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The word called "Secular"

Much abused, much amused...I once met a lady who had a peculiar surname called "secular ". I asked her where she came from? She promptly replied "India". I was duly surprised and I asked her innocently, do people following '"secularism" still live in India? I thought that they had vanished decades ago. She gave a tired smile and a long worn look, and to my surprise...said "YES". Yes, secular people live in India and will always live till we have Gandhi in our hearts, Maulana Azad in our minds and Nehru in our souls. Till we have an Abdul Hamid defending us, till a Zahir plays in our team, till a Kalam becomes a president and till a Manmohan becomes a Prime minister, Yes, we will still have secular people in our country.
The tired old lady started walking away but my confusion stopped her. I wanted to understand more what exactly does the surname "Secular" means to a person from India. She smiled, again a tired smile and after a long pause she answered, to her secular means when her sons and daughters are not divided based on religion, that is secular. When her children see that neither oppression in the name of religion, NOR favoritism in the name of religion is secular. When her tired searching eyes find a leader who can boldly say to a Hindu crowd that I will respect your religious sentiments but at the same time not let you oppress the sentiments of those who are fewer. A leader who can talk to a Muslim crowd and say that I will give no special treatment to you but at the same time will NOT ask you to prove every day that you are an Indian! That for me is secular. A day when no one is asked their religion or caste while filling any form but is guaranteed equal respect as an Indian, that is secular and above all a day when above all religions there is one religion, of "humanism", that is secular. When no blood is shed in the name of "GOD", that is secular. Lastly when a poor homeless, casteless, nameless person can pray in a temple, eat in a Gurudwara, rest in a church and sleep in a mosque, that for me is secular!
I was by now speechless, and as the old lady finally started walking away...I hesitated but my curiosity got the better of me and I asked "Maa, whats your first name?"
She turned, smiled and said "India"

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