Indian civilization has had the unique distinction of engendering a social discourse characterized by tolerance of differing arguments and practices. This discourse is in fact a telling commentary on the essence of the faith that has shaped the trajectory of our civilization since time immemorial – Hinduism, not as religion per se and as understood generally, but as a way of life in which tolerance of the other, however differing, is the salient feature. This, of course, pseudo-secularists will fume at. But the fact of the matter is that Hinduism as a way of life – y, as a philosophy as epitomized in the Vedas and the Upanishads – has this remarkable feature of preaching the values reflected by tolerance and of having the adherents of this faith practise tolerance. Nevertheless, recent times have been witness to the contrary. It is rather growing intolerance in our socio-political life that has characterized our thoughts and actions. There is no use blaming the other. For instance, some outfits swearing by Hinduism blame radical Muslim groups for growing violence and disorder. The same holds true the other way round with the Muslim groups in question playing the victim card and blaming it all on the upper hand that the so-called Hindutva groups enjoy in a country domited by Hindus. What is expediently glossed over is that there is nothing like Hindutva; it is just Hinduism as a philosophical and spiritual way of life. This is what the clarion call of the Bhagwad Gita is. But this is what the self-styled Hindu outfits have forgotten too. And this is their choice. It is not that they have forgotten the cardil principle of Hinduism. The fact of the matter is that they have chosen to forget it, because it suits their socio-political engineering project. The bulk of the blame is thrown at the BJP, which is seen as the mainstream avatar of some self-fashioned Hindu groups. And when self-styled secularists do this, they too choose to forget that their choice of practising and perpetuating ‘minorities’ appeasement politics is doing them no good, except for ebling them in creating a vote bank out of a politics of fear generation among this prized bank. Let us call a spade a spade then: when the Congress and others of its ‘secular’ ilk talk of and champion the cause of ‘minorities’, they have in mind just one religious minority community – Muslims, especially the backward among them who can be wooed for votes, and for votes alone, and not for their empowerment in the real sense. Why, even after decades together of Congress rule and its advocacy of the ‘minorities’ cause, Muslims have remained one of the most backward communities in the country, pointed out so glaringly by the Sachar Committee report on the socio-economic status of Muslims in the country. It is a different debate though.