I was born and brought up in a remote place in Assam, bordering erstwhile East Pakistan, surrounded from all sides by so called minorities.
Despite belonging to the majority community, we were practically the minority there. I'm talking about the period, when Bangladesh was yet to born.
Barring occasional
communal flare-ups, life, by and large, was free from any major
religious disharmony and both the majority and the minority lived in
consonance with each other.
I no longer live there as, while pursuing a better career, had shifted to first the western part of the country and now settled in New Delhi.
However, having lived first 16 years of my life with so many friends belonging to both the majority and the minority, with no strings attached as far as religion is concerned, I fail to understand as to what has changed in-between to compel us believe that we Indians are no longer tolerant?
Nothing has changed!
Both, the majority and the minority, still, are as tolerant as they were decades before; however, what has changed is the perception -- induced by the political leaders to thrive and prosper on divide and rule policy inherited from colonial era.
Sporadic incidents of communal violence across the the nation, over a period of time, don't necessarily reflect the mood of the citizens of India but are exceptions.
Hence, I appeal to all Indians: Forgive those few who are trying to project our great tolerant country as intolerant, and let's move ahead with a pledge that no communal force would ever succeed in breaking the bond between the majority and the minority!
India was not an intolerant country, neither is, nor it would be! In fact, I believe that India is the most tolerant country in the world.
Don't you too, think so?
I no longer live there as, while pursuing a better career, had shifted to first the western part of the country and now settled in New Delhi.
However, having lived first 16 years of my life with so many friends belonging to both the majority and the minority, with no strings attached as far as religion is concerned, I fail to understand as to what has changed in-between to compel us believe that we Indians are no longer tolerant?
Nothing has changed!
Both, the majority and the minority, still, are as tolerant as they were decades before; however, what has changed is the perception -- induced by the political leaders to thrive and prosper on divide and rule policy inherited from colonial era.
Sporadic incidents of communal violence across the the nation, over a period of time, don't necessarily reflect the mood of the citizens of India but are exceptions.
Hence, I appeal to all Indians: Forgive those few who are trying to project our great tolerant country as intolerant, and let's move ahead with a pledge that no communal force would ever succeed in breaking the bond between the majority and the minority!
India was not an intolerant country, neither is, nor it would be! In fact, I believe that India is the most tolerant country in the world.
Don't you too, think so?
