THE South Asian region rightly boasts of having been the home of all major global religions for centuries.

Besides being the birthplace of Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism, Buddhism, it has been the home of the big chunks of the followers of other global religions (born in other regions of the planet) since the beginning of the 1st millennium. Currently, all major global religions are invariably present in the South Asian region. In addition to Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism that are indigenous to the region, South Asia is the home of more than half of the Muslim population all over the world. A huge Christian community living in South Asia is represented by nearly all denominations of Christianity as well as the major local ethnic and racial groups. Relatively, a small Jewish population is scattered across the region, especially in India. A small Zoroastrian community is mostly concentrated in Mumbai, a metropolitan centre of India. Unlike the Abrahamic monotheistic religions, namely Judaism, Christianity and Islam, most of the religions with roots in South Asia are believed to be relatively pluralistic. Hinduism is considered naturally pluralistic. A well-known Vedic hymn says: “Truth is one, though the sages know it variously.” The Hindu religion has no theological difficulties in accepting degrees of truth in other religions. It emphasizes that everyone worships the same God, whether one knows it or not.

Prior to the emergence of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a radical Hindu nationalist movement,........

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