Indian Secularism

The word secular refers to the nature of activities that are not associated with or influenced by any religious factors. Secularism is a concept of treating human rights and duties according to a rational or secular mindset. In simple terms, secularism is intended to mark a demarcation between the philosophic ideologies of a religious institution and the legislative regulations designed to govern a state. In a secular setting, the public offices must not portray the supremacy of any particular religion.

Evolution of Secularism

It is necessary to learn about the historical events of the Middle Ages in European nations if we want to define Secularism. Before the Renaissance ushered in, till the 14th century all religious believers possessed a peculiar tendency to abominate human activities if they went against the norms described in the Bible. Thus, during the Renaissance period, the western nations experienced a surge of growth in rationalistic approaches. The incessant struggle of the wise men and the scholars could ultimately remove the cultural and religious stagnation from society. A much-related concept grew alongside secularism which is referred to as humanism. Its practice began throughout Italy in the late 13th century and later on spread like a wildfire throughout the European kingdoms. The main idea was to put human interests first instead of relying on spiritual stipulations which were given prime importance during the ancient Roman and Greek periods. The law now equally treated all the religious classes. This is a massive step towards modernization. 

Indian Secularism 

Indian secularism is partially different from the traditional Western and Anglo-American secularism models. In 1976, the 42nd amendment of the Indian Constitution was released. This amendment officially declared India as a secular country. In 1994, Indians witnessed the first instance where secularism was realized in the jurisdiction. The epic verdict of the Supreme Court countered the regulations which were mentioned in Article 356. The decision went in favor of the then Chief Minister of Karnataka, Mr. S. R. Bommai. Article 356 mentions that a state government may be temporarily suspended if it fails to operate based on the provisions declared by the Indian Constitution. The decision made by a bench of nine judges of the Supreme Court of India restricted the manipulation of this rule. Indian Secularism was strongly established after this historic action. The educational organizations were strictly instructed to refrain from delivering religious messages to the students. After this event, Article 27 cautioned the religious preachers that they are not allowed to promote their religious views from funds raised from taxes. 

Secularism has always inspired the majority to follow the core principles of humanism. The transformation of the general mentality built the platform for modernization in India. However, Indian Secularism varies from the conventional definition of secularism. In India, secularism has no scope to entirely overlook religious viewpoints. Marriage duties and rights vary from one religion to another, though modern law gives the option to solemnize a marriage defined by secular law. 

The Constitution of India has assisted the local state governments to interfere and curb various harmful religious activities. Today we notice an improvement in intolerance among the Hindu pundits regarding the lower caste people, also there are no signs of untouchability in developed villages and cities. It is wrong to assume that the Indian Government does not value the country’s culture and religious traditions. State Government provides financial assistance to renovate religious institutions as per the Special Provisions Act of 1958. The religious character of the buildings is not tampered with by any governmental intervention. 

Due to its flexibility, Indian Secularism is a controversial subject. It does not align with the absolute secular mindset of the West. The main idea of secularism in India revolves around the necessary preventive measures to check the deprivation of the minor communities. Secularism is also considered a determining factor in solving legal discrepancies that involve two or more states simultaneously. Due to its diverging methodology, political critics often refer to it as pseudo-secularism. 

Since 1975, the recent schedule of the Preamble puts all the religious organizations and charitable trusts under a Concurrent list. Thus, the state governments are entrusted with the responsibility of regulating the actions of temples, masjids, churches, and other religious sites. Under no circumstances the Central Government interferes in the internal affairs of a state in this regard. 

Conclusion 

It is critical to define secularism in the context of the Constitution of India. The concept varies to a great extent from the Western secular approach. The Indian community is composed of diverse religious followers. Owing to the deeply ingrained spiritual beliefs it is next to impossible to completely eradicate religious considerations while drafting rules and regulations. The main focus has always been to give equal rights to all the Indians and to maintain jurisdiction neutrality for all.