Secularism, society and law in India

The adoption of secularism by our constitution-
makers soon after the triumph of Jinnah's two-nation theory shows that for
India there is no alternative to secularism. The tragedy that
recently overtook Pakistan confirms the constitution-makers'
profound faith in secularism. To them we must be grateful
for saving us from a religion-ridden state and state-ridden
religion.
Secularism has an important role to play in the social, politi-
cal and economic advancement of India. It seeks to eliminate
from our soil the sectarian conflicts tormenting our society for
decades and to cement and strengthen national unity and soli-
darity. Gunnar Myrdal says that (religion is the emotional
container of traditional values and nationalism is the corres-
ponding container of modernization values. From this point
of view, secularism permits, and to some extent facilitates India's
transition from tradition to modernity.
Indian secularism does not, however, banish religion from
human life. The Indian constitution admits that secularism and
religion can co-exist when it guarantees to all persons free
exercise of religion within the framework of secularism. Free-
dom of religion, as Dr P. B. Gajendragadkar tells us, is the
basis of Indian secularism. Therefore, a study of secularism and
its important ingredient, religious freedom, is necessary and use-
ful at the present formative stage of the constitution.
As secularism is a sensitive subject involving explosive issues,
this study by one belonging to a minority community takes care
to treat the subject with objectivity. This book examines in
the social context the concept of secularism together with its
problems and prospects, and the content and extent of religious
freedom along with the judicial process employed in the cases
of that freedom.