india

                      

                                        India’s Greatness

According to me, it is the ability to allow its citizens to be what they are. Indiahouses one of the most diverse populations on this planet, allowing them to live the way they want to live.

Take religion, for example. There is no other country on this planet which houses so many different religions in such huge proportions. India is, at the same time, #1 home to World’s 3^rd largest religion (Hinduism), #2 home to World’s 2^nd largest religion (Islam), #1 home to World’s two other major religions (Sikhism and Jainism).

                       Most western nations that tout their secular principles fail to uphold their test of tolerance when compared with India. Most of these nations ask for conformity from its minorities. Their do not allow you to express yourself ‘freely’. For example, Irelandforbids Sikhs from wearing turban in its Army. England disallows Muslim women from wearing veil in its schools. France disallows Muslim kids from wearing scarves at schools. All this is done to achieve what they call ‘integration’.

                             According to these nations, conformance to habits or customs of the majority is considered integration.On the other hand, India has a Sikh regiment where Sikhs proudly wear their turbans in the Army, it allows its Muslim woman doctors to wear a veil, and it allows its Muslim girls to wear scarves in schools. In India, there is no need to conform to the customs or habits of majority (with some exceptions of late). India’s unity and integration comes from allowing and preserving its diversity, which seems to be alien to most Western secular and democratic nations.

In languages, India is #1 home to six of the top 20 languages of the world and also has a huge population that speak English. [The same applies to India’s diverse cultures, customs, traditions, food habits and dress habits].

There is no other country on this planet where such diverse populations are living together. India is so unique in this respect that no other nation comes close to India.Come to think of it, India completely defies every rule on how a nation-state should be formed. Its people do not have anything in common ‘universally’ to make it a nation-state. No common religion, no common language, no common ethnicity, no common history, and no common ideology. Its people are all different from another in every way imaginable. The only thing that binds them together to make this a nation is that they all want to be part of India to live together (with some exceptions).

So, what makes one an Indian? It’s his wish to be part of India, nothing more, nothing less!