Secular government policies and practices, divorced from any direct religious influence or control
Indian and Western secularism, while sharing the common goal of separating religion from the state, exhibit distinct principles, historical evolutions, and implications in law and society.
In the Indian context, secularism is characterised by positive secularism, where the state actively intervenes to ensure equal respect and harmony among religions without being anti-religious. This approach is underpinned by the concept of principled distance, which allows some intervention to protect rights and pluralism. In contrast, Western secularism, particularly in France, adheres to negative secularism, emphasising a strict separation between state and religion, often barring state intervention in religious matters.
The roots of Indian secularism can be traced back to ancient India, with influences from Ashoka's Dhamma (7th century BCE) and the freedom struggle ideals led by Nehru and others. The term 'secular' was added to the Indian Constitution only in 1976, but secular principles were implicit from India's founding Constitution in 1950, guaranteeing freedom of religion and prohibiting discrimination based on religion. Western secularism, on the other hand, emerged mainly from the Enlightenment in 17th-18th century Europe, as a modernist framework where reason triumphed over religious dogma.
The implications of these approaches in law are also markedly different. In India, the Constitution guarantees freedom to practice, profess, and manage religion, and prohibits discrimination. The state may intervene in religious practices violating fundamental rights, such as the ban on untouchability and temple entry regulations. In Western countries, laws typically bar any official state religion and restrict public funding or endorsement of religion. In some cases, religious symbols are even banned in public institutions to maintain strict separation.
Socially, Indian secularism fosters pluralism by ensuring equal respect for all religions and promoting peaceful coexistence, recognising India’s vast religious diversity. Western secularism tends to promote religious privatization, where religion is confined to the private sphere, aiming to prevent conflicts by strict separation but sometimes criticised for alienating religious expression in public life.
In summary, Indian secularism is a model of active state engagement with all religions on equal terms, allowing for intervention to uphold rights and pluralism, whereas Western secularism typically emphasises strict separation and minimal state role in religion, focusing on restraining religious influence in public affairs. Indian secularism is deeply embedded in its cultural and historical context, promoting unity in diversity, while Western secularism evolved largely as a modern political principle to handle church-state relations.
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