We Must Elect a Government That Champions Secularism
Between April 19 and June 1, around one billion citizens are voting to constitute India’s 18th Parliament. In his quest for 400+ seats, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly re-energised the divisive Hindu-Muslim issue and later retracted some of his communal comments.
Based on statements made by senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders over the past few years, a section of people claim that if BJP gets a two-thirds majority in the parliament, the Constitution will be changed to make way for a “Hindu Rashtra”. If the claim is correct, this move will consolidate the link between religion and politics the way it exists in every “Islamic Republic”, where there is no semblance of democracy.
The religion-politics nexus
Religion primarily helps individuals understand and connect with a divine entity. It is a social-cultural paradigm comprised of a set of beliefs and practices based upon unquestionable principles and rules or dogma, prescribed and enforced by religious leaders. However, religious dogma that demands unquestioning adherence by the laity also unifies individuals and groups of people while regulating social behaviour and customs.
Thus, religious leaders possess political and social agency to influence people using their intimate link with the social, political, economic and academic elites.
Religion has undoubtedly been used in socially constructive ways by social reformers. However, it has more often been used by religious and political leaders to perversely manipulate individuals and social and political institutions, for political and economic gains, and for furthering personal or political agendas.
Also read: The (Not-So-)Hidden Agenda Behind BJP’s ‘400 Paar’ Slogan
In all societies, religion has directly or indirectly been in nexus with social, economic and political power structures. A small number of powerful persons can influence the cooperation of religious leaders. Alternatively, as in Iran in 1979, religious leaders can seize political power.
In some nations, especially including our own, leaders of society have introduced exclusionary religious dogma to further political agendas and gain sweeping control. Such centralisation of power, especially when it is based on religion, is socially divisive. It is antithetical to democracy, and anathema in a People’s Republic.
Why ‘We the People’ matter
Independent India’s founding fathers scripted the Constitution with Article 15 assuring us that the state shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds of religion. Further, Article 25 assures us the Right to freedom of religion, and Article 51A(e) makes it the fundamental duty of citizens to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India transcending religious diversities.
These three articles assure us that the state remains separate from, let alone adopting, any particular religion. They define secularism as one of the core values of the Constitution, long before the word “secular” entered the Preamble in 1976.
At the present juncture, 'We the People' have a crucial role to ensure that coming generations of Indians have a future in a democratic and secular India. We need to elect a government which will observe and provide the democratic rights enshrined in Articles 15 and 25, and promote fraternity for the unity and integrity of our nation.
With four of seven phases of voting completed, there are indications that the BJP-led NDA is unlikely to get a two-thirds majority (363 seats) in Parliament. The Election Commission is not releasing the actual numbers – but only percentages – of voting in the completed phases, and that too with inexplicable delay. The EC has not only brought itself to appear inefficient but also under possibility of influence and bias in conducting free and fair elections.
However, even if NDA gets a simple majority, there is likely to be a credible opposition in Parliament and democracy for 'We the People' will remain a possibility.
Major General S.G. Vombatkere retired in 1996, as Additional Director General (Discipline and Vigilance), in the Army Headquarters Adjutant General’s Branch.
This article went live on May nineteenth, two thousand twenty four, at fifty minutes past five in the evening.The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
