Celebrating India's pluralist foundation, but also fearing for it

I celebrate and agonize over India's Independence Day that was yesterday.

When the British left, India decided to constitute a nation that had a commitment to secularism and pluralism. Equality of status, assurance of dignity of the individual, freedom of religion, promised a pluralistic society. The four leaders who imagined what the emerging nation of India would be came to the idea of pluralism from very different backgrounds. I celebrate that.

Gandhiji was a devout Hindu who started his day singing a religious hymn that had these two lines, "Ishwar, Allah tere naaam, subko smapati de Bhagwan." Rough translation, "Ishwar (Hindi word for God) and Allah (Arabic word for God) are Your names, Bhagwan (another name for God) give prosperity to all." I celebrate that he chose a decidedly inclusive hymn.

Gandhi's Hinduism that included rationalization of the caste system rankled Dr. Balasaheb Ambedkar. He signed on to the idea of pluralism as a tool of getting rid of the caste system and assuring equal rights and justice to the untouchables, now called Dalits. He converted to Buddhism later. He literally wrote the constitution of India. I celebrate his effort and the constitution.

The first prime minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru kept his religious faith or lack of it, private. His purchase of pluralism was based on the Western ideals of secularism, freedom of speech and religion. I admire that.

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad drew inspiration from Islam. As scriptures go, Qur'an is arguably the most plural faith. Maulana Azad used the example of the covenant of Madina to bolster the idea of pluralism. He was certain the only glue that would keep a muti-religious, multi-ethnic country like India together would be pluralism. The same ideal inspires me, and I celebrate it.

These four Indian leaders could not have come from more dissimilar backgrounds. But they had the wisdom to realize that nothing other than a pluralistic framework would work. No singular faith, language or culture could be imposed on all parts of India. They imagined a new dawn. I am amazed at their wisdom and celebrate it.

The party in power for the past nine years, the BJP and its mothership the RSS, is changing India into a Hindu nation. That has always been their aspiration. They pay lip service to the ideals enshrined in the constitution, but their actions tell a different story. BJP/RSS believe that Muslims and Christians do not belong in India as their deities were foreign. Additionally, after the formation of Pakistan, Muslims that remained behind in India became instantly a fifth column. I am saddened by this exclusive ideology and agonize over the change it has brought.

I celebrate India's economy, which soon will be the fourth largest in the world. I agonize that it is an economy for the rich and am distressed by increasing poverty and unemployment of the masses.

I celebrate the middle class that is fueling the economy. I am distraught that this same middle class appears to be oblivious to the oppression of minorities around them. The poor Muslim neighborhood of Nuh was recently bulldozed as mass punishment, while the middle class sat next door in their gated communities whining that their domestic help has disappeared. I find it distressing.

I celebrate that the High Court finally took notice of the bulldozing and passed an injunction to stop it. One of the judges wondered if ethnic cleansing was happening. I am alarmed that this case has been taken away from these two judges and given to two others who are more pliant.

I agonize at the lack of law and order. Lynching of Muslims and Dalits for even the suspicion of transporting beef has become a regular occurrence. As in the 19th century U.S., lynching has become a public spectacle. This makes me distraught with grief.

I celebrate that an Indian rocket is headed for a soft landing on the south end of the moon. I celebrate the IITs and its graduates. I agonize over the creation and teaching of fake history.

I am saddened that the North-Eastern state of Manipur is burning for four months. Kuki women have been paraded naked and assaulted. That is pure agony.

I agonize over the attempts to make Muslims second class citizens or citizen with doubtful status through diabolical new initatives like the Citizenship Amendment Act.

There is much to celebrate and much that breaks my heart. Is there any hope left? There are secular Indians who are so distressed by the ripping apart of the inclusive social fabric that they may rise and turn things around. Change has to come from inside India. As the poet Sahir said, a new dawn will come someday.

• Javeed Akhter is a physician and freelance writer from Oak Brook.