After the Sajjan Kumar’s conviction in 1984 anti-Sikh riot case, people who lost someone close to them were happy but not as they should be. “Justice delayed is justice denied” seems apt in this scenario. If we look back to the world, we’ll witness the stark reality of such fury against minority from ancient times.

In India incidents such as anti-Sikh riots killing almost 3000 people (including Hindus), Mumbai riots in 1992-93 killing 275 Hindus and 575 Muslims and 50 others. We are not looking at the pre and post-riots consequences but the lost lives in these riots. Following years in India saw Gujrat riots in 2002 killing 790 Muslims and 254 Hindus. Among these riots, we can’t miss exodus of Kashmiri Hindus. 600,000 Hindus living in the Kashmir valley in 1990, only 2000-3000 remains there in 2016. Many minorities died before exodus and some who left still live under dark clouds. How does it feel to be exiled from home just because praying in a different style than most neighborhood and not even forcing others to denounce their form of faith? There are other such incidents where minorities are targeted some are major while others are minors.

Muslims are in minority in India (except Kashmir state). Looking at minorities in Islamic countries, it is at most 10% in 20 countries. While others such as Indonesia, Malesia etc. are seeing a rapidly changing demography due to increasing Muslim population. The days when these countries used to be Buddhist are not a thing of medieval history but recent. This data may seem unnecessary but of course, it gives a sign of caution to every other country especially India, where Muslims are in minority. Actually, this is the thinking among a majority, which many people try to put a veil upon, but instead of healing the wound might get infected and incurable. In the severe cases, the part of the wound becomes necessary to cut from the body. This is what happened to India when a part was cut and divided to form Pakistan. But hiding the wound would not help anyone. It’s not a solution if this would be then rioting against minorities would not ever happen again.

Riots In World Against Minority

The world especially those developed countries are not immune to such riots against minorities and ethnic cleansing. For instance, the most progressive Islamic country Turkey. In 1955 country was burning in riots in the context of demographic engineering against non-Muslim minorities. People in Turkey said that it is the purification of the nation. Indonesia in 1988 witnessed the death of 1000 people, who died in the riots against ethnic Chinese. Now, these Chinese prefer to use a localized name instead of obviously Chinese one. In present, the tension is still growing like an active volcano, even though China is heavily investing in Indonesia is again gives the smell of some hidden propaganda. As a result, we can hear that in China, Muslims minority is considered to be of second-grade citizens. But what we can’t hear is the affliction and torture to these minorities. Indonesia is the only country which raises voice against China. Neither Pakistan nor Middle east-the patron of Islam seems to take any interest in it. It is the result of China’s aggressive economy support and voice in UN for their malicious activity. Even in countries like the USA, Indian origin people like Bobby Jindal (Piyush Jindal), Nikki Haley (Nimrata Randhava) etc. to name a few have to change their name in accordance to the native people to get the votes.

One of the oldest democracies in the world USA is known for its slavery era too. But on April 29,1992, which is not far from present saw LA(Los Angeles) burnt in riots. Hours after a jury refused to convict the four LAPD officers who attacked Afro-American. More than 50 people were killed and 2,300 were injured and about 1,100 buildings were damaged. So, the country which boasts untiredly of its ethnic diversity, a strong feeling of hatred for minor communities couldn’t be hidden any more. Such events of ethnic cleansing and riots against minority happen in every corner of the world and that too from millenniums.

Verdicts

In most of these cases to give the verdict to any group is complex judiciary procedure, which most of the time doesn’t give any verdict at all. But if we look at India, we see a dawn’s ray, giving hope after the 1984, 1993 and 2002 riots which are the major one. And whoever the convicts were and their verdicts were unquestionable. In most of these cases, the large mob and lack of concrete shreds of evidence make the procedure without any conclusion. Recently the verdict in cow vigilantism has come, making faith in our system. 

There are many countries including few democracies, where such crime against minority never came out. But even human rights group and UN turned blind eye towards them.

What Can Be Done To Stop These Riots Forever?

If we see the methods used in these riots by a mob is not just vandalizing the properties and killing but also heinous crimes like rape, targeted killing, mutilation, threats and kidnapping all these things happen. These are all form of violence. So, if the world and its society are really interested for halting such incidents of riots then one should start by asking why suchvehemence is there in the world. One should investigate the reason behind such ferociousnature of human against another human.

  1. Let us first assume the world have only one religion and unification have been there in the way human pray to god. But if you look at Islamic countries then we will find hatred towards each other’s countries and citizen within. So, unification of the world on basis of religion is not a solution.

2. Again let us again assume that unification of religion has happened. Now, for instance take India. There is a deep valley between northern and southern India despite most of the people believe in same religion. There are many reasons behind it like culture and ‘colour’ etc.

3. Now again postulating that religion, culture, and colour is not a problem anymore. But looking around, people are divided based on economical background. People are accepted and rejected, honored and discarded based on economic status. Not only that but in India a plague called casteism, which has become a laughable topic for world.

The truth is human is divided inside. Our thoughts, actions and the way we conduct are all fragmented. From childhood we have been taught in a specific way to be selfish, jealous, envy and all these things breed hatred and ego. So, a man full of hatred and ego will bring only chaos in this world. These people need a medium or feign to show and take out all the hatred. It’s the religion, cast and counting on other things becomes the object of rage. The solution lies in understanding our thoughts, actions and asking questions constantly why am I the way I am and so on. In understanding different religion and culture makes life rich. But, with the changing time we need to introduce some must amendments rationally in all the religions and reject the dogmas in the name of faith. No matter how many prophets or son of God comes, no matter how many incarnation gods take. But at last, it’s us, the humans who have to take ultimate step to carry our society ahead.

*The number of deaths in riots are in close approximation