Omkar Dattatray
Secularism is the basic tenet of the Indian constitutional life but India has been tolerant throughout the ages. India is secular not because the constitution of India has given a legal sanctity to the tenet of secularism but more because of the tolerant notion and practice of India. Secularism is the later incorporation to the constitution as the original constitution did not mention the word secular in the preamble of the constitution as the framers of the constitution did not feel the need of the inclusion of secularism in the constitution. The unity in diversity is the basic premise of the Indian nation and the country flourishes through the practice of the principle of this unity in diversity. The secularism should be strengthened for the sake of the unity and the beauty of the nation. But alas our rulers have given a different meaning to the concept of secularism and have equated secularism with minoritism which is very unfortunate and wrong and has lowered the prestige of the country in the comity of the nations. Secularism is not the synonym of minoritism but it implies equal respect and treatment to all including minorities. But in India secularism has been reduced to minoritism and minority appeasement and thus the very noble value of secularism has been destroyed and today we recognise the secularism as the minoritism which is factually wrong and very disturbing and this practice should be halted for the real growth of the genuine secularism. Our successive rulers have given a wrong meaning to the concept of secularism and have equated secularism with minoritism and thus have brought disrepute to the very concept of secularism. Minority appeasement and pampering of the minorities is not secularism but it is the misuse of the noble concept of secularism and is the very negation of the essence of secularism and this practice should be halted for the good of the secularism in the country. However one thing should be clear now that the secularism has nothing to do with minoritism. The fact is that India has been more secular than the present secularism from the ancient past and we are really proud of our past heritage and culture which did not differentiate between the religious communities. Communal amity and brotherhood is the hallmark of the Indian life and this should be strengthened for the good of the country and its diversity and plurality .However secularism should not mean minoritism in any case as it is the equal respect and treatment to all the sections of the society. Even the BJP government of the present day is stepping into the shoes of its congress predecessors and this is very unfortunate and should not have happened. Minority commission, minority development fund are the signs of the minority pampering and appeasement .All this is being done for the vote bank politics and for nothing else. Vote bank politics is the bane of the modern Indian politics and everything is sacrificed for the sake of few votes and this is an attack on the secular fabric of the nation and it should not have taken place. Justice to all and appeasement to none should be the modern watch word and it should be carried forward for the sake of the unity in diversity and the plural character of the country. It is worthwhile to mention here that the congress prime minister Manmohan Singh had remarked some years back that the minorities have first preference on the resources of the nation and this is sheer appeasement of the minorities and negates the principle of the equal treatment and respect to all including the minorities. Pampering of minorities and, appeasement of minorities are the anti thesis of the principle of the secularism and for strengthening the genuine secularism minority appeasement should be buried lock stock and barrel. Not only minoritism and pampering of the minorities but Hindu bashing has become a favourite pastime of the so called secularists .Thus denigrating of the Hindu culture and denouncing of all that stands for the culture of this great land has become a hobby of the secularists but this should not be allowed for the sake of the real and genuine secularism. It is the shame for the country's leaders that the secularism has been reduced to mere appeasement of the minorities and their pampering and it is the big disservice to the cause of the secularism and pluralism. No one will disagree with the fact that India needs secularism for its well being and growth and thus secularism should be fallowed for the good of the country but appeasement has no place in the country and its secularism. lt thus fallows that secularism is not minoritism in any case but in the Indian scheme of things it has been allowed to become so and this is very sad state of affairs for the country and it should end for the cause of genuine secularism in the country and in this lies the good of all citizens and the country.
