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Book No. – 22 (Sociology)
Book Name – Indian Society & Culture (Nadeem Hasnain)
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Secularism, Communalism and Fundamentalism
Chapter – 14
Table of Contents
Secularism and Secularization
- Secularism in sociological terms refers to an ideology with strong ideological connotations, but its usage in India does not align with this pure ideological position.
- Emile Durkheim states that everything in the world, including beliefs, myths, dogmas, actions, and persons, can be classified as either sacred or secular.
- Sacred elements are related to religion, and traditional societies are considered Sacred Societies, where religion governs crucial social aspects.
- The core characteristics of secularism are:
- Separation of authority between church and state,
- Emphasis on this world as opposed to the other world,
- Rationalism and a scientific outlook.
- Secularism implies that the state will not be governed by religious authorities such as Bishop, Pundit, Mullah, or Khalifa.
- Fatalism, divine retribution, and other doctrines promoting social inertia have no place in secularism.
- A secular mind is characterized by rationality, not opposition to religion but combating superstition, intolerance, bigotry, and obscurantism.
- Secular societies are not born secular; they undergo a transformation from traditional (religious/sacred) to secularthrough the process of secularization.
- Secularization is a social change through which the public influence of religion declines and is replaced by other means of explaining reality and regulating social life.
- Many Western societies are examples where religion still survives but is largely confined to the private domain.
- Secularism is enshrined in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution, alongside democracy.
- Two concepts of secularism operate in India:
- The Western concept of separation between religion and politics, particularly between religion and the state, which limits religion to the private realm.
- Sarva Dharma Sambhava (equal respect for all religions) emphasizes respect for all religions while allowing the public role of religion.
- True Hinduism promises equal respect for all religions, but political Hindutva often contradicts this stance.
- Secularism in India opposes communalism ideologically, advocating for religious non-discrimination and equal liberty for both believers and non-believers.
- A secular polity ensures that the state does not discriminate based on religious beliefs and grants equal civil rights to all citizens, respecting religious liberty and protecting the rights of those who do not believe in religion.
- Secularism is facing a global crisis today, and in India, critics raise two main arguments:
- The concept of secularism as a separation of religion and politics is alien to Indian society and its way of life, so it is seen as inapplicable.
- Separation of religion from politics is a Protestant idea, seen as a gift of Christianity, with limited relevance for India.
- Advocates of secularism regret that the Indian state is not sufficiently secular because it allows the use of religion in the public domain.
- Critics of secularism believe that religion cannot be separated from politics in India due to the interwoven nature of the two in Indian society.
- The intermixing of religion and politics can be harmful, as evidenced by the Hindutva politics using Ayodhya to achieve political power.
- The situation in Pakistan serves as a lesson about the dangers of intertwining religion with politics and its negative impact on peace and prosperity.
- Secularism is understood as the antithesis of communalism, promoting the protection of minorities from a dominating majority.
- Indian society has historically set traditions that allowed for an integrated social, cultural, and political life in a multi-religious, multi-ethnic, and multi-lingual framework.
- Imposing cultural and religious ideas on others has been alien to Hindu tradition and true Hinduism, as demonstrated by Swami Vivekanand.
- The process of secularization operates through three main factors:
- Education,
- Legislation,
- Social reform.
- Education imparted on scientific and rational lines fosters rationality in the thinking process.
- In India, education was initially imparted through religious institutions (Pathshala, Madrasa, seminaries attached to temples, mosques, and churches).
- The expansion of formal secular education led to a significant change in social thinking and the content of education.
- Legislation plays a crucial role in secularization, but it needs proper motivation and social environment to be effective.
- Many developing countries, including India, have gone secular by legislation but lack the infrastructure to support true secularism.
- Behind India’s secular façade, there are issues like casteism, tribalism, linguism, and religious communalism, which threaten its secular fabric.
- Secularism in practice is not just a slogan but an article of faith and should be a way of life.
- Social movements for social reform are a powerful tool in promoting secularization, as they condition the mind and prepare society for social change.
- Urbanization and industrialization are subsidiary factors in secularization, aided by technological innovations.
- As scientific knowledge and technology advance, the influence of religion shrinks, though religion remains a personal concern.
- According to S.C. Dube, religion is not incompatible with science, as spiritual and moral planes can coexist with scientific progress.
- Urbanization and industrialization help loosen the grip of in-group feelings and promote rational, cause-effect explanations, reducing the hold of religion on various aspects of life.
- Secularization is promoted by the Indian state through various measures:
- Abolishing ritual inequality like untouchability, making it a penal offense.
- Opening all religious places and institutions to all classes and sections of people.
- Reforming the Hindu Personal Law with the aim of evolving a common personal law for all communities.
- Forbidding discrimination in shops, public restaurants, hotels, and places of public entertainment based on religion.
- Opening educational institutions to all communities.
- Secularizing the content of textbooks, promoting a scientific-rational outlook and removing material that promotes traditionalism, obscurantism, or religious orthodoxy.
- Developing a strong economic base to eradicate poverty and ensure equitable wealth distribution.
- Secularism is fundamental in the process of modernization.
- To cope with global changes, India must adopt secularism in practice by speeding up the secularization process.