Understanding Secularism
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Topics in the Chapter
- What is Secularism?
- What is Indian Secularism?
- How Indian secularism different from that of other democratic countries?
What is Secularism?
- Secularism refers to this separation of religion from the State.
Why is it Important to Separate Religion from the State?
- The separation of religion from State power is important for a country to function democratically.
- Almost all countries of the world will have more than one religious group living in them.
→ If majority religious group has access to State power, then they misuse their power to other religions.
- Also, we need to protect the freedom of individuals to preach the religion of their choice.
What is Indian Secularism?
- According to the Constitution, a secular state must ensure:
→ that one religious community does not dominate another
→ that some members do not dominate other members of the same religious community
→ that the State does not enforce any particular religion nor take away the religious freedom of individuals.
- The Indian State is not ruled by a religious group and nor does it support any one religion.
- In India, government spaces like law courts, police stations, government schools and offices are not supposed to display or promote any one religion.
- In order to respect the sentiments of all religions and not interfere with religious practices, the State makes certain exceptions for particular religious communities. For example: a sikh while riding bike can wear pugri (turban) instead of helmet.
- Indian secularism prevents the domination of majority over minority is through a strategy of intervention.
For example: Untouchability was religion-based exclusion and discrimination of ‘lower castes’ in Hindu so the Indian Constitution bans untouchability.
How Indian secularism different from that of other democratic countries?
- The strict separation between religion and the State in American secularism, while in Indian secularism the State can intervene in religious affairs.
- The Indian Constitution guarantees Fundamental Rights that are based on these secular principles.
MCQs
1. The rights provided by constitution are called:
(a) Governmental Rights
(b) Optional Rights
(c) Economic Rights
(d) Fundamental Rights
► (d) Fundamental Rights
2. Explain the meaning of coercion.
(a) Force by legal authority
(b) Force by parents
(c) Force by Law
(d) None of these
► (a) Force by legal authority
3. Which one of the following is a fundamental right?
(a) Right to freedom of religion
(b) Right to property
(c) Right to work
(d) All of these
► (a) Right to freedom of religion
4. What was the names of two non-secular countries?
(a) Saudi Arabia
(b) Israel
(c) Both a and b
(d) None of these
► (c) Both a and b
5. What was the reason behind abolition of the evil practice of untouchability?
(a) To end the Muslims in India
(b) To end the discrimination
(c) To end the poverty
(d) None of these
► (b) To end the discrimination
6. What happened in Hitler’s Germany?
(a) Several million people were killed
(b) Bomb blast took place in Nagasaki
(c) Assassination of Mrs. Indira Gandhi
(d) All of these
► (a) Several million people were killed
7. What was the names of the Muslim dominant former French colonies?
(a) Tunisia
(b) Morocco
(c) Algeria
(d) All of these
► (d) All of these
8. What could the tyranny of majority result in?
(a) Discrimination
(b) Coercion
(c) None of the above
(d) Both (a) and (b)
► (d) Both (a) and (b)
9. From where did immigrants come to France in 1960’s?
(a) Algeria
(b) Tunisia
(c) Morocco
(d) All of the above
► (d) All of the above
10. What is the status of U.S legislature in the matters of the religion?
(a) Prohibit making new gender law
(b) Prohibit making new reservation law
(c) Prohibit making new religion law
(d) None of these
► (c) Prohibit making new religion law
11. Which country didn’t allow non-Muslims to build their worship places?
(a) India
(b) Saudi Arabia
(c) Pakistan
(d) None of these
► (b) Saudi Arabia
12. What refers to the State’s effort to influence a particular matter in accordance with the principles of the constitution?
(a) Intervene
(b) Coercion
(c) Meditation
(d) None of these
► (a) Intervene
13. What is celebrated on 2nd October of every year?
(a) Christmas Day
(b) Children’s Day
(c) Gandhi Jayanti
(d) Diwali
► (c) Gandhi Jayanti
14. In February 2004, which country has prohibited the wearing of conspicuous religious or political signs by the students?
(a) France
(b) India
(c) America
(d) None of these
► (a) France