Can we achieve a complete secular harmony in our country?

By Shilpa Nangali “Leave us alone, the problem is in our area, we can handle it, do not interfere” - This was the message conveyed to the neighborhood residents by some of the Muslim community residents of JC Nagar on Friday’s (July 11, 2008) incident at a masjid in JC Nagar and Hebbal. Local politicians doubt political ambitions behind this. However, the best part was finally Hindus and Muslims displayed unity to settle this issue. Few months back, two Kashmiri Muslim teens were arrested in North Karnataka while doing ‘namaz’ in a Hindu `Temple’. I have no idea about their intentions. Probably people and police thought they were desecrating the Hindu temple. How nice it will be if there is unity between Hindus and Muslims in our country. However, as Gandhiji has said, the cement binding the two is yet loose and wet. I was talking to my father about this, and my father told me about a news clipping, which he read in a English weekly, a year back. Though it was a small incidence, I felt happy that I came to know about this one. A reporter had gone to Kashmir and while he was returning to Orissa,the driver (a Muslim), asked the reporter whether he wished to visit the ‘Sun Temple’ at Konark. The reporter agreed and visited the beautiful Sun Temple. The reporter was going around the temple, and that time, he saw two Muslims doing ‘namaz’ in the precincts of the temple. The reporter was surprised to see that and out of curiosity he asked them being Muslims were they not offended to pray in a Hindu temple? They questioned him back with a smile, `Why, don’t you know, that the God is one irrespective of religion?’ Here, I do not mean to say that only in Muslims there are such people, who think that we all are one. Even in Hindus there are such kind of rational thinkers. However, the union of these two is what I love to see... If I had been born Catholic, Presbyterian, Muslim, Jain or Hindu...what ever..the caste/religion label means absolutely nothing to me. We are known in this world by our deeds, thoughts, aspirations, actions, achievements, by the way we live, and by the way we treat our fellows...lets be aware of God within us..and make our mind worth staying for that supreme power..Almighty...lets illuminate our soul with the light of knowledge, courage and sincerity in all our efforts. If a person’s character is loathsome, what’s the use even if he belongs to an upper class? It all depends on how we grow ourselves, how we think and how we act.