If every individual was to ask this question to himself/herself: Who am I? The answer would be the same in each case: I am an Indian / American / Mexican / Brazilian / Pakistani / South African / Australian / Bahraini / Iraqi / South Korean / German / English / Mauritian / Nepali / Bhutanese / Sri Lankan / Chinese / …, No person will ever get identified as a Hindu / Muslim / Christian / Jew / Buddhist / etc. in the world. If any body has any conflict of views here, he/she can simply glance through his/her passport, and, taking it further, he/she should try getting a visa to any country on this earth based on his/her religion and not his/her nationality.
Thus, when we are born with a “pre-defined” – and pre-destined - identity based on our “nationality”, then from where does this dilemma arise about ones identity? If a person is of a particular nationality, then everything belonging / related to that particular nation is the inheritance of him/her as well. Say, I am an Indian and therefore everything Indian has a connection to/with me. Be it its history, its legacy, its anthem, its song, etc. It doesn’t matter at all that I was born into a particular religion or a particular region or a particular caste or a particular community. My country remains India; my national anthem remains “Jana Gana Mana”; my national song remains “Vande Mataram”.
And, if I have any problems proudly adopting any of my Indian legacies, then I am free to relinquish India and be a part of that world where my religious identity will be of paramount importance and not my nationality i.e. where my passport will be stamped based on my religious beliefs and visas would be granted based on my religious allegiance.
Vande Mataram …!!!
P.S.: I appreciate Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's efforts in making those fatwa-issuing maulwis come to senses. ... Wonder why there wasn't much of protest from our home minister P. Chidambaram who was present at that Deoband's meet ...
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