The Seng Khasi Mawsynram has come up with an irrational demand of doing away with Fr Bachiarello’s book, ‘Ki Dienjat U Longshuwa,’ on the plea that it shows the adherents of the Niam Khasi- Niam Tynrai in a bad light. Had the plea ended there it would not have created any controversy and right thinking academics might have been called to critique the book and filter out the subjectivities therein. But the fact that the Organisation asks that Bachiarello’s book be replaced by the Ramayana and the Vedas immediately rings warning bells. Is Mawsynram a place where only people of one faith live? Firstly, how can the people of a small part of Meghalaya demand that a book be dropped from the MBOSE, SSLC syllabus? Can a small group of Khasis ask for a recasting of the entire MBOSE syllabus simply on the premise that the book is irreverent towards the Khasi indigenous faith? Has this been proven beyond reasonable doubt? Has any study been carried out? Or is this an ingenious way of supplanting a harmless book written by a Christian missionary many decades ago based on his understanding of the life and culture of the Khasi people of the time, by the Ramayana and Vedas? One would appreciate the matter if the Seng Khasi Mawsynram had asked that Bachiarello’s book be replaced by one on Khasi culture and tradition. But why two books on Hinduism? The Ramayana is the story of Rama, the crown prince of ancient Ayodhya, and an earthly incarnation of the Hindu god, Vishnu. To that extent it is a Hindu text that is also used as a universal moral guide where good triumphs over evil. Since India is a secular country, the Ramayana can only be included as a study in literature in the same manner that the Bible is read for its literary narrative. But there is a hint here of a slow encroachment, of a form of cultural nationalism which seeks to define all Indians as having a homogenous culture, faith and nationalism! This is a dangerous trend because we are a country that is racially diverse and culturally heterogenous.
Cultural nationalism tends to focus on national identity shaped by cultural traditions and language, but India is a land of varied languages, cultures and traditions and every ethnic group chooses to hold on to them. Cultural nationalism based on a single language and culture is a sure way to disrupt the fabric of this country. Yet this is what we see happening ever since the BJP came to power in Delhi. In the villages of Meghalaya a silent cultural nationalism is sought to be infused on people of the indigenous faith and the brainwashing has been happening through what is sold as ‘education.’ Our young boys and girls are lured away to study in Bangalore, Pune and Mumbai and they are imbibing the RSS brand of nationalism. When they return these young people become force multipliers. Religious inducement of any kind is uncalled for. A person must be allowed to make a free and informed choice about his/her faith. And since faith is a personal quest it cannot be imposed as part of the syllabus of any educational system.