Secularism in India

Indian Constitution included word Socialist and Secularism after 42nd Constitutional Amendment 1976, because it was felt that India as an nation of various religions and shown positive religious tolerance. It was also to make it clear in future that no particular religion can claim more share in policy implementation or declare herself as more holier, representative than other. In last 4 decades, India has set example in front of world by it’s positive secularism where state has no religion and it promotes every religion existence and prosperity equally as envisioned by our forefathers.

But certain section of society thinks otherwise and considers Indian secularism as pseudo-secularism because:

(a.) Secularism real meaning is zero favour to anyone, While in India all religions are promted equally by government.

(b.) Minority religions are given extra advantages like Haj subsidy, subsidy for missionary buying lands and setting up schools, minority can set special guidelines for their schools and university and can deny anyone’s admission there based on religion. This is against the spirit of Secularism.

(c.) With continous polarisation of religion as political agendas also degraded the value and essence of secularism.
Hence, while constitution claims India as secular nation but as a society we have to cross the barrier of commuanlised feeling both at heart and action.

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Western secularism is negative in its application as state is totally separated from the religion. But Indian secularism is positive in its spirit as it assigns the responsibility to the State to promote and protect all religions and prohibits state to discriminate citizens on the ground of religion.