Secularism is the very soul of Indian society and the democracy. India has
a tradition of co-existence, tolerance, co-operation and mutual respect
between all its social and religious groups. Islam came to India with Muslim
conquerors. A large number of natives turned Muslims over the period and
presently they make the second largest community of our nation. The
contribution of Islam to Indian culture and civilization has been spectacular.
It added variety, colour and richness to native heritage. Islam enriched
India with architectural wonders, the most precious being ‘Tajmahal’, the
symbol of aesthetic India. Christianity had preceded Islam to India. St.
Thomas, the twelve disciples of Christ arrived in India to preach his
message when St. Peter was in Rome. Paris came to India in 8th century
to escape from religious persecution in Iran. They brought Zoroastrianism.
Jews sailed to India 2000 year ago to settle down in Mumbai, Pune, Kochi
and Delhi. Hinduism itself was a religious conglomeration of thousands of
sects having distinct beliefs, rituals, customs and practices. Three nearly
different religions branched out of it, namely, Buddhism, Jainism and
Sikhism having separate places of worship and holy books. In all, India
remained a shining example of unity in diversity, nowhere else found in the
world.
Honouring this eternal spirit of India, our constitution makers declared our
nation to be a secular state without any discrimination. Although the people
of our country are deeply religious yet they don’t harbour any ill will or
intolerance against other faiths. Even during the freedom struggle theleaders who led it made secularism a basic policy to rally all the people
against the British. The secular polity was fiercely strengthened by
Mahatma Gandhi. Himself a deeply religious Hindu, he had great respect
for all other religions and faiths.
To divide the Indians, the colonial rulers tried to destroy file spirit of
secularism by aiding and abetting communal forces. Some of our people
forgot that sacred tradition and played in the hands of British. Our country
paid a terrible price for that lapse. India got divided into two nations and we
lost father of, the nation, Mahatma Gandhi to the bullets of a degenerated
fanatic who had no use for our secular legacy. It should teach us a lesson
that only secular spirit will keep India going.
Read the above paragraph and answer the following questions.(10)
1. What-has been the tradition of India?
2. Which religions came to India from abroad?
3. What is the most precious gift of Islam to our country?
4. What has India been the shining example of?
5. What price India paid for its lapse in secularism?