India’s Secular Journey

Abstract

Secularism as an ideology and a framework of governance evolved in the West, but this Western inheritance had no relevance to secularism in India. It was Jawaharlal Nehru who gave currency to it in India. Hindu masses had not the slightest notion of what secularism meant or should mean. They saw it as an invitation for social and communal harmony and as a concession to the minorities. Ultra Hindu groups such as the Hindu Mahasabha and the Rashtriya Sweyam Sangh were hostile to the idea of secularism. Muslim responses were even more varied. Muslim theologians rejected it on theological grounds. Muslims who were influenced by liberal and leftist ideologies espoused it. A large number of Muslims were sceptical whether the Indian State could remain secular for long. For them the presence of Nehru at the helm of affairs was a greater assurance that they would be treated fairly. Therefore, they decided to wait and watch. However, subsequent developments weakened the thrust towards secularism. The developments include Jaiprakash Narayan’s idea of non-statal politics and the legitimacy it provided to the forces which had been and were opposed to secularism from the start. The current situation is a continuation of that process.