If possible, please elaborate on what I asked and what I haven’t asked on this matter.
The word secular was initially suggested in the draft preamble of the Indian Constitution in 1950 but was not eventually accepted in the final form. The then Prime Minister of India, being an agnostic and deeply influenced by Western ideas and ideals, however, did everything to stick to the spirit of secularism. Later, Indra Gandhi formally introduced it in 1976, during the emergency, as part of the 42nd Amendment.
The word actually means that the State will adopt a neutral stance with regard to all Religions. By extension, it meant that Religion is a private matter and will have nothing to do with governance.
This term has its roots in the Western idea of democracy because Europe had gone through a difficult time with the conflict between the Christian Religion and Science. In India, however, this was never a problem since Sanatan Dharma integrates Science and all other forms of knowledge, entering every sphere and activity of life in its wide fold. By adopting this approach, the first indirect blow was struck on one of the foundational principles of Sanatan Dharma. The Indian context of Religion was very different from the Abrahamic faiths, which were more of a belief system stuck in the past. But the Sanatana Dharma is life itself and it is nothing if it is not lived.
In practice, however, secularism was used as a bogey to favour the religious minorities. Over a period of time, this favouritism and partial treatment turned into entitlement and vote bank politics of appeasement of minorities.
Much water has flown since then. Slowly, the hindus began to see through the game and started voting for parties whom they thought will look after their interests. So far, none has really done that. When it comes to Hindu interests one hides behind secularism, but when it comes to other religions, there is favouritism in the name of minority. All this partial treatment and clear injustice has been going on and continues to go on. As always Hindu is a divided house. The various castes created by the British to divide Hindu Society, the distorted meaning and misuse of chaturvarna vyavastha (the fourfold social order), the acceptance of diversity that once built a robust, healthy Society, have begun now a bane. Straying away from the great truths of Sanatan Dharma or paying it only a lip service, this land that once thrived on the mighty principles and ideals of renunciation, sacrifice, truth, love and courage as the greatest virtues has become a prey to selfishness, falsehood, fear and hate. But this, we know, is an eclipse, a temporary inner poverty that is bound to bounce back if the world and human civilisation has to survive. For no other civilisation or philosophy has the wisdom to uplift not only India but the entire human race and show the way towards a greater Divine Future. Let me close this with a prayer of the Divine Mother to mother India on the occasion of the independence of India.
‘O our Mother, O Soul of India, Mother who hast never forsaken thy children even in the days of darkest depression, even when they turned away from thy voice, served other masters and denied thee, now when they have arisen and the light is on thy face in this dawn of thy liberation, in this great hour we salute thee. Guide us so that the horizon of freedom opening before us may be also a horizon of true greatness and of thy true life in the community of the nations. Guide us so that we may be always on the side of great ideals and show to men thy true visage, as a leader in the ways of the spirit and a friend and helper of all the peoples.’
(Ref. https://incarnateword.in/cwm/13/india#p11)
Affectionately,
Alok Da
