End of India by Khushwant Singh

Every organised religion harkens back to an imagined  glorifies past and opposes change.

In Europe, it's secularists had to fight off Christianity to develop, a process which had not happened in Islam, resulting in backward and non democratic societies. In India, Hinduism has to be countered by secularism among its 80% Hindu population rather than any of its Muslims, Christian or Sikh minorities. Khushwant finds it incredible how the Hindu masses have been led to believe by the religious leaning Hindu leaders that they are being discriminated in their own country. Hard to believe isn't it? But unfortunately, focus on any religion will inevitably lead a more narrow minded and restricted approach.

Hailing from a minority religion himself, Khushwant makes some poignant points about the rising fundamentalism in India.

• If Nazi fascism had succeeded in a literate Germany, won't India be much easier?
• If Bhindranwale succeeded in gathering a substantial following from the pulpit of gurdwaras, imagine what damage any elected government can have in preaching the message of hate using much greater resources?
• Communalism has always been and will always remain in any any culture where two or more religions share resources.
• Congress was first to exploit religion for electoral gains, effectively showing BJP how to galvanise masses using the religious rhetoric.
• Congress motive of maintaining Muslims and Dalits as oppressed classes is to appear as their only saviours.
• Most heroes in India are non-Muslims who fought Muslims.

Khushwant also defines the Indian version of secularism which basically means the state acknowledging all religions instead of detaching itself.

Khushwant sums up the book by presenting a new religion for India with the motto, 'work is worship but worship is not work.'