In simple words, you can define secularism as the method of separating state (politics and government) from the religion. The basic idea behind secularism is to eliminate discrimination on the basis of religion. According to Indian Constitution, India is a secular country as it prohibits discrimination against members of a particular religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth. However, there is huge difference between secularism practiced in India and western countries. The Indian secularism is actually minority appeasement. It is a big fraud and a complete failure.
According to American historian Ronald Inden, the Indian government is not really "secular", but one that selectively discriminates against Hindu communities while superficially appeasing Muslim leaders. Secularism should not be anything more than giving freedom for everyone to embrace their "own" religion. Unfortunately in India, appeasement of minorities for votes and hatred towards Hindus to win the hearts of muslims are being considered secularism. Today, I will give you some reasons or examples which will prove that India is not a secular country.
India allows Muslims, Christians, Jews and Parsis to manage their civil affairs/rules according to their respective religious laws. However, it places restrictions upon how Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains can manage theirs. Indian Muslim men can have multiple wives but people belonging to other religions can’t unless they convert to Islam. Under Hindu Marriage Act, a Hindu cannot take a second wife if the first wife is still alive. However, he can marry for a second time if he has divorced his first wife or embraced Islam.
Aligarh Muslim University is allocated an annual budget of more than 250 crores that is one of the highest for any university in India. And you know, it is completely a muslim university. Seats are reserved for muslims. All dining halls serve halal meat and no space is available for Hindu religious congregation and festivals.
Six lakh Kashmiri Pandits are in exile since early 1990 after Islamic religious fundamentalists in the valley of Kashmir took to armed subversion and terrorism and drove them out of their centuries old habitat.
The Indian government annually subsidizes around 500 crore Rupees for the annual Haj journey for Indian Muslims to go to Saudi Arabia whereas Hindu pilgrims to Amarnath are asked to restrict their time, comfort and movement in an attempt to placate Muslim fundamentalists.
Bangladesh Muslims are infiltrating into the country but the Centre has turned a blind eye towards it. This illegal infiltration has changed the demographics of Assam and West Bengal in last 30-40 years.
Do you still consider India a secular country?
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