India observed its 76th Constitution Day on 26 November 2025, marking the adoption of the Constitution in 1949.

About Secularism

• Purpose of Secularism: Secularism refers to the separation of religion from the state in order to uphold political–moral values such as individual freedom, equal citizenship, and national fraternity.
• Three Levels of Separation Between State and Religion: 
  • State principles must not be driven by religion.
  • State personnel and institutions must not overlap with religious personnel or institutions. 
  • State laws and policies must remain largely independent of religion.

Global Case Studies

• Iran: Officially guided by the principles/goals of Shia Islam, leading to unfairness to non-Shia citizens, including non-believers. 
  • The state considers the principles of other Muslim “sects”, Christians, Jews, Parsis, or Baha’is as unimportant or secondarily important, entrenching a religion-based hierarchy.
• Pakistan: Officially guided by Sunni Islam, creating unfairness for non-Sunni citizens, including Christians, Hindus, Parsis, and Sikhs, and reinforcing hierarchy.
  • Sharia is affirmed as the supreme law and can strike down any law deemed against Islamic injunctions, reiterating hierarchy and inequality between Pakistan’s Muslim and non-Muslim citizens.
• Iran: The supreme (Shia) religious authority is the highest political authority, taking final decisions on the army, legislature, judiciary, executive, economy, environment, foreign policy, and education. 
  • This affects non-Shia citizens — Sunnis, Christians, Jews, Parsis, and atheists — and entrenches hierarchy, suppressing dissent. 
  • Iran is accused of persecuting, harassing, and silencing Christians, Baha’is, Sufis, and atheists.
• China (1960s): Attempted to eradicate religion completely, viewing it as poison, and destroyed religious symbols, temples, and mosques.
• France: Mandates that religion be kept private; citizens must leave religious symbols (cross, turban, hijab) at home and appear only as a “French” citizen in public.

About Indian Secularism

• Contrast with China and France: Unlike China’s destruction of religious sites or French hostility to public religiosity, Indian secularism never oppressed religion.
• Religion Flourishing in Public Life: Religion has flourished in India through temples, roadside shrines, processions, and festivals that have continued and expanded since Independence.
• Separation from State, Not Public Space: Indian secularism only requires separating religion from state power and electoral politics, not removing it from public view.

India’s Constitutional Choice

• Secularism As Principled Distance: The Indian model does not hide or suppress religion; it keeps the State at a principled distance, intervening only to protect fundamental rights, as seen in the Sabarimala case. 
  • The State remains neutral, while society freely expresses and celebrates all faiths—from Chhath and Durga Puja to Diwali and Eid.
• Secularism Protects Hindus and Other Religions: Secularism is not just a minority shield—it also protects Hindus by preventing dominance of one sect over another and avoiding State endorsement of any single Hindu tradition. 
  • Leaders like B. R. Ambedkar, Periyar, and Jawaharlal Nehru stressed that secularism safeguards individuals from oppression within their own religious communities.

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Conclusion

Indian secularism guarantees that no citizen is more privileged or free than another because of religion. By keeping religion separate from State power, it prevents political polarisation and sectarian divides. This reduces hatred, strengthens social stability, and safeguards India’s unity and long-term development.

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