Secularism – A system of social organization and education where religion is not allowed to play a part in civil affairs is called secularism.
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The principle of separation of the state from religious institutions is called secularism.
Secularism as a modern political and constitutional principle involves two basic propositions.
The first is that people belonging to different faiths and sections of society are equal before the law, the Constitution and government policy.
The second requirement is that there can be no mixing up of religion and politics.
It follows therefore that there can be no discrimination against anyone on the basis of religion or faith nor is there room for the hegemony of one religion or majoritarian religious sentiments and aspirations.
It is in this double sense–no discrimination against anyone on grounds of faith and separation of religion from politics–that our Constitution safeguards secularism, however imperfectly.
The Indian Constitution allows individuals the freedom to live by their religious beliefs and practices as they interpret these.
In keeping with this idea of religious freedom for all, India also adopted a strategy of separating the power of religion and the power of the State.
Importance of Secularism:
This is important for a country to function democratically.
Almost all countries of the world will have more than one religious group living in them.
Within these religious groups, there will most likely be one group that is in a majority.
If this majority religious group has access to State power, then it could quite easily use this power and financial resources to discriminate against and persecute persons of other religions.
This tyranny of the majority could result in the discrimination, coercion and at times even the killing of religious minorities.
The majority could quite easily prevent minorities from practicing their religions.
Any form of domination based on religion is in violation of the rights that a democratic society guarantees to each and every citizen irrespective of their religion.
Therefore, the tyranny of the majority and the violation of Fundamental Rights that can result is one reason why it is important to separate the State and religion in democratic societies.
Another reason that it is important to separate religion from the State in democratic societies is because we also need to protect the freedom of individuals to exit from their religion, embrace another religion or have the freedom to interpret religious teachings differently.
Indian Secularism:
The Indian Constitution mandates that the Indian State be secular. According to the Constitution, only a secular State can realise its objectives to ensure the following:
That one religious community does not dominate another;
That some members do not dominate other members of the same religious community;
That the State does not enforce any particular religion nor take away the religious freedom of individuals.
Secularism in India:
The Indian State works in various ways to prevent the above domination.
First, it uses a strategy of distancing itself from religion.
The Indian State is not ruled by a religious group and nor does it support any one religion.
In India, government spaces like law courts, police stations, government schools and offices are not supposed to display or promote any one religion.
The second way in which Indian secularism works to prevent the above domination is through a strategy of noninterference.
This means that in order to respect the sentiments of all religions and not interfere with religious practices, the State makes certain exceptions for particular religious communities.
The Indian State is secular and works in various ways to prevent religious domination.
The Indian Constitution guarantees Fundamental Rights that are based on these secular principles.
However, this is not to say that there is no violation of these rights in Indian society.
Indeed it is precisely because such violations happen frequently that we need a constitutional mechanism to prevent them from happening.
The knowledge that such rights exist makes us sensitive to their violations and enables us to take action when these violations take place.
Important facts:
In the United States of America, most children in government schools have to begin their school day reciting the ‘Pledge of Allegiance’.
This Pledge includes the words “under God”.
It was established more than 60 years ago that government school students are not required to recite the Pledge if it conflicts with their religious beliefs.
Despite this, there have been several legal challenges objecting to the phrase “under God” saying that it violates the separation between church and State that the First Amendment of the US Constitution guarantees.
In February 2004, France passed a law banning students from wearing any conspicuous religious or political signs or symbols such as the Islamic headscarf, the Jewish skullcap, or large Christian crosses.
This law has encountered a lot of resistance from immigrants who are mainly from the former French colonies of Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco.
In the 1960s, France had faced a shortage of workers and, therefore, had provided visas for these immigrants to come and work in the country.
The daughters of these immigrants often wear headscarves while attending school.
However, with the passing of this new law, they have been expelled from their school for wearing headscarves.
