Discrimination driving separatist movements in India

Religious discrimination and dominance of Hindu extremists is the basic reason for germination of separatist movements

Religious discrimination and dominance of Hindu extremists have ignited around 36 separatist movements across India.

This was stated by speakers as a book by Tariq Ismail Sagar, “Separatist Movements In India”, was launched by the Muslim Institute in the federal capital on Thursday.Speakers said that it presented an academic effort to discuss the ground realities about ongoing separatist movements in India.

Based on research, Sagar’s book analyses the political and economic conditions of India and found that there are more than 36 separatist movements currently in India, including 22 which could be described as large-scale movements. Many of these movements have been continuing for decades and their proponents are from different religions and regions.

It found that religious discrimination and dominance of Hindu extremists was the basic reason for the germination of such separatist movements. Divisions along caste lines, though, remain the single largest cause of discrimination in India.

Nawab of Junagadh Jahangir Khanji, Sagar, Muslim Institute Chairman Sahibzada Sultan Ahmad Ali, defence analyst Brigadier Asif Haroon Raja, former ICCI president Zafar Bakhtawari, former Ministry of Foreign Affairs Additional Secretary Ambassador Ishtiaq Andrabi, defence analyst Brig. Akhtar Nawaz Janjua and Rana Abdul Baqi shared their views on the book. 

Published in The Express Tribune, January 26^th, 2018.