Jacob Peenikaparambil: A survey, titled Religion in India: Tolerance and Segregation conducted by Pew Research Centre covering 30,000 Indians from November 2019 to March 2020 has brought to light certain strengths, weaknesses and contradictions with regard to the role of religion in public life in India.

On the positive side, across the major religious groups, most people say it is very important to respect all religions to be ‘truly Indian’. 82% of the respondents said that respecting and tolerating all religions was an important part of being an Indian. 65% of Hindus believe that religious diversity benefits the country. 91% of respondents across all religions surveyed said they had religious freedom in India. There is a consensus among all religious groups that respect for elders, respect for the Army and belief in the Constitution of India and National anthem are essential preconditions for expressing one’s nationalism. Almost 80 per cent Muslim respondents express their unconditional faith in the accepted symbols of Indian nationalism.

On the negative side, 65% of all the people surveyed recognised communal tensions as a “very big problem” in the country. According to the study, most Hindus “tend to see their religious identity and Indian national identity as closely intertwined”. According to 64% of Hindus, being Hindu is essential to be “truly Indian” and 59% of all Hindus also believe that being able to speak Hindi is necessary to be an Indian. 66% of Hindus and 64% percentage of Muslims feel they are very different from each other.36% percent of Hindus also said they would be unwilling to have a Muslim neighbour. 24% Muslims think that their community is discriminated against “a lot”.

The findings of the survey should be eye opener for our political and religious leaders and the civil society in general. It is very heartening to note that most of Indians (82%) believe that tolerance and respect for all religions should be part of being an Indian. But what is worrying is religious communities are drifting away from each other. Respect for other faiths remain mainly at the intellectual level and there is an emotional disconnect among the followers of different religions. The survey also reveals the trust deficit among the followers of different religions. It points to the urgent need to build trust and harmony among the followers of different faiths.

What are the steps needed for integration among the followers of different faiths? First and foremost, the universal and noble values of Indian constitution are to be reinforced through education and public discourse. What the constitution of India, especially the preamble, enjoins all Indians, is going beyond tolerance. “Tolerance” in itself is not a positive term. We often tolerate others out of necessity and tolerance can easily disappear when emotional issues are raked up. The term “secularism” is often misused and abused by vested interest groups. In the context of India, what we need is PLURALISM i.e. ACCEPTANCE, APPRECIATION AND CELEBRATION FO DIFFERENCES.

Pluralism has been the millennial heritage of India. The spirit of pluralism is amply expressed in Vaudhaiva Kutumbakam (the whole universe is one family) and “Ekam Sat Vipra Bahudha Vadanti” (“That which exists is ONE and sages call it by various names.”). It has been the belief of Indians that as various rivers ultimately reach the same ocean different religions are different ways to reach one and the same God. Religious leaders should give up the claim and attitude that their religion is true religion or superior to other religions.

Secondly, Central and state governments shall strictly follow the constitutional provisions. Thirdly, politicians should desist from making use of religion for polarizing people and creating vote bank. Fourthly, educational institutions and civil society organizations have to play a proactive role in promoting understanding and harmony among the followers of different faiths.