MORAL QUALITY AND SOCIETY
KAJAL CHATTERJEE
Whether a pluralistic society will see equal respect, honour and rights for the citizens of all denominations or turn out to be a "majoritarian" one would fully depend upon the moral quality of the individuals or group at the helm of State affairs.
When sporting hijab is being prohibited, discouraged or frowned upon in many non-Islamic countries around the world, New Zealand had proved itself as a bright exception in this regard under the leadership of the then Prime minister Jacinda Ardern who ensured promotion of a dress associated with people who are basically settlers in that country! Through her decision to induct the hijab as part of its police uniform, Ardern had shown to the world what the essence of democracy is all about. Far from trying to kill diversity so as to establish a homogeneous way of life in the society which is actually nothing but crude desire of ensuring cultural dominance of majority or "mainstream" be it through language race or religion; an ideal democracy strives to literally accord equal status to each and every linguistic religious cultural groups residing within the country respecting their ethos sentiments sensitivities attire to dietary habits.
Many countries around the world (including heterogeneous democracies), under the ever increasing grasp of forces harboring majoritarian mindset and practicing parochial imperialist "philosophy" by making a mockery of diversities, should draw inspiration from Jacinda Ardern and New Zealand what respect towards diversity and sentiment of minorities are all about.
Not to forget that when innocent Muslims were massacred in a Christchurch mosque in early 2019; Ardern not only sported a hijab, despite being a Christian, to show solidarity with the community; she also termed the Muslims as "THEY ARE US"! What an exemplary act of respecting diversity and religious sentiments of the minorities! And taking cue from her, Christian women, all over New Zealand, had put on head scarves and niqab during a Friday prayer in honor of the shooting victims!
This is called humanity compassion and solidarity with fellow citizens along with respect towards diversity and cultural religious rights of all.
By making Jacinda Ardern and New Zealand as "Role Model", all people and countries should learn to choose its leaders and stop remaining in awe of self-obsessed megalomaniacs and closed-minded orthodox ideologies. All sensible rational persons , irrespective of religious belief, should vehemently protest against the discrimination meted to the weaker communities in concerned regions facing prohibition in practicing their religion, wearing their attire or enjoying their food. Jacinda Ardern was/is indeed an exceptional true Human being - - full of humanity possessing an all-embracing mindset of loving and hugging vulnerable minorities with impeccable sense of secularism, responsibility, equality , accountability and dignity shining bright!
In contrast when a party climbs to the echelons of power through rabid religious muscle-flexing and invocation of crude Islamophobia with its leading figures scandalously terming the citizens of a particular denomination as "infiltrators" with "lots of children", despite the country being a secular Republic according to the Constitution; the concerned society would naturally fall apart in psychic terms with communal elements calling the shots assaulting/killing innocent people in the name of "holy cow"! What better can be expected in that society where a top mandarin of the country issues "clarion call" of "identifying criminals with their clothes" with a clear hint about the religious denomination of the "criminals" though they are all Indians of indigenous vintage! And by following the lead, we have seen or are witnessing dominance of rabid religious muscle revolving around sporting of hijab in Karnataka(under the earlier saffron dispensation) and various parts of this Constitutionally secular and historically diverse country of all. What a contrast to hijab-endorsing Ardern so as to embrace the settlers as very own with the numerically dominant White Christian women of the country following suit !
It is indeed a matter of utmost disgrace to notice such closure of minds in the country of Mahatma Gandhi -- epitome of liberal values and humanitarian thoughts with an all-embracing mindset. However, when none other than the Gandhians find themselves cornered and marginalised in the very state and den of Mahatma Gandhi itself (Sabarmati Ashram, Gujarat), rest assured about the fate of his values, ethics and humanitarian thoughts in the rest of the country!