By TCN News,
Patna: We are proud of the fact that India is one of the most diverse countries in the world. India is a colourful canvas portraying a unique assimilation of ethnic groups displaying varied cultures and religions. India is home to Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism and Christianity. In an effort to highlight our Ganga-Jamuni Tahzeeb, common culture and heritage, TwoCirlcles.net is presenting Unity Circle.
In this section we will highlight stories promoting communal harmony. We will also give space to places, sites and events that belie the so-called clash of cultures and civilization.
The Indian culture varies like its vast geography. India has recognised 22 different languages and hundreds of dialects that add to the multilingual nature of the country.
India’s diversity has always been recognised as a source of its strength. British tried to subvert India’s “Unity in Diversity” by propagating own theory of “Divide and Rule”. Unity and patriotism displayed by Hindus and Muslims before and during 1857 war of Independence forced British to follow the policy of Divide and Rule aggressively. Hindus and Muslims living peacefully in India for centuries were pushed for communal divide when first communal riot took place in August 1893 in Mumbai.
Soon British mastered this art and successfully used in every occasion. The biggest casualty of this was partition of India.
India witnessed its worst communal riots in 1948 after the partition. There was a brief period of lull but this was shattered by Jabalpur (M.P.) riot in 1961. Our opportunist politicians were quick to realise that the policy perused by British can be applied in to-to to rule India. This short cut to power they cherished most. These opportunist parties and politicians are growing strength to strength, after successfully using “Divide and Rule” in local elections and now they are fighting general election on this agenda.
It is in our national interest that these divisive parties and politicians are defeated at earliest. India march to development can not be halted by few selfish souls. Our future will be at stake if we allow unwanted elements to divide us in the name of religion, caste, region and language. Those elements need to be indentified and isolated.