Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Identity crisis

Sir, — In addition to the points raised by Malini Parthasarathy in her article, `Identity crisis' (Feb. 17), may I add that it was British Raj which prevented our country from becoming a Muslim nation. The historians know how many Muslim rulers the British defeated before establishing their rule. It is not correct to say that the minorities were given a long rope. The British ruled India for over 200 years. Christianity came to India 2000 years ago. With all that, Christians represent only 2.5 per cent of the population.

The colonial rulers encouraged and preserved a multi-religious and cultural ethos of the country and preserved the pre-eminence of Hinduism as a major religion. Hinduism was never at peril.

A.P. Jeyaraj,

Chennai

* * *

Sir, — The freedom struggle was, in itself, an evolution of Indian nationhood, which includes and represents the aspirations of all religions and linguistic entities that lived in the sub-continent. The Sangh Parivar, being alien to the whole saga of freedom struggle, is unaware of the sensibilities of this nationhood. Our Constitution determinedly enshrined a commitment to recognise that all communities living in India, irrespective of their numerical strength, would have their cultural and religious rights given equal importance before law. Where does the question of majoritarianism arise?

K. Malikul Azeez,

Chennai

* * *

Sir, — The founding fathers saw no harm in making the minorities privileged citizens by granting them certain constitutional guarantees. But their demands were at times met by even mutilating constitutional amendments which raised apprehensions in the minds of the majority if the basic principles of equality of rights, freedom and opportunities were violated to favour the minorities. The question now is whether the majority fear is real or imaginary.

C.R. Narayanan,

Cuddalore, T.N.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Opinion

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Upholding the rule of law
• The death of dolly
• Crisis for the Arabs
• A diseased politics
• India and Afghan railroads
• Harassment
• Identity crisis
• Ties with neighbours
• Only a game

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu