Explain Evolving Indian Civilizational Setting : Pluralism vs. Fundamentalism. Give solution of the Pluralism.

Ans – 

1. Typical Indian Civilizational Setting – A society’s key organizational principles evolve gradually; and this was the more so before the printing press, the communication revolutions, and all the other churning of our times. The present India, which is evolving gradually, is seeing the development and expansion of its key organizational principle, i.e, “ unity in diversity,” in a speedier and complex way. The secret of this civilizational setting lies in complex and hierarchical caste system prevalent in India and the advent of more influential and complex major civilizations of the world, such as, Chinese, Islamic and European into the already prevalent vivid Indian civilizational structure. All this creates an energetic and healthy civilization called, India.
2. Problem of the Divergent Society – It’s a widely accepted fact that divergent society will always subject to one or the other cultural debates, and as India having broader civilizational setting of assimilation of cultures, and “an astounding complex society – because of its fabled capacity to absorb all manner of diversities” in turn, is causing rise to more modern debates. This archetypal, distinctive and typical Indian cultural setting is facing the lash lash out of contemporary India. India’s triumph will matter now more on “ Finding Balance in a time of Change.” The past few days of violence in Jammu and Kashmir needs fresh outlook, on account of reactions and counter reactions among the masses in the Kashmir Valley related to Amarnath land issue. Instead of solving the issues, which had bad ramifications for Indian Unity and Integrity. However, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on the early morning of 62nd day of our great Independent India, taking the initiative and while addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort, requested all the political parties, to not fall into the ditch of pity divide-and-rule politics, and try to help in the development of the nation’s integrity. He further requested all the political parties to concentrate on the issues related to the well being of Jammu and Kashmir. The contrasting news in the newspaper is the mark of new so called awakened, autonomous, secular and economically strong India. Gross national happiness for India, it seems only will remain a distant dream. Tens of thousands of people from all across Jammu and Kashmir reached at Srinagar on 18th of August 2008, to take part in the march organised by the Hurriyat sponsored Coordination Committee to submit resolution of the Kashmir issue.
3. Plural Society at the Crossroads – Shashi Tharoor in preface of one of his books pointed out to four of the most important debates facing India, i.e., the bread vs freedom debate, the centralization vs. federalism debate, the pluralism vs. fundamentalism debate and the coca colonization debate or globalization vs self reliance debate. The debate on pluralism vs. fundamentalism is growing its branches to its maximum, and with the passage of time, the possibility is that this debate will change the colour combination of Indian politics.
4. Stressing on wrong Issues at wrong time – It is indeed undoubtedly strange that the religion which should be confined to the individual personalities and perceptions of the people of the country being the means to find the God Almighty through their respective means has been exploited by the so called fundamental forces in the Nation which causes such a situation that the people instead of focusing on their growth and development but also creates volatile situation where the Nation’s integrity itself comes to stake. It is indeed a sad state of affair where the people of this Nation are not catered by their respective communal forces and communities to lead a comfortable life but on the contrary they are being drawn to the poverty, backwardness and redundancy in the larger world structure. The irony of the whole affair is that the people are not having a comfortable living which is the essence of a nation and a requirement which can confront any challenge from the world at large and have a self sustenance if the situation so necessitates but are rather ready to terrorize the nation state and its economy and society and marginalize of the evolution of the country as a developed nation state.

What is the Solution ?

Solution of this problem only lies within the hands of the masses. What is really called for is the evolution of the masses of the country to a state of harmony and tolerance in the situations of difficulty or so called igniting religious issues and to call upon them to concentrate on their growth while also working with a motivation to develop the nation. It means that the focus should not be on the traditional perception that “ I am Right and You are Wrong”, but on lateral thinking or parallel thinking. Consequently, there has to be a focused move in society to grow this nation state and to create an ignition among the masses to terrorize the menaces in the society which are causing the rotting of the people and are forcing them to live in the historical perspective and negative their lives. All this is likely to come, if the people attempt at educating themselves while breaking the shackles of religion, which indeed while having the highest pedestal in one’s life has to be confined to one’s life for the peaceful mergence of the soul with God Almighty. For this one has to stop the so called communal forces from proceeding further with their designs and to work in a concrete manner to the growth of this nation harmoniously rather than fighting egoistic wars which may only cause the disaster to the nation state. We, the Indians, should thus break the religious barriers and work for a changing nation, where the people have comfortable amenities to live and contribute in the growth of the nation state, which while competing with the world at large, ensure the self sustenance of the nation state.