Is ominous indignation of Secular Brigade relevant anymore?

For all the vile remarks and obnoxious debates with respect to appointment of Mahant Yogi Adityanath as the 21^st Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, calling it an assault on secularism, did media ever introspect why secularism wasn’t included in preamble in the first place? The description of India was changed in 1975 when former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi through 42^nd amendment brought in massive changes in the Indian constitution by adding the words “Secular and Socialist” to the preamble. The amendment, notoriously referred as the “mini constitution” or “Constitution of Indira”, besides redefining India, reduced the powers of the Supreme Court, High Courts and laid down the fundamental duties.  Koenraad Elst, in his insightful commentary offers a profound explanation as why the Chairman of the Constituent Assembly, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar refused to include the word secular in the preamble. Like Mahatma Gandhi, he too firmly believed that religious pluralism has been an integral part of the Hindu society and hence the need for separate doctrine calling for “equal respect for all religions” seemed trivial. This simple understanding really sums it all. India has been a cradle for various beliefs, religions, customs. For centuries people of different faiths lived in harmony and co-existence. Hence the issue of being guided by the doctrines of Secularism laid out and borrowed from Europe civilization was thought to be a misfit in a nation with entrenched culture of religious pluralism. But with time, the founding principles, and the basic character of the Hindu Civilization, began to lose significance. The vital ideology began to erode.

From the late 19^th century, leaders for various reasons began to appease certain communities for larger political gains prior to the independence movement. Simultaneously the developments in Europe and their ideological frame work of secularism found consonance with India leaders educated in the West. A sudden surge in Pan-Islamic identity was witnessed in India after British victory defeated Ottoman Empire. To win the confidence of the Muslim League, to strengthen the Indian protests during the Independence Struggle, Indian National Congress and Gandhi supported the All India Khilafat Movement. After Independence to respect the sensibilities of Muslims, Indian leaders have conceded to their wishes. Nonetheless, this perspective guided even India’s foreign affairs so to say- being sympathetic to Arabs, equating racism to Zionism, support to Palestine etc. The practice of catering to a community gradually began to make strong in roots in the Indian Polity. This eventual appeasement, in turn became the core of the Indian secularism. Further by making secularism a basic tenet of the Constitution, it has emerged as the guiding doctrine for Indian leadership.

Religious plurality is ingrained in Indian civilization. But the motley group of intellectuals indoctrinated by Indianized version of secularism started infamously contesting the basic precincts of the land by labelling it as “Hindutva”. Institutions, organizations, individuals championing this religious plurality are looked down and any effort to uphold pluralism is deemed communal. Alas !!! these self-proclaimed secularist tribe fail to understand that unlike the Abrahamic religions of the West, the definition of religion in India is comprehensive. Religion in India is a way of life.  Consequently, the narrow, biased definition of Secularism included in Constitution through amendment became the bulwark. The Congress party and its ilk over the decades institutionalized this definition. In the past seven decades, this dictum ruled the roost. With the appointment of Yogi Adityanath who was branded as Hindu fundamentalist, BJP has turned the tide. BJP strongly believed in secularism rooted in religious pluralism, a concept which was widely misconstrued. It had few takers but continued to exist at the fringes. Labelled as communal, all its initiatives and activities were viewed through tinted glass.

In the meanwhile, minority appeasement began more rampant. Even initiatives like RTE weren’t sparred of this bigotry. The secular narrative practiced by the political establishments began to touch the lives of common man. While the media dominated by branded secular tribe never brooked on this issue, the skewed religious demographics, concessions to minorities and their religious heads, political parties pledging for reservation based on religion became more intense. Perhaps, the Hindu community in the largest state of UP with 19% of minority population began to silently bear the brunt of this blatant appeasement. Though MSM haven’t ever delved on this issue the record number of 450 riots in the Western UP and the inept political handling had undoubtedly left an indelible impression on the majority community. The article may sound condescending. But in fact, Prime Minister’s remarks on “Kabristan” which was out rightly condemned by the secular brigade as fomenting polarization, perhaps reflected ground realities. The victimized voices found a ray of hope in BJP paving way for Hindu vote consolidation.

Despite its poor appeal for several decades BJP’s idea of pluralism had thrived. Though BJP was in power earlier it obtained an overwhelming majority only in 2014. Ever since, the party has been making attempts to push forward it ideological perspective. This conservative (so to say) perspectives began to gain ground and challenge westernized narratives that dominated the academic and intellectual domains for past seven decades.

The colossal electoral mandate in UP provided needed impetus for BJP to push forward the ideology it envisioned for India. Losing no opportunity, Modi-Shah duo rose to the occasion and made a bold decision that embattled the secular brigade. The brutish majority and immense popularity of Yogi Adityanath together heralded his ascent to post of Chief Minister. Expectations are exceptionally high from Yogi Adityanath so is the scrutiny. The hawkish media will now closely follow the UP story. Risks are high and any misadventure in administration might cost BJP electorally. Interestingly, there is a resounding resonance to the BJP’s idea of secularism on the ground now. Stakes are high and UP administration must prove that development and Hindutva can go hand in hand. After winning his straight fifth term in 2014, Yogi Adityanath said that “my agenda is Hindutva and development and they complement each other.” It is time for swift action. Good governance can augur BJP’s electoral triumph and political ambitions. Enthusiastic columns endorsing and hailing the BJP’s decision at Myindmakers and elsewhere testimonies the same.

Rajeev Bhargav once stated that, “India’s secularism is no copy of Western secularism, based on keeping or creating a distance in the relation between religion and the state. Instead it embraces religion, but tries to keep neutrality between the different religions. Except that it makes a distinction between the majority and minorities, which get privilege in the constitution, the laws and political practice, in order to protect them from the majority. Thus, a parliamentary majority involving non-Hindus imposed reforms on Hinduism but doesn’t touch Muslim law. India discriminates against the majority”. At present, the designation of majority and minority are slowly losing relevance. The narrow demarcating line is rather smudged now. In states like Jammu and Kashmir, North Eastern States and Punjab Hindus are a minority. In Kerala, there is no distinct majority community, Hindus have shrunk from the 50% mark. In terms of demographic statistics, a minority community can at times be a majority in a particular state. So, on what basis are communities designated as majority or a minority?

Discrimination and pandering are the outcomes of this skewed doctrine of secularism advocated by Indian establishment. The basic minimum condition of a secular state is that all citizens should abide by same laws. In India, every religion has a separate law. Hence India is not a secular state. The paradigm of Hindutva, which cherishes religious pluralism, often ridiculed as anti-secular is a true exponent of secularism. The only political party that promises real secularism is BJP which promises to bring about Uniform Civil Code. Paradoxically, BJP is labelled communal.

Regarding anointing Yogi Adityanath, the newly elected MLAs chose him as their leader in a democratic way. Honoring the decision of democratically elected peoples’ representatives, BJP has reinstated him as the Chief Minister. He has established his political credentials by getting elected five times in a row. Every time the margin of victory is higher than previous elections. Indian media is known for branding any vocal Hindu leader adorning saffron robes as a Hindu Fundamentalist. (Indian Secularists strictly adhere to the gospel: questioning Christian or Muslim faiths and their clergy is blasphemous, but demonizing Hindu Priests is upholding secularism).  Enough of this meaningless rant….

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