The Indian State both keeps away from religion as well as intervenes in religion. This idea can be quite confusing. Discuss this once again in class using examples from the chapter as well as those that you might have come up with.

Solution

The intervention of the State can also be in the form of support. The Indian Constitution grants the right to religious communities to set up their own schools and colleges. It also gives them financial aid on a nonpreferential basis.

Indian Constitution intervened in Hindu religious practices in order to abolish untouchability. In Indian secularism, though the State is not strictly separate from religion it does maintain a principled distance vis-à-vis religion. This means that any interference in religion by the State has to be based on the ideals laid out in the Constitution. These ideals serve as the standard through which we can judge whether the State is or is not behaving according to secular principles.

Some More Questions From Understanding Secularism Chapter

List the different types of religious practice that you find in your neighbourhood. This could be different forms of prayer, worship of different gods, sacred sites, different kinds of religious music and singing etc. Does this indicate freedom of religious practice?

Will the government intervene if some religious group says that their religion allows them to practice infanticide? Give reasons for your answer.

Complete the following table:

Objective

Why is this important

Example of a violation of this objective

One religious community does not dominate another.

The State does not enforce any particular religion nor take away the religious freedom of individuals.

That some members do not dominate other members of the same religious community

Look up the annual calendar of holidays of your school. How many of them pertain to different religions? what does this indicate?

Find out some examples of different views within the same religion.