Secularism is 5,000 years old

Free Thinker *

I was pleasantly surprised to see a media report saying that ‘our secularism is 5 thousand years old’. This was stated by none other than the late Pranab da the former President of Bharat. He made this statement at RSS Headquarters in Nagpur. It was just disclosed by Dr Bhagwat a few days back.

Then I have been trying to decipher the meaning of secularism. Gradually I have realized that the secularism they are referring to is not that of dictionarial meaning or constitutional concept. There is a profound philosophy of secularism hidden in the culture of this subcontinent called Akhand Bharat.

We don’t understand the need to add the word ‘secular’ in the preamble of the constitution of Bharat by an Act of Parliament. (Forty Second Amendment Act, 1975) when we have been practicing secularism for thousands of years. Another word was also added but that is not relevant here.

Secularism is a way of life with or without religion. Even the atheists, materialists, and agnostics are part of secularism. However, secularism in a Constitutional sense means the separation of religion from the State. Religion and rituals are kept in the personal domain.

Supreme Court of India in the case of Indira Nehru Gandhi v Raj Narain (AIR 1975 SC ) held that secularism means that the State shall have no religion of its own and all persons of the country shall be equally entitled to the freedom of their conscience and have the right freely to profess, practice and propagate any religion.

Dr Radhakrishan former President of Bharat in his book Recovery of Faith explains secularism. “When India is said to be a secular state, it does not mean that we reject the reality of an unseen spirit or the relevance of religion to life or that we exalt irreligion. It does not mean that secularism itself becomes a positive religion or that the State assumes divine prerogatives…We hold that not one religion should be given preferential status....The view of religious impartiality, or comprehension and forbearance has a prophetic role to play within the National and International life.”

Crucial components of secularism as envisaged in the constitution are as prohibition against discrimination on the grounds of religion or caste (Article 15-16). The Constitution provides equality to all citizens ( Article 14 ). The right to practice any religion or belief system has been envisaged under Articles 25-28.

Beyond Constitution and Court rulings if we try to comprehend the idea of secularism it can be emphasized that in this land there has been absolute liberty in belief and practice systems. In other words, secularism here means the liberty of choosing any way of life or belief system. Even if you don't believe in religion or any faith your existence is accepted here. The acceptance of all kinds of belief systems and practices is the beauty of being secular.

The civilizational history of the subcontinent goes back some 5,000 years. Believe me, this subcontinent propagated more than a thousand belief systems or religious sects. But only a few could survive till today.

For instance Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Sanamahism, and other sects. Others got extinct or relegated to oblivion. This land has also accepted other religions and belief systems which came from outside. For instance Islamism, Christianity, Judaism, Zoroastrianism,The and many others.

Bharat Constitution not only guarantees a person’s freedom of religion but it scrupulously restrains the State from making any discrimination on the grounds of religion. An eminent constitutional expert Mr Basu (Constitutional Law of India, 1998 edition) has maintained that the term “secular” is vague.

He stated that it would be a correct summary of the provisions of articles 25 to 30 to say that the expression “Republic” as qualified by the expression “secular” means a republic in which there is equal respect for all religions.

The concept of secularism is put in a nutshell by the Apex Court that “the State will have no religion ( Bal Patel vs UoI 2005-SC)” These are all within the Constitutional & Court complex. However, individuals and parties can have their own religion. Even without religion, you are still part of secularism in this subcontinent.

The Constitutional mandate on “secularism” seems to be limited and perhaps it confines to religions and faiths only. The scope of secularism is beyond that. If I understand correctly, the great minds like Pranab Mukher ji ( Veteran Politician & former President), Dr Mohan Bhagwat ( Sarsanghchalak), Dr. Radhakrishnan ( Philosopher President), Aurobindo ( Spiritualist ) the scope of secularism is beyond the realm religion it is more about culture and way of life in which all kinds of rituals, beliefs, theories, philosophies, ideas, ideologies are permitted to practice and propagate.

Ramanuja's (saint-philosopher) idea was based on the matrix of qualified non-dualism. According to his teachings, there is a fundamental oneness underlying all existence, but this oneness is qualified by myriad varieties. In our secularism also there is both unity and diversity. Our idea of cultural secularism may be linked with the philosophy of fundamental oneness with differences.

Even non-sense ideas are accepted in our secularism which is as old as the civilization of this subcontinent.