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Class-VIII Topic- Understanding Civics

Secularism

UNDERSTANDING SECULARISM

Secularism - A system of social organization and education where religion is not allowed to
play a part in civil affairs is called secularism.

OR

The principle of separation of the state from religious institutions is called secularism.

• Secularism as a modern political and constitutional principle involves two basic

propositions.
• The first is that people belonging to different faiths and sections of society are equal
before the law, the Constitution and government policy.
• The second requirement is that there can be no mixing up of religion and politics.
• It follows therefore that there can be no discrimination against anyone on the basis of
religion or faith nor is there room for the hegemony of one religion or majoritarian
religious sentiments and aspirations.
• It is in this double sense--no discrimination against anyone on grounds of faith and
separation of religion from politics--that our Constitution safeguards secularism,
however imperfectly.
• The Indian Constitution allows individuals the freedom to live by their religious
beliefs and practices as they interpret these.
• In keeping with this idea of religious freedom for all, India also adopted a strategy of
separating the power of religion and the power of the State.

Importance of Secularism:

• This is important for a country to function democratically.

• Almost all countries of the world will have more than one religious group living in
them.
• Within these religious groups, there will most likely be one group that is in a majority.
• If this majority religious group has access to State power, then it could quite easily use
this power and financial resources to discriminate against and persecute persons of
other religions.
• This tyranny of the majority could result in the discrimination, coercion and at times
even the killing of religious minorities.
• The majority could quite easily prevent minorities from practicing their religions.
• Any form of domination based on religion is in violation of the rights that a
democratic society guarantees to each and every citizen irrespective of their religion.
 • Therefore, the tyranny of the majority and the violation of Fundamental Rights that
can result is one reason why it is important to separate the State and religion in
democratic societies.
• Another reason that it is important to separate religion from the State in democratic
societies is because we also need to protect the freedom of individuals to exit from
their religion, embrace another religion or have the freedom to interpret religious
teachings differently.

Indian Secularism:

The Indian Constitution mandates that the Indian State be secular. According to the
Constitution, only a secular State can realise its objectives to ensure the following:

• That one religious community does not dominate another;

• That some members do not dominate other members of the same religious community;
• That the State does not enforce any particular religion nor take away the religious
freedom of individuals.

Secularism in India:

• The Indian State works in various ways to prevent the above domination.
• First, it uses a strategy of distancing itself from religion.
• The Indian State is not ruled by a religious group and nor does it support any one
religion.
• In India, government spaces like law courts, police stations, government schools and
offices are not supposed to display or promote any one religion.
• The second way in which Indian secularism works to prevent the above domination is
through a strategy of noninterference.
• This means that in order to respect the sentiments of all religions and not interfere with
religious practices, the State makes certain exceptions for particular religious
communities.
• The Indian State is secular and works in various ways to prevent religious domination.
• The Indian Constitution guarantees Fundamental Rights that are based on these secular
principles.
• However, this is not to say that there is no violation of these rights in Indian society.
• Indeed it is precisely because such violations happen frequently that we need a
constitutional mechanism to prevent them from happening.
• The knowledge that such rights exist makes us sensitive to their violations and enables
us to take action when these violations take place.

Important facts:

• In the United States of America, most children in government schools have to begin
their school day reciting the ‘Pledge of Allegiance’.
• This Pledge includes the words “under God”.
• It was established more than 60 years ago that government school students are not
required to recite the Pledge if it conflicts with their religious beliefs.
 • Despite this, there have been several legal challenges objecting to the phrase “under
God” saying that it violates the separation between church and State that the First
Amendment of the US Constitution guarantees.
• In February 2004, France passed a law banning students from wearing any
conspicuous religious or political signs or symbols such as the Islamic headscarf, the
Jewish skullcap, or large Christian crosses.
• This law has encountered a lot of resistance from immigrants who are mainly from the
former French colonies of Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco.
• In the 1960s, France had faced a shortage of workers and, therefore, had provided
visas for these immigrants to come and work in the country.
• The daughters of these immigrants often wear headscarves while attending school.
• However, with the passing of this new law, they have been expelled from their school
for wearing headscarves.

Very Short Answer Type Question

1. What does the term ‘secularism’ refer to?
Answer: Secularism refers to this separation of religion from the State.
2. What do you mean by ‘freedom to interpret’?
Answer: ‘Freedom to interpret’ means an individual’s liberty to develop his own
understanding and meaning of the religious teachings.
3. Explain the concept of ‘principled distance’.
Answer: This means that any interference in religion by the State has to be based on
the ideals laid out in the Constitution.
4. How are non-Muslims treated in Saudi Arabia?
Answer: In Saudi Arabia, non-Muslims are not allowed to build a temple, church etc.,
and nor can they gather in a public place for prayers.
5. What is meant by the word ‘establishment’?
Answer: The word ‘establishment’ means that the legislature cannot declare any
religion as the official religion. Nor can they give preference to one religion.
6. What is the most important aspect of secularism? State its importance.
Answer: The most important aspect of secularism is its separation of religion from State
power. This is important for a country to function democratically.
Short Answer Type Questions
1. “The government cannot force Sikhs to wear a helmet while driving two
wheelers.” Give reason.
Answer: This is because the Indian State recognises that wearing a pugri (turban) is
central to a Sikh’s religious practice and in order not to interfere with this, allows an
exception in the law.
2. What provision has been made by the government to follow religious equality
in government spaces, schools and offices?
Answer: In India, government spaces like law courts, police stations, government
schools and offices are not supposed to display or promote any one religion.
Government schools cannot promote any one religion either in their morning prayers
or through religious celebrations.
3. When does discrimination occur?
Or
When does the act of discrimination take place?
Answer: Discrimination occurs when members of one religious community either
persecute or discriminate against members of other religious communities. These acts
of discrimination take place more easily when one religion is given official recognition
by the State at the expense of other religions.
4. How Indian concept of secularism is different from United States?
Answer: There is one significant way in which Indian secularism differs from the
dominant understanding of secularism as practised in the United States of America. This
is because unlike the strict separation between religion and the State in American
secularism, in Indian secularism the State can intervene in religious affairs.
5. Why government schools are not allowed to celebrate religious festival?
Answer: The celebration of the religious festival within the school would be a violation
of the government’s policy of treating all religions equally. Government schools cannot
promote any one religion either in their morning prayers or through religious
celebrations. That’s why government schools are not allowed to celebrate religious
festival.
6. What is secularism in Indian context?
Answer: The Indian Constitution allows individuals the freedom to live by their religious
beliefs and practices as they interpret these. In keeping with this idea of religious
freedom for all, India also adopted a strategy of separating the power of religion and
the power of the State. Secularism refers to this separation of religion from the State.
7. When was law passed by French government banning religious symbols in
school? What was its impact?
Answer: In February 2004, France passed a law banning students from wearing any
conspicuous religious or political signs or symbols such as the Islamic headscarf, the
Jewish skullcap, or large Christian crosses. This law has encountered a lot of resistance
from immigrants who are mainly from the former French colonies of Algeria, Tunisia
and Morocco.
8. What are the three objectives of a secular State?
Or
State the three objectives of a secular State.
Answer: The three objectives of a secular State are:
• One religious community does not dominate another;
• Some members do not dominate other members of the same religious
community;
• State does not enforce any particular religion nor take away the religious
freedom of individuals.
9. Why is it important to separate religion from the State?
Or
Why does state not interfere in religious matter?
Answer: It is important to separate religion from the State because of the following
reasons:
• To prevent the domination of one religion over another.
• To protect the freedom of individuals to exit from their religion, embrace
another religion or have the freedom to interpret religious teachings
differently.
10. Site some historical examples of discrimination.
Answer: Historical examples of discrimination are:
• Jews were persecuted in Hitler’s Germany.
• Jewish State of Israel treats its own Muslim and Christian minorities quite badly.
• In Saudi Arabia, non-Muslims are not allowed to build a temple, church etc.,
and nor can they gather in a public place for prayers.

Long Answer Type Questions

1. Will the government intervene if some religious group says that their religion
allows them to practise infanticide? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer: The government will surely intervene if some religious group says that their
religion allows them to practice infanticide because it involves killing of innocent child,
which is against fundamental right – The Right to Life. No one is allowed to go against
fundamental rights. Everyone’s right to life shall be protected by law.
2. Find out some examples of different views within the same religion.
Answer: Different views are found within the same religion. For example:
• In Hinduism, there are Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism and Smartism.
• In Muslim community, there are Sunni, Shia, Ahmadiyya and Quranists.
• In Jainas, there are Shwetambar and Digambar sects.
• In Buddhism, there are Hinayana, Mahayana and Vajrayana.
3. How does the Indian constitution ensure its objectives of secular state?
Answer: The Indian Constitution ensures its objectives of a secular state in the
following manner:
• One religious community does not dominate another;
• Some members do not dominate other members of the same religious
community;
• State does not enforce any particular religion nor take away the religious
freedom of individuals.
4. Look up the annual calendar of holidays of your school. How many of them
pertain to different religions? What does this indicate?
Answer: Holidays in school calendar
Religions Holidays

Hindu Holi, Dussehra, Diwali

Muslim Eid ul Zuha or Bakrid, Eid al-Fitr, Muharram

Sikh Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti, Gurpurab

Christian Christmas, Goodfriday

This indicates that India is secular country where religious freedom is granted to its
citizens and all religions are equally respected.
5. Give one example to prove that the Indian secular state can intervene to
prevent the religious domination concerning different groups of the same
religion.
Answer: We can prove this fact with following example: Where members of the same
religion (‘upper-caste’ Hindus) dominate other members (some ‘lower castes’) within it.
In order to prevent this religion-based exclusion and discrimination of ‘lower castes’,
the Indian Constitution banned untouchability. In this instance, the State is intervening
in religion in order to end a social practice that it believes discriminates and excludes,
and that violates the Fundamental Rights of ‘lower castes’ who are citizens of this
country.
6. List the different types of religious practice that you find in your
neighbourhood. This could be different forms of prayer, worship of different
gods, sacred sites, different kinds of religious music and singing etc. Does this
indicate freedom of religious practice?
Answer: The various types of religious practice found in our neighbourhood are:
• Hindu performing Puja and Havan
• Muslims offering Namaz
• Sikhs visiting Gurudwara
 • Christians praying in Church
There are churches, gurudwaras, mosques and temples in our neighbourhood. People
of different cultures and religions stay together and celebrate festivals. This indicates
that all the citizens are able to practice their religion with freedom in secular
environment.
7. In what ways does the Indian state work to prevent domination of the majority
religious group?
Answer: The Indian State works in various ways to prevent the domination.
• First, it uses a strategy of distancing itself from religion. The Indian State is not
ruled by a religious group and nor does it support any one religion. In India,
government spaces like law courts, police stations, government schools and
offices are not supposed to display or promote any one religion.
• The second way in which Indian secularism works to prevent the above
domination is through a strategy of noninterference. This means that in order
to respect the sentiments of all religions and not interfere with religious
practices, the State makes certain exceptions for particular religious
communities.
• The third way in which Indian secularism works to prevent the domination
listed earlier is through a strategy of intervention. The State intervenes in
religion in order to end a social practice that it believes discriminates and
excludes, and that violates the Fundamental Rights of people who are citizens
of this country.
8. The Indian State both keeps away from religion as well as intervenes in religion.
This idea can be quite confusing. Discuss this once again in class using examples
from the chapter as well as those that you might have come up with.
Answer: In Indian secularism, though the State is not strictly separate from religion, it
does maintain a principled distance vis-à-vis religion. This means that any interference
in religion by the State has to be based on the ideals laid out in the Constitution.
For example:
• Where members of the same religion (‘upper-caste’ Hindus) dominate other
members (some ‘lower castes’) within it. In order to prevent this religion-based
exclusion and discrimination of ‘lower castes’, the Indian Constitution banned
untouchability. In this instance, the State is intervening in religion in order to
end a social practice that it believes discriminates and excludes, and that
violates the Fundamental Rights of ‘lower castes’ who are citizens of this
country.
• Similarly, to ensure that laws relating to equal inheritance rights are respected,
the State may have to intervene in the religion-based ‘personal laws’ of
communities.
• The intervention of the State can also be in the form of support. The Indian
Constitution grants the right to religious communities to set up their own
schools and colleges. It also gives them financial aid on a non-preferential
basis.