A Saffron Title with Fears

There is an uproar on the Home Minister Mr. P. Chidambaram's remarks in a meeting with police officers in India. Mr. Chidambaram expressed his concerns about a phenomenon called "saffron terror". The use of this phrase is understood to suggest something more than the colour of terrorists. The home minister was certainly not talking about a code worded plot of terrorists. He was referring to a concept as understood by him and others who might be agreeing to his approach to handling law and order in our country. 

It is not an easy situation after these remarks.

The home minister of a country like India is a very powerful person. The police officers present there in that meeting also wield a huge amount of power.

It is likely that many people would now start packing their baggages with more care when they leave for out-of-station visits. In case the baggage is checked and a saffron dress is found by the police officer on duty, it might be construed to be indicating to the same phenomenon that the honourable home minister mentioned.

And what if there is a religious book in the baggage? Most of the religious books published for majority community carry a cloth cover which is also saffron. What should be the plan of action in such a situation?

Then there is a problem with spiritual discourses too. The majority community preachers come dressed in saffron. Are we supposed to attend such spiritual discourses in future or we should avoid them till the preachers change the colour of their dress? After all, post the instructions and guidelines from the home minister, the saffron colour clothed spiritual preachers might be subject of police investigations and all those who attend such discourses could be called to the police station for extended inquiries!

Where all is the colour saffron used? It is present in our national flag too. We have so much pride in our national flag and the saffron, white and green colours on our flag have meanings that are unquestionable.

During the festival of colours - HOLI - we might have a problem if the law enforcement agencies doubt our motive in using saffron colour. One should be cautious there.

And yes, very important, in the drawing classes that our kids attend to in their schools, we must be watchful whether the teacher is more focussed on saffron colour. We must regularly scrutinize the drawing books when kids come back from schools and look for any signs of this saffron phenomenon.

This is becoming a serious and daunting task Mr. Home Minster. The implications are huge.

The majority community in India might be in need for a major change at cultural, traditional and spiritual levels if this wave of thought catches momentum. But we have no choice after your remarks Sir. You are too powerful to be questioned about the propriety of your remarks! We are just a speck of dust in front of your powers and the forces.

But we are committed to work on nation buliding and we are hopeful that you would allow us to participate in spite of our seemingly doubtful background after your meaningful remarks as we have so much association with this single colour - Saffron.

Red Fort Address of the Prime Minister - Aug 15, 2010... "...We also consider it our duty to protect the minorities..."

The Independence Day speech of our respected Prime Minister is a valuable indicator of the policies of the Government and highlights what the political party in power considers paramount in its opinion.

We are a secular country and a democracy too. Our constitution provides the philosophical framework and executive and judicial mechanism to protect the rights of the citizens of our country in general.

Article 30 of the Constitution provides that all minorities, whether based on religion or language, shall have the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice.

Apart from this there is no significant constitutional provision in my knowledge that delineates specific approach to minority protection. However, it must be due to some very important reasons that our honourable Prime Minister has chosen to state so on an Independence Day speech.

I, after due thought have a request to make to the leaders of our country. In the light of this resolve on the part of the PM, kindly take up the issue of the minorities in Kashmir, i.e. the Kashmiri Pandits. The reason why the separatists have become so bold in demanding separation form India is this: our government could not protect the right of Kashmiri Pandits to live with peace in the ancestoral homes in the Kashmir Valley.

The Kashmiri Pandits indeed are a minority in Kashmir. They were inhabitants in Kashmir for ages and were forced to leave when terrorists threatened them with dire consequences and violence erupted in the valley with their homes and property burnt. They need protection and safe passage back to the valley and an atmosphere needs to be created to generate trust amongst them. I hope the Government of India (GOI) would work in the true spirit of secularism and take care of the sad plight of Kashmiri Pandits who have become homeless because of terrorist violence.

Once this crucial step towards normalcy of situation in Kashmir is taken up, the separatist forces would be forced to reconcile with the fact that the GOI is serious about ensuring the rights of its people irrespective of religion, and is particularly conscious about protecting the minorities, even if it is in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

I hope our honourable Prime Minister would pay heed to this logical corollary of his speech on August 15, 2010 from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort.