Social And Political Life -III. (2-Secularism).

 2  Secularism —

We find many examples of discrimination on the basis of religions in our society, country and the world. Members of one religious community either persecute or discriminate against members of other religious communities. We have witnessed many barbaric communal riots from time to time in our country. Thousands of people were killed during partition of India.

Generally, communalism refers to a politics that seeks to unify one community around a religious identity in hostile opposition to another community. It is a special type of politicisation of religious identity. In the context of a multi-religious country the phrase, 'religious nationalism' gets a similar meaning. The term 'secular' was inserted in the preamble by the 42nd amendment to the Constitution. India does not have an official religion. The people of India have freedom of religion and the state treats all individuals as equal citizens regardless of their religion and faith. As we know that our country has different religions, faiths, beliefs and modes of worship, therefore, secularism is the pivot of our Democratic system. The whole fabric of our society is woven by the warp and the weft of secularism. It contrast, you may be of the opinion that no one should be discriminated against on grounds of his/her religious practices and beliefs. This is the essence of secularism.

MEANING OF SECULARISM —

     Secularism refers to the belief that religion should not be involved in the organisation of a society. A secular state is one in which the state does not officially promote any particular religion as the state religion. India is a secular state. Here, all religions are treated with equal respect. Every citizen of India has the right to practise his/her own religion. All citizens are equal in the eyes of the law. Our country does not favour any particular religion, nor does it discriminate against any religion. The government cannot formulate such policies which discriminate between various Secularism refers to the separation of religion from the state. Every religion has the freedom to grow and prosper in India.

      We have studied in the previous chapter that our Constitution has the provision for Fundamental Rights. These Rights protect us as citizens against the misuse of state power and the tyranny of majority communities. In this way, we see that the ideals of Secularism as religious freedom for all get translated into Fundamental Rights.

NEED FOR SECULARISM —

It is important to separate religion from the state for the following reasons:

• Secularism is important for a country to function democratically.
• Almost every country in the world 🌍 has more than one religious groups. From among these groups, one group may be in a majority. If this majority religious group has access to State power, it may misuse this power and financial resources to discriminate against persons of other religious groups.
• Any form of domination based on religion may violate the Fundamental Rights that a democratic country guarantees to its citizens.
• It is essential for a democratic country to be Secular because it has to protect the freedom of individuals to exit from their religion, adopt another religion or have the freedom to interpret religious teachings differently.

INDIAN SECULARISM —

      Although, the term "Secular" was inserted in the preamble in 1976, yet India has always been a secular state. India is a vast country with diversity of cultures and religions. In fact, the fraternity and unity of the country like India could be built only on a secular basis. According to our Constitution, only a secular state can achieve its objectives by ensuring the following elements :

Preamble of the Constitution 

• One religious community does not dominate another religious group in the country.
• Some members of a religious group do not dominate other members of the same religious community.
• The state does not enforce any particular religion nor take away the religious freedom of individuals.

Our country prevents the above-mentioned dominations in the following ways :

• India has adopted a strategy of separating religion from the state. It does not support any one religion. For example, we cannot celebrate any religious festival in government school premises. There is a public holiday for each important religious festival so that we can celebrate it at home.

Religious Festivals 

• India also adopts a strategy of non-interference with religious practices in order to respect the sentiments of all religions for this purpose, the state makes certain exceptions in the law for particular religious communities. For example, as per the law in Delhi, wearing a helmet is essential for persons driving two-wheelers. But, the Sikhs have been exempted from this law. This is because, wearing a pugri is a very important part of sikh religion. So, the government cannot force the Sikhs to wear a helmet.
• The state adopts a strategy of intervention in order to prevent the domination mentioned earlier. For example, untouchability in which members of the same religion (Upper-caste Hindus) dominate other members (Some lower-caste Hindus). The Indian Constitution bans the practice of untouchability. In this way, the state intervenes in religion in order to prevent an evil social practice. It believes that untouchability violates the Fundamental Rights of the lower-caste Hindus.
• The state also intervenes in the religion-based personal laws of communities in order to ensure equal inheritance Rights.
• The state intervenes in the religion through its support. For example, our Constitution allows the religious communities to establish their own schools and colleges. The state also provides financial aids to these institutions. 

SIMILARITIES AND DISSIMILARITIES OF INDIAN SECULARISM WITH OTHER DEMOCRATIC COUNTRIES —

Similarities -

Indian Secularism is similar to other Democratic countries in the following ways :

• Some of the above-mentioned objectives regarding Secularism are similar in other countries too and have been included in the Constitutions of other democratic countries of the world 🌍.
• According to the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, the legislature can not declare any religion as the official Religion. That is, it can not give preference to one religion. As we know, the same is the case in India. Here too, neither the state nor Religion can interfere in the affairs of one another.

Dissimilarities or Uniqueness -

Indian Secularism differs from other Democratic countries in the world in the following ways:

• Indian Secularism can intervene in religious affairs e.g., in case of untouchability. But, there is strict separation between Religion and State in American Secularism.
• In India Secularism, any interference in Religion by the State has to be based on the ideals laid out in the Constitution.

Thus, we find that India is a secular state. It works in various ways to prevent religious domination by any community. Our Constitution guarantees Fundamental Rights that are based on these Secular principles. However, we may find many examples of the violations of these Rights in our society. Therefore, the laws should be strictly implemented.