Asghar Ali Engineer

Asghar Ali Engineer is a civil rights activist and head of two organizations: the Institute of Islamic Studies and the Centre for the Study of Society and Secularism. He has written and edited numerous books on ethnic problems in South Asia. In the following viewpoint, he emphasizes how India is a multicultural country with great diversity in its peoples, languages, and religions. In order to protect the rights of its linguistic and religious minorities, India’s constitution grants them special rights and guarantees. India may serve as a model for other nations in protecting minority rights, he argues.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. How is India different from the United States and countries in Europe, according to Engineer?
2. What problems does the author describe in attempting to define...