SecularIndia.com is an educational resource meant to inform people about the secular movement in India. We strive to answer your questions about Indian secularism and bring you the latest news on secularism from India.
Frequently Asked Questions on Secularism…
What is secularism?
When a country’s government has a policy of practicing an indifference towards any religion of its people, it’s referred to as secularism. When government groups attempt to keep religious groups or bodies, or even philosophies from influencing the policies put in place by the government, we call that secular politics.
Is India a secular country?
India claims to be a secular country. This declaration of the Preamble to the Constitution of India has legally made India secular. The India Constitution shows favoritism in regards to a sort of secular humanism. The historical development of this train of thought makes it current in today’s time in the sense of India’s religious pluralism.
Does India have an official state religion?
No, the democracy of India is secular, meaning there the state recognizes no religion officially. Every citizen has the right to practice any religion of their choosing. The Indian government does not favor any religion, or show any bias against any religion or religious group.
How long has India been secular?
India has been officially secular since 1976 when the term ‘secular’ was inserted into the preamble by the forty-second amendment.
Latest Headlines:
New Secular Movement in India Aims to Create Welfare State January 17th, 2012
The Welfare Party of India (WPI) promises to become a dependable alternative party seeking to represent the marginalized and deprived percentage of the society. The Welfare Party of India is the newest party in the largest democracy in the world.
General Secretary of WPI, Dr SQR Ilyas believes that corruption is a major part of government in India. In a statement, he reaffirmed this conviction by stating that the WPI is working towards changing the current system, as well as giving power to the underprivileged sections of society.
Reaffirming the party’s ideals, Dr. Illyas stated that his idea is to garner support from honest citizens who genuinely care about India’s future. He further stated that the party has so far attracted thousands of supporters, and believes his support will continue to grow. According to Dr. Illyas, membership to the WPI is open to everyone, as long as he or she promotes the secularism.
In addition to being the General Secretary of the WPI, Ilyas is also General Secretary of All India Muslim Personal Law Board. However, he maintains that WPI is a secular party and has no affiliation with the Muslim religion. On the topic, he stated that WPI remains a secular national party, citing the example of a diverse array of members from many different religions and backgrounds. The majority of the members the party has attracted thus far have been non-Muslims. This is consistent with the the party’s ideas of universal values, and the empowerment of society as a whole.
A Sunni/Sufi Muslim Sect says “Vote for Secular Candidates” January 14th, 2012
In an appeal seemingly conflicting the group’s ideology, the All-India Ulama & Mashaikh Board (AIUMB) has called on voters to vote for candidates who are not affiliated with any religion in the upcoming State elections. The AIUMB is a Sunni Sufi group that professes to represent most Muslims living in India.
The national secretary of the AIUMB, Syed Babar Ashraf, stated the necessary promotion of Sufi ideologies. Ashraf asked the Indian government for Dargah Act. This act is meant to aid the Dargahs promotion of Sufi ideologies and practices.
It is not everyday that a religious group makes an appeal of this nature. This newsworthy event marks a new direction for secular politics in India.
Destinies of India and Bangladesh Linked, says Indian Vice President – January 12, 2012
How similar are India and Bangladesh? Very similar, according to the Vice President of India, Shri M. Hamid Ansari. In a recent address to a major university in Bangladesh, Ansari stated that India and Bangladesh are intertwined, and In more ways than one. In his esteemed address, Ansari stated that the citizens of both countries have a great deal in common, including historical background, cultural heritage, spoken language and tradition. He also stated that the two countries share a number of problems.Furthermore, Ansari said the relationship between the two countries is further linked due to shared values, and their dedications to secularism, the democratic process, social well-being, and basic human freedom.
Ansari commended the Bangladeshi prime minister on his courage in his recent battles with terrorism. He also commended him on his policies of governmental and political pluralism, of tolerance to religion, and his economic policies that his administration has put into effect in the country.
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As 2011 draws to a close I look back at the changes to the health and diet scene which saw quite a few changes. Probably the biggest was the explosion of interest in the HCG Diet, which is really just a retread of a 1950s fad that has been taken over by marketers to hype yet another product designed to prey upon desperate dieters. However, much like the Acai Berry in 2010, this scam seems to be short lived as the FDA is now cracking down and several online sellers have already stopped selling or are making drastic changes to their products and marketing.the-acai-fruit.comThe second biggest news was the slower, but steadier rise in the use of African Mango as a diet aid. Though not as flashy as the HCG diet, African Mango actually has university studies that proves it is effective at controlling hunger, so is gaining traction[...]
The African mango may seem like another stimulated product to produce hype and big bucks for companies. However, with backed support from Dr. Mehmet Oz, who has been featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show hundreds of times, the product seems more valid. Dr. Oz now has his own medical show, and has featured the African mango on his show not only as a weight loss aid, but as a super potent multivitamin that has benefits for both men and women. While Dr. Oz does not endorse the product, his claims that African mango is beneficial for lowering cholesterol, improving the waistline and an effective weight loss aid makes trying African mango worth the risk. The African mango comes in the form of an extract. The fruit is extremely rare and is found in parts of the country of Cameroon in Africa. While the African mango is a new phenomenon to those in[...]
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With more Americans scrambling to find rapid cures for their weight-management woes, manufacturers and retailers may be tempted to jump on the popular HCG diet bandwagon. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Federal Trade Commission, however, want you to know that this is very bad ideaand they've issued warning letters to seven HCG homeopathic product marketers to prove it. "HCG has not been accredited by the [FDA] for body weight reduction," Elizabeth Miller, acting director of the FDA's fraud device for more than-the-counter items, claims in a video assertion on the agency's website. Despite the fact that the FDA has not acquired adverse studies correlated to HCG pounds-reduction products, Miller claims the company is worried about the use of these products and solutions because they instruct individuals to consider them in combination with a five hundred calorie per day eating plan. "This type of diet should really only be[...]
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A person in three individuals in Switzerland use courses these kinds of as ares download to down load unauthorized music, videos and online games from the Online and given that previous 12 months the authorities has been wondering what to do about it. This week their response was printed and it was crystal distinct. Not only will downloading for private use keep fully authorized, but the copyright holders won't undergo mainly because of it, considering the fact that folks ultimately spend the cash saved on enjoyment merchandise.In Switzerland, just as in dozens of other international locations, the amusement industries have been complaining about remarkable losses in revenue due to on line piracy.In a reaction, the Swiss federal government has been conducting a analyze into the impact downloading has on culture, and this week their findings had been presented.The general summary of the research is that the current copyright[...]
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Another Convent Attacked and Looted in Bihar :Center Belongs to Sisters of Charity of Nazareth PATNA, India, JUNE 22, 2005 (Zenit.org).- A few days after the Indian Catholic episcopate appealed to the authorities for protection against attacks on Church personnel, another convent came under siege in the state of Bihar. Early Tuesday, 10 assailants armed with guns and other weapons attacked the Chetanalaya Center run the by Sisters of Charity of Nazareth in Rajgir, a tourist township in the Nalanda district in central Bihar, some 100 kilometers (62 miles) from Patna, the state capital. According to the women religious, the looters took valuables and about $560 in cash. "I was sleeping on the terrace along with 11 handicapped girls, who had stayed back during vacation," said Sister Rose Plathottam, directress of Chetanalya. "At about 11 p.m. some 10 youths carrying guns and other weapons entered our convent … after climbing[...]
Reviewing 2006, a year of frustration for Dalit, and deprived, Christians Time for Dr Singh to put his brave words of support for Minorities into real action and real policies for all Minorities -- And spare a thought for the Dalit Christians, too The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh - and with him Congress President Mrs. Sonia Gandhi who backs him to the hilt -- has to be congratulated for the fearless manner in which, since the release of the Sachchar committee report, he has committed his government to giving a priority share in the national development process to Muslims in particular, and to other religious minorities and other disadvantaged groups in general. Not since the late Rajiv Gandhi has any prime minister bid so bold to identify religious minorities by name in assuring them he will undo a historic developmental wrong. More so, that he has chosen purely Muslim[...]
Indian court protects wife after drunk husband mumbled 'divorce' NEW DELHI: India's Supreme Court on Friday came to the rescue of a Muslim woman trying to reunite with her husband after he mumbled the word for divorce three times while drunk. Nazma Biwi's predicament started after her husband, Sher Mohammad, uttered the word "talaq" three times in 2004. Now, Muslim clerics have barred the woman from living with her now-repentant husband, saying she must first consummate a marriage with another man and then get another divorce. Only then can she remarry Sher Mohammad, the clerics say, citing Muslim rule on restoring broken marriages. But India's highest court disagreed and ordered the state government of Orissa to provide security to her. "No one can force them to live separately. This is a secular country and all communities, Hindus or Muslims, should behave in civilised manner," a three-judge bench said. Biwi said[...]
Ram Puniyani HindustanTimes.com September 22, 2006 The attempt to prevent conversions out of the Hindu fold is not a new phenomenon. It has, however, gained momentum during the last few years, more so in the BJP-ruled states. The excuse for introducing this ‘freedom’, through the Freedom of Religion Bill, is that millions are being converted to other religions in order to weaken the Hindu society. In Gujarat, the issue has another dimension. This Bill grants Hindus the right to convert to Buddhism and Jainism, but not to ‘foreign’ religions, in which case permission has to be sought from the authorities. The implication is that all religions born in India — Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism — are mere sects of Hinduism, and not full-fledged religions by themselves. One may wonder why Sikhism has been left out of the Gujarat Bill. Perhaps the Bill’s drafters remembered the huge protests by a section[...]
In addition to being the General Secretary of the WPI, Ilyas is also General Secretary of All India Muslim Personal Law Board. However, he maintains that WPI is a secular party and has no affiliation with the Muslim religion. On the topic, he stated that WPI remains a secular national party, citing the example of a diverse array of members from many different religions and backgrounds. The majority of the members the party has attracted thus far have been non-Muslims. This is consistent with the the party’s ideas of universal values, and the empowerment of society as a whole.
