SOCIAL HOSTILITIES INDEX

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About

According to a report published by the US think-tank Pew Research Center, India was among a few countries that saw religious hostilities in the early stages of the covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
- As per the report titled “Social Hostilities Index (SHI)”, India had the highest rate of social tensions along religious lines globally in 2020.
- The Index covered 198 countries.
The SHI measures acts of religious hostility by private individuals, organizations or groups. The index comprises 13 metrics, including religion-related armed conflict or terrorism and mob or sectarian violence.
With 9.4 out of 10, India’s Social Hostilities Index (SHI) in 2020 was worse than neighboring Pakistan and Afghanistan.
- A higher score is worse.
Among the most populous countries, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Egypt and Bangladesh had “very high" social hostilities involving religion.
The Government Restrictions Index (GRI) looks at laws, policies and state actions restricting religious beliefs and practices.
- China ranked the worst, with a score of 9.3.
- India’s 34th rank and categorized among countries with “high" levels of such government restrictions.
- The GRI comprises 20 measures, including efforts by governments to ban particular faiths, prohibit conversion, limit preaching or give preferential treatment to one or more religious groups.
For the GRI and the SHI, Pew researchers consulted more than a dozen public sources of information, including;
- The US Department of State’s annual reports on religious freedom.
- Annual reports from the US Commission on International Religious Freedom.
- Reports and databases from a variety of European and United Nations bodies.
- Several independent, non-governmental organizations.
- Online English-language newspaper websites and English-language global news sites and reports

Communal Hatred/Violence

It is the result of an attitude that Sees one’s group as the only legitimate group, with other groups being seen as inferior, illegitimate and opposed.
It is generally related to religion, but there is no relationship between faith/religion and Communalism.
- A Communalist may or may not be a religious person, and Religious believers may or may not be Communalists.
- The key factor is the attitude towards those who believe in other kinds of identities, including other religion-based identities.
One of the features of Communalism is its Claim that religious identity overrides everything else. Whether one is poor or rich, whatever one’s occupation, Caste or Political beliefs, it is religion alone that Counts. All Hindus are the same as are all Muslims, Sikhs and So on.
- This rules out the possibility that Hindus, Muslims and Christians who belong to Kerala, for example, may have as much or more in common with each other as with their Co-religionists from Kashmir, Gujarat or Nagaland.
- Landless agricultural labourers may have a lot in common even if they belong to different religions and regions.
The core Ideology is that people who follow the same religion have Common Interestse. they have the Same Political, Economic and Social interests.
- In a multi-religious society like India, these Common interests of one religion are dissimilar and divergent from the Interests of the follower of another religion.
Communalism is an ideology on which Communal Politics is based.
- Communal violence is the result of Communal ideology.

Concern

Every religious community has faced this violence to a greater or lesser degree, although the Proportionate impact is far more traumatic for minority Communities.
Many from the younger generation lack the Right Information/Knowledge, and fake messages, Insensitive or irresponsible News channel debates and social media posts influence their thinking and divert them in the wrong direction.
- Unemployment and Poverty also play an important role in promoting the maniac of Communalism.
Social media has become infamous for the Spread of Communal hatred. It provides an almost instant transfer of Provoking material.
Real Sufferers are the Poor, they lose their houses, their near and dear ones, their lives, their livelihoods, etc.
- Sometimes Children will lose their Parents.
Threat to the Indian Constitutional values, which Promotes Secularism and religious tolerance.
Threat to the unity and integrity of the Nation.
It promotes only the feeling of hatred, dividing Society into Communal lines.
It is a barrier to socioeconomic development.
It is against the rule of law, against human rights.
Covered by International Media, giving India a bad image and can hurt tourism and also foreign investment.
It takes many years for the People and the affected regions to come out of the traumas of Such violence, having a deep impact on their mental and psychological health.
- Whole life, they live in fear and feel emotionally broken and insecure.

Steps need to be taken

Disputes and conflicts are common in a diverse society, as every group has different interests and sometimes their interest goes against the interest of other groups. No matter how much Government and people try to avoid this situation, we have to face it because it is bound to happen.
- Therefore we must focus on building a mechanism through which we could solve it peacefully and democratically so that every person in society feels safe and secure under the prevailing social structure.
A group or committee with the representative of every diverse group will ensure that the grievances of the people would be addressed through a democratic process of debate and discussion.
Organising Cultural programs and celebrating festivals together would help people to understand the culture of different groups and this would promote respect for other's cultures and also develop tolerance among different groups.
Education is the best tool to deal with this issue, as today's children are future citizens, so we should introduce the learning of Kindness, compassion, empathy, teamwork, unity, diversity, culture, etc at the school and college levels.
- Only an Inclusive and liberal education system would ensure the value of tolerance and democracy in our society.
Focus is needed on social/attitudinal change.
Strengthening administration and governance to ensure public confidence in state institutions.
Holding Social media platforms accountable.
Identify districts, sub-divisions and villages where instances of Communal hate speech/violence have been reported in the recent past.
Broadcast on radio, television and other media platforms about the serious consequences of Communal hate speech/violence.

Way Forward

Each of us has to make a balance between our own religious beliefs/Community and National interests.
Need to promote Rationality and Scientific temper in the decision-making process.
Leaders of all Communities must come forward to create an atmosphere of Unity and Harmony.
We need to work towards eradicating the socio-economic problem of unemployment, illiteracy and poverty without any discrimination.
We need to remember that we also have a long tradition of religious Pluralism and Peaceful Co-existence in the past. This is prominent in the devotional Songs and Poetry of the Bhakti and Sufi movements.
Intolerant citizens violating the freedoms of fellow citizens have no right to be ‘Indians’ as it goes against the Core values and ethos of India, Core Indian values and ethos have no place for intolerance due to which all the major religions of the world are flourishing in India.