NAGPUR: Union minister of state for home Subodh Kant Sahay on Jan 12 said that the solution to the growing problems of communalism and terrorism in the country ay in eradicating poverty and employment.
Speaking at a seminar on secularism terrorism and journalism here he said all talk of secularism national unity and democratic process held no meaning for those with empty stomachs
Youth who spend most of their time waiting in queues at employment exchanges and being lured by fundamentalists to temples or mosques and by militants hiding behind reformist facades the minister said.
He said militants were taking up public causes and reformist movements to attract frustrated youth and gave the example of the ULFA in Assam who punished those who tortured women for dowry.
The union minister said unless one answered the question as to why Kashmiri Muslims who fought Pakistani invaders in 1947 were now wondering whether they belonged to India one had no right to charge them with Communalism or question their loyalty. Little children who come with grenades in hand to stop government vehicles are not doing it only out of communal fanaticism Sahay said.
It had to be admitted he added that most Muslims in the country were extremely poor and backward. If they had a large number of children so had the similarly poor and backward Hindus
He said irresponsible journalism especially in the more effective electronic media had contributed to the worsening of the situation and hoped that voluntary self-regulation by the profession itself would curb the trend.
Article extracted from this publication >> January 25, 1991
