Freedom of religion

===India===
{{Main|Freedom of religion in India}}
'''Religious tolerance in India: A legacy of the past and a promise for the future'''

Ancient Jews fleeing from [[Persecution of Jews|persecution]] in [[Land of Israel|their homeland]] 2,500 years ago settled in modern-day India and never faced [[anti-Semitism]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZWX6pF2PTJwC&pg=PA26|title=Who Are the Jews of India?|last=Katz|first=Nathan|year=2000|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=978-0520920729|language=en}}</ref> Freedom of religion [[edicts]] have been found written during [[Ashoka the Great]]'s reign in the 3rd century BC. Freedom to practise, preach and propagate any religion is a constitutional right in Republic of India. Most major religious festivals of the main communities are included in the list of national holidays.

Many scholars and intellectuals believe that India's predominant religion, [[Hinduism]], has long been a most tolerant religion.<ref>{{cite book|author=David E. Ludden|title=Contesting the Nation: Religion, Community, and the Politics of Democracy in India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jEUdPqYQjhoC|year=1996|publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press|isbn=0812215850|pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=jEUdPqYQjhoC&pg=257 257–58]}}</ref> [[Rajni Kothari]], founder of the [[Centre for the Study of Developing Societies]] has written, "[India] is a country built on the foundations of a civilisation that is fundamentally non-religious."<ref>{{cite book|author=Rajni Kothari|title=Communalism in Indian Politics|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ruNtAAAAMAAJ|year=1998|publisher=Rainbow Publishers|isbn=978-8186962008|page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=ruNtAAAAMAAJ&dq=%22foundations+of+a+civilisation+that+is+fundamentally+non-religious%22&pg=PA134 134]}}</ref>

The [[Dalai Lama]], the Tibetan leader in exile, said that religious tolerance of 'Aryabhoomi,' a reference to India found in the [[Mahabharata]], has been in existence in this country from thousands of years. "Not only Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism which are the native religions but also Christianity and Islam have flourished here. Religious tolerance is inherent in Indian tradition," the Dalai Lama said.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/42229/indias-religious-tolerance-lauded.html|title=India's religious tolerance lauded|work=Deccan Herald|date=19 December 2009|access-date=3 September 2011}}</ref>

Freedom of religion in the [[Indian subcontinent]] is exemplified by the reign of King Piyadasi (304–232 BC) ([[Ashoka]]). One of King Ashoka's main concerns was to reform governmental institutes and exercise moral principles in his attempt to create a [[Edicts of Ashoka|just and humane society]]. Later he promoted the principles of [[Buddhism]], and the creation of a just, understanding and fair society was held as an important principle for many ancient rulers of this time in the East.

The importance of freedom of worship in India was encapsulated in an inscription of [[Ashoka]]:
{{Blockquote|King Piyadasi (Ashok) dear to the Gods, honours all sects, the ascetics (hermits) or those who dwell at home, he honours them with charity and in other ways. But the King, dear to the Gods, attributes less importance to this charity and these honours than to the vow of seeing the reign of virtues, which constitutes the essential part of them. For all these virtues there is a common source, modesty of speech. That is to say, one must not exalt one's creed discrediting all others, nor must one degrade these others without legitimate reasons. One must, on the contrary, render to other creeds the honour befitting them.}}

On the main Asian continent, the Mongols were tolerant of religions. People could worship as they wished freely and openly.

After the arrival of Europeans, Christians in their zeal to convert local as per belief in conversion as service of God, have also been seen to fall into frivolous methods since their arrival, though by and large there are hardly any reports of law and order disturbance from mobs with Christian beliefs, except perhaps in the north eastern region of India.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stephen-knapp.com/christian_persecution_in_india.htm|title=Christian Persecution in India: The Real Story|publisher=Stephen-knapp.com|access-date=3 September 2011}}</ref>

Freedom of religion in contemporary India is a fundamental right guaranteed under Article 25 of the nation's constitution. Accordingly, every citizen of India has a right to profess, practice and propagate their religions peacefully.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lawmin.nic.in/coi/coiason29july08.pdf |title=The Constitution of India |access-date=3 September 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140909230437/http://lawmin.nic.in/coi/coiason29july08.pdf |archive-date=9 September 2014}}</ref>

In September 2010, the Indian state of [[Kerala]]'s State Election Commissioner announced that "Religious heads cannot issue calls to vote for members of a particular community or to defeat the nonbelievers".<ref name="orthodoxherald.com">{{cite news |url=http://www.orthodoxherald.com/2010/09/18/%E2%80%98using-places-of-worship-for-campaigning-in-kerala-civic-polls-is-violation-of-poll-code%E2%80%99/|title=Using places of worship for campaigning in Kerala civic polls is violation of poll code|newspaper=Indian Orthodox Herald|date=18 September 2010|access-date=3 September 2011}}</ref> The Catholic Church comprising Latin, Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara rites used to give clear directions to the faithful on exercising their franchise during elections through pastoral letters issued by bishops or council of bishops. The pastoral letter issued by Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC) on the eve of the poll urged the faithful to shun atheists.<ref name="orthodoxherald.com"/>

Even today, despite religious tensions and violence, most Indians celebrate all religious festivals with equal enthusiasm and respect. [[Hindu]] festivals like [[Deepavali]] and [[Holi]], Muslim festivals like [[Eid al-Fitr]], [[Eid-Ul-Adha]], [[Muharram]], Christian festivals like Christmas and other festivals like [[Buddha Purnima]], [[Mahavir Jayanti]], Gur Purab etc. are celebrated and enjoyed by all [[Indian people|Indians]].