| by Swadesh Roy
( June 10, 2013, Dhaka, Sri Lanka Guardian) In the party meeting Gandhiji started first the `Ramdhun’( one kind of north Indian Hindu religious prayer song) in this subcontinent. Before that, the All Indian Congress was a modern secular political platform for all kind of people of subcontinent. When Congress turned into Hindu religion then a genus was formed of Muslim League. Later, we have seen the Hindu Mahasava, Muslim League and some other religious based political parties in this subcontinent. We have also seen the horror result of it. In the name of religion, we have seen the communal riot of 1946, that mass genocide is now part of our life and our history too. We have no way to wipe out that black spot from our history and our life. When we read Shadat Hasan Manto or Krishan Chandar, we couldn’t imagine what kind of massacre was happened on human life in 1946.
But reality is that, we did not learn anything from it so the 1971 came in our life. In the name of religion, what Pakistan army and their Bengali collaborator did in 1971, I think nobody can express it in any medium; like words, colors and ` light and shade’. Our great and learned writer, Sayed Mujtaba Ali said, it could be expressed in that day if any epic writer would born, otherwise it is impossible to express what had happened in Bangladesh in 1971. So, we have seen the maximum result of using religion in politics. But we are so imprudwent nation that we did not lake any lesson from it ,as a consequence, after 15 August of 1975 we have been using religion in politics since now
After 39 years of 1975, we saw a new sunray at Shabagh in Dhaka; where our educated new generation gathered and made a vow that, they want the buried of that bad politics which was running by the name of religion. But a part of our so called politician and a part of our media have played a demonic act against it. It is obviously true, those people who have played this demonic act ,they also do not know what is the ultimate result of this act; they have only opened the jar where the demon was seized. If you give an opportunity to a demon for running in your crops field, it will obviously destroy your crops and it has started that.
In this subcontinent, this bad practice that means use of religion in politics is continuing for more than one hundred years but it was in national politics. It never enters in to local government election. Even in Pakistan, religion is not used in local government election. However, this demon which was made two or three months ago that has already destroyed our safe crops field. They have already started to introduce religion business in local government election.
The four-city corporation election campaign is ongoing. Hefajat Islam, the newly formed Madrassa based Islamic fundamentalist organization has supported the candidate that is supported by Bangladesh Nationalist party (BNP) and Jammat in four city corporation election. They are using religion in a very crude form and nasty way against their opponent. In the mean time ,some media had published some news of it. Besides, if any one contact with any cautious person of any of the four cities, he will know that, how Hefajat Islam is using religion in their campaign. So, it is a very significant sign in our society and our future politics. Because we have to admit that if we want to make a political and economic healthy country in future, we must ensure secularism in politics and very strong local government in our executive administrative body. Our constitution also upholds this. In hence, if we allow this abuse of religion in the local government election , ultimately it will destroy our society and the spirit of the constitution. Our local government election is never a political election, therefore, political issues and so-called religion issues can never rise in this election. For the first time Hefajat Islam and Jammat are doing this. People of Bangladesh have seen the real face of the Hefajat and the Jammat on 5th May in Dhaka city. So there is no need to explain their religious view rather it is better to nip in the bud. If the country failed to destroy it in the sprout, it would be a big tree and it would take more blood to cut down the tree.
That is why, two things are necessary now; one consensus of the civil society and the bold action of the election commission. Without any compromising and hesitation, civil society should raise their voice against the use of religion in local government election. On the other hand, election commission has every right to take any strong action against them who are using religion in local government election. According to our election commission rule, religion is not allowed to use in any type of election. Despite local government- election is more sensitive than any other election because it is a grassroots election. So, election commission has to take action immediately, if they get late that will create a big hole for the nation and the society.
Swadesh Roy, Executive Editor, the Daily Janakantha, Dhaka, he can be reached at swadeshroy@gmail.com
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