Promoting, project harmony, giving a sense of belonging and representation to all is must: Communal Harmony Project-58

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

For any nation or society, it's important to have unity, cohesiveness, shared culture and a sense of belonging among people.

There must be harmonious relationship and it is necessary for progress in the society. 

However, if there is an attempt to dismiss multiculturalism and avoid giving representation to different sections of society, it can have a negative effect on the people. 

At least, there was an attempt in those days to tell society that everyone belongs. 

Govt advertisements, stamps, comics, magazine covers, pvt sector ads. Then 1990 onward, it was stopped, went out of fashion, no effort. Kids, new generation didn't grow up on it. The consequences are understandable.

Strong push to the idea of a majoritarian society leads to situation where certain groups, people are 'otherized'. No Ram-Rahim or Rajan-Iqbal, because it is equality, representation. Not cool? Look at children's magazines now, serials or even a 'Chhota Bhim' whose village will not have any Muslim or Christian.

Bollywood, textbooks, theatre, wherever there was representation, it irked them. When you want to instill it in minds, this concept, it damages the fabric, unity. A beautiful garden must have flowers of all kind.  Let a million flowers bloom. 

Government should promote and push for communal harmony, make it appear beautiful, not just present one community. As others get hurt when their culture is ignored, even their presence is taken for granted and they are not considered equals.

The role of government is most important. When officially, it is promoted that harmony is cool and we must give representation, private sector too follows, it is believed and practiced in institutions--colleges, offices, schools. Mass media too presents it in a better way.

But if there are right-wing groups that are close to leaders and establishment that are not happy with multi-culturalism, then it's clear that this idea of multi-culturalism ought not to be promoted. The signal has its affect and people understand, organisations follow suit, societies witness and suffer. Hence, if there is real intent for progress, then governments must take interest in projecting the beauty of a multi-cultural society.

READ: How mass media was used to 'otherize' Muslims in India

How mass media was used to 'otherize' Muslims and change Indian society: Culture, propaganda and Hindutva

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

It was in 1991, a family I knew well. 

The lady said--'Saddam Hussein is right'.

'Muslims should live like 'achche kirayedar' (sic) in India'. What? Saddam!

I was not sure where & whether Saddam even said it but the comment publicly. I was getting sense about the psyche, then. Tenants, what? 

But the feeling that it's our land, you live here but not as 'equal citizens', don't speak or make demands. They thought on these lines: "Why do we even have to fight to take over 'our site' from you, you just give it up, be silent, live at our mercy & feel happy that we let you be here". 

Post Ramanand Sagar effect. The mandir agitation was going on for some years but it was after TV became a medium for propagation of one religion, first Ramayana and Mahabharat, this new change was witnessed. Our neighbours suddenly had a totally different take on things. 

BJP was below 120 seats then. It was the easy, casual expression of such feelings in public--that struck me. Another point was that this family was not from a privileged background, they said that they had suffered earlier.

This family wasn't privileged and had suffered caste prejudices in the society. Also, faced casteist barbs as the Mandal agitation had taken place just few yrs ago. It takes effort, huge effort to change an entire society.

Communalism took root, dozens of organisations worked [working] nonstop for decades, media and mass media was given task, from politicians to goons, all power had to be used to create the perception and inject the poison, deep. The subtle manner in which the idea was spread--this land 'belongs' to majority, not them. [Image shows Arvind Rajagopal's book on politics after television]

Historical maps of India: Political map of British India, pre-partition India that included Pakistan, Bangladesh and Burma in Urdu, English

This is an old map, more than a century old.

The map shows boundaries that existed much before partition of the Indian sub-continent.

It shows British India that included not just India, Pakistan but also Burma.

Urdu has been added in the map for the benefit of readers, students who need it.

Many such maps are needed in Urdu but are not available. Hence, this is our aim to add Urdu in important maps. It is purely for education purpose. 

A lot has changed in 110 years. Many cities shown in the map, shrank and hence they are not considered big cities now, but are shown in this map.

Similarly, regions and divisions that existed earlier but later they became part of other states and hence their separate identity no longer exists. You find regions like Berar, Mysore and Hyderabad. Now Mysore and Hyderabad are not states but mere cities, as states were renamed and reorganised after independence.

The map is large but couldn't be uploaded on that scale here. However, you can still click and then use F11 for a slightly bigger map. Original size would be posted later on. Once again, it must be known that it is for education purpose, no commercial use. 

The figure is not to scale and does not claim to represent any authentic boundaries, just for illustrative purpose. See the second map that is in higher resolution. Yet another map of pre-independent India is available at this link. CLICK. [We are going to post many such maps in future for the benefit of Urdu speaking masses and students].  

Can't Dainik Bhaskar journalists be more careful: Hindi newspapers must shun propaganda that distorts history and learn to fact-check

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

It was just a photograph with a headline and caption.

But it was published prominently in a paper with a huge circulation. 

Despite the growing focus on fact-checking, the newspaper failed to even mention that this was the artist's claim,  NOT a historical fact.

Story of Shah Jehan getting artists' hands chopped off, has no basis. Do fact check.

Those artisans, they built other grand structures too, their descendants kept living in Tajganj in Agra. 

In fact, Dainik Bhaskar headline and caption go a step ahead, support the false claim.  This painting is not in a private gallery, but it's on wall, a public place. 

It is deliberately done to strengthen a perception. Bhopal has become a hub for distorting history, creating false narratives. Even if an artist feels it's his liberty, at least, newspaper can add a line that this has no basis & fact-check. 

Responsibility is more of newspaper. They have huge circulation, people believe them. But if papers decide that their aim is to misinform the society? So we've this situation here. Press not even doing basic job--telling readers truth. Besides, thousands would watch the painting on the street. 

The newspapers must not publish any fake claim as 'truth'. Many social media users expressed outrage and said that this was one of the earliest propaganda against Mughal rulers that aimed to depict them as cruel. They express surprise how print media can get so careless and fall for such stories.

FACT-CHECK: Busting the Taj fake news, the artisans later built Shahjehanabad too

Fascinating Figures: Census report 1911, data over a century ago gives interesting insight about demographic and religious trends in India

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

The latest Census for us is still 2011 Census, as the results of next count would take a few more years.

The change witnessed in the region in a century is reflected in the difference between Census reports in 1911 and 2011.

A century ago, undivided India's population was 31.35 crore. That included India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Barma.

The Census report 1911 makes interesting observations and reveals facts that are mentioned below. Of the 31.35 crore population of India, Hindus numbered 21.73* crore apart from 2.43 lakh Hindu (Arya) registered and 5,500 Brahmo.

Muslim population in 1911 Census report was 6,66,47,299 i.e. 6.66 crore or 21.24%** of the country's population. Sikh were just 30.14 lakh. The total number of Hindus in India was 217.3 millions or 2/3rd of population. In British territory, the proportion is 67% and in native states, 78%. 

ABOUT HINDUS

The proportion of Hindus in UP was 85%. In Bihar and Orissa and CP and Berar, about 82%. This remains more or less the same even now. In Bombay it was 76%. In the west of Punjab, only 1/8th of inhabitants are Hindus, said the report. 

In Bengal, Hindus are 45%, says this pre-partition report. "Jain population has been diminishing. In quite recent times, many Jains have joined the Arya Samaj". It further points out, "In Punjab, UP and Bombay they are prone to take part in Hindu festivals..."

"... and are thus often disposed to regard themselves as Hindus and are likely gradually to become merged in the religion", the report later adds. "The Kasars of Akola and Jain Kalars attorned to Hinduism". 

ABOUT MUSLIMS

Muhammadans number 66.6 million or more than 1/5th of the total population of India. In NWFP and Baluchistan, Muslims number 93% and 91% respectively. In Punjab 55%, Bengal 53%".

The proportion of Muslims falls to 28% in Assam, 20% in Bombay and 14% in UP of Agra and Oudh. 'Bihar and Orissa' province is the only other state where it exceeds 10 percent. In CP and Berar it is only 4% and in Burma 3.5%. 

In native states, the proportion is much smaller but they are very numerous in Baluchistan and Kashmir and fairly so in states of Punjab, Bengal and UP. About half of Bombay Muhammedans are found in Sindh. 

Half of those in Burma are in northern coast districts where they form 1/7th of population. The single district of Purnea contains one quarter of Muhammadans of Bihar and Orissa, and Malabar, one third of Madras. 

Bengal contributes to 24 million or 36 percent, to total number of Muhammadans in India.  Muhammadans number has risen due to partly, more nourishing dietary, their social customs. fewer marriage restrictions, widows remarry more freely. 

ABOUT TRIBALS, TRIBES

There is a difficulty in classifying tribes--animists or Hindu. In some, tribal system is breaking down, they are coquetting to a varying extent with Hindu gods. There is quite an interesting observation in the report.

"Tthe decision depends on idiosyncrasy of enumerator and on the exact wording of the instructions laid down for his guidance. A high caste Hindu enumerator might record as animists those whom a Christian or aboriginal enumerator might enter as Hindus. There is a considerable element of uncertainty. 

ABOUT CHRISTIANS

There are 38.76 lakh Christians in India, says the report. Of these, 35.74 lakh are Indian Christians. Remainder are European and Anglo Indian. About 3/5th of the total number of Indian Christians are found in Madras and its native states, including Cochin and Travancore. 

Though number of Christians is still small, it is increasing very rapidly. During last ten years it has grown by 32.6%, and it has more than doubled since 1881. the number of Indian Christians has multiplied nearly 3 fold since 1872 [observations in the report of the Census 1911]

IMPORTANT

*All the figures and percentage need to be readjusted if India-Pakistan-Bangladesh are to be compared with today's geographical boundaries, because this included Burma.

**The percentage will be slightly different as this Census takes Myanmar into account. 

***This is an old representative map and shows pre-independence era boundaries, not present era or national- international boundaries, it is just for illustrative and educational purpose.