The Constitutional ‘secular’ India seems unlikely to be so with the rising communal riots in the country. To live in harmony with other religions seems to be a difficulty in this nation which is full of people from diverse religious backgrounds.

The difficulty becomes widespread the moment political parties are also involved to propagate the same ideas. A country which has survived her years as a nation who successfully harbours diversity is no more one which has tolerance for one and all. If communal grounds become the basis for division amongst the people, then will it be somehow soon inculcated to remove the term ‘secular’ from the Constitution then?

A country where we have freedom of speech and to express our opinions freely goes against the same when people are arrested or murdered for expressing themselves on a broader platform. It makes us question on whether we truly do enjoy these liberties or not? The ruling Government does play a part in such because the moment you speak opposite to the political believes of the Government, you are an anti-nationalist.

It may be so for being a left-wing supporter of a right-wing Government or vice-versa as well. No, we’re not anti-nationalists, we all love our country but have different opinions. There is a fine line of difference between anti-nationalist and anti-government but then that is a line that more often than not is thought of to be crossed by anyone who speaks up. 

Furthermore, what is worse is that religious politics has sabotaged the sacred nature of spiritualism and tried to make people intolerant of other religions. For example, think about how self-appointed vigilante groups try to instil fear amongst Hindus against Islam you would realize how criminal these activities are! Instead of propagating religious tolerance and peace, people are being brainwashed to hate the other religion, how is that ever going to facilitate harmony?

The followers of Islam are not trying to “convert” Hindus to be devotees of their religion – this is not British colonialism and their enforcement all over again. So, what are these vigilantes actually protecting their people from? Are they not actually them trying to wage war between the two religious communities?

One religion worships cows and the other devours it – it is not something which is new and people have been surviving with this knowledge for generations. Why is it now that we are having communal riots over our differences all over again then? Why is it that the nation which is the home to a huge population and has loved every of its citizen equally is now ruled by such disparity and is preaching hate instead of love?

This is what should be called anti-nationalism – those groups which try to instil fear and hatred for another community. They said all Indians are brothers and sisters; spread love, our country never asked us to give up its diversity in the name of religion!