(The Editorial discusses the misinterpretation of secularism in India, leading to political appeasement of minorities and divisive policies.)
A recent statement by a Tamil Nadu Minister calling for the
'eradication of Sanatana Dharma like mosquitoes' sparked a nationwide debate
and led to legal challenges. There have been numerous instances where leaders
who claim to be 'secularists' mock Hindu practices and mantras while addressing
minority communities. Though minority community leaders do not object to such
comments, many feel uncomfortable and embarrassed by these incidents. These so-called ‘secular’ leaders enthusiastically extend
greetings to festivals celebrated by minority communities. However, it is
unfortunate that they often neglect to do the same for the festivals celebrated
by majority Hindu community.
In the early 1990s, Kashmiri Pandits were driven out of
their homes, becoming refugees in neighbouring States within their own country.
Unfortunately, political parties that claim to be "secular" did not
raise their voices against this brutal incident, including the killings of
Pandits. These parties often remain silent when the majority community is under
attack, ostensibly to protect "secularism." There have been several
such instances where those parties that profess secularism turn a blind eye to
violence against the majority community.
In 1986, under Rajiv Gandhi's regime, the Supreme
Court's judgment in the Shah Bano case was nullified to appease the minority
community. This action led to further complications and unrest in the country,
including the resurgence of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement.
Often, in the name of secularism, these political groups
provoke minority communities by spreading false information, creating divisions
among people. The recent protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA)
were largely based on false fears instigated by these groups, even though the
CAA has nothing to do with Indian minorities.
While Dr B.R. Ambedkar strongly opposed and did not support
Article 370, secular parties continued to defend it, which denied reservations
to Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). Similarly, Dr. Ambedkar
advocated for implementing a Uniform Civil Code (UCC). Yet, these parties now
oppose the UCC, which could help bring legal uniformity among the people.
Ironically, all of them claim to be followers of Dr. Ambedkar.
These actions do not reflect true secularism; instead, they
create divisions between Hindus and minorities, making Hindus feel alienated.
This is far from the vision India’s founders had for the nation.
Dr Ambedkar’s
Views on Secularism
Dr Ambedkar, the architect of
Indian Constitution, firmly believed in
the principle of secularism, not as a form of atheism, but as the state's
religious neutrality. His goal was to ensure that no religion dominated or
influenced the functioning of the state, particularly given India's history of
caste-based oppression and religious conflict. In his view, secularism meant
that the state would neither favour any religion nor interfere in religious
practices, as long as these practices did not violate public morality or
infringe upon individual rights.
Despite clearly understanding secularism, Dr Ambedkar did not push for including the word
"secularism" in the Constitution's Preamble. One of the main reasons
for this was his belief that the principles of secularism were already embedded
within the Constitution, especially in the provisions related to fundamental
rights and non-discrimination on the grounds of religion. He believed that the
Constitution inherently guaranteed a secular framework without the need to use
the term explicitly.
Dr Ambedkar once said, “What should be the state's policy?
The policy of the state should be neutral in the matter of religion. The state
should not impose any particular religion upon the rest of the people. This is
the essence of secularism.”
Dr. Ambedkar believed that secularism was sufficiently
implicit in the constitutional framework, and there was no need to declare it
overtly in the Preamble. He was wary that narrowly
defining secularism or making it a constitutional slogan could invite
unnecessary controversy or conflicts over its interpretation. Furthermore,
by not explicitly including secularism in the Preamble, he avoided reducing it
to a political tool for exploitation by parties or groups.
Scholar Christophe Jaffrelot, a noted commentator on
Ambedkar's ideology, argues:
"Ambedkar preferred a substantive secularism based on
equality before the law and the non-interference of the state in religious
matters over a declaratory secularism that might lead to political
posturing."
Constitutional Provisions
Ambedkar ensured that Articles 25 to 28, under the chapter
on Fundamental Rights, explicitly guaranteed freedom of religion and equality
before the law, irrespective of religious identity.
·
Article 29
protects the rights of citizens to preserve their distinct language, script, or
culture.
·
Article 30 gives
minorities the right to establish and administer their own educational
institutions.
·
Article 25
provides religious freedom to all, though in practice, it has sometimes been
interpreted in ways that afford certain privileges to minorities, such as
personal laws for Muslims and Christians.
These provisions are inherently secular. Dr. Ambedkar
believed the Constitution already protected secular values by allowing
individuals to practice their religion freely while ensuring the state's
neutrality.
Adding ‘Secular’ to the Preamble
During the Emergency in 1976, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi included the word “secular” in
the Preamble of the Constitution through the 42nd Amendment. After this
amendment, some argue that secularism began to be misinterpreted to appease
minorities for vote-bank politics. However, India has practised secularism
since ancient times, with a history of respecting different faiths.
Ancient India’s Secular Ethos
A well-known mantra in Hindu rituals is “Sarve Jana Sukhino
Bhavantu” (Let all people be prosperous). The Rig Veda states, “Let
noble thoughts come from everywhere,” and also quotes “Sarva Dharma Sama Bhava”
(treat all faiths equally). Ancient Indian rulers supported Christianity and
Islam when they arrived in India, allowing them to preach their beliefs.
Buddhism and Jainism originated in India, reflecting a longstanding tradition
of religious tolerance. The distortions we see today began only after the
invasions of the British and Mughals. Secularism and tolerance are part of the very fabric of
Indian society.
Challenges in the Present Day
While leaders of all communities, including Hindus, greet
minority communities during their festivals, Hindus rarely receive reciprocal
greetings for their own festivals. Moreover, there are allegations that
minority institutions enjoy more privileges than those of the majority
community in areas such as education, recruitment, and the teaching of
religious texts. These privileges are not extended to institutions run by the
majority.
While the Government manages Hindu religious institutions
like temples, they allow the religious institutions of minorities to be run by
their own leaders. While the students of
minority communities get scholarships and interest subsidies, their Hindu
counterparts do not get any such support. Such discriminations happen in the
name of protecting ‘secularism’, though the Constitution prohibits
discrimination.
As a result, many feel that in India, under the guise of
secularism, the majority population is being treated as second-class citizens,
even though the Constitution guarantees equal rights without discrimination to
all.
Over the years, this has led to growing resentment among
the majority population, further fuelling division. Political parties exploit this situation in the name of
secularism to advance their vote-bank politics.
The Way Forward
All political parties must cease using the secularism card
to appease minorities while taking an anti-Hindu stance. They must learn to
treat all citizens equally, without discrimination. Media and Civil society, including leaders from both
the Hindu and minority communities, cannot remain silent spectators to these
trends. Minority community leaders should condemn the derogatory statements
made about Hinduism by political leaders during their meetings. They should
recognise that such leaders are disrupting communal harmony.
In the name of Secularism, moral instruction classes have been
dispensed with at the School Level. A recent study reveals that this lack of
moral instruction is generating bad habits and also promoting juvenile
offenders.
As desired by Dr Ambedkar, the Uniform Civil
Code should be implemented in consultation with all religious groups. Political
parties should not mislead minority communities with
false information for their political gains.
India, that is, Bharat, should continue to be a secular
nation as it was in ancient times, with mutual respect for all faiths.
सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः, सर्वे सन्तु निरामयाः। सर्वे भद्राणि पश्यन्तु, मा कश्चिद् दुःखभाग्भवेत्॥
May all be happy; May all be free from illness;
May all see what is auspicious; May no one suffer in any way; Om, Shanthi,
Shanthi, Shanthi.
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (1.4.14)
(The co-author of this Editorial, Priyadharshni
Rahul (Editor, PreSense, is
an advocate practising in the Supreme Court of India)
(Source: Editorial published in the September 2024 edition of PreSense)
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