Benazir dead is a greater threat to Gen. Mushraff than Benazir alive.
One does not know what the outcome of the elections would have been had this assasination not taken place - what with the recent hasty marathon constitution amendments , an ineffective election commission ad a controlled judiciary. But then Pakistan was never ready for democracy. Democratically elected governments never lasted long enough for anyone to vouch that Pakinstan is of the material that democracy is made of. There are many wno make loud and appropriate noises about democracy but who secretly believe that Pakistan without a strongman dictatorship would destabilise the subcontinent.
One wonders - how is this region, which was once very much part of the subcontinent known as the Indian subcontinent, so different from India?
Guess this is too complex a question for a simple answer. But one thing is clear - fundamentalism and democracy cannot survive under the same roof.
The bashers of Indian democracy and secularism had better learn a lesson from the predicament of our neighbouring country.
We cannot allow democracy to be sacrificed at the altar of extreme nationalism. Yes. The choice before us Indians is between democracy and nationalism ; and only democracy built on the rock foundation of secularism has any chance of survival.
Secularism does not become a pseudo value simply because it is so branded in a certain rhetoric. It's a fundamental human value for the survival of the race called homo sapiens. Let's make no mistakes about it.
Benazir's assasination was the assasination of the secular aspirations of a large section ofthe people of Pakistan.
Secular aspirations of India survived for over 6 decades in india on account of the fact that secularism is an integral part of the Hindu system of thought.
Let not the self-styled custodians of Hinduism make the mistake of driving out democracy from India in the name of some mistaken notions of patriotism.
I am no supporter of the BJP. But I think as a nation we have to learn from the mistakes that the Congress made. The pampering of Muslims in the name of secularism only alienated them from mainstream Indians and led them to believe that they were above the law. The Hindu backlash was but natural after that. We mustn't take the Hindu tolerance for granted.This is the mistake the Congress did and the BJP capitalized on almost driving the nation into schisms. But then it was the resilience of the Hindu Indian, that prevailed in the end.
ReplyDeleteBenazir's bhutto's assassination is a blow to any attempts at recreating some semblance of democracy in a nation which had its roots in violence & blood shed.She has always stood out of the crowd with her charisma,strong personality &inner strength..few leaders have it,even fewer women leaders.Even her brief hiatus during her stay in Dubai did not wipe her off the political map of Pakistan.The Jan 8th elections would have bought her back to power.Musharaf would have fallen...all we have now is a party that would be run by her not so clean husband & inexperienced and not yet ready son...
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed a sad state of affairs
What Ms. Anita Jose has written might be a view that z popular, but it does not seem to be the correct explanation. The current Hindutva activists try to spread a very narrow version of Hinduism which is contrary to its basic principles. Hinduism is basically pluralist in outlook, its overarching liberality is simply great. Under its broad spectrum it includes even atheist, agnostics, and skeptics...That being the case, a true hindu will hardly find any reason to alienate people of other beliefs, not to mention terrorizing them.
ReplyDeleteI agree absolutely with wht madam has written. She expresses it more succinctly..."Secular aspirations of India survived for over 6 decades in india on account of the fact that secularism is an integral part of the Hindu system of thought.
Let not the self-styled custodians of Hinduism make the mistake of driving out democracy from India in the name of some mistaken notions of patriotism."
@ anita Jose & p a aneesh
ReplyDeleteanita jose does have a point tho' 'backlash was but natural' is something i cannot agree with. One wrong cannot be corrected by another.
the sad fact remains that in all religious groups - christians, hindus, Muslims - there are pockets of extremists with growing influence. Unless the saner "secular'elements assert themeselves, India is in for troulble