`Upsurge of religious fervour creating insecurity'

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, AUG. 11. The former Chief Justice of India, Mr. Justice A.M. Ahmadi, today said democracy - however dilute - had managed to survive in India because of the predominantly secular and tolerant nature of Indian society.

Delivering the inaugural address at the `Save the Nation' convention organised by the All-India Milli Council here, Mr. Justice Ahmadi said ``the recrudescence of religious fervour by fundamentalist organisations have generated a sense of insecurity in certain sections of the population, particularly the religious minorities''.

The country had been a witness to the ill-effects of the interference of religion in matters of the State, and its helplessness in dealing with the perpetrators of violence in the name of religion or religious culture.

Advocating the strengthening of democratic institutions and secular culture, he said there was a need to generate a clean and healthy election atmosphere to encourage honest and intelligent people to participate in public life.

On the effort to find fault with the Constitution, Mr. Justice Ahmadi echoed the sentiment voiced by the President, Mr. K.R. Narayanan, vis-a-vis the Government's bid to review the Constitution last year at the beginning of the golden jubilee of the Indian Republic.

``Place the Constitution in the right hands and it will start delivering the goods,'' he said.

A number of religious leaders and critics of religious fundamentalism attended the convention. Many of the participants brought up the anti-Muslim and anti-Madrasas references made in the `Reforming National Security' report of the Group of Ministers and said such comments fanned the sense of insecurity plaguing the Muslims of the country.

A 24-page white paper on the threats to the nation - prepared by the All-India Milli Council - was released at the convention which ended with a five-page resolution that seeks to consolidate public opinion against the Sangh Parivar and its designs.

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