No, Mr Obama! Minorities in India are not exploited by Hindu 'majority'

Recently, Mr. Barack Obama, the former president of the USA, expressed his concerns for “the protection of the Muslim minority in a majority Hindu India”, and insisted on “protect[ing] the rights of ethnic minorities in India”, amidst “internal conflicts”. He also warned that unless India protects its minority, it will “fall apart” and “that would be contrary to the interests not just of Muslim India, but also Hindu India”. Even though he did not specifically mention Indian Christians, as the contemporary consensus goes, they are also among the minority groups in India that are being persecuted and need to be safeguarded from the Hindu majority. As an Indian Christian, I, therefore, feel compelled to reply to these issues. While his words may sound sincere and accurate, it is important to recognise that such views not only grossly misrepresent the ground reality, but more importantly, they provide little practical assistance to Indian ‘minorities’ in their daily struggles. And, in fact, they can even damage the very social fabric of Indian society that they ostensibly seek to protect. Crimes do not discriminate The popular view that Christians in India are persecuted is misplaced. While many intellectuals and media outlets, both in India and the West, probably genuinely believe in this view, it is crucial to examine the evidence more closely. A simple search on any news portal will yield numerous examples of prominent Christian figures calling for an “end to Christian persecution in India”, accompanied by various anecdotes and statistics. As a Christian living in India, I can add a few more such anecdotes that support this perspective. Let us grant that these violent incidents and a bit more do take place in India. However, a little bit more reflection will show you that the situation is more complex. The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) does not categorise crime data based on religious affiliation. And no organisation or researcher has conducted a survey or collected data that can substantiate this assertion. That means there is no statistical evidence to support the claim of the endless persecution of Christians in India. All those reports that keep appearing in the news claiming the persecution of minorities in India are partial in nature and list only those crimes that are committed against a specific community. However, by examining NCRB data, news portals, and newspapers that regularly report crimes in India, valuable insights can be gained. Paying careful attention to these reports reveals that every community in India faces crime. Interestingly, this data, including the NCRB data itself, contradicts the assertions of persecution of Christians in India. Let us begin with this question. Which community is facing the highest levels of crime in India? Contrary to what the media makes us think, it is the so-called upper castes who are the primary victims of the majority of violent incidents in India. However, if you trust a 2021 PEW Research report, over 74% of Indian Christians identify themselves as ‘lower castes’. That is to say, the majority of Indian Christians do not belong to the social groups that face the highest crimes in India. No wonder then, as the PEW research reports further, “A smaller share of Christians (18%) say there is a lot of discrimination against Christians in India, and even fewer say they have personally faced recent discrimination based on their caste (11%) or religion (10%).” During my research travels across Karnataka over the past year, I had the opportunity to observe firsthand that the daily struggle people face is not defined by caste or religious boundaries. People usually fight over issues like public water or petty loans. When I asked them about the causes of fights in their villages, a common answer I received was that “People get drunk and start fighting, sir” or “They fight for tap water or money, sir”. As I saw there, if my community is experiencing problems, so are people who belong to other castes and religions. The crucial question that should be raised is: Who is responsible for propagating the claim that Christians (and other minorities) face a high rate of crime in India, and why do they blindly believe in it? Lost irony and absurd claims The assertion that the Hindu majority persecutes minority groups in India is not only baseless but also harbours some incriminating implications. It is often emphasised by the media and scholars that India comprises a multitude of diverse communities. However, when it has to claim that the minority is being persecuted in India, it conveniently clubs all diverse groups into one ‘majority Hindu’. And here lies the rub. As per the 2011 census data, the ‘oppressed castes’ (SC, ST, and OBC) alone account for over 70% of the country’s population. If we consider the minority communities, such as Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, and others, the combined population count exceeds 85%. Therefore, when it is asserted that minority groups are persecuted by “majority Hindu India”, it raises several crucial questions. Who exactly constitutes this “majority Hindu” group, which is about 15% of the population? Are we also adding the children, women, bedridden patients and old people, and families living below the poverty line within this “majority Hindu” category? If not, no matter what the bargain is, the effective count of the so-called oppressive majority will barely cross 5% of the population. Perhaps many people are unaware that certain castes, which are regarded as upper castes in one state, find themselves on the OBC list of another state or even on the central list. What kinds of assumptions do we have to make, then, to believe that 5% of Indians threaten and oppress the rest of India? Have we reached a point today where not being included in the SC, ST, OBC and minority lists implies being categorised as exploiters and oppressors? Is this the cruelty that the USA and Europe consistently promote? The deep irony inherent here is that the seemingly pro-minority assertions end up accusing the very communities that they seek to speak for. When people express concerns about the persecution of minorities in India by the so-called majority Hindus, who barely make up 5% of the population, who are they really accusing? If we have become immune to the inherent irony here, it is largely due to our uncritical eagerness to speak up for the so-called oppressed people and demonstrate our moral righteousness. Such eagerness can only generate painfully absurd claims. One cannot defend such absurdity without, wittingly or unwittingly, accusing communities other than the 5% upper castes of persecuting minority groups. This is where those absurd-looking claims harbour incriminating implications. While catchy slogans and hand-waving are indeed crucial in shaping narratives, lacking the basics of critical thinking and research will only take one so far. Aspirations of Indian Christians Such illogical claims do not contribute positively to anyone’s cause. No, we Indian Christians are not facing endless persecution. Our problems and worries are of a different nature. The same issues that trouble a Madiga or a Brahmin also trouble us, like corruption, declining educational standards, poverty, and so on. This is not to deny the existence of social differences between Christians and other groups; they do exist and even hold significance in certain contexts. However, in the world we live in, there are more pressing issues that require attention than social differences. Speaking about my own community, there is an issue that deeply worries me. Although I haven’t conducted any studies or have any data to substantiate my claim, it is my experience that my community is not producing intellectuals anymore. Let me restrict myself to the Christian community in Karnataka. There is currently a dearth of intellectuals within the community who can effectively analyse our problems and challenges and speak about them. With a few exceptions, this community has not produced any notable poets, novelists, journalists, or other prominent public intellectuals in the past several decades. This has had various repercussions. Consider just one for now. Issues that should not matter to us become important when swayed by media and political narratives. Concomitantly, one of the two groups that lead the community today is those who are politically active. For these people, issues that do not matter to a large percentage of ‘lay Christians’ (who, like workers in any other community, sweat during the day to rest at night) become rallying points. There are several such issues. For example, persecution of Christians and beef eating. It is not part of our experience as lay Indian Christians that we face any more crimes and violence than our next-door neighbours, be they Kurubas or Vishwakarmas. As a lay Christian, I believe that the issue of beef consumption is often blown out of proportion in political and media discussions. While beef may be an interesting food option, it neither defines who we are nor ensures our salvation. However, political commentaries and media narratives today make it look as though all that Christians in India want is beef or that they are eating it all the time. It looks as though accepting or rejecting the consumption of beef seems to determine our status as ‘good minority Christians’. The media, both internationally and nationally, often discuss the pressure on Christians to give up beef as a form of violence. Isn’t the pressure to own up to beef consumption as a mark of being a Christian also a form of violence? We are ‘normal’ human beings, beset by the usual human problems. It is not beef that we crave; like others, we also want clean water, better roads, and a good education for our kids. Conclusion There is a growing sense among various communities today that they have been and are being persecuted. Political, intellectual, and media activism tend to amplify this self-perception and use it for their own benefit. From the perspective of a community, positioning itself as a minority often leads to justifying demands for special privileges. However, presenting oneself as a victimised minority necessitates the identification of an oppressor and the vocalisation of victimhood. Those who want to break this vicious circle need a deeper understanding of its underlying mechanisms and the reasons it holds appeal. In other words, this is a call for further reflection as well as research, not simplistic sloganeering and social media activism. The author is an independent researcher. Views are personal. Read all the Latest News, Trending News,  Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.