An Indian Worldview: Secularism in Plurality

The ‘Indian’ lives in a land of diverse traditions and his­-
tories. The ‘we’ as a collective, inclusive of multiple identities, both
regional and religious, is one that, rooted in the particular, celebrates
plurality. Indian secularism is the ideal tool to allow for integration,
and poses a challenge to fundamentalism.
However, there are divisive forces that bring to fore the question
of the possibility of a diverse people co-existing in free, respectful 
spaces. It shakes our foundations and leaves citizens questioning
the future and the validity of ideals they believed they practiced as a 
nation. This paper shall explore an Indian worldview of secularism
in plurality and the threats that are posed to it. An Indian worldview 
of secularism in plurality, in the final analysis depends on the defini­-
tion that its citizens, as participatory agents, give to itself.