Indian secularism is not opposed to religion, Justice Nagmohan Das

NT Correspondent

Justice Nagmohan Das on Saturday called for educating the people about the Indian Constitution which, he said, embodied the loftiest ideals of humanism and social justice. Das said democracy had come to mean only elections, which should not be the case. “Social justice is not all about reservation, nor the vice versa. Reservation was one iota of it,” he added.

Justice Das was speaking at a symposium on “Unity in diversity: Opportunities and Challenges” organized by Ekam Sat Trust at the IAS Officers Association premises.

He said India embraced droves of people of all races and religions since ancient times and they all contributed to its culture and adopted local customs and traditions. He pointed out that alien religions such as Islam, Christianity, Zoroastrianism imbibed the local ethos and got Indianized. “Indian secularism is not opposed to religion, it only keeps religion from the statecraft but allows wide scope for practice of religion for people in their individual lives,” he added.

Das pointed out that creating awareness about the Constitution was the best way to bring about unity in diversity.

Former MP Jayaprakash Hegde said the people cannot get better representatives than what they elect and there was need to educate the voters as to whom they should elect. He said the elected representatives were busy ensuring their own happiness. “Ill-gotten wealth is driving business and politics and the media is engaged in merely promoting their wants and desires,” he observed.

He said Basavanna and Ramanujacharya tried to foster unity among people but their followers themselves turned into caste with distinct identity. Dr Mohammed Taha Mateen, Director, HBS Hospital, said the urge to dominate and selective self-interpretation of scriptures has spawned a false sense of superiority and hierarchical hegemonies. Extermination of Jews and Red Indians, Apartheid and European exclusivism were outcomes of such tendencies. He said all cultures and communities have diversity, there are ultra-orthodox and ultra-liberal among followers of all faiths and cautioned against falling into the hate and counter-hate trap.

He said Hindutva currently provides the fig leaf to conceal massive corruption. “All previous governments were also corrupt. How do MLAs double and quadruple their incomes, yet no action follows.” He said the diversity is being weaponized to create hatred between communities under the current dispensation just as majoritarianism consumed Germany leading to the extermination of Jews and the World War.

Prof. Jerome Nirmalraj, core member, Ekam Sat Trust, said diversity is both natural and man-made and societies must live with it. He rued that education had become a handmaiden of business and monetary returns on investments were the focus rather than learning.

Dr. A. Ravindra, former Chief Secretary, and President of Ekam Sat Trust, said a conflict is raging between tradition and law and wondered if it was time for a uniform civil code. He said legal and judicial remedies were not the solution for all the problems and the tendency to place all contentious issues before the court must be curbed. Former MLA Y.S.V. Dutta blamed the misinterpretation of history for the present conflicts in the society. He said the legislatures were skirting their basic function of debate and discussions. He said the Constitution talks of India as ‘union of states’ and this formed the core of diversity of India. Even Kuvempu’s songs talk of Karnataka as ‘a child of India’ but with a distinct of identity. Azeezullah Baig, Secretary, proposed a vote of thanks.