Role of Civil Society in Maintaining Peace and Harmony

Role of Civil Society in Maintaining Peace and Harmony

Civil Society, as per the World Bank, refers to ‘non-governmental and not-for-profit organizations that have a presence in public life, expressing the interests and values of their members or others, based on ethical, cultural, political, scientific, religious or philanthropic considerations. Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) therefore refer to a wide array of organizations: community groups, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), labor unions, indigenous groups, charitable organizations, faith-based organizations, professional associations, and foundations’. In other words, civil society acts as a link between the Government and the masses and complements the Government in serving the citizens. It remains outside the purview of the Government but has to abide by the law of the land, and work within the framework of the country’s constitution.

In a parliamentary form of democracy, we have the ruling party/coalition and the opposition balancing each other in the House. The primary role of the opposition is to rein in the Government by highlighting its transgressions and guide it towards course correction. But what we see today, especially in India, is that the opposition hardly discharges this duty. The Government and the opposition seem to be hand in glove and it would be highly pretentious and naïve to assume otherwise. The concept of a responsible opposition does not exist in a monarchy or an autocratic or military state altogether. The media, which was also expected to keep a check on the Government, has conveniently sided with the Government for a few pieces of silver. Though these arguments cannot and should not be generalized, they are quite overwhelmingly the rule rather than the exception. This void of a meaningful opposition is then filled by a strong civil society that ensures a sense of accountability in the Government.

Maintaining peace and harmony in society is the responsibility of the State. While this may well be a revelation to those who are in touch with our nation’s affairs, there is no denying the glaring paradox this sentence carries. I say this because, quite contrary to what I have claimed, it is almost always the ruling class itself that is guilty of disrupting peace and harmony in society. This is a legacy that has been handed down by the British who expanded and perpetuated their control over India by their divide-and-rule policy. They knew that the only way they can rule over us is by preventing us from uniting against them. They kept us busy in our infightings by helping one against the other while we looked upon them as our sincere well-wishers. In a country that has had Hindus and Muslims living together with love and goodwill since ages, the British not only sowed the seeds of discord between these communities, but within these communities as well. They didn’t stop at pitching Hindus and Muslims against each other, but went a step ahead and left us with deep sectarian divisions among the Muslims as well. This experiment of theirs was extremely successful, relying on which, they managed to subdue us for almost 200 years. After independence, the whites were replaced by the browns, but the same obnoxious policy continued and continues to this day. Our society, today, has been reduced to tatters, with the Government taking advantage of the unrest among Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, Jats, Gujjars, tribals, north-easterns etc. The famed ‘unity in diversity’ that we so proudly boasted of seems to be a past memory with inter-communal skirmishes fed by mistrust and insecurity being the order of the day. This has led to poverty, hunger, unemployment, addiction, crime and violence.

In medical college, we were taught that health is not merely an absence of disease or infirmity but a state of complete social, physical and mental well being. This definition applies to peace as well. Peace is not simply an absence of war. One can only attain peace if he is socially, physically and psychologically well off. There can be no peace in poverty, in hunger, in unemployment or addiction just as there is no peace in crime and violence. This is precisely why Dr. Norman Borlaug was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970. A ‘peace’ prize for agricultural development and bringing in food security through the Green Revolution!

And this brings us to the role of Civil Society in maintaining peace and harmony. Civil society is supposed to do all that the Government is not doing. Every way in which it can alleviate the misery of the people can bring about peace. There are NGOs that distribute ration to poor people. There are others who form medical and rescue teams and send them to flood and earthquake hit regions. Some others provide educational aid. There are several Non-Profit Organizations that run schools, hospitals, orphanages, old age homes, leprosy homes, conduct vocational classes for widows and tuition classes for poor students in slums. They are all working towards establishing peace in society.

There are some NGOs that are active in the legal field. They bring peace by fighting for innocent youth trapped in terrorism cases. There are some organizations that work in tandem with the police at the local level to ensure peace in their locality. They are called mohalla committees. Some NGOs run medical and de-addiction camps. There are several organizations that create awareness about substance abuse- drugs, alcohol, smoking, gutka. Some even hold camps in red light areas educating people about the hazards of unsafe sex. Again, they are all working towards establishing peace in society.

A large chunk of civil society is composed of religious organizations. They work at the grassroots level and solve the problems of society by making the people spiritually conscious. They help relieve stress, anxiety and depression. Religious organizations have an added role in maintaining peace and harmony. Most of the violence we witness today is being carried out by anti-social elements in the name of religion. Religious teachings are misinterpreted and used to justify the most heinous of crimes. A common platform of religious heads at various levels- village, city, district, state and country can counter religious extremism and hate propaganda in a way no police can. A recent example should explain how this works. In the run up to the UP elections, a legislator from the ruling party intent on flaming communal hatred claimed that Hindus in a village called Kairana in Shamli have resorted to mass exodus frightened by their Muslim neighbours. A national TV channel broadcast this lie before thinking twice about journalistic principles. Within no time, the unholy union of petty politics and unethical media was able to spread this hate propaganda in every corner of the country. Accusations and counter-accusations followed from both sides- on TV, in print and social media. Though some media houses tried to present a counter view and nail the lie, it was not enough. This exodus rumour threatened to spark yet another round of social unrest and violence. But that was not to be. The residents of Kairana were determined to ensure that peace prevails. Accordingly, the religious leaders of all communities- Hindus, Muslims, Jains- marched together on the streets- hand in hand- to show the world that they are still together as they always were. The disgraced politician had to finally eat his words and the controversy died down. This is the impact of civil society and its role in ensuring peace and harmony in society.

From Nirbhaya to Aarushi Talwar, Dadri to Jharkhand, killings of intellectuals to atrocities against Dalits, the civil society of India has always strived to restore peace and harmony through rallies and silent protests, by filing Public Interest Litigations in the court to conducting mass campaigns. But all said and done, the civil society in India is not as mature and strong as those of other developed countries. What we need is a civil society that is so influential that it can make itself heard in the corridors of power and bargain with the Government on social issues. For this, it needs to shed its inhibitions and unite. NGOs across the ideological spectrum should come together at various levels and work for a common cause. Religious leaders from all faiths and sects should share a common platform and put their heads together to douse the communal fire threatening to burn our much-acclaimed and age-old social fabric of love, brotherhood and tolerance. In a world where very little hope remains from politicians, bureaucrats, police and the media, it is the role of the civil society alone that would prove to be the deciding factor in maintaining peace and security in our country and elsewhere.

I conclude with an ayat of the Holy Qur’an in which Allah exhorts us to come together for this cause by saying: “Let there arise out of you a party inviting people to all that is good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong. It is they who will attain true success.” (Surah Ale Imran: ayat 104)