Release of IOS book “Social Violence in Contemporary India: An Exploration of Aftermath”

Release of IOS book “Social Violence in Contemporary India: An Exploration of Aftermath”

New Delhi, Oct. 29: The latest publication of the Institute of Objective Studies, “Social Violence in Contemporary India: An Exploration of Aftermath”, jointly authored by Prof. Arshi Khan, Professor of the department of political science, Aligarh Muslim University, and Dr. G.C. Pal, Director, Indian Institute of Dalit Studies, New Delhi, was released by the former Chief Election Commissioner of India, Dr. S.Y. Quraishi here on October 29, 2022.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Quraishi lauded the role of the IOS in taking up research projects and bringing out well-documented publications and reports besides and organising programmes focused on topical issues. He said that social violence had emerged as a big issue because Muslims were being regularly targeted in different parts of the country. Reports of their social and economic boycotts were being received on a regular basis. It appeared that this had become a common issue. This was so because the law to deal with such incidents was not strictly followed. He held that stringent laws should be made to curb such tendencies. He felt that the existing laws were enough to deal with the situation, and there was a need to strictly enforce them. But the problem here was that the laws were enforced considering religion, caste and other factors. He was of the firm opinion that the incidents of social boycott would continue until the law was enforced in letter and spirit. He also held that the media was responsible for the social boycott of Muslims and said that the role of the media had been very shameful and deplorable. Referring to the population of Muslims in India, he said that the myth of steady increase in the growth rate of Muslim population was being deliberately spread in order to prove that if the current trend continued, Muslims would come to power after some time. He termed it as a white lie and added that the rate of the growth of Muslim population was, in fact, declining. He said that Muslims were paying much attention to family planning, and if the present birth rate among Muslims continued, they were unlikely to hold a dominant position for the next thousand years, he remarked.

In his speech, Dr. Quraishi emphatically said that the Hindus of India were secular by nature. India was secular because its Hindus were secular. Despite vitiating the communal environment, BJP was voted by 35 percent voters. Though the country was partitioned on the basis of religion, Hindus made India a secular state.  Under the prevailing situation, dialogue and discussion had become very imperative. This should be taken up in a big way, he stressed.

Earlier, one of the authors of the book, Prof. Arshi Khan, said there were several contributory factors that led to social violence. To top it all were a deficit in mutual goodwill, politically motivated agenda of the political parties and the social media. He informed that the research was completed by using reliable sources and the other data. The second author of the book, Dr. G.C. Pal, observed that he presented the ground reality in the book. He explained how Muslims were targeted socially and economically. He also highlighted how the government officials discriminated against the victims.

In his presidential address, Prof. Z.M. Khan, the secretary general, IOS, Prof. Z.M. Khan, said that the Institute had been trying to work on pressing issues, publishing reports of the research projects, and acquainting people with the critical issues at the very outset. He congratulated both the authors for preparing a well-documented report.

While the assistant secretary general of the IOS, Prof. Haseena Hashia proposed a vote of thanks to all the attendees, Dr. Aftab Alam, Assistant professor of Political Science, Dr. Zakir Husain College, University of Delhi, conducted the proceedings.

The function began with the recitation of a Quranic verse by Hafiz Athar Husain Nadwi, and participated by academics, scholars and and social activists.