Mumbaikars Gather To Discuss Communal Harmony, Peace & Reconciliation

As celebrations for two major festivals, Ganeshotsav and Eid e Milad, drew to a close this week, a group of Mumbaikars met in South Mumbai for an evening of conversation on communal friendship, peace, reconciliation, and cooperation.

Moderated by Dr Zeenat Shaukat Ali,  director general of Wisdom Foundation, and former head of the department of Islamic studies at St Xavier's College, the discussion looked at how religious traditions have been contributed to the preservation of peace and harmony, and how these ideas have been pivots for bridge building between communities. Ali said that the idea of India has been unique in its cultural, religious, ethnic diversity of religious pluralism and peaceful coexistence. Quoting Antonio Guterres, she said, "We have to transcend our differences to transform our future ".

Ali said that the idea of India has been unique in its cultural, religious, ethnic diversity of religious pluralism and peaceful coexistence. Quoting Antonio Guterres, she said, "We have to transcend our differences to transform our future "Among those present were former Member of Parliament Kumar Ketkar, Prof Ram Puniyani, journalist Sarosh Bana,  theatre and media personality Dolly Thakore, social activists Javed Anand and  Sangeeta Waddhwani, author Kunal Purohit, and advocate Nigel Vaz.

Thakore said that as the daughter of an Indian Air Force officer, she lived with Punjabis, Sikhs, Christians, South Indians, Maharashtrians, sharing their festivals and food. As an adult, she was introduced to like-minded individuals in a career that spanned theatre, media, and advertising. "We established Citizens for Peace during the aftermath of the Babri Masjid tragedy that shattered the equanimity and tolerance of the Indian race...but we members of Citizens for Peace stayed steadfast in our beliefs and convictions, and continue to spread the message of peace and respect and non-violence and acceptance towards all," she added.

Purohit, journalist and author of H-Pop: The Secretive World of Hindutva Popstars, said, "Hate-filled propaganda and popular culture is being cleverly designed to tear communities apart. The state actively backs such efforts while social media algorithms only deepen this chasm between communities. The result is, communities are not willing to converse with each other and understand each other’s positions."

Purohit said that dialogue provided the route to eject hate is through a dialogue that can dissect each other’s prejudices and bridge the divides.

Bana said people working on peace needed an actionable plan. Anand said that it would be pretentious to think that communalism afflicts only mofussil India. "The only good Muslim is a dead Muslim: this was the conversation in elite circles after the demolition of the Babri Masjid. I believe that the most educated are the most communal. I am struggling with this thought," said Anand.

According to Vaz, acceptance of our diversity is necessary if we are to remain an interdependent nation. "The way forward is having a conscious mind with a compassionate approach towards each other." 

On an optimistic note, Thakore added that the world will witness a Mahatma. Buddha, Ram, Christ, Mohammad, Zarathustra, and Mahavir will bring peace and save the world from bloodshed and killing in the name of power and politics.