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082			_a306.6 GHO
100			_aGhouse, Mohammad
245		0	_aSecularism, society and law in India
260			_aDelhi
260			_bVikas Publishing House
260			_c1973
300			_a254p.
520			_aThe 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.
650			_aSecularism
942			_cB _2ddc