The vicious reactions to Sam Pitroda’s apparently harmless statement on unity in diversity, makes one feel that admitting to one’s Chinese or African looks is shameful. It simply is not. Is stating that Indians belong to different religions an insult to religions? The virtue lies not in rejecting differences in physiognomy, language, religion and cultures of the people of the country, but in accepting that these differences do not matter when it comes to the unity of the country. As a matter of fact, one should be proud of these differences, since they signify a lineage, not only of a genealogy and appearance but of cultures and traditions.
