Secularism is the very soul of Indian society and the democracy. India has a tradition of co-existence, tolerance, co-operation and mutual respect

between all its social and religious groups. Islam came to India with Muslim

conquerors. A large number of natives turned Muslims over the period and

presently they make the second largest community of our nation. The

contribution of Islam to Indian culture and civilization has been spectacular.

It added variety, colour and richness to native heritage. Islam enriched

India with architectural wonders, the most precious being ‘Tajmahal’, the

symbol of aesthetic India. Christianity had preceded Islam to India. St.

Thomas, the twelve disciples of Christ arrived in India to preach his

message when St. Peter was in Rome. Paris came to India in 8th century

to escape from religious persecution in Iran. They brought Zoroastrianism.

Jews sailed to India 2000 year ago to settle down in Mumbai, Pune, Kochi

and Delhi. Hinduism itself was a religious conglomeration of thousands of

sects having distinct beliefs, rituals, customs and practices. Three nearly

different religions branched out of it, namely, Buddhism, Jainism and

Sikhism having separate places of worship and holy books. In all, India

remained a shining example of unity in diversity, nowhere else found in the

world.

Honouring this eternal spirit of India, our constitution makers declared our

nation to be a secular state without any discrimination. Although the people

of our country are deeply religious yet they don’t harbour any ill will or

intolerance against other faiths. Even during the freedom struggle theleaders who led it made secularism a basic policy to rally all the people

against the British. The secular polity was fiercely strengthened by

Mahatma Gandhi. Himself a deeply religious Hindu, he had great respect

for all other religions and faiths.

To divide the Indians, the colonial rulers tried to destroy file spirit of

secularism by aiding and abetting communal forces. Some of our people

forgot that sacred tradition and played in the hands of British. Our country

paid a terrible price for that lapse. India got divided into two nations and we

lost father of, the nation, Mahatma Gandhi to the bullets of a degenerated

fanatic who had no use for our secular legacy. It should teach us a lesson

that only secular spirit will keep India going.

Read the above paragraph and answer the following questions.(10)

1. What-has been the tradition of India?

2. Which religions came to India from abroad?

3. What is the most precious gift of Islam to our country?

4. What has India been the shining example of?

5. What price India paid for its lapse in secularism?​