India: Democracy in Diversity a Publication of Hindu American Foundation | 3 April 2018 Including Pakistan

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India: Democracy in Diversity a Publication of Hindu American Foundation | 3 April 2018 Including Pakistan Birthplace of Dharmic India: Traditions India is the birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. Democracy in These collectively are often referred to as the ’Dharma’ Traditions. The Dharma Traditions share many Diversity concepts such as dharma, karma, India is a robust, multi-religious and multicultural, samsara, and moksha, though each religion understands and interprets secular democracy. It is home to the vast them differently. majority of the world’s Hindus and has sizeable Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Jain Sikh, and Zoroastrian populations. India’s Diversity India is home to unparalleled linguistic, cultural, and religious diversity. There are 22 constitutionally recognized languages Religious minorities, either as a single and thousands of community or collectively, comprise additional languages majorities in eight states. and dialects. Throughout its history, religion has been an important part of India’s culture. Hindus, a widely diverse populace, comprise a little less than 80 percent of India’s 1.3 billion people, while religious minorities encompass a little over 20 percent of the population. In addition, India has the world’s second largest Muslim population (approximately Religious Majority 176 million or 14.4 percent), and world’s largest Sikh (1.9 percent), Hindu and Jain populations (0.4 percent). Sikh There are also substantial numbers of Christians (2.3 percent) Muslim and Buddhists (0.8 percent). Christian Smaller communities of Jews and Zoroastrians have been living in Hindu & Christian India for over a millenia. April 2018 Subsequent to India’s independence prevalent throughout India, including …its unique brand of secularism provides including Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, in 1947, the demographics of St. Thomas Cathedral in Mylapore Refuge for unprecedented religious accommodations Buddhists, and Zoroastrians religious minorities have either and St. Xavier’s shrine in Goa. across the following broad areas: increased or remained stable, and to its religious minority populace. (1) educational empowerment, Religious demographics in India are Persecuted there have been no major religious (2) economic empowerment, complex, especially when examined to grant legal resident status migrations out of the country. For Religious Groups (3) infrastructure development, regionally. Religious minorities, and citizenship to those fleeing instance, the Muslim population Secularism in (4) special needs, and (5) support either as a single community or Throughout its history, India has religious persecution and has grown from 9.8% in 1951 to for institutions. For instance, the collectively, comprise majorities served as a refuge for persecuted seeking refuge in India. its current level of 14.4%, while Modern India government recently utilized a $15 in eight states. Similarly, in many religious groups or those fleeing the proportion of Christians, Sikhs, ❱ Ahmadiyya Muslims, who are million World Bank loan to support other states, minorities represent violence from around the world. India is a secular democracy, but Buddhists, and Jains have stayed outlawed in Pakistan, are free skill development and training significant and influential segments its unique brand of secularism relatively the same. The Muslim ❱ Some Jewish communities in to worship, construct mosques, in madrasas that would benefit of the population. provides unprecedented religious population is projected to grow India trace their roots back over and propagate their faith free accommodations to its religious 35,000 Muslim students. Money further to 18.4% by 2050, according ❱ Punjab: Sikh majority 2500 years, while others over from government intrusion. The minority populace. Until 2018, the has also been earmarked in the to Pew Research Forum. Moreover, the subsequent millenia, fleeing Sunni Waqf Board of India (a Union Budget for the celebration of ❱ Jammu & Kashmir, Government of India (GoI) provided India is now home to the world’s persecution from various parts private religious body), however, Zoroastrian culture to help preserve Lakshadweep: Muslim majorities a subsidy for 108,000 Muslims to largest Baha’i community, estimated of the Near and Middle East. does not consider them Muslim, complete the Hajj pilgrimage to their history, while the Prime Minister ❱ Arunachal Pradesh, and therefore does not grant at over 2 million people, and the ❱ Zoroastrians arrived around Mecca annually, covering airfare, has promoted Buddhism and Sufi Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Ahmadiyya membership or world famous Baha’i Lotus Temple 700 AD (they’re now known domestic travel, meals, medical Islam through various programs. Nagaland: Christian majorities benefits of their services. in New Delhi. as Parsis and Iranis in India), care, and lodging assistance. From 2012 to 2014, for example, India is also home to some of ❱ Manipur: equally Hindu fleeing persecution in their Personal Laws and the world’s most famous Islamic and Christian, with minorities native land of Persia, and approximately $300 million was pilgrimage sites, including prominent collectively comprising integrated seamlessly into subsidized. The program was Triple Talaq Sufi shrines/dargahs (tombs of a majority Indian society, while practicing phased out by orders of the The Indian constitution and legal Muslim saints), such as Ajmer Sharif their faith fully. Supreme Court, and it was ended system protect religious freedom ❱ Kerala: Hindu (55%), Muslim early in order to ensure subsidies Dargah in Rajasthan and Haji Ali (27%), and Christian (18%) ❱ The Dalai Lama and Tibetan and ensure equality for all citizens, Dargah in Mumbai, as well as the GOI BUDGET were available for all minorities. regardless of religious identity. Buddhists fled to India after Earmarked for world renowned Jama Masjid and escaping Chinese oppression However, religious minorities are Makkah Masjid mosques in Delhi Minorities Affairs provided separate, religion-based and established the Tibetan Ministry Subsidies and Special and Hyderabad, respectively. Popular government in exile in the personal laws, which many civil sacred Christian sites are also Programs rights advocates have criticized northern city of Dharamsala. $610M In the 2016-2017 GoI budget, as being contrary to the principle ❱ Many Rohingya Muslims from $600.8M $600.8 million was earmarked of a secular democracy and for Myanmar and Afghan Muslims $600M for the Minorities Affairs Ministry adversely impacting women. have found a home in India as well. to benefit the country’s religious +$14.0M “Triple Talaq” or the process for minorities, reflecting an increase of ❱ Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and $590M instant divorce in Islamic society, for Afghan Hindus have trickled over $14 million from the previous example, has been a legal part of into India for decades to year. The current government has the personal law code for Muslims $580M escape religious persecution. also initiated several new welfare in India, despite it being outlawed They have struggled to obtain schemes for religious minorities, in most Muslim majority countries, refugee status or any type of $570M long term legal status in India, …religious minorities are provided separate, preventing them from accessing $560M basic resources or employment. religion-based personal laws, which many civil Tibetan refugees eating pani puri (traditional indian snack) The current government in India, rights advocates have criticized as being contrary in Dharamsala, India. however, has made it a priority $550M 2015-20162016-2017 to the principle of a secular democracy… 2 | India: Democracy in Diversity A Publication of Hindu American FOundation | 3 April 2018 including Pakistan. “Triple Talaq” Court found that given their The directive principles are not ritual practice, as some Muslim lacks any requirements for ex- numerical strength, economic and enforceable by writ, and similarly scholars have suggested. spouses to pay alimony or child social status, and representation the fundamental duties cannot No reference is made in the support, impoverishing millions of in government jobs, among be mandated by a court of law. women and children. In response other factors, minority status However, in furtherance of Article petition to any particular Surah of the Holy Quran which, in terms, to this negative social impact on is unnecessary. Jaṭ Sikhs (the 48, most states (with the exception Muslim women and children, Prime dominant Sikh caste group in of Kerala and some of the requires the sacrifice of a cow. Minister Narendra Modi proposed Punjab), however, were granted Northeastern states, two states All that was placed before us comprehensive legislation backward class status by the with significant Christian during the argument were Surah prohibiting the practice of “Triple Punjab government in 2014, making populations) have enacted laws XXII, Verses 28 and 33, and Surah Talaq” in 2016. Upon passing the them eligible to receive reserved related to the prohibition of CVIII. What the Holy book enjoins Lok Sabha (the lower house of Sikh devotees praying at the Golden Temple in Punjab, India. seats in government jobs. slaughter of cows (and in some is that people should pray unto parliament) in 2017, the bill was cases milch buffalo) and its progeny. the Lord and make sacrifice…It is welcomed and lauded by Muslim There is also the Prevention of therefore, optional for a Muslim women’s rights groups across the free from government intrusion, State Level Cow Protection Laws Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960 to sacrifice a goat
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