Secularism- A Phoenix which never rose from its Ashes

Abstract

Through this paper an attempt has been made to offer a better explanation to the most misunderstood word-Secularism and how it was intended initially to be used for breaking the fetters of fear, superstitions and irrationality. Secularism has been reglanced and re-analysed with a fresh vision to study the reasons of its birth and evolution in west, its journey to Asia in general and India in specific. Role of secularism in shaping Indian politics and policies is delved deeply along with the sea changes which occurred in the very concept of secularism in India. Some of the questions scrutinised in this research work aims to analyse the need of, if any and requirement of secularism in India, the purpose and whether secularism has served for betterment and upliftment of Indian society. The under evaluation of minority community as backward class and their appeasement for the sake of vote bank politics along with the obliging exercise by those who get into the mitochondrial power house in state assembly or country’s top deciding chamber-parliament, or minority community leaders drawing their most cherished pound of flesh in lieu of their community’s votes; strategies to draw road map for strengthening the majority-minority bond for the harmony and prosperity of the nation, various positive and negative impacts of secularism on the Indian society and politics are also discussed to analyse whether the experiments with secularism were successful or not. 

Key words: Secularism; minorityism; Natural Acceptance; Tolerance; Social Imaginary; Appeasement.