There is a basic disconnect between well intentioned liberals and the CAB-supporting public
The former see this as discrimination against people who hold certain beliefs
The latter view Hinduism as an ethnocultural marker that makes it easier to be loyal to the Indian state
The former see this as discrimination against people who hold certain beliefs
The latter view Hinduism as an ethnocultural marker that makes it easier to be loyal to the Indian state
I see merits in both POVs.
But they talk past each other.
The liberal view with its origins in Anglo Saxon Christendom understands religion primarily in terms of theological belief
Religion is about what you believe in. And we must not hold that against you
But they talk past each other.
The liberal view with its origins in Anglo Saxon Christendom understands religion primarily in terms of theological belief
Religion is about what you believe in. And we must not hold that against you
But then religion is not merely about what is your faith.
It is about what you eat. How you dress. The vocabulary you use. The pilgrimages you visit
And this has implications for how you will relate to a country.
It is about what you eat. How you dress. The vocabulary you use. The pilgrimages you visit
And this has implications for how you will relate to a country.
The argument FOR CAB precisely stems from this latter conception of religion - an ethnocultural understanding
If you happen to be a Hindu "foreigner" you will likely relate to India a lot better than any other foreigner
If you happen to be a Hindu "foreigner" you will likely relate to India a lot better than any other foreigner
In the Anglosphere, this kind of an ethnocultural grasp of religion is mostly non-existent.
E.g. Till 1965, America favored Western European immigrants a LOT more than say Indian or Chinese immigrants
There was ethnic bias. But this was not *based* on Christianity
E.g. Till 1965, America favored Western European immigrants a LOT more than say Indian or Chinese immigrants
There was ethnic bias. But this was not *based* on Christianity
I don't believe modern liberals view the American immigration policy from the 1920s up to the 1960s as particularly obnoxious...
Ethnic filters in immigration policy and country wise quotas is viewed as OK. Even today the bias does exist though to a lesser extent
Ethnic filters in immigration policy and country wise quotas is viewed as OK. Even today the bias does exist though to a lesser extent
The problem for liberals arises when you link it to religion.
Then it becomes less about ethnicity. But more about what you believe in.
This is where there is a fundamental conflict with mainstream opinion in India - which does not view religion in terms of plain belief
Then it becomes less about ethnicity. But more about what you believe in.
This is where there is a fundamental conflict with mainstream opinion in India - which does not view religion in terms of plain belief
Though there is considerable theology in Hinduism, there is little doubt that it is perhaps least predicated on "belief" among all the major world religions
And people brought up in a world view moored in Christendom and Europe can never quite relate to this
And people brought up in a world view moored in Christendom and Europe can never quite relate to this
So when CAB favors Hindus over say Muslims, the average CAB-supporter in India does not view this as discrimination on the basis of faith
He merely sees it as a filter that identifies people who can relate to India much more easily
He merely sees it as a filter that identifies people who can relate to India much more easily
If you like visiting temples, like eating high-carb low meat diet (like most Hindus), love Hindu festivals, etc, then you will likely relate to India much more strongly than someone who does not share these "lifestyle" characteristics.
Now what is my gripe with CAB?
My issue with it is in the singling out of Muslims. I'd have been OK if CAB had favored Hindus and discriminated against everybody else
But by singling out Muslims (and not other Non-Hindus), CAB creates bad optics
My issue with it is in the singling out of Muslims. I'd have been OK if CAB had favored Hindus and discriminated against everybody else
But by singling out Muslims (and not other Non-Hindus), CAB creates bad optics
Of course the liberal rejoinder to my case for CAB will be -
Why should we gauge likely loyalty to the Indian state based on ethnocultural markers at all?
Why should we gauge likely loyalty to the Indian state based on ethnocultural markers at all?
But the reality is ethnocultural markers matter
The sensitive "problem regions" in modern India, be it J&K, parts of North East, or even parts of Kerala / Bengal are precisely those regions where the demography is biased towards groups which do not share mainstream H-culture
The sensitive "problem regions" in modern India, be it J&K, parts of North East, or even parts of Kerala / Bengal are precisely those regions where the demography is biased towards groups which do not share mainstream H-culture
Language in contrast has not been as problematic
Five very large Indian states down south speak languages that are from a different family compared to languages of the north
Yet that's less of a problem. Because of the ethnocultural connect (through Hinduism) with rest of India
Five very large Indian states down south speak languages that are from a different family compared to languages of the north
Yet that's less of a problem. Because of the ethnocultural connect (through Hinduism) with rest of India
In contrast, West Punjab and East Bengal seceded, though lingually their affinity to Northern India is far greater than that of the South
This just goes to show the "cultural" commonality offered by Hinduism is more critical in holding the nation together than lingual affinity
This just goes to show the "cultural" commonality offered by Hinduism is more critical in holding the nation together than lingual affinity
Post-script : I've often asked myself - what makes me feel "foreign" in say United States
It is not the English language - which is my first language
It is not Christianity - doesn't bother me
It is the "smell" from food stalls - a peculiar smell you dont find in India
It is not the English language - which is my first language
It is not Christianity - doesn't bother me
It is the "smell" from food stalls - a peculiar smell you dont find in India
It is only when I encounter that "smell" I feel I am not in India
But in a different cultural universe
It is this sense of foreign-ness that made me appreciate why "cultural" markers matter in relating to a nation
But in a different cultural universe
It is this sense of foreign-ness that made me appreciate why "cultural" markers matter in relating to a nation
