and Muslim organizations are also contributing to the communal riots in India. The conversions are often made by means of inducements or temptations. 11. **Role of Foreign Forces:** It is also responsible for instigating communal violence in India. The foreign forces provide training to communal extremists and sophisticated weapons for infusing the fire of communalism. 12. **The Hindu Militancy:** The Hindu Militancy is also responsible for fanning communal violence. In their attempt to defend the interests of Hindus, some Hindu militant organisations have resorted to communal activities, which have resulted in communal violence. ## 112. Foundation Course: Semester - 1 * depoliticize the issue of communalism and casteism, and in turn would foster communal harmony in the country. 8. **Punishment to Government Employees:** Government employees including the police personnel found guilty of negligence of their duty or encouraging communal passion in some form or the other must be severely punished including dismissal from service, and withholding of retirement benefits. 9. **Setting of Peace Committees:** In the riot-sensitive areas, peace-committees consisting of respected leaders of different communities can be set-up, supported by the local administration - the police and elected leaders of local bodies. The leaders of the committee must use their goodwill to create an amicable environment in the area. The sincere efforts of the leaders would definitely go a long way in maintaining peace and harmony in the area. For example, in Bhiwandi (near Mumbai) peace-committees have been set-up to defuse communal riots. 10. **Special Courts:** Special courts need to be set up to deal with the cases of communal riots. Speedy disposal of communal violence cases is required to generate peace and harmony in the society.