Few days ago our PM made a striking remark on Narendra Modi stating all the secular forces to stand up against him (considering him a secular threat to nation).Secularism, in simple language , is the state of harmony, peace and respect for all religions in a country. Is ours a secular state???? Indeed yes…if we keep aside the riots, political fights and national trauma over secularism….
Few days ago I went to the market for Durga puja shopping with my mom.We wanted to buy an idol of goddess.Just as we entered the shop,we saw beautiful idols kept at the counter…All of them were creatively carved and painted.But what was most admiring was that all the craftsmen and owner of the shop were muslims. They were as enthusiastic about the festival as we were.Not only because it was their source of income but also the positivity and happiness that festival enthralls in our lives…This was one incident…I pondered on many such that have happened before too…My mother used to cook kheer on Eid for a muslim friend of mine who studied in my college as he could not go back to his village for celebrations….Also the same amount of happiness i used to feel during christmas celebrations in my convent…
Indeed, there maybe several ways to look if the secularism in our country is threatened by one man or not….but I do feel that from inside we all are secular…We love celebrating all festivals…involving ourselves in each of them without any religion or other prejudice…
Thus, these Gujarat riots, or UP clashes cannot deter our feeling of being secular as we all want to be one..Politicising every agenda has been a drawback and will remain in our country but we should look beyond these clashes (mainly ignited for political benefits)…and continue living in peace and harmony.
Truly,its not the religion which creates us…its we who create the religion….