SECULARISM

CHAPTER 2
MEANING

IT REFERS TO THE BELIEF THAT RELIGION SHOULD

NOT BE INVOLVED IN THE ORGANISATION OF THE
SOCIETY

IT IS THE SEPERATION OFRELIGION FROM STATE

SECULAR STATE DOESNOT OFFICIALLY PROMOTE

ANY RELIGION
INDIA AS A SECULAR STATE

ALL RELIGIONS ARE TREATED EQUALLY

EVERY CITIZEN OF INDIA HAS THE RIGHT TO

PRACTISE HIS / HER OWN RELIGION

OUR GOVERNMENT CANNOT FORMULATE

ANY SUCH POLICIES WHICH DISCRIMINATES
BETWEEN VARIOUS RELIGIOUS
COMMUNITIES
EVERY RELIGION HAS THE FREEDOM TO
GROW AND PROSPER IN OUR COUNTRY
 TO FUNCTION DEMOCRATICALLY

IF MAJORITY RELIGIOUS GROUP HAS ACCESS TO

STATE POWER, IT MAY MISUSE THIS POWER AND
NEED FOR FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO DISCRIMINATE
SECULARISM AGAINST PERSONS OF OTHER RELIGIOUS GROUPS
DOMINATIONS MAY VIOLATE THE FUNDAMENTAL
RIGHTS THAT A DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY
GURANTEES TO ITS CITIZENS

TO PROTECT THE FREEDOM OF INDIVIDUALS TO

CHOOSE A RELIGION
 • INDIA HAS ADOPTED A STRATEGY OF
• SEPERATING RELIGION FROM STATE
• NON INTERFERENCE WITH RELIGIOUS PRACTISES
IN ORDER TO RESPECT THE SENTIMENTS OF ALL
RELIGIONS

INDIAN • INTERFERENCE INORDER TO PREVENT

DOMINATIONS EG: BANS UNTOUCHABILITY
SECULARISM • INTERVENS IN RELIGION BASED PERSONAL LAWS
OF COMMUNITIES TO ENSURE EQUAL
INHERITENCE RIGHTS
• INTERVENS IN RELIGION THROUGH ITS SUPPORT
SIMILARITIES AND DISSIMILARITIES OF INDIAN
SECULARISM WITH OTHER DEMOCRATIC COUNTRIES

• SIMILARITIES:
• ACCORDING TO THE FIRST AMENDMENT OF US CONSTITUTION, THE
LEGISLATURE CANNOT DECLARE ANY RELIGION AS OFFICIAL RELIGION

• DISSIMILARITIES:
• INDIAN SECULARISM CAN INTERVENE IN RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS. BUT THERE IS A
STRICT SEPERATION BETWEEN RELIGION AND STATE IN AMERICAN SECULARISM
• IN INDIAN SECULARISM ANY INTERFERNCE IN RELIGION BY THE STATE HAS TO
BE BASED ON THE IDEALS LAID OUT IN THE CONSTITUTION