By separating the state from the church and advocating tolerance for other faiths, the West is accredited for gifting secularism to the world. However, the fact is that what is introduced is only pseudo secularism while the Indian ethos is of true secularism. The Indian ethos is of henotheism, that is, oneness of various manifestations of a supreme super-consciousness. It thus totally accepts, and not merely tolerates other faiths.
However, apart from survival of Indian Nationalism and Indian Unity, secularism is necessary for the modern democratic polity. And this need for secular polity becomes much greater if the country happens to be as diverse and plural as India. Secularism is a great need for democratic pluralism.
India is a land of infinite varieties and of the greatest diversities. It is a country with atleast 18 major languages and over 400 important dialects. It is a land that has given rise to four of the world’s major religions. It is a home to the world’s second largest Muslim population. It has welcomed Christianity long before Europe embraced it. India never denied to offer refuge to people fleeing from different religious prosecutions. It is society with over 4000 ethnic communities or castes or groups. India is thus a multi-religious, multi-linguistic, multi-ethnic and multi-regional civilization without a parallel. So, secularism is the only way out where every religion will get their space to survive and respect each other.
Thus, Indian secularism not tolerates, but accepts all other faiths.
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Post Contributed By:
Souradeep Rakshit
Asst. Prof. of Law
IILS, Dagapur
