At a press conference in Karachi the other day Hindus from Mithi have expressed dissatisfaction over the arrest of a man for entering a temple and destroying religious icons present at the Nainu Ram Ashram, one of the biggest Hindu religious centres in the country. Hindu community leaders have warned that attacks on temples and on individual Hindus may represent a broader conspiracy to create division between the Hindus and Muslims of Tharparkar. It may be noted that Hindus, making up 55 per cent of the population, constitute a majority there and the two religious groups have lived peacefully for centuries. It is only in recent years that Hindus have felt compelled to move to India, fearful of their future in a country where extremism is growing rapidly.
It is not just in Sindh that this is happening. Minority lawmakers walked out of the Balochistan Assembly last Wednesday to protest the shooting of a Hindu trader and the kidnapping of his son. To their credit, some who remained in the assembly expressed their condolences and concerns over the state of affairs. But far more needs to be done. Commiserations after tragedies take place offer only a little comfort. The demands of the minorities must be addressed. As Hindu leaders from Mithi point out, a single arrest is merely a cosmetic measure. This is insufficient under the present circumstances. We face a tide of hatred which has acquired immense fury. The government needs to set together with minority leaders, as well as those of smaller religious sects, to determine how best to thwart it. Also, when acts of violence or harassment are carried out against members of a minority community the perpetrators should be arrested and prosecuted with the full force of the law.
Published in the Express Tribune, June 14th, 2010.
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