Secular India: Claims or reality |
AFTER the independence of the Indian subcontinent, India’s founding leaders envisioned a nation where religion would not become an obstacle to any citizen’s nationality, rights or progress. They promised equal rights to followers of all religions. However, over the past several years, international organizations, human rights groups and independent observers have repeatedly pointed out that religious minorities in India, particularly Muslims, have been subjected to discrimination, hate-driven incidents and violence. Numerous events have attracted global attention, including mob violence, hate speeches based on religion, disputes over places of worship and bulldozer demolitions in certain states. Various human rights organizations have questioned whether life has become increasingly difficult for minorities, especially Muslims and members of other religious communities, in........