Faith cannot be kept imprisoned in geographical limits

“Faith cannot be kept imprisoned in geographical limits,” eminent journalist, MJ Akbar said while dismissing the idea of nationhood nurtured on the basis of religion.

Akbar said that Bangladesh is a perfect example of doing away with the idea of religion and opting for culture, language and secularism, which are the templates of a modern nation state.

On the other hand, he cited the example of Pakistan, which is in utter chaos. “Bangladesh will not be the cancer, which Pakistan is and has the chance of entering into the modern world…but, there is no hope for Pakistan,” Akbar said, at the four-day "Calm" literary, art and photography festival at Shillong, Meghalaya's State capital in Northeast India.

He said the foundation of Islam is based on “Muslim brotherhood and not Muslim nationhood,” and therefore the faith did not remain confined within the geographical fringes of just Mecca and Medina.

About India, Akbar said that it has the prerequisite of a modern state with its democratic setup, secularism, gender equality and economic equity, although much more is desired.

“There is no corner of India that the evening azan or the peel of the church bells cannot be heard, despite 80 per cent of the population being Hindus. India’s secularism is of coexistence of different faith and even atheists have the right to exist here,” he said.

He said that the idea of India (culture, tradition, integration etc. and fundamentals laid in the Indian Constitution) is much stronger than the Indians themselves, which has evolved over centuries. 

“The idea of India would prevail in the northeast, as it has in Punjab and Kashmir to a large extent. It may take some time, but there is no doubt that this great idea would prevail,” he said.

On gender equality, he said that much more needs to be done, especially when it comes to education in the country, especially of the girl child. He cited the example of Jawaharlal Nehru, when he attributed his effort to bring about gender equality as his biggest achievement.

 Akbar, meanwhile, was scathing in his remark and said: “Indians have contempt of our poor,” adding, that the country must bring about economic equity, so that the poor are a part of the rising narrative of India.

“The poor has a right to demand more, maybe better food and shelter, if not more, so they feel a part of the rising narrative of India…the Naxalites have gone hungry for the past 60 years,” he said about the struggle of the poor.

Akbar said that India was slowly turning into a society, where a few hundred industrialists and 70 odd families are running the economy of the country. “And there is a crisis now, which the young generation would have to find a way out (of the crisis,)” he felt.