Secularism
Secularism for Western societies differs from our understanding and implementation in India. And the Essence of Secularism was advocated and implemented by our Nation’s Leaders. The term ‘Secularism’ was absent from our original Constitution. The Indira Gandhi Government included it in the Preamble of the Constitution via the 42nd Constitutional Amendment in 1976. However, the Constitution does not provide a precise definition for the term Secularism
For a Westerner, secularism signifies the divisionbetween Church and State. The Church was responsibleforhandling ecclesiastical issues,while the State was to oversee secular, ornon-religious, matters.
However, it resulted in the Church being cornered by the State. Before Napoleon Bonaparte’s Coronation as Emperor of France, every King or Emperor had to be consecrated by the Pope. Napoleon abandoned this practice. At his coronation ceremony, he put the French crown on his head himself rather than having it done by the Pope. That marked the onset of the decline of the Pope’s influence over worldly affairs in Europe
Earlier, in 1534, Britain severed its relationship with the Pope by establishing the Church of England. The King or Queen of England consequently became the religious or ecclesiastical leader of England rather than the Pope.
Interestingly, for the Christian West, secularism is not state atheism; rather, it occurs when the State assumes control of the Church by severing the Pope’s dominant influence over the nation. However, in India, the average person believes that the State ought to remain secular and not adopt a specific religion. However, the authors of our Constitution intended for States to exist as a secular organization or institution
When a journalist asked Nehru about Hindu rituals performed during Bhumi Pujas or inauguration ceremonies, he firmly declared that India is a Hindu country and that the religious practices of its people and the land should be respected and observed.
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Let’s examine what Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel remarked regarding Secularism. Patel announced during the Congress session in Jaipur in 1948 that both the Congress and the Government were committed to establishing India as a genuinely Secular State. Patel stated in 1950 that “We are a Secular State.” Every Muslim in India ought to feel like an Indian citizen and possess the same rights as any other Indian citizen. If we fail to evoke this feeling in him, we will not deserve our heritage and our nation.
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I believe the Hindu religion is the only faith in India that is persecuted by the Government of India through all means under the guise of Secularism.
Ten readers of TOI concurred withmy comment. Agree (10), Disagree (0), Recommend (1), Offensive (0)
The comment above was authored by me in response to a news story.
“I-T department queries justification for granting exemption to Iskcon’s dining chain Govinda” in Economic Times dated 25.3.13
Alright. It is hoped that justice will eventually be served posthumously for the ill-fated couple, Sohrabuddin Sheikh and Kauser Bi, during the course of the prosecution. But why doesn’t the CBI investigate multiple other cases of ‘Encounter’ killings requested by State Governments, via the Police, where Hindus are murdered under the pretext of Anti Socials and Naxals
My comment was Agreed by 7 and disagreed by 5 of TOI readers.
Agree (7), Disagree (5), Recommend (2), Offensive 0
The comment above was composed by me in response to a news article titled “Hyderabad Intel IG charged in Sohrab case,” dated. 15.5.13. Two police officials from Andhra Pradesh, including an IPS officer, were designated as accused in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case.