In India, there is communal harmony and peaceful co-existence of people belonging to different ethnicity, caste, creed, race and religion. India offers unity in diversity. She is committed to peace. People from all corners of the world come and commune with each other in this vast land.

Indians speak different languages, wear different dresses, and subscribe to different religious beliefs. There are Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs, Persians, Muslims and Christians. From time immemorial, they have lived peacefully in friendship and harmony, forgetting their petty differences of caste, creed, color and colloquial medium. While Hindus celebrated the Rmadaan and had Haleem, Muslims celebrated the festival of Lights, Diwali and fly kites on Sankranthi. The Hindus look upon the Muslims as brothers, not as enemies but friends.

The Constitution of India moreover have granted to all its citizens irrespective of religious beliefs, equal rights of speech, movement etc. It has recognized that the Hindus have as much right to the temples, as Muslims to the Mosques, Sikhs to the Gurudwaras and Christians to the Churches. All are equal in the eyes of the Indian Law and all feel equal and free on the Indian soil.

Indian constitution does not support any religion and persons belonging to all religions get equal opportunity in performing their religious rites.

From ancient times Indian rulers usually practiced this policy. Sher Shah Suri and Akbar were two great rulers of the medieval period who showed tolerance to all religions. The British rulers also allowed religious freedom. In 1947 India was divided on the basis of two nation theories. But even then Indian leaders strongly supported the ideal of secularism.

The concept of Secularism plays an important role in India. Secularism in India is a positive, revolutionary and comprehensive concept which takes within its sweep all the communities in India following several religions. It is not negative in nature, it is not anti-God. Indian secularism recognizes the importance of religion in human life. It believes that no religion has the monopoly of philosophical wisdom it allows all religions to discharge their function within their legitimate bonds. Complete freedom of religion is assured in our constitution.

The Indian Constitution guarantees equality of all religions before law. In that respect our constitution is strictly founded on secular concept. Our constitution guarantees fundamental rights of religious freedom. The concept of secularism has a firm root in India. The whole world recognizes this fact.

Need for Peace and Harmony in India

If there is peace and harmony in India, only then, India as a nation can go forward. The law and order situation in the country is not very happy. There has been communal trouble which many times is the result of deliberate effort to create trouble. Many parties and organizations spread casteism, communalism or other kinds of poison which pollute our society.

Similarly if militancy has come to an end in some of the states yet it is still very powerful in some other states. Consequently innocent lives are lost, properties destroyed an ill-will prevails.

This type of situations within the country cannot allow political stability and economic betterment. If there is an atmosphere of suspicious distrust, of fear and aggressiveness, it is not possible to think of constructive progress.

Only one section of the people should not be taken care of. Interests of all the sections must be kept in mind, all the religions should flourish and all the languages should be encouraged.

Till everyone gets a fair deal people cannot be prosperous and powerful. By fair deal we mean that weaker and the backward should get special help and others should be able to lead a very stable life.

Sometimes, peace becomes the victim of political manipulation. Peace and harmony demands that we should meet the challenges. There is need of unity and of commitment not to a party, not to a particular person but to the nation as a whole. At this time, it is necessary that we should cultivate national attitude towards India as a united country. Instead we fight for politically motivated riots / religious anarchy, thereby becoming murderers of our own brothers and sisters of the nation. We become victims of hatred.

India is suffering from the problem of poverty and unemployment which at some or the other stage may threaten even our democracy. Unless there is peace and harmony in the country, it is not possible to make India politically strong, economically better off and socially united. There should be peace within the country as well outside the country.

Atleast now, let us all unite and raise our voices. Let us unite!!!