Religious Tolerance – JS Bandookwala

J S Bandookwala – Religious Tolerance

Prof Bandookwala did his Ph.D from the University of Okhlahoma in the 1970’s. At Oklahoma he spent time trying to find particles that can travel faster than light. Einstein was relieved, Bandookwala couldn’t find any such particles, though he did find his Ph.D.

He was advised one day by a Catholic Nun, ‘Go back son to your own land and work for them.’ Which is what he did. He returned to join the faculty at MS university, Baroda, and stayed there for all of his career.

Somewhere in the middle of his career, he got drawn to Gandhi – and became a peace activist. He is head of People’s Union of Civil Liberties, Gujarat Chapter. He works actively towards uplifting the downtrodden, especially Muslims, and helping create a stronger Muslim middle class.

The session was on tolerance, forgiveness and humanism in Religion. An interesting observation was that there is always a divergence from the teachings of any religion after the founder passes away.

Bandookwala documented instances from various religions highlighting the importance of forgiveness.

Mohammed would pass through a street everyday and a lady would always throw rubbish when he passed. One day he was surprised to find his path totally clear. On enquiring, he found that the lady was sick. He visited her house to enquire about her health!

One of Jesus’ apostles was worried. On asking he told Jesus that he could not sleep as he had some gold with him. Jesus asked him to hand over the gold. On being handed over the same, he threw it into the river and asked the apostle whether his worries were over now?

Gandhi, on his return from South Africa, decided to start an ashram in Ahmedabad. He decided that Dalits should also be part of the ashram. His wife was worried; his financiers deserted him. Then the Sarabhai family came as white knights to rescue him and finance the ashram. Their daughter, Anshuya, got inspired by Gandhi, so much so, that she organised a protest for the workers of the textile mill run by the Sarabhais. Ambalal, the patriarch of the family, approached Gandhi to make his sister see sense. Gandhi sided with Anshuya..

He recounted his experiences of 2002, where he and his daughter had a narrow escape after their house got burnt down by a mob in the post Godhra riots. A Hindu neighbour sheltered him. When the mob later on came to know of this, even the neighbour’s house got burnt. Bandookwala had to shift base to the US for 3 month till things calmed down. On his return he requested the university to allot him a house in their campus. The university gave him a flat. Within a few months of his shifting in, the 3 other fellow professors who resided in the same complex, shifted out. For the rest of his stay, he was the sole occupant of the building!

Gandhi preached that there is a 3-step way to resolve conflicts:

1. Those who have wronged, should introspect.

2. Those who have been wronged, should forgive.

3. There should be a union of souls.

Bandookwala regrets that the first step never happened. He says he tried the second step, but did not get any response. However he is optimistic. Bandookwala’s daughter is married into a Hindu family. The marriage happened immediately after the riots of 2002. There was a lot of opposition from his community – but he still solemnised the marriage himself. Till date his daughter observes the practices of both religions.

The session concluded by a short speech by Prof Krishnayya, retired Prof at IIM A – and founder of the Systems Research Institute in Pune. He added to the optimistic note of Prof Bandookwala, by recounting a recent discussion he had with a Chettiar business family patriarch in Madurai. The Thiagaraj family is involved in textiles – and also runs an engineering college. After being inspired by a book – ‘The Value of Values’, the family has decided that they will not offer any bribes. In fact they have created an extra budget of 3 Cr to take into account delays that will happen in their projects, thanks to the no-bribe policy. We need more Thiagaraj’s today!