the challenges to our cultural practices in the name of secularism

Secularism in India is different from western concept. It stands for mutual respect, understanding and tolerance for all the religions, major or minor and accepting difference of opinion. Cultural practices are the living ways of life of people, individual or collective, in the political, economic, social spheres. 

Various challenges faced by the cultural practices in the name of secularism: 

• Intolerance and Violence: This leads to lack of tolerance and respect for each other. Deaths and violence in the name of cow protection are examples of this. 

• Majoritarianism: This reflects upon use of religion for political mobilization of the people and spreading hatred against the minorities may be it Muslims, like case of Muzaffarnagar, Sikhs as in 1984, Christians as in Kandhamal. 

• Radicalization: The people are taken into believing ideologies which are extreme and may harm unity and integrity of the country. Security situations can be faced by the expansion of terrorism and exploitation of the vulnerable masses. 

• Vote bank Politics: Candidates attempt to align themselves with the issues of a particular religious group in the hope of winning in elections.

• Alienation: The people get distanced away from their traditional roots and feel socially, psychologically distant from other people in the name of religion. The people going to Middle East for ISIS, etc. is an example of this. Moreover, the various challenges may hamper the inclusiveness of Indian democratic culture by promoting the ideological alienation. The above can result in Distance from Education, Employ ability, Excellence, fraternity and dignity of individual. 

The challenges to the cultural practices in the name of secularism are several, affecting the people’s rights to life and liberty, dignity and fraternity. However, in essence, our cultural practices are founded upon the principles and philosophies of tolerance, non-violence, truth, Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam (world is one family), etc., which in turn are reflected in our modern constitutional principles.