Letter: Tolerance and secularism versus fanaticism in India

Sir: The destruction of the Babri mosque at Ayodhya is undoubtedly a serious blow to the credibility of Indian secularism. However, the crisis facing the Indian state is not really as catastrophic as it is made out to be. After all, India survived a much more serious crisis in 1984, when, after the assassination of Indira Gandhi, the entire country was engulfed in a communal frenzy.

India is a resilient democracy, dedicated to the principle of religious tolerance and secularism. This is why, since 1976, secularism has been incorporated into the Indian Constitution.

The Babri mosque dispute was already 10 years old when the Places of Worship Act was passed, in September 1991. This Act, however, provides a guarantee for safety for the remaining 3,000 mosques in the country.

The country, in common with other liberal democracies, is facing the grave task of having to deal with its lunatic and fascist elements. If a modern and rich country such as Germany is finding it difficult to control the rising tide of neo-fascism, how can India, with its limited economic resources, deal with the menace of religious fanaticism?

Yours faithfully,

RANDHIR SINGH BAINS

Gants Hill, Essex

8 December