Raja Mandala: Myth of religious solidarity | The Indian Express

Raja Mandala: Myth of religious solidarity | The Indian Express

Written by C. Raja Mohan |Updated: September 17, 2019 9:55:49 am

C. Raja Mohan is Director, Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore, and contributing editor on foreign affairs for 'The Indian Express'.

Raja Mandala: Myth of religious solidarity

Reactions of several Muslim countries to India’s decision on Kashmir shows that political and economic interest bind nations — not ideologies.

Religion is not nearly enough to bind the people of the same country let alone unite nations. (Express photo by Shuaib Masoodi)

As Pakistan struggles to mobilise the international community against India’s decision last month to change the status of Jammu and Kashmir, its chattering classes are deeply disappointed at the lack of support from the world’s Muslim nations. There has been special criticism of the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, long seen as Pakistan’s staunchest supporters in the Muslim world, for not coming out to criticise India’s move.