FOR SOME time now, I have been pondering over some trends that are threatening Indian society. These trends are so very hazardous that if not taken care of, they have potential to completely destroy the secular and democratic fabric of the nation. This disturbing trend is religious extremism. The so called custodians of the faith have chosen the path of extremism and is applicable to all religions in India be it Hindus, Muslims or Christians. A study conducted by United Nation revealed, “There is a significant rise in religious extremism and intolerance throughout the world, no religion is free from religious extremism.” Religion doesn’t mean harm, but it inflicts damage on us if it blinds us to extremism.

Everyone wants to show the greatness of one’s religion over the other and to ensure this, they can go to any extent. Bajrang Dal, Islamist Fundamentalists or Christian extremists speak on our behalf for hurting our religious sentiments. I just wonder who gave them onus to do so? Every day the media flashes such news of few people advocating moral cleansing, thrashing people if they do not confirm to their norms and they are doing so to protect their religion or culture. Be it Valentine’s Day or attacking any inter-caste or inter- religion marriage, their critics, on every such occasion, give bruises to our emotions. Extremism, religious or in the form of suppression of citizen rights, is nothing but an exercise of brute force. Fundamentalists do not believe in individualism, liberty of personal choice or plurality of thought.

I think that prime reason behind all this is that some groups are not comfortable with growing internal diversity and the fear of loosing their identity in the process. The people of this country can also very easily be incited. If anybody wants to create a problem, they just have to insult an iconic figure or plant a bomb or deliver speech and you see the results. It is remarkable that India has evolved into a mature democracy after just 60 years. Not just a mature democracy but a vibrant, fast-growing economy. We expect India to be shiny and secular and scientific, focused on technological breakthroughs and making money. We don’t expect religious riots, communal clashes and bombings in every nook and corner of the country, which is unfortunately happening every other day. These things do post a challenge to our democratic set up.

The fundamentalists cannot be countered without a relentless and uncompromising fight. The struggle should be both theoretical and tactical. Democracy and secularism should be applied in practice and not remain a mere play of words. As responsible citizens of the country, we should refrain from indulging in anything that disintegrates the society. If religion cannot lead to peaceful co-existence, then I feel there is no need for temples, mosques or churches; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.

Let me finish with a poem of Rabindranath Tagore:

’Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high, Where knowledge is free,
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls,
Where words come out from depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit;
Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my father, Let my country awake!’