Re: [nukkad] Pseudo-Secularism: A Primer -- Confused !!!

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Ten persons who speak make more noise than ten thousand who 
are silent. -- Napoleon I
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Dr. Gupta wrote:
Summary--- India differs fundamentally from the west in the 
sense that spirituality is a basic part of Indian culture, the 
means to attain which is through Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, 
Jainism, Christianity  etc. A government of the people, by the 
people, for the people, has to be alive to the deep aspirations 
and culture of the people. So, in India, the western concept of 
secularism can not be applied in practice. The Indian counterpart 
of equal respect for all religions has been part of Indian 
tradition, much before the west to their common law concepts came 
into being.
======================

Two questions arise here: one, more than spirituality, isn't plurality the
most basic feature of Indian culture? Two, is spirituality to be the
cornerstone of governance? 

1. As Guptaji himself said, Hinduism is hardly one religion, it is a
philosophy. Its philosophical and spiritual connotations have always been
exercised by the elite. For the masses, Hinduism meant a series of rituals,
temples, customs, stories. The most prevalent philosophical attitude taken
by average Hindus is acceptance of all events as fate, god ordained, or as
the effects of karma of the earlier life. For most people, spirituality is
chanting names of gods. The vital elements of Hindu philosophy passed the
masses by. 

But the unquestioned acceptance of fate created a tolerant and pluralistic
society. Even before the onslaught of Christianity, Islam etc., the Hindu
society has been pluralistic, rather than spiritually enlightened en masse. 

Such unquestioned acceptance of events by people made the task of kings and
spiritual elite easier. Birth of other religions in India added another
dimension, not conflicting the existing pluralistic Hindu society. But
spread of Christianity and Islam did bring in conflicts, though the
tolerant, pluralistic society absorbed it. 

Since plurality, rather than spirituality, is the basic feature of Indian
culture, the only way to avoid partiality in Governance is to respect the
plurality and avoid playing one against the other. Citizen is the most
elementary unit of a nation, whereas religion is not. Respect the Citizen
without asking for his religion and you are respecting all religions. 

2. Spirituality can be the cornerstone of governance in a theocratic State.
In a multi-religious, multi-cultural nation like India, spirituality cannot
be the basis of governance. Whose spirituality? As professed by Hindu
priests? Christian Padres? Muslim Mollas? Sikh Panch Pyare? Since there is
little in common between the views of these, there can't be a common minimum
program for governance on the basis of spirituality. India has already tried
it for 50 years after independence and it resulted in dissatisfaction for
every religious denomination. 

As spirituality cannot be the basis of governance in India, the only way is
total avoidance of religions in governance. There is no middle path.

3. The western concept of secularism is not necessarily alien to Indian
ethos. On the contrary, the tolerant population really makes its acceptance
easier in India than in the western world dominated by Christianity. True,
Religious tolerance was practiced in India long before the common law
concepts came into being in the west. However, just as the priest class
aspired for State Power before the concept of secularism came into practice
in west, India is passing through such a stage wherein various religious
denominations are vying for their share in the State Power. In such a
situation, pampering of minorities is the easier and commonly practiced way
to counter the perceived total dominance of the majority, so that the State
can maintain a facade of secularism. The alternative is to avoid religion in
all matters of state, which, though had its origins in the common law
concepts of the west, is unavoidable if India is to survive as a secular
nation. We have adopted most of common law concepts into our legal system,
so why not the 'western' concept of secularism? 

V.K.Venugopal



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