Eight US Senators and twenty six members of the US House of Representatives had expressed grave concerns regarding the increasing violence and intolerance being faced by the minority communities in India. The law makers also expressed concern about the treatment of Muslims, Christians and Sikh communities in India. The statement was issued ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visits to the US in March–April of 2015, where President Barrack Obama hosted a summit on nuclear security.
The law makers of the US, to their credit, however graciously endorsed India’s commitment to pluralism and tolerance. This augurs well for India as the ‘most powerful nation’ in the world acknowledged that India is a tolerant, pluralistic and a secular country.
As per the Merriam Webster dictionary, pluralism means, ‘A society in which people of different social classes, religions, races, etc. are together in a society but continue to have different traditions and interests.’
‘The great American tradition is one of pluralism, not exclusive secularism. The strength of our country is reflected in the contributions that we all make to the common good,’ writes Donald Wherl. India too is secular and plural in its approach.
India, an ancient civilization, is the cradle and original melting point of rich cultural traditions and heritage. Hinduism was more a way of life than mere religion. The country proudly hosts several religions like Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, and Zoroastrianism among others. In this rainbow coalition, there are believers, non-believers, ascetics, rationalists, heretics and agnostics, all open to healthy debates. Several centuries ago, the country embraced 62 heterodox sects, chief among them were the Charavaka philosophy, Buddhism and Jainism, when Hinduism became inflexible and unbending.
Charavaka or Lokayata philosophy is an ancient school of Indian materialism (going as far back as 600 BC), which rejects the Vedas and its rituals. The premise of this school of thought was that Charavaka holds direct perception, empiricism and conditional interference as proper sources of knowledge, embraces skepticism and rejects supernaturalism. This epitomized scientific questioning of various philosophies and nothing was indoctrinated or thrust upon the populace.
Sankaracharya, in several scholarly discussions defeated and overcame the Buddhist traditions (which had by then become flabby through several inherent contradictions) and was to establish the Advaita philosophy. This was followed by the Dvaita and Vishistadvaita schools of thought when the Dvaita philosophy itself became exclusive.
Interspersed and interwoven during the medieval period were the Sufi and Bhakti movements which enthusiastically welcomed the mystical Hindu and Islamic schools of philosophy. Thus debates and discussions have been always been integral to the growth of Indian culture and tradition. It is cyclical in nature and the harbinger of change for the common good and growth of any civilization.
The Parliament of India recently witnessed an erudite and passionate debate on nationalism, Mahisasur Mardini, Martyrdom Day and the students’ issues (be it the Rohith Vemula or Kanayiah Kumar’s case) which rocked certain central universities.
The robust constitution of India, and through various checks and balances between the executive, legislature and judiciary, enables the law makers of India to identify the casus belli of the recent spate of unrest in the universities and muddles confronting the student community and even issues pertaining to nationalism.
At the zenith and frenzy of our freedom struggle, Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore ignited the minds of the people with a debate on nationalism. He wrote, ‘Yes, this is the logic of the nation. And it will never heed the voice of truth and goodness. It will go on its ring-dance on moral corruption, linking steel unto steel, and machine unto machine; trampling under its tread and sweet flowers of simple faith and living ideals of man.’
The Rig Veda says, ‘Let noble thoughts come from all sides’. This is the rich tradition of this country. Aberrations may have taken place, but since time immemorial, denizens of this great land have parleyed several uncomfortable questions and the concept of India has emerged triumphant and victorious.
Our plurality does not need certification by a set of law makers of a foreign land. The Indian mind is fertile and alert to reconcile differences if any and come up with the panacea to misadventures if any.
-Taken from my book ‘The matter of the Mind’ published in 2016
ravivalluri 