Meaning of secularism

THE SUPREME Court has defined secularism thus: ``If all human activity in this world could be labelled secular on the ground that it appertains to this world as against the other world, all religious thought and activity could be described as secular. But the term is not used so broadly. It is a convenient label to distinguish all that is done in this world without seeking the intervention or favour of, or propitiating a super human or divine power or Being from that which is done professedly to please or to carry out the will of the Divinity. Secularism in the realm of philosophy is a system of utilitarian ethics, seeking to promote greatest human happiness or welfare, quite independent of what may be called either religious or the occult.'' (Ziauddin Burhanuddin Bokhari vs Brijmohan Ramdass Mehra, AIR 1975 SC 1788 at Page 1800).

The Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, in some of his recent statements relating to the Babri Masjid dispute had observed that the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya is a national aspiration yet to be achieved. In criticising this statement both inside and outside Parliament, the members of Parliament inter alia belonging to the Opposition parties like the CPI(M) and the Congress have characterised the Prime Minister as having discarded his mask of secularism and showing himself in true colours of RSS variety.

Analogy of Somnath temple

The opposition members specifically controverted the analogy of renovation and reconstruction of Somnath temple by a committee headed by Sardar Vallabhai Patel in justification of the statement of Mr. Vajpayee regarding the desire of the nation to construct the Ram temple at Ayodhya. Mr. Vajpayee's statement has been criticised by recalling that Jawaharlal Nehru had disassociated himself from the project of renovation and reconstruction of Somnath temple, and in that connection even wrote to the then Chief Minister of Saurashtra (it was a part B state under the Constitution before the creation of State of Gujarat) that no state funds should be utilised for the Somnath temple project and even the State Government should not participate or spend any money out of State funds for the inauguration of the renovated temple.

This incident is referred to by the so-called present day secularist to show that how secular was Jawaharlal Nehru as distinct from the pretended secularism of the present Prime Minister. If one impartially analyses various steps taken by the government during Nehru's Prime Ministership it would be apparent that there is no difference in the practice of secularism by the government under his Prime Ministership and the present government under the leadership of Mr. Vajpayee.

Haj Committee Act

In this context I may refer to the Haj Committee Act of 1959 which was sponsored and enacted at the instance of Jawaharlal Nehru in replacement of the defunct Port Haj Committee Act of 1932 enacted by the British Government to curry favour with the minority Muslim community as against the majority Hindu population who were the main supporters of the Indian National Congress which was spearheading the struggle for Independence while the Muslim League, under the leadership of Mr. Jinnah, was trying to perpetuate the British Rule in India, by putting spokes in the negotiations with the British Government by Mahatma Gandhi. In the Haj Committee Act of 1959 in section 2 (b) it is defined that ``pilgrim'' means a Muslim proceeding on or returning from pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Jordan. In section 14 of the said Act it is mandatory to create a Haj Fund to which sums have to be allotted by the Central and State Governments. Whether this is a secular enactment or non- secular, the opposition parties like the CPI, the CPI(M) and the Congress should explain. Nehru had no objection to enact a statute for spending state funds to facilitate the pilgrimage of Muslims to their holy lands abroad with considerable expenses at the same time denying even small expenses by the State of Saurashtra for the inauguration of the renovated Somnath temple.

Though Mr. Vajpayee has expressed his view that the construction of a Ram temple at Ayodhya is a national aspiration, he has shown his evenness as a true secularist by allowing the Government of India to provide a subsidy of Rs. 20,000 per Muslim pilgrim to be flown to Jeddah and for that purpose he has directed the Civil Aviation Ministry, as reported in the media, to charter several wide bodied aircraft so that about 70,000 Muslims could go on pilgrimage to Mecca this year. Hence it is for the public to decide as to who is a true secularist - Mr. Vajpayee who treats Hindus and Muslims equally with regard to their religious sentiments or Jawaharlal Nehru who discouraged and denied State expense for any function of the Hindus, and at the same time statutorily provided for State expenditure in favour of Muslim pilgrims.

From the historical facts and events stated above it is apparent that there is no substance in the accusation of the opposition parties that Mr. Vajpayee's secularism is not a true one.

P.B. MENON

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