Dr John Mohan Razu
Recent furor over the killing of Khalistan leader, a Canadian national on a Canadian soil has sparked diplomatic row between the two governments. As a result, both the governments vis-à-vis Canada and India have initiated a series of drastic actions calling back the top embassy and consulate officers, non-issuance of visa, freezing the trade talks and issuance of advisory notes to those intending to travel to India and Canada along with many other stringent actions. Both the governments allege a maze of things against each other. But people from both the sides wants to know: Who is speaking the truth? What has really happened and who were behind the killing? Since the allegation comes from the PM of Canada, it merits investigation.
As of now, the issue that has surfaced recently and thus unfolded opened up all sorts of allegations and counters. More clarity be derived as the days and weeks go by. It is still fluid and complex. However, what is important at this juncture is that a sizable Sikh population has emigrated to Canada decades ago contributing to the growth and development of Canada and some represent in the polity of Canada as well. Over and above, in the year 2022 alone more than three lakhs of Indians went to Canda for studies. In addition, thousands and lakhs of Indians working in Canada. Indian diaspora is relatively doing well.
Canada is considered highly sought/preferred destination along with few others for Indians to go for jobs, studies and to settle down. Shutting down visa issuances by both the countries have irked those who have planned to go to these countries. Currently blame game is going on between the two governments. Nonetheless, the dynamics that surface more visibly is ‘identity’. ‘Identity’ per se is multiple and in that multiplicity, what comes first is one ‘national identity’. In recent times ‘religious identity’ has taken the precedence that currently dominates pushing back ‘national identity’.
In one way it gels well with the very notion that ‘Nationalism without a nation’. Usages such as ‘Hindu Canadians”, ‘Christian Indians’, ‘Sikh Indians’, ‘Hindu Americans’ and so on. Where are we heading? All these years we proudly put our country first and now the reverse is happening. Having known that religion is the core of all contestations, we are falling into the same trap. Amongst several punitive measures that the Canadian government is contemplating that includes banning of RSS and removal of its agents from Canada. Over and above, a section of Sikh community has warned that there would be severe reprisals against the Hindus and their temples. Canadian PM Justin Trudeau said that his country was not looking to “provoke or cause problems” with India in a raging diplomatic row over the killing of a Khalistani extremist leader as he urged New Delhi to take matter “extremely seriously” and work with Ottawa to “uncover the truth”.
He added that “we call upon the government of India to take seriously this matter and to work with us to shed full transparency and ensure accountability and justice in this matter”. Political ideologies are skewed by connecting religious tenets to approximate one’s ends. We talk about ‘nation’, but when we ask their preference, to many, it is religion and its identity that takes over other identities. There has been significant and radical shift in identity formation ‘Religious identity’ tag is currently gaining momentum and currency and many want it because it is closely connected to ‘majoritarianism’ – that adds power, privilege, status and many others.
Most of the countries and societies are increasingly getting closed, exclusive and sectarian. On the one hand we laud that the world is becoming more multi-cultural and inclusive, but the reality of the world in which we live is just the opposite. Countries and societies that claims democratic, inclusive, secular, and plural are becoming so inward-looking and for the sake of power and votes blindly support the dominant religious populace. Respecting plurality of cultures and multi-religious ethos could hardly be seen in societies and countries that claims democratic and plural. Multi-culturalism has totally failed and inter-religious dialogue seemed to have lost its essence and meaning.
Religion nowadays has become the vanguard of every society and country. Use of religion to push one’s identity and acquire power or throttle others have become the order of the day. What is happening now between India and Canada in this fiasco that there are some in Canada say that they would target Hindu temples and Hindus living in Canada. One should be cautious and show restraint while targeting minorities because Indian diaspora are scattered across the world. Any friction on religious grounds will lead to ripple effects. Navigating religious sentiments will have to be carried out with care and caution. Mixing religion and politics for galvanizing votes and to acquire or advance power leads to all kinds of problems. In India we have witnessing on diverse terrains.
Semblance of religion becoming more and more militant is apparently seen and witnessed across the world. Communal flare-ups, patriarchy, misogyny, antisemitism, casteism, racism, Islamophobia, and hate-speech are all socio-religio-culturally constructed and thus inter-connected. Therefore, militancy of religion tends to grow at appalling levels and spreading in such ferocity. What is happening now is antithetical to religious tenets that promotes harmony, peace, love, fairness, equality, freedom, temperance, and many others. Identity in toto means complete equality. Identity of a community or an individual has multiple layers but identity per se ought to bring the mountains down and valleys up, so that identities of individuals or communities or societies have to be brought to the level of egalitarian. When we claim that we are progressing, then we should be accommodative, inclusive, transformative and transcending from pettiness to broad-minded and generous.
It is better to be transparent when Canadian PM Trudeau openly says that GOI is involved in Nijars killing, whereas India says that no shred of evidence provided by the Canadian government. Both the countries claim that they are democratic and does believe in rule of law, but fails to go beyond from power to truth.
