Today, I've made the decision to leave the country.

I was to give an interview for a post-graduate degree abroad, and right up until today morning I still had mixed feelings about leaving the country. The first startup I worked in was built on the idea of Digital India and right up until my last employer, I believed and wholeheartedly bought into the future of this country.

Until the events of the last few years. Our family was extorted for money (through threats to demolish our home under false pretences) leading up to elections in Bangalore by a BJP MLA and his corrupt crew. My entire layout has become a hotbed of Hindutva nationalism to the extent that some Muslim households keep their curtains permanently closed and sadly I've lost some very good friends simply because I didn't side with them or chose to remain apolitical.

But I think the last straw was today. I don't know why but today of all days I've made the decision emotionally to quit India.

To be clear I have no issues with the temple and frankly, I don't know enough to battle the inevitable "you're not a true Indian/Hindu" comments that will follow this post. It's just that I have this sinking feeling we have now so thoroughly mixed politics with religion that we will never go back from here. If you think this is a victory for Hindus fair enough, but it also feels like a loss for a secular nation.

Am I alone or wrong in feeling this way?

PS: If you want to debate, please do with some sensible comments. It has taken a lot for me to come and post this here even if it is anonymous. I would greatly appreciate it if we could have a conversation and not a put-down contest.