This is however only one crucial aspect of the concept of secularism. Secularism its meaning, models and issues insightsias. Critics claim the indian form of secularism as pseudo secularism. Nehru imparted a socialistic vision to the indian development. Perumal a state has been characterised as secular where there is no established religion. Political thought and politics of jawaharlal nehru. Evolution of constitution nehru initiated the process of constitution making with the eight point resolution for independent india on december th, 1946. Pandit jawaharalal nehrus views on secularism marathi. Ekam sat vipra bahudha vadanti that which exists is one.
Secularism is first and foremost a doctrine that opposes all such for ms of inter religious domination. May 08, 2019 jawaharlal nehru was born into an affluent kashmiri brahman family in allahabad on november 14, 1889. Jawaharlal nehru occupies a unique position in history as a free dom fighter and builder of. His interest in marxism and planned economic development was stirred by the brussels congress and his fourday visit to moscow in 1927. His father, motilal nehru 18611931, a selfmade wealthy barrister who belonged to the kashmiri pandit community, 4 served twice as president of the indian national congress, in 1919 and 1928. In various wars, the strength of indian secularism has been tested. Secularism became the mantra of the indian nation, a nation exhausted by partition and sectarian riots and above all the assassination of gandhiji. Supporters of the nehruvian legacy of secularism applaud him for adopting this policy and for establishing communal harmony. Jawaharlal nehru was an avowed supporter of socialism. All it wants to do is to demolish secular india and the gandhi nehru state to erect a hindutva state instead beyond a doubt, the rashtriya swayamsevak sangh rss is the most powerful. He directed safely the destinies of free india for seventeen years against innumerable odds. He was a writer, thinker and a statesman of great eminence. Unlike in the west, where secularism came mainly out of the conflict between the church and the state, secularism in india was conceived as a system that sustained religious and cultural pluralism.
The first sixty years and frank moraes jawaharlal nehru. English paper, i have discussed the nationalism views on nehru 1. Nehrus conception of socialism economic and political. Indeed, indian secularism acts as a bridge between religions in a multireligious country via the secular concept of equality. Jawaharlal nehrus views on religion and secularism, indeed even his considered political practice, were very different from the nehruvian secularism that emerged soon after his death, a handiwork of intellectuals close to his daughter, indira gandhi. Secularism in india as gandhi and nehru saw it is distinctly different from the western view of secularism. On 19th may 2016,congress party must have placed the champagne bottles back in the larder, given the scale of its setbacks.
The indian constitution has allowed extensive interference of the state in. It is an argument of this paper that nehruvian views on secularism must give way to nehru s own views on the matter which have. According to nehru himself, secularism was not only a political. Nehruvian secularism was anything but secular the sunday. Tutored at home until the age of 15, nehru subsequently attended harrow in england and, later, trinity college, cambridge. Gandhi and secularism mahatma gandhi was a keen student of all religions. But with regard to the purpose and object of a secular state, there is hardly any unanimity and in fact there is divergence of opinion. Is there any difference between gandhis secularism. Indian secularism is fundamentally different from western secularism. Secularism in the indian context penn law university of. The action of nehru as a leader of indian freedom movement as well as a prime minister and international states man have also been considered. The latest in the biographical series comes from judith brown, and is simply entitled nehru. Since gandhis was a fearless fight against wrong in an open, dignified way, his nonviolent struggle attracted nehru.
In october 1947, two months after he became independent indias first prime minister, jawaharlal nehru wrote the first of his fortnightly letters to the heads of the countrys provincial governmentsa tradition he. Apart from his study of hinduism, buddhism and jainism, he was an avid reader of christian and islamic scriptures as well. Nehru s exposition of secularism is rooted in affirmation of social and political equality. Secularism in india has strayed from the stipulated path. Critics hold nehru responsible for the problems associated with secularism. Nehru and the secular state of india loyola ecommons. Nehru attended lectures of progressive intellectuals like bernard shaw, bertrand russell and j. Religion, he said, like language is social for the reason that either is essential for social life and the individual has to have it because without it he cannot. Religion according to him is selfcentred, egoist and intolerant of other opinions and ideas. Chapter vi nehru on secularism an evaluation evaluating any aspect of nehru s ideas is a daunting task. Gandhi, maulana abul kalam azad, nehru and others were deeply committed to the ideal of secularism, though each expressed it in very different manners. Religion, secularism and the state niraja gopal jayal jawaharlal nehru university april 2017 like the unhappy families of the opening line in tolstoys anna karenina, every plural society is diverse in its own way, and alarming number are also unhappy. In his presidential address to the lahore congress in december 1929, nehru affirmed that he was a socialist and republican, making him the enfant terrible of indian politics. This is the text, with a few verbal modifications, of a lecture delivered by t.
In practice, unlike western notions of secularism, indias secularism does not separate religion and state. Instead of shedding religious partisanship, the pseudo secularists fomented it in order to capture vote banks212. Joanna newman, viceprincipal international, trustees and secretary of the jawaharlal nehru memorial trust, ladies and gentlemen. Internationalisms, secularism humanism have been attempted. We were again told, an agent of usimperialism has no right to speak. The idea of state in nehru two roads diverged in a wood, and i took the one less. As a result, he was drawn towards fabian socialistic concept and became interested in the political movements of the day. Nehru not believing in afterlife preferred a life free from religious obstacles. Nehru visited ireland in 1910 and was attracted by the sinn fein movement. Chapter vi nehru on secularism an evaluation evaluating any aspect of nehrus ideas is a daunting task. Gandhinehru tradition and indian secularism mainstream weekly. To understand secularism in india, we need to understand secularism in general, its origins in europe, protestantism versus roman catholicism, christianity versus judaism, the role of church, european history and the conditions under which secularism was imported to india.
He virtually laid the foundation for modern india, in his thoughts and deeds. It is an argument of this paper that nehruvian views on secularism must give way to nehrus own views on the matter which have great. Nov, 2019 jawaharlal nehru, indira gandhis father, was a leader of indias nationalist movement and became indias first prime minister after its independence. The word secular, itself, was inserted into the preamble by the 42nd amendment act of 1976. Supporters of the indian concept of secularism claim it respects minorities and pluralism. Nehru, at that time adopted few basics rules for dealing with militant agitations and their demands. Secularism is challenged not only by clerics and religious nationalists but by some politicians, social activists and even academics.
Biography of jawaharlal nehru free pdf download nehrus idea of indias modern nationhood consisted of four key dimensions. Nehru had discerned this main element of the shared memory of indian culture, and he attempted to build an edifice of secularism on it. However, indian secularists correctly identify the indian states distinctive. With the fortysecond amendment of the constitution of india enacted in 1976, the preamble to the constitution asserted that india is a secular nation. Nehrus commitment to the values ofindividual freedom and equality was no less than his belief in secularism. Jawaharlal nehru and world order 35th jawaharlal nehru memorial lecture, london, 25 november 2014 s. Over the years kashmir has become a symbol as well as test of indian secularism. Secularism as practiced in india, with its marked differences with western practice of secularism, is a controversial topic in india. Boucher was supposed to speak on the indous nuclear deal but as prof kamal mitra chenoy enlightened the masses thatit was not prudent on part of the administration to invite boucher for the lecture at a time when the nuke deal is a debatable issue and pending before the nuclear suppliers group. Jawaharlal nehru s views on religion and secularism, indeed even his considered political practice, were very different from the nehruvian secularism that emerged soon after his death, a handiwork of intellectuals close to his daughter, indira gandhi. Ambedkar saw religion first and foremost as a political entity. Jawaharlal nehru was born on 14 november 1889 in allahabad in british india.
Secularism in india, secularism in india essay, indian. Rajasekhariah jawaharlal nehru occupies a unique position in history as a free dom fighter and builder of modern india. Why nehru dropped and indira inserted the sword in the constitution ironically though, it was nehru along with the chairman of the drafting committee of the constitution, b r ambedkar, who were also most opposed to the idea of including the word secular. He contradistinguishes that notion from the notion of the nonnegotiated, archimedean secularism, which he says was imposed on the society by nehru. The nehru years in indian politics african studies. Many thousands of moslems who had intended to flee to pakistan now stayed in india, staking their lives on nehrus ability to protect them and assure them justice. The constitution of india contains his philosophy about the religious neutral state. Nehru talked of individual freedom as a exposing of positive liberty. Nehrus assumption that the public importance of religion would gradually. When he entered political life, he applied his knowledge of history to infer that the communal forces received wide support from the political authorities.
It is impossible to comprehend nandys arguments about secularism, the west. A significant portion of the current debate on secularism has focused on nehrus role in conceptualizing and institutionalizing this concept. The wise call it by various names this is the indian concept of secularism that god is one and there are different paths to attain it sarva dharma samabhava all approaches are equally. Why nehru dropped and indira inserted the sword in the constitution ironically though, it was nehru along with the chairman of the drafting committee of the constitution, b r ambedkar, who were also most opposed to the idea of including the word secular in the preamble of the constitution. Jawaharlal nehru, state, democracy, advaitavedanta, religion, socialism. Secularism for gandhi was an absolute necessity to bring about any form of constructive and allencompassing political movement. We are building a free secular state, where every religion and belief. Yes secularism is an import just like cricket and english language.
Summary of what is religion by nehru english summary. Pdf pandit jawaharalal nehrus views on secularism marathi. India from curzon to nehru and after download ebook pdf. For the purpose of this essay first we will look if as per the constitution india is secular state and second how hindu nationalism affects indias secularism. Nehru is known as an architect of indian secularism. Officially, secularism has always inspired modern india. Ambedkar, the chairman of the drafting committee, were the ones who were most opposed to the addition of this.
Ambedkar was secular but religious, while nehru was secular and atheist who believed in horoscopes. Apr 22, 2020 contrast this with the form of secularism introduced into india by jawaharlal nehru after the demise of both mahatma gandhi as well as vallabhbhai patel. The gandhinehru secularism places the importance of the states neutrality between indias many faiths. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. This is especially so when it is on a controversial topic like secularism. Two states that were among the handful that it still ruled, assam and kerala, went over to the opposition, while in the ca. The fact that nehru had risked his life to save a single moslem had a profound effect far beyond new delhi. He wanted to accept his life with all the problems and improve it. Nehru himself was an enigmatic personality embodying in himself past traditions, present compulsions and future aspirations of the people and the country.
Under jawaharlal nehru, the concept of a secular nationstate was officially adopted as indias path to political modernity and national integration. Narivelil a thesis submitted to the faculty of the graduate school ot loyola university in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of mas ter of arts february. Jul 24, 2018 nehrus secularism, in contrast, seemed to have advocated equality of religions, neutrality towards all religions, disassociation of religion from the state, equal opportunity for the followers of all religions, and free play for all religions chandra 2004. Click download or read online button to get india from curzon to nehru and after book now. It is this tradition of the saints and sages, which is a source of fundamental reality, which has given the indian people a moral foundation and certain moral concepts which hold together our ideals and our life in general, jawaharlal nehru 1965. The constitution drafted by pandit moti lal nehru as the chairman of the historic nehru committee in 1928, had many provision on secularism as. Jawaharlal nehru the first prime minister of india. He was also one of the principal leaders of indias independence movement of the 1930s and 40s. Apr 06, 2018 a study of the constitution and the debates that went into its framing reveals that ultimately it was the latter vision that prevailed as it received endorsements from stalwarts like ambedkar and. Constitution is fully secular, though the american society may not be. Gandhinehru tradition and indian secularism mainstream. Secularism removed by nehru, put back by indira the word secularism was first proposed to be included in the preamble of the constitution of india, during a debate on 15 november 1948 by prof k. Roy was highly critical of the character of indian state. Jun 12, 2018 secularism removed by nehru, put back by indira the word secularism was first proposed to be included in the preamble of the constitution of india, during a debate on 15 november 1948 by prof k.
Nov 08, 2014 nehrus view was equal protection by the state to all religion. But its western interpretation, which separates state politics from religion, was not followed. Secular responses were given to punjab terrorism due to communal politics in 1966. Conference paper pdf available september 2018 with 465.
Jawaharlal nehru and incorporated in the indian constitution, contains the main three features. According to this definition, one which will not be found in any dictionary, secularism has been defined as a oneway street, where vastly different standards get adopted while dealing. A secular country is where people belonging to different faiths get treated the same, as do their institutions of worship and other aspects of their existence. Why secularism in india lost its meaning in nehru s india, secularism became synonymous with the idea that everything hindu is bad and everything antihindu is secular and good. Chapter2 political ideas of nehru jawahar lal nehru was. Gandhi preached his ideals of secularism and religious tolerance. As the question of secularism today has aroused a lot of controversy and in the name of nationalism many of our. Menon dr sunil khilnani, director of the kings india institute, dr. There shall be no state religion for the commonwealth of india or for any province in the commonwealth, nor shall the state, either directly or indirectly, endow any religion any preference or impose. Nehrus greatest contribution to india and to the world should be the.
Gandhi, secularism and social capital in modern india. In this chapter we will engage in this ongoing debate by asking the following questions. The importance of jawaharlal nehru in the context of indian history can be distilled to the following points. This character of the secular state has been almost accepted by all. Nehru did not define secularism properly and politicians took advantage of his failure to elucidate the concept. Zakarias edited a study of nehru, michael brechers nehru, a political biography, norman dorothys, nehru. Madan at the presidents panel in honor of the fulbright fortieth anniversary program, on the occasion of the 1987 meeting of the association of asian studies in boston. Nehru and his views on secularism mainstream weekly. The father of indian secularism, jawaharlal nehru, with the congress party of india, developed a strategy of containment by which he meant that there should be a distance between the state and the religious passions of society.
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