India’s secular fabric appears to be under strain with a rise in inflammatory religious rhetoric and violence targeting minority communities in recent years. Urgent steps are needed to curb polarizing politics, restore inter-faith harmony and uphold constitutional secularism.
- Frequent instances of mob violence and hate crimes against minorities on accusations like cow slaughter or alleged forced conversions have created a climate of fear and insecurity.
- Statements by political figures targeting minority groups or references to divisive historical events have also vitiated the atmosphere. Dog whistle rhetoric around emotive symbols like Ram temple risks polarizing people ahead of elections.
- Discriminatory citizenship laws that exclude migrants from specific faiths go against India’s secular constitutional ethos of equal rights. Their validity remains under judicial scrutiny on grounds of violating secularism.
- Impunity towards perpetrators of communal violence and light punishments have undermined justice and emboldened further acts of hatred towards marginalized groups.
To counter these trends, a multipronged approach is imperative:
- Strict legal action against hate speeches by political figures with EC enforcing Model Code prohibiting polarization along religious lines during polls.
- Fast-track courts hearing communal violence cases and strengthening UAPA, IT Act provisions to act against calls for violence on social media.
- Police and administrative reforms emphasizing community policing, diversity hiring and sensitization against biases that stereotype minorities as anti-national threats.
- Inculcating secular values and critical thinking in schools to counter prejudices and nurture empathy and harmony from a young age.
- Civil society and inter-faith initiatives that reconnect communities, challenge false narratives, rebuild trust and protect vulnerable groups through non-violent activism.
Preserving secularism requires countering the forces of polarisation and ensuring equality, justice and dignity for citizens regardless of faith-based identities. With sincerity of intent and consistent efforts on multiple fronts, the tide can be reversed to uphold unity in diversity.