Secularism: Indian Brand!

Obviuosly this nation called Bharat- that has secular ethos in its roots- chose agains as if to restress the fact- in 1947 to be a secular country officially! Good step. But the official India has deviated from the path of secularism gradually over last 6 decades. What we see today is classification of Indians as Majority and Minority based upon the faith they practice. Hindu Citizens are treated as “Reserved class” and “Non-reserved class” based upon the caste they belong to. The Constitution allows special treatment of states (read Kashmir). This is divisive polity at its best. The nation has been bleeding since last 2 decades for sure becuase of Jehadi terrorism yet there is a debate – unduly prolonged debate- whether to call this terrorism as Jehadi terrorism! What else this is? Are we blind?

India is paying the price. Congress party has done the utmost dis-service to the nation in this regard. BJP has disappointed too. The current Government -headed by de facto Prime Minister Sonia Gandhi – is crying publically that they have the evidence that Pakistan is involved in the recent terrorist attack in Mumabi. US agency CIA has come out with a verdict towards that conclusion too. US Secretary of State – Ms Rice – is already here to cool the tempers: in actual pour water on something concrete action that India might be considering against Pakistan. What happened when we knew that LeT was involved in the Parliament attack in 2001. Is there something more sacrosanct than Parliament?
India has to first set its own house in order. I quote François Gautier here: “Under Sonia’s rule, Indian Muslims, too, have been used as electoral pawns. They have been encouraged to shun the Sufi streak, a blend of the best of Islam and Vedanta, for a hard-line Sunni brand imported from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Afghanistan.”
Ok, may be the nation will get rid of Sonia regime in the next Lok sabha elections which are hardly 6 months away. Ok, may be L K Advaani will become the Prime Minister. Will he bring about a true secularism in practice? I doubt it. The division of citizens on the basis of majority and minority will continue. The demon of caste-based reservation will raise its head again and again. Kashmir would continue to be isolated because of the special attention it receives ( I call it discrimination with Kashmir itself!).

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.