The Second Fundamental: Enlightened Secularism and Common Heritage continues...

This variety of secularism has also been fostered in the country since 1969 by the partisan cultural patronage of Congress governments through communist leaning academicians, who are organized in Left-dominated institutions such as the Jawaharlal Nehru University and certain government funded research organizations. The aggressive Left secularism has many adherents amongst Muslim intellectuals too. It is a national tragedy for us all that after nearly six decades of independence, and after conceding Pakistan, Muslim intellectuals in India should see the choice before them increasingly as between Islamic Fundamentalism and Aggressive Left Secularism! There is however a middle ground between the two which Muslim intellectuals can take, and which a renaissance must encompass and foster. More about that later.

Enlightened Secularism thus means: [a] State neutrality to all religions; [b] equality of all religions before law; [c] uniform laws for all religions groups to adhere to; [d] that the majority has a special responsibility to foster harmony with minorities (if necessary by contract as with the Parsi community), but necessarily founded on the concept of mutual obligation. Minorities must thus stand up for majority concerns as well. Secularism cannot be a one-way obligation; [e] acceptance of Sanskritization process for cultural integrity.

I must however, emphasize here that the State and religion are separate. Although religion is the private concern of individuals, nevertheless the State should not enact laws or pursue policies in order to please religious orthodoxy. Instead I favour that the State create an atmosphere in which the people’s resilience and their power to adjust themselves to change, is strengthened. The State should enact laws which, without interfering with the essential fabric of culture and religion, integrate society and promote a national outlook.

Renaissance of one religion is bound to have its effects on other religious faiths in the country. The status of women, for example, is already an issue exercising Hindus and consequently, by example, Muslims as well


to be continued...

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