Indian secularism
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See also Secularism
Indian Secularism refers to the secularism as practiced by the Government of India. Although India has no state religion, separate laws are applicable to different religious groups according to custom. Some people argue that Secularism has a different meaning in South Asia than it does in other parts of the world.
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[edit] Meanings of Indian Secularism
Critics of secularism in India often argue that the "secular" thinkers in India take positions that conflict with conventional secularism. They point out that Secularism is defined through history in different ways.[1] Indian secularism is often alleged to be Pseudo-secularism, i.e. the state of implicit non-secular trends in the face of pledged secularism. The term is used by groups who perceive a double standard exhibited within the established secular governing policy towards culturally different groups.
Critics point to people like Nehru, Gandhi and Subash Chandra Bose, all of whom were non-communist hindus who championed secularism. Also they point to Dalai Lama and Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan, as evidence that secularism and religion are not mutually exclusive, and the idea of secularism in India is not entirely different from the western idea of secularism.
A comparison of secularism in India and United States is given in the following article[2].
Many people in India argue that the minority groups, especially the Muslims and the Christians, are given special privileges and advantages over Hindus.
Since an amendment in 1976, the national constitution describes India as "secular".
[edit] Influence of Religion
Religious appeasement is more important for the government than separation of religion from state. Criticism say religious dogmas and beliefs are normally not accepted as a genuine right or freedom of expression. Books with even academic criticism of popular beliefs are routine banned. The state has made laws promoting appeasement of religious dogmas, such as banning slaughter of cows for beef, a common diet in many parts of the world and even acceptable diet for many communities in India. Many people in India do not relate to secularism and confuse it with religious tolerance.
It is normal in India for public money to be spent towards religion’s indirect promotion. All government schools routinely promote prayers.
A right-wing internet columnist Rajeev Srinivasan wrote about Indian Secularism: "Thus the concept of secularism was born: a separation of Church and State, so that religious considerations could be excluded from civil affairs and public education. However, the so-called 'secularism' rampant in India is a perversion of that reasonable idea: in India it is contrived to mean the active involvement of the State in supporting certain religions (Islam, Christianity and Marxism) and oppressing others (Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism)."[3]
[edit] Incomplete Separation
It is normal in Indian way of secularism for public money to be spent towards religion’s indirect promotion. All government schools, whether Christian, Hindu or Islamic (Madrassas), routinely promote religious prayers. Many political parties in India have been accused of appeasing the minority groups, which are their vote banks, by putting up candidates who have the same religion as the majority of the voters in a constituency, ensuring the voters special consideration after the candidate wins the election.
Many self-proclaimed secular parties, create vote banks among minority religion communities, by fanning fears of being sidelined or persecuted by the majority community of Hindus.
Instances in 2006 of the Government asking for a record of the number of Muslims at higher positions in the Army[1], was seen by many in the intellegensia as a bid to create communal divides in the name of increasing representation of Muslims in the Army, which has always carried the image of the most secular institutions of India.
[edit] Religious Minority Status
The educational institutions established by non-Hindus can apply for the "Religious Minority Status". This means that 50% of the seats in these institutions are reserved for students belonging to a particular religion. For example, in DBIT Mumbai, 50% of the seats are reserved for Roman Catholic students.
The Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) also enjoyed a minority status (50% of the seats reserved for Muslims), until the High Court declared that the status was anti-constitutional. But the Teachers' and Students' Union of AMU, as well as many political leaders protested this decision of the Court.
Many Muslims groups have also asked for quotas in prestigious institutions managed by Government. A committee set up by the HRD ministry in 2005 recommended quotas for Muslims in institutions such as IITs, IIMs and IIFT [4].
Recently, the Congress Government of Andhra Pradesh introduced a 5% job quota for Muslims, but it was struck down by the Supreme Court of India.
Also, the Government of India allows different laws for different religions, which it says is a consideration to accommodate for the religious differences(see Shah Bano case). For example, the Muslims are allowed to have more than one wife and divorce their wives using the triple talaq method. Many Indians (including moderate Muslims and Christians) are pressing for implementation of a uniform civil code as originally proposed in the Constitution of India.
Some other examples of alleged pseudo-secularism in India are the special concessions given to Muslims for pilgrimages (Hajj). Public figures in the government reflect the society and practice religious rituals in matters of governance such as 'Yagnas' for a good monsoon etc.
