Political Management of Islamic Fundamentalism

Abstract

This article attempts to explain why and how the Indian state has been successful in managing the militant form of Islamic fundamentalism in India, despite favourable internal and external conditions for such militancy. Internally, it includes such factors as the relative material and cultural deprivation of Indian Muslims, the context of Hindutava and the communal riots, and externally, the Islamic radical movements abroad. Varied literatures have emphasized these factors for the growth of Islamic fundamentalism and Islamic militancy across the Muslim world. However, India has not witnessed large-scale Islamic militancy, despite the growth in Islamic fundamentalist organizations. The article offers a theoretical perspective that takes into consideration the interplay of the nation-building process, the constitutional framework of minority rights, the doctrine of Indian secularism, and the democratic political process. This interplay explains the absence of large-scale militancy and violence, either on the part of Islamic fundamentalist groups/institutions or the Muslim population in India.

Non‐Movement as Latent Political Engagement and War of Position: Islamist Spatial Strategy in an Indian State

“…The JIH professes to safeguard democratic values and human rights, and to contain the upsurge of Hindutva (Alam 2007:44). For scholars like Nabeel, an SIO activist who completed a Masters in sociology at a leading institute in India and is currently pursuing his PhD in Europe, if the communist parties can operate within the democratic system to overthrow the state, why can an Islamic organisation not operate similarly?…”

Sustainable Democracy and the Paradox of the Arab Spring: The Egypt Experience

“…The story was the same in the Arab world. Alam quoting Ahmed 34 observed that it is usually the repressive policies of government and the total absence of freedom to pursue normal political activities that tend to drive religious and other political groups to radicalism and violent method of change. Alam quoting Hafez 35 considered the lack of political democracy as the major cause for the development of religious fundamentalism, particularly in the muslim world.…”