Secularism In India Research Articles

Comparative Study of Essential Religious Practices under Secularism in India, France, and the USA

This paper compares and contrasts the idea of fundamental religious practices under secularism in France, India, and the US, examining how each nation strikes a balance between religious liberty and official impartiality. A positive secularism approach exists in India, where the state interacts with religion to guarantee equality while courts decide what "essential religious practices" are worthy of constitutional protection. France adheres to a more rigorous form of secularism called laïcité, which emphasizes a clear separation between religion and state, frequently limiting religious expression in the sake of maintaining governmental neutrality, particularly with regard to Islam. Under the First Amendment, the United States employs a separationist approach that guarantees both the free exercise of religion and its non-establishment. However, there are obstacles in balancing religious liberty with public policy and anti-discrimination laws. The study comes to the conclusion that although all three nations strive to maintain secularism, there are differences in how different historical, cultural, and legal settings are interpreted, making it difficult to accommodate religious practices.

Judicial Advisement on Secularism in India and USA- A Comparative Study

Judicial Advisement on Secularism in India and USA- A Comparative Study

The fragile balance: Challenges to secularism in India

The fragile balance: Challenges to secularism in India

Allah’s House to Domes of Secularism: Minoritization of Muslims in India

Disputes around the Babri masjid have been crucial for understanding the Muslim subject position in India, also because mosques are public expressions of Muslimness. I read the legal proceedings of the Babri masjid dispute leading to the Supreme Court’s controversial judgment in 2019, tracing the life of Babri masjid unfolding as a mosque, a disputed site and, finally, a Hindu temple. Focusing on the theological and secular claims of Hindu and Muslim litigants, I look at the differential approach to belief and historical claims within the legal adjudication. I especially analyse two strategies, disruption and description, that significantly led to the changes in the attributes of the mosque. Comparing the Babri dispute with the case of the Malappuram mosque dispute in the eighteenth century, this article analyses theological claims on a mosque, asking the question why the Muslim narrative shifted from one rooted in religious reverence, Allah’s house, to one anchored in secular symbolism, the domes of secularism? It would discreetly give an idea of the practice of secularism in India which, as different scholars contend, systematically erases Muslim religiosity from the public space. I suggest reading the anchoring of Muslim claims in secularism as pointing to the crucial changes in the Muslim subject position that is decisively framed through excessive powers of the modern nation-state.

Communalism and Relevance to Nazrul

Kazi Nazrul Islam, renowned for his poetry and literary works, championed Hindu-Muslim unity and secularism in India. Born into poverty and influenced by revolutionary ideals, Nazrul's writings emphasized humanity over religious divisions. He critiqued both Hindu and Muslim extremism, promoting a universalistic approach to religion. His literature sought to bridge communal divides, advocating for the harmony of souls and the recognition of truth across faiths. Nazrul's legacy of secularism remains profoundly relevant today, offering guidance in a world still grappling with religious intolerance and division. His efforts in fostering unity and challenging religious dogma remain relevant today as communal conflicts persist, highlighting his enduring legacy as a flow of harmony and social justice.

Shrinking spaces: a study of Indian Muslims

ABSTRACT This article attempts to understand how perceptions of Indian Muslims are guided by myths which often masquerade as truths. It looks closely into the institutional discrimination which Muslims in India face both collectively and individually and makes an effort to study the process of the gradual marginalisation of Muslims in Indian public life. It tries to comprehend the crisis of secularism in India. It argues that secularism in India has been a façade to hide animosities, which never went away. Communities continued to distrust each other and Indians had a very limited interaction across communities. Towards the end, it tries to look at some possibilities for the future of India as a truly inclusive society.

The Resilience of Secularism in India

The Resilience of Secularism in India

Secularism in India: Exploring its Reality, the 42nd Amendment, and its Relation to Article 370 of the Constitution

This in-depth study shows how the 42nd Constitutional Amendment and the repeal of Article 370 changed India's secularism. It looks at how secularism has changed India's constitution over time and how it has affected social peace and religious equality. The paper looks at the many ways that the 42nd Amendment has helped India become more open-minded, and it talks about worries and disputes about how it is being put into place. It talks about Indian secularism, religious rights, and the split of church and state. The paper then looks at the temporary parts ofArticle 370 and the political events that led to it being taken away. It looks at how religion and freedom interact with each other in Jammu and Kashmir. The study also compares atheism models from around the world, with a focus on how policy should change depending on the situation. Examining how communalism, identity politics, and social and economic inequality threaten India's democracy in a critical way (Elgin et al., [8][17][18]). The study goes on to look at how India's changing culture is affected by reforms, education, and secularism.

Babri retold: rewriting popular memory through Islamophobic humor

ABSTRACT The strategic mobilization of humor by Hindutva groups online contributes to the mainstreaming of supremacist ideologies that inform extremist behavior. Analyzing the social media recontextualizations of the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition as case studies, this paper examines how online instantiations of Islamophobic humor contribute to the Hindutva revisioning of popular memory. This paper expands the understanding of how Islamophobia is normalized through the shifting affective framing of the Babri Masjid demolition, from shame to schadenfreude, from tragedy to comedy, and from a threat to Indian secularism to a necessary act of paternalistic disciplining. Studying these shifts through specific examples of Islamophobic humor builds upon previous insights into: (1) the affective regimes by which Islamophobic ideas are made palatable to a wider audience, (2) discriminatory speech as an act of pleasure, and (3) how both of these work toward the reworking of popular memory in service of the Hindutva political project.

IN QUEST OF SECULARISM: WEST AND EAST

The world of academics is divided into different groups pertaining to their reflection on the questions of secularism. Some of them considered that secularism is a western concept. It is a product of European history that has been implanted in Indian societies so the secularization of politics has taken place in India where the people are strongly committed to religion. Some other scholars believe secularism is an Indian experience for that matter Hinduism itself a great secular religion. Diversity of faith, diversity of ideas, and spirit of co-existence, accommodation, and tolerance are the essential ingredients of Hinduism. Therefore, secularism as a concept as plasticized in West is so different from the practice of secularism in India. The present paper seeks to explore a comparative analysis to the concept of secularism in west and east.

Freedom of Religion and Secularism: India and France - A Comparative Study

Secularism, as a guiding principle in the governance of nations, manifests differently in diverse cultural and historical contexts. This abstract provides a comparative overview of secularism in India and France, shedding light on their distinctive approaches and challenges. In India, secularism is enshrined in its Constitution, emphasizing religious neutrality and the coexistence of diverse faiths. The Indian model of secularism leans towards a policy of "equal respect for all religions," ensuring the government's non-interference in religious matters. However, this approach has faced criticism for its perceived appeasement of religious groups and communal tensions. On the other hand, France boasts a staunch form of secularism known as laïcité. Rooted in the French Revolution, laïcité separates religion and state with absolute rigor. Public institutions, including schools, are strictly secular, prohibiting religious symbols and practices. While laïcité aims to protect individual liberties and maintain social cohesion, it has been critiqued for potential discrimination against religious minorities, particularly Muslims. This aspect is under constant attack in India thus needs careful consideration. The paper shall be discussing this aspect in detail and provide a probable solution.

Divorcing Traditions: Islamic Law and the Making of Indian Secularism, written by Katherine Lemons, (2019)

Divorcing Traditions: Islamic Law and the Making of Indian Secularism, written by Katherine Lemons, (2019)

An analysis of the narrowing space of secularism in India and its ramifications in the region

Indian society was diverse and complex in nature from its emergence and was marred with communal conflicts. Hence, it was inevitable for the founding fathers of the Indian state to adopt an inclusive political system based on democracy, secularism, and pluralism to achieve unity in diversity. Due to the self-centric mindset of succeeding politicians who began to drift away from these ideals, secularism has been declining for a long time. The appalling political behaviour of the ruling elite has been enlarging the gulf between the theory and practice of secularism since the rule of the Indian National Congress, starting from the demise of Nehru. It has been damaging the idea of composite cultural nationalism by narrowing its societal space. That practice has also created an ideological vacuum filled by religious nationalism over time and reached its culminating point when Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came into power in India. This article analytically explores the consequences of the narrowing space of secularism and the resultant rise of Hindutva. It also delineates the destabilization of the domestic environment and an alarming regional security situation affected by the emerging extremist ideology in place of secularism in India.

Dystopia, Purity and Segregation: A Study of Hindutvavad in Indian Nationalism from the Lens of Web Series: Leila

‘Purity for all’ or ‘ Jai Aryavarta (land of the Aryans)!’1 (Bühler 1886, 5) are the slogans of the nation-state dominated by Hindus in the Netflix released web series, Leila. Based on the theoretical framework of Thomas Blom Hansen, ‘The Saffron Wave’, I have argued that secularism in India was unique to its circumstances and therefore, did not entail a separation between the state and the religion. In recent times, religious nationalism is called out for xenophobia against minorities and attacks against lower-caste communities (Hansen 1999, 134). This article attempts to examine the parallels between religious nationalism in Leila and Indian politics. Through qualitative research methodology and narrative analysis, the article compares the ideas of purity, segregation and dystopia from the series with the Indian politics. The core argument of the article is that although religious nationalism is determined by these ideas, it continues to be a multi-layered concept.

SECULARISM IN INDIA MYTH OR REALITY: AN EXPLANATORY STUDY

An impetus was given to the discussion on whether or not Indian secularism is a myth or a reality. A secular society is one in which individuals are free to practise their religion of choice. The Constitution of India recognises and upholds the principle of religious toleration, making India a nation that is home to a number of distinct faiths. The term "secular" was not included in the original version of the Indian Constitution; nevertheless, it was added in 1976 as part of the 42nd Amendment. Nevertheless, the values of secular character have always been a part of the constitutional fabric of India, and this has been the case since the very beginning. The Judiciary has, on numerous occasions, drawn attention to this particular facet as well. It is possible to state with absolute certainty that secularism is one of the guiding principles of the Constitution and that this position will never be subject to revision. Nonetheless, there have been cases where the state has been seen to favour a specific religion over the concept of secularism. In order to better understand Indian secularism, we've written this piece. Secularism in India is described as a myth or reality and the issues related with it are discussed.

HINDU NATIONALISM AND THE FATE OF SECULARISM IN INDIA: PREDICAMENTS AND ITS PROSPECTS

Since 2014, India has witnessed substantial change under the Modi administration. As India's prime minister and a former RSS member, Modi has advocated the Hindutva agenda, which entails converting the country from a secular to a Hindu State. India is the second-most populous country in the world and has the largest democracy. India is a very ethnically, culturally, and religiously diverse country. A democratic country with such a sizable population must maintain a pluralistic society, which India has for a very long time, even before partition. However, the current resurgence of Hindu nationalism has raised concerns about minorities' futures. Indian secularism is having a difficult time adjusting to the issue of growing Hindu nationalism. By using the Psychocultural theory to explain the relationships between ethnic groups inside India and how it constitutes a threat to the future of secularism in India. In this research article, secondary data will be employed. Keywords: Secularism, BJP, Hindu Nationalism. Content Analysis, Hindu Rashtra, Psychocultural Theory.

The Promulgation of Hindutava Ideology under Secularism's Curtain in the Modi Era

The research article addresses the underline reason for opting for Secularism in India by Nehru.Nehru knew India was a home of people from different cultures, languages, religions, and ethnicities. So,choosing one religion, i.e., Hinduism, would create problems for the rest of the religions, and in the future other religions may ask for a separate country. An aggressive reaction was seen by other parties who wanted to protect Hinduism after the adoption of Secularism in India. Secularism welcomes all religions and allows people of its Nation to live freely by treating everyone equally. Gandhi also announced his view on Secularism and how he considered it a western concept and would not fit in easily. Gandhi believed that you could not separate religion from state policies. Nevertheless, Nehru was more than convinced, so he chose Secularism as an ideology for India.

Secularism in India Myth or Reality: An explanatory Study

An impetus was given to the discussion on whether or not Indian secularism is a myth or a reality. A secular society is one in which individuals are free to practise their religion of choice. The Constitution of India recognises and upholds the principle of religious toleration, making India a nation that is home to a number of distinct faiths. The term "secular" was not included in the original version of the Indian Constitution; nevertheless, it was added in 1976 as part of the 42nd Amendment. Nevertheless, the values of secular character have always been a part of the constitutional fabric of India, and this has been the case since the very beginning. The Judiciary has, on numerous occasions, drawn attention to this particular facet as well. It is possible to state with absolute certainty that secularism is one of the guiding principles of the Constitution and that this position will never be subject to revision. Nonetheless, there have been cases where the state has been seen to favour a specific religion over the concept of secularism. In order to better understand Indian secularism, we've written this piece. Secularism in India is described as a myth or reality and the issues related with it are discussed.

The Crisis of Indian Secularism

Abstract In this paper I suggest that Roman Catholic theologians in India take a second look at the distinction between western and Indian secularisms. Blurring the lines between western and Indian secularisms may help the theological reflection on the so-called crisis of Indian secularism. The key point is the non-ontological, historical character of secularism. A look at the growing literature on western post-secularization, in fact, may offer some suggestions about how to deal with the nationalist mooring of Hindutva philosophy. A possibility exists that both the West and India are eventually entering simultaneously, but not necessarily on the same terms, a post-secular phase.

Secularism in India Myth or Reality: an Explanatory Study

An impetus was given to the discussion on whether or not Indian secularism is a myth or a reality. A secular society is one in which individuals are free to practise their religion of choice. The Constitution of India recognises and upholds the principle of religious toleration, making India a nation that is home to a number of distinct faiths. The term "secular" was not included in the original version of the Indian Constitution; nevertheless, it was added in 1976 as part of the 42nd Amendment. Nevertheless, the values of secular character have always been a part of the constitutional fabric of India, and this has been the case since the very beginning. The Judiciary has, on numerous occasions, drawn attention to this particular facet as well. It is possible to state with absolute certainty that secularism is one of the guiding principles of the Constitution and that this position will never be subject to revision. Nonetheless, there have been cases where the state has been seen to favour a specific religion over the concept of secularism. In order to better understand Indian secularism, we've written this piece. Secularism in India is described as a myth or reality and the issues related with it are discussed.