What do you define as a True Indian?

I have been thinking about this for a while, and I am going to ask this question in this following post. I am just asking this to all the people who belong to the country of India as well as Indians who live abroad. What are the criterions by which you define a True Indian? This question has plagued me for a long time, and with Indian Society already undergoing a tough time following the 7/11 Blasts as well as spate of Terrorist incidents pre 7/11, this question is being asked to a lot of people.

In today's society, you are considered Unpatriotic if you follow a policy of appeasement to the Minority ( In this case, the Muslim community), or if you are a proclaimed Secularist. If you do not stick to the majority, then you are not considered an Indian. This dangerous trend of Irrationality seems to have emerged in certain sections of Society, and this time the Voices are sounding more Bitter and Angry.

Just what do you define as a True Indian? If you follow the policy of hating Pakistan as well as the Muslim community, are you considered a patriotic Indian! If I take the side of the minority community here, and I belong to a different community, then am I considered as an Unpatriotic Indian! All these questions and proclamations in the past have been called forth by people who call themselves Nationalists and are on a mission to save the country.

They make the comparison of India to the rest of the world and question wether we have to follow this so-called Policy of "Appeasement" to the Muslim community. Arresting of certain leaders from a community and leaving the rest to preach their sermons is being made an issue against the secularists. This is in reference to the arrest of Pravin Togadia of the VHP and the lenient approach to the Shahi Imams in UP.

All these questions that have been put above shall be answered, but it is sure that this will not have an impact on the thinkng that has gripped Certain sections of Indian Society.

As far as the question of comparing India's attitude towards its Minorities is concerned with the rest of the world, we should understand that their Socio-Economic setup is much different than us. The diversity and the very nature of the population mix makes us advocate the policy of Secularism as well as the process of Assimilation. If these two above processes are achieved, only then India can progress. India need to look only at US to understand the amount of social tranquility that they have achieved following the assimilation of the Black community in the 70's. Several Flaws do remain, but America is the world's number one economy because all sections of the population have been assimilated in to the mainstream.

As far as the arrest of VHP leader Togadia and the leniency towards the Shahi Imam is concerned, there is a clear case of Politics and an opportunity to grab a bit of the Media publicity. Primarily the factor of communal politics is being played out there, and looking at how the social sections of India are organized, it is bound to lead to trouble. This also highlights the Politicizing and Drawbacks of the Criminal Justice system, for not classifying all people who incite trouble and violence as Offenders.

As far as the appeasement of the Minority communtiy is concerned, the CONSTITUTION is the supreme Law of the land, wether we like it or not. Nobody is above the Constituition, and it advocates a Policy of Secularism. If the First Amendment of the US Constituition makes it stand out, then our Secular Doctrine makes our constituition stand out. By following Secualrism, it is upto we the citizens to practice the levels of Tolerance in the face of absolue trouble. Tolerance will not give instant success, but if we adher to it, the success will come in. This claim is backed by Mahatma Gandhi's Satyagraha movement, which helped us in a way to get Freedom from the British.

So, What is a True Indian? According to me, a True Indian is somebody who does not incite hate against fellow men, who advocates the policy of tolerance and ensures that Social Tranquility is maintained at all costs. That to me is what a True Indian is, that is what mankind really is all about.