Tracing the Legacy of Religious Tolerance, Intolerance, and its Impact on South Asian Pluralist Society

Abstract

Aim of the Study: This study traces the legacy of religious tolerance and intolerance in South Asian society and its impact on pluralist South Asia over centuries by highlighting a series of several historical and contemporary examples. These examples shed light on how the state institutions and ruling elites have at several occasions either fostered inter-religious coexistence or mobilized religious identities to legitimize violence and exclusion.

Methodology: The study employs a qualitative, historical and analytical methodology approach. The data is drawn from ancient scriptures, textual sources, travelogues, chronicles and several contemporary scholarly works on South Asian politics and religions. These are supported by contemporary media reports and analyses concerning major upheavals like the 2019 Pulwama attack, the revocation of Article 370, the most recent Indian “Operation Sindoor” and several attacks on minorities in India, Myanmar and Sri Lanka.

Findings: The analytics indicate South Asia having a long and complex tradition of religious plurality and at various occasions displaying robust tolerance, as seen under emperors such as Ashoka, Kanishka, Harsha and Akbar who are remembered for their policies that allowed multiple faiths to coexist. At the same time, the instrumental use of religion by the ruling elites, rigid caste system and sectarian politics in the contemporary time with the use of media has led to religious intolerance and violence.

Conclusion: The future peace and prosperity of South Asia is depended upon reclaiming and reinforcing its older legacy of religious tolerance while critically challenging media driven and state sponsored forms of religious intolerance. As historical examples suggest that respecting religious diversity and protection of freedom of belief resulted in greater stability and public trust towards the ruling elite, while exploiting religious divisions for political gains leave deep social scars, as witnessed during the 1947 partition and the disputed Kashmir territory.