This is such a rightly timed and well articulated piece, Tanya Shrivastava (“First person: Why are some politicians afraid of India’s long-standing expressions of pluralism?”). Secularism is undeniably facing a threat under the current government.

Renaming states, pushing for a “Hindu Rashtra” no one asked for and fueling communal divides are pathetic attempts to polarise society. What is even more disheartening is the support this finds among the educated and literate, driven by relentless media and social media propaganda. Even children are being conditioned into believing this distorted narrative.

I remember going on a trek last year where mostly youngsters from Mumbai and Pune were present and they kept shouting “Jai Shri Ram” throughout. But what was shocking was when they forced two other non-Hindus to chant the slogan and bullied them when they refused to do so. Despite being a Hindu, I felt like a minority: silenced and scared to voice my dissent against their behaviour. The fact that I felt unsafe expressing my opinion is, in itself, proof that we are far from a truly secular state.

I love how beautifully the article recalls school days and how people came together, celebrating and learning about each other. Yes, differences existed back then too, but not the...

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