Freedom of religion in India is a fundamental right guaranteed by the country's constitution. Modern India came into existence in 1947 as a secular nation and the Indian constitution's preamble states that India is a secular state. Freedom of religion is established in tradition as Hinduism does not recognise labels of distinct religions and has no concept of blasphemy. Every citizen of India has a right to practice and promote their religion peacefully. However, there have been many incidents of religious intolerance which have resulted in riots and pogroms. These incidents have been condemned by the governmental administrations, private businesses, and judicial systems.
India is the birthplace of four major world religions: Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism. Yet, India is one of the most diverse nations in terms of religion. Even though Hindus form close to 80 percent of the population, the country also has large Muslim, Sikh, Christian and Zoroastrian populations. Islam is the largest minority religion in India, and the Indian Muslims form the third largest Muslim population in the world, accounting for over 12 percent of the nation's population.
India has a Hindu President (Pranab Mukherjee), Muslim Vice President (M. Hamid Ansari), a Sikh Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh) and a Atheist Defence Minister A. K. Antony. The leader of the largest party, the Indian National Congress, Sonia Gandhi is a Catholic Christian, while the leader of the opposition is Sushma Swaraj, a Hindu. India's ex-President APJ Abdul Kalam was a Muslim. Out of the 12 Presidents of India since Independence, three have been Muslims and one Sikh. India had a prominent former Defence Minister (George Fernandes), a Christian (though not practicing) and a Hindu minister controlling foreign affairs. India's Air Force Chief, Fali H. Major, was a Zoroastrian.
Read more about Freedom Of Religion In India: USCIRF Indictment of India, Laws Against Conversions, Cases of Religious Violence
Famous quotes containing the words freedom of, freedom, religion and/or india:
“To motorists bound to or from the Jersey shore, Perth Amboy consists of five traffic lights that sometimes tie up week-end traffic for miles. While cars creep along or come to a prolonged halt, drivers lean out to discuss with each other this red menace to freedom of the road.”
—For the State of New Jersey, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)
“In particular I may mention Sophocles the poet, who was once asked in my presence, “How do you feel about love, Sophocles? are you still capable of it?” to which he replied, “Hush! if you please: to my great delight I have escaped from it, and feel as if I had escaped from a frantic and savage master.” I thought then, as I do now, that he spoke wisely. For unquestionably old age brings us profound repose and freedom from this and other passions.”
—Plato (c. 427–347 B.C.)
“Christianity as an organized religion has not always had a harmonious relationship with the family. Unlike Judaism, it kept almost no rituals that took place in private homes. The esteem that monasticism and priestly celibacy enjoyed implied a denigration of marriage and parenthood.”
—Beatrice Gottlieb, U.S. historian. The Family in the Western World from the Black Death to the Industrial Age, ch. 12, Oxford University Press (1993)
“But nothing in India is identifiable, the mere asking of a question causes it to disappear or to merge in something else.”
—E.M. (Edward Morgan)