Comparison of 2 societies : #Iran & indian Punjab for decades of 70-80's
✓ Both societies were highly religious. Iran almost all in Shia Islam but Punjab majorly in Sikhs and Hindu faith.
✓ Both societies were highly religious. Iran almost all in Shia Islam but Punjab majorly in Sikhs and Hindu faith.
✓ 70's saw both societies in some form of richness. Punjab in post green revolution and Iran in post oil boom richness.
✓ Both societies were struggling with modernity. Among other currents both have pockets of traction for communist movement.
✓ Both societies were struggling with modernity. Among other currents both have pockets of traction for communist movement.
✓ Politically in 70's Iran was monarchy of shah - highly unpopular-, where as in Punjab Sikhs had carved out truncated Punjab - done on language basis- where they were majority. But the quest of more self rule were there yet. So both societies have some urge of diff. Polity.
✓ Iran urge got a lot of response and support from West, but Punjab urge was mostly a domestic affairs that too contested one.
✓ Both the urges were seeking sort of religious fantasy in political format. Iran settled for Khomeini as leader where as Punjab had Bhindranwale.
✓ Both the urges were seeking sort of religious fantasy in political format. Iran settled for Khomeini as leader where as Punjab had Bhindranwale.
✓ Till the removal of shah in Iran in 1979, both religious section and communist section (led by Tudeh party) of movement worked in tandem, but in Punjab both these parties were perusing their own fantasy and thus they were at odds with each other.
✓ In Both these societies religious front received more of support. In monarchy of Iran, they were successful but in democratic and multicultural India the religious fantasy was successfully tackled.
✓ After success of Iran revolution the religious section did large number of political killings before slowing down. Tudeh party was banned and dismantled. Relationship with outer world was always poor- with USA being at odds from start. Iran entered into long war with iraq.
✓ Punjab on the other hand continued on its violence streak in all of 80's and then made sort of tentative peace in early 90's. It became part of larger economic success story of India. However the separation sentiment do exists, mostly in diasporic section of population.
✓ Both societies now would be only half satisfied. Iran never got full democracy. Too much religious restrictions and isolation from developed west world. Punjab never got separate political status, but it avoided much of self inflicted wounds like Iran.
✓ Both societies can look at each other to see what they could have been like. If khalistan would have been achieved, then polity & other state matters would have been like Iran. If Iran had avoided Islamic revolution & gradually Democratized then it may have been Punjab like.
