Yogendra Yadav's understanding of Abhay Dubey's book on Indian secularism is indisputable. But let's not forget that secularism forced even RSS to accept lower-caste Hindus.
Contrary to the commonly-held belief that women hardly have a role in the RSS’s activities, there has been an increased emphasis on their growing role over the last two-and-a-half decades.
Amid growing questions on the role of women within the Sangh Parivar, the RSS is looking to elevate women in organisations like VHP, Bharatiya Kisan Sangh.
From Sam Pitroda talking about inheritance tax to Goan candidate saying the Indian Constitution was 'forced' on Goa, Congress has been having its own foot-in-the-mouth moments.
Another addition to military cooperation has been the Strategic Space Dialogue, inaugurated in Paris in 2023. Last month, India participated as an observer to France’s AsterX.
Secularism seeks to ensure freedom of religious belief practice and traditional values for all and respect to others religious beliefs. Which means
• No religious conversion by preaching or forcing others
• No demolition, deface and disrespect for religious places, idols or symbols
• No religious interference in affairs of state.
Why Hinduism is the purest form of secularism without any Conflict with religious faith belief and culture unlike others who believe in destruction of others faiths and culture
• Believes that God is everywhere in everything, freedom to worship from idol to infinite universe (brahma) to a point or in any other form, hence respect to other beliefs.
• No historic evidence of mass forced conversion, no global preaching unlike missionaries or Islamic organisations
• No historic evidence of mass destruction, deface or disregard to other religious places or beliefs. Unlike enormous historical incidents of mass destruction, deface, disrespect of Idols, Temples, Gurudwaras, Churches and Mosques by other religious groups.
• No religious interference unlike 26 Bishops in House of Lords, Halakha and Sharia Law in affairs of state
Hinduism, a true secular culture because it is not confined to any book but a culture practiced by generations for thousands of years.
Such a one sided view! First thing: Why are Muslims considered minority at almost 20% of the population? When does a minority stops being a minority? At 50.1%? The author harps on secularism without knowing its meaning. India’s constitution is not secular – it gives right to a particular minority (Muslim) because of religion, and takes away rights from another (Hindus) in the name of religion. He has not read Ambedkar and Sardar – who unequivocally said if the Muslims decided that they do not want to coexist with Hindus (in undivided India) and demanded a separate nation, then all the Muslims should move to their nation. The author does not realize that Islam does not want to co-exist with any religion – take the example of the same Islamic countries he himself has quoted. He forgets that it was the already awakened Hindu that voted the current government in and not the other way around. He forgets that even though Babari Masjid was demolished by a small group of people, it was the unimaginable cruel burning of the innocent Hindu pilgrims at Godhra station that was the alarm that woke Hindu spirit. The Muslim thinks giving an inch is a sign of weakness, not generosity, yet demand miles from the Hindus in terms of privileges. Also, do not forget the influx of Wahhabi Petro-dollars into India that distorted even the ‘moderate’ Indian Muslim minds during the years preceding the current government. Let’s also not forget that the first response of Muslims – all over the world, including India, for anything that displeases them, is to be violent (and create fear among the masses) and then preach Secular values as a response from the rest of the nations. Their fierce adherence to the tenets of their religion – no rights to other religions when in majority and claiming humane considerations from other religions when in minority – is hardly the behavior of a world citizen. I move that the World Citizenship be revoked from the Muslims. They have had their cakes (Nations) and eaten (in other countries) without sharing for too long.
Very well and poignantly said. The point about how the many decades of neglect and oppression of Dalits and Adivasis without any concern from mainstream India is an important one. The subjugation of these communities is the foundation on which all other forms of constitutional or human rights violations build upon. Unfortunately in Hindu religious mythology itself there is a racist hatred towards Adivasis in particular, described as they are often as the villainous demons being vanquished by lighter skinned ‘devas’. It is this deep seated racism that has corroded the soul of Hindu society and diverted people from some of greatest wisdom and philosophy propounded by various seers and saints in our ancient land, which can easily make everyone understand that nobody is superior or inferior or even different from one’s own self.
Dalits and Adivasis were cared for and provided for for the ~ seventy years of Congress and achieved great accomplishments. Congress was so good for them. Only in the last five years all of their accomplishments have been reduced to rubble and discrimination started.
Mr. Gandhi constantly refers to the constitution and claims that secular values cannot be changed. Well, the nation he lives in has similar statements in its declaration of independence as well as constitution. However, that comes to naught when colored people are killed on the streets by cops. Documents are really irrelevant, when majority of the population does not believe in it. When majority of the population qualifies the statements as referring to them and not the other.
India has never been a secular nation. When we constitutionally grant privileges and make laws based on religion we are not secular. Till the day we do not have UCC we are not a secular nation. Secularism is not a mere statement of the constitution. It has to be followed by a uniform law and legislation that applies to all citizens equally. When such a thing is missing, we are not secular. So Mr. Gandhi would be ill advised to call India secular.
As for Nehru’s statements on “Majority/Minority communalism”. He was wrong, Communalism is communalism. This is why Secular individual in India find it so hard to call Kasab a terrorist. They find it difficult to call Islamic terror from the neighbor terrorism. They like to refer to it as Militancy.
The Congress was never a Secular party. India does not have a secular party. If secular parties appeasing Muslims is does not disqualify them for the title, then BJP is more secular in appeasing the Hindus. The so called secular parties are appeasing their vote back at the expense of the rest of the nation.
Who are these intellectuals to label themselves secular anyway? Should we let Mr. Gandhi tell us who is or who is and who is not secular?
If only congress had stuck to secularism in it’s TRUE sense the BJP rss would not have gained prominence
Bcas secularism meant demeaning Hindus poking fun of their gods etc
The hindu right grew in stature
And hindu temples are under other people as govt bodies the real hindu will get angry
So learn to respect the majority
Otherwise the consequences wont be nice
The problem with those peddling secularism is that they insist that there is something called ‘minorities’ in India. Then they go ahead to create special privileges for these minorities. Then they allow the communals like Shiv Sena to benefit from their communal behaviour. Then they unfairly chastise Hindus for being communal. They refuse to speak out against those Muslims who openly demean the national flag and vande mataram.
if India belongs to everyone then why is there an insistence on giving privileges to various minorities? Why is this constant desire to say that there is nothing called Hindu? Why allow the religious types to occupy public spaces at will? As the BJP has demonstrated again and again, the people of India like good governance. No one protested the demolition of illegal temples that were allowed to exist by previous Congress regimes.
Mohandas Gandhi’s ideology of appeasing Muslims to the detriment of Hindus has been buried, rightly so. His heirs, like this author, might do well to take their pseudo-secular policies to the Muslims first, instead of browbeating Hindus.
Rajmohan Gandhi ignores one cardinal feature.The Muslim whether in India or elsewhere can never be Secular.They are first Muslim and then only admit to a national identity.On the contrary the Hindu is inherently secular since the Vedas proclaim that there are several ways of attaining the ultimate God.Hence a Hindu can pray to Jesus,Allah,or the umpteen Hindu pantheon of Gods to attain salvation.A Hindu can remain an Atheist and still be a member of Hinduism.Afterall the famous passage in the Hindu Scripture stipulates ^ just as the droplets from the Sky ultimately reach the mighty Ocean ,Prayers to any God in any form will finally reach the one and only one universal Lord.
Yes sir
I agree
Please add missionaries too to this hall of infamy
The Muslim will do violence openly while these missionaries will do behind your back
One is dog another is a hyena
There are phases in national and international politics. In the current phase muscular nationalism, othering of minorities, strong-man politics, disparaging of previous ruling dispensation is the norm. Conversely minority rights, constitutional propriety, protection of institutions, international co-operation are on the downswing. We have seen (or heard) of such periods before in world history in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. That did not end well and hence national leaders of that time chose not to deliberately fan hatred. If the current leaders (and their voters) choose to ignore those lessons, secularism can hardly be faulted. It is just a natural course of human stupidity followed by corrective measures followed by rinse and repeat cycle.
The last time I saw Mr. Gandhi was in mid 60s, when he used to go round with his group of white Australian ladies singing ” WHEN YOU POINT A FINGER AT YOUR NEIGHBOR THERE ARE THREE MORE POINTING BACK AT YOU” It is nice to read now that like the RSS he too has kept up with the changing times and detailed out the what those THREE FINGERS ARE in stead of getting trapped in the cocoon of the secularism of LEFT, LIBERAL, INTELLECTUAL THINKERS
secularism can survive only where people have a certain level of education and the ability for rational thinking. secularism has survived in India not because we are secular but because it was supported by some seemingly good people and a party that got India independence. Today, the situation has changed. people who knew about the struggle of independence are very few in number. the narrative is changed to project who is a nationalist.
Secularism seeks to ensure freedom of religious belief practice and traditional values for all and respect to others religious beliefs. Which means
• No religious conversion by preaching or forcing others
• No demolition, deface and disrespect for religious places, idols or symbols
• No religious interference in affairs of state.
Why Hinduism is the purest form of secularism without any Conflict with religious faith belief and culture unlike others who believe in destruction of others faiths and culture
• Believes that God is everywhere in everything, freedom to worship from idol to infinite universe (brahma) to a point or in any other form, hence respect to other beliefs.
• No historic evidence of mass forced conversion, no global preaching unlike missionaries or Islamic organisations
• No historic evidence of mass destruction, deface or disregard to other religious places or beliefs. Unlike enormous historical incidents of mass destruction, deface, disrespect of Idols, Temples, Gurudwaras, Churches and Mosques by other religious groups.
• No religious interference unlike 26 Bishops in House of Lords, Halakha and Sharia Law in affairs of state
Hinduism, a true secular culture because it is not confined to any book but a culture practiced by generations for thousands of years.
Such a one sided view! First thing: Why are Muslims considered minority at almost 20% of the population? When does a minority stops being a minority? At 50.1%? The author harps on secularism without knowing its meaning. India’s constitution is not secular – it gives right to a particular minority (Muslim) because of religion, and takes away rights from another (Hindus) in the name of religion. He has not read Ambedkar and Sardar – who unequivocally said if the Muslims decided that they do not want to coexist with Hindus (in undivided India) and demanded a separate nation, then all the Muslims should move to their nation. The author does not realize that Islam does not want to co-exist with any religion – take the example of the same Islamic countries he himself has quoted. He forgets that it was the already awakened Hindu that voted the current government in and not the other way around. He forgets that even though Babari Masjid was demolished by a small group of people, it was the unimaginable cruel burning of the innocent Hindu pilgrims at Godhra station that was the alarm that woke Hindu spirit. The Muslim thinks giving an inch is a sign of weakness, not generosity, yet demand miles from the Hindus in terms of privileges. Also, do not forget the influx of Wahhabi Petro-dollars into India that distorted even the ‘moderate’ Indian Muslim minds during the years preceding the current government. Let’s also not forget that the first response of Muslims – all over the world, including India, for anything that displeases them, is to be violent (and create fear among the masses) and then preach Secular values as a response from the rest of the nations. Their fierce adherence to the tenets of their religion – no rights to other religions when in majority and claiming humane considerations from other religions when in minority – is hardly the behavior of a world citizen. I move that the World Citizenship be revoked from the Muslims. They have had their cakes (Nations) and eaten (in other countries) without sharing for too long.
Very well and poignantly said. The point about how the many decades of neglect and oppression of Dalits and Adivasis without any concern from mainstream India is an important one. The subjugation of these communities is the foundation on which all other forms of constitutional or human rights violations build upon. Unfortunately in Hindu religious mythology itself there is a racist hatred towards Adivasis in particular, described as they are often as the villainous demons being vanquished by lighter skinned ‘devas’. It is this deep seated racism that has corroded the soul of Hindu society and diverted people from some of greatest wisdom and philosophy propounded by various seers and saints in our ancient land, which can easily make everyone understand that nobody is superior or inferior or even different from one’s own self.
Dalits and Adivasis were cared for and provided for for the ~ seventy years of Congress and achieved great accomplishments. Congress was so good for them. Only in the last five years all of their accomplishments have been reduced to rubble and discrimination started.
Mr. Gandhi constantly refers to the constitution and claims that secular values cannot be changed. Well, the nation he lives in has similar statements in its declaration of independence as well as constitution. However, that comes to naught when colored people are killed on the streets by cops. Documents are really irrelevant, when majority of the population does not believe in it. When majority of the population qualifies the statements as referring to them and not the other.
India has never been a secular nation. When we constitutionally grant privileges and make laws based on religion we are not secular. Till the day we do not have UCC we are not a secular nation. Secularism is not a mere statement of the constitution. It has to be followed by a uniform law and legislation that applies to all citizens equally. When such a thing is missing, we are not secular. So Mr. Gandhi would be ill advised to call India secular.
As for Nehru’s statements on “Majority/Minority communalism”. He was wrong, Communalism is communalism. This is why Secular individual in India find it so hard to call Kasab a terrorist. They find it difficult to call Islamic terror from the neighbor terrorism. They like to refer to it as Militancy.
The Congress was never a Secular party. India does not have a secular party. If secular parties appeasing Muslims is does not disqualify them for the title, then BJP is more secular in appeasing the Hindus. The so called secular parties are appeasing their vote back at the expense of the rest of the nation.
Who are these intellectuals to label themselves secular anyway? Should we let Mr. Gandhi tell us who is or who is and who is not secular?
If only congress had stuck to secularism in it’s TRUE sense the BJP rss would not have gained prominence
Bcas secularism meant demeaning Hindus poking fun of their gods etc
The hindu right grew in stature
And hindu temples are under other people as govt bodies the real hindu will get angry
So learn to respect the majority
Otherwise the consequences wont be nice
The problem with those peddling secularism is that they insist that there is something called ‘minorities’ in India. Then they go ahead to create special privileges for these minorities. Then they allow the communals like Shiv Sena to benefit from their communal behaviour. Then they unfairly chastise Hindus for being communal. They refuse to speak out against those Muslims who openly demean the national flag and vande mataram.
if India belongs to everyone then why is there an insistence on giving privileges to various minorities? Why is this constant desire to say that there is nothing called Hindu? Why allow the religious types to occupy public spaces at will? As the BJP has demonstrated again and again, the people of India like good governance. No one protested the demolition of illegal temples that were allowed to exist by previous Congress regimes.
Mohandas Gandhi’s ideology of appeasing Muslims to the detriment of Hindus has been buried, rightly so. His heirs, like this author, might do well to take their pseudo-secular policies to the Muslims first, instead of browbeating Hindus.
Rajmohan Gandhi ignores one cardinal feature.The Muslim whether in India or elsewhere can never be Secular.They are first Muslim and then only admit to a national identity.On the contrary the Hindu is inherently secular since the Vedas proclaim that there are several ways of attaining the ultimate God.Hence a Hindu can pray to Jesus,Allah,or the umpteen Hindu pantheon of Gods to attain salvation.A Hindu can remain an Atheist and still be a member of Hinduism.Afterall the famous passage in the Hindu Scripture stipulates ^ just as the droplets from the Sky ultimately reach the mighty Ocean ,Prayers to any God in any form will finally reach the one and only one universal Lord.
Yes sir
I agree
Please add missionaries too to this hall of infamy
The Muslim will do violence openly while these missionaries will do behind your back
One is dog another is a hyena
There are phases in national and international politics. In the current phase muscular nationalism, othering of minorities, strong-man politics, disparaging of previous ruling dispensation is the norm. Conversely minority rights, constitutional propriety, protection of institutions, international co-operation are on the downswing. We have seen (or heard) of such periods before in world history in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. That did not end well and hence national leaders of that time chose not to deliberately fan hatred. If the current leaders (and their voters) choose to ignore those lessons, secularism can hardly be faulted. It is just a natural course of human stupidity followed by corrective measures followed by rinse and repeat cycle.
The last time I saw Mr. Gandhi was in mid 60s, when he used to go round with his group of white Australian ladies singing ” WHEN YOU POINT A FINGER AT YOUR NEIGHBOR THERE ARE THREE MORE POINTING BACK AT YOU” It is nice to read now that like the RSS he too has kept up with the changing times and detailed out the what those THREE FINGERS ARE in stead of getting trapped in the cocoon of the secularism of LEFT, LIBERAL, INTELLECTUAL THINKERS
secularism can survive only where people have a certain level of education and the ability for rational thinking. secularism has survived in India not because we are secular but because it was supported by some seemingly good people and a party that got India independence. Today, the situation has changed. people who knew about the struggle of independence are very few in number. the narrative is changed to project who is a nationalist.
Secularism is the most abused word by indian politicians