Final answer:
Salman Rushdie believes that everyone except religious extremists understands India's inherent diversity and complexity, which are deeply rooted in its history and cultural fabric.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Salman Rushdie, a pivotal figure in postcolonial literature, what everyone but religious extremists understand about India is b) Its diversity and complexity. The provided references attribute Rushdie's perspective on India to its multicultural, multireligious society, which, through history, has always allowed for a plurality of beliefs and practices. Rushdie, through his works such as Midnight's Children, showcases the vast tableau of Indian society, emphasizing how it cannot be simplified into a single homogenous narrative. Furthermore, the narrative stresses that even powerful empires had to accommodate India's local diversities, highlighting the fact that India was never a singular civilization but a vast international system with varied influences.
The discussion of Indian nationalism and Hindutva underscores the current political drive to create a simplified and singularly Hindu identity, in stark contrast to the historical and cultural reality of India. This inclusion indicates a critical stance on how history is being reinterpreted to suit certain nationalistic agendas, thus undermining the pluralistic nature of India's identity. By positing the vastness and intricacy of Indian society, Rushdie implicitly argues that understanding India's diversity is signatory to grasping its true essence—something extremists often fail to acknowledge.