Context: Between the Sacred and the Secular

Friedrich Nietzsche’s famous proclamation of "God is dead" serves less as a theological claim and more as a symbol of society''s transition from religious dominance to secular governance. This transition is especially significant in India, where ancient religious traditions coexist with a modern constitutional framework based on secular ideals.
Yet, secularism remains one of India’s most hotly debated concepts — caught between its civilizational heritage, constitutional intent, and rising majoritarian politics.

Nehru’s Vision: Morality Over Dogma

• Jawaharlal Nehru, one of the primary architects of modern India, was a vocal critic of organised religion. In his autobiography, he associated religion with dogma, intolerance, and superstition.
• Unlike many contemporary political leaders who use religion for electoral mobilisation, Nehru believed that religion had no place in state affairs.
• His approach to secularism was rooted in rationalism and ethics, drawing inspiration from Enlightenment ideals, but without promoting atheism.

The Uniqueness of Indian Secularism

Not French Laïcité, Nor American Non-Establishment

• The Supreme Court of India has clarified that Indian secularism is neither a replication of France’s strict separation (laïcité) nor America’s church-state divide.
• India instead pursues a pluralistic model, where all religions are respected and the state remains equidistant.

Religious Autonomy and State Neutrality

• True secularism in India means protecting the autonomy of all faiths, including Hinduism.
• History shows that state religion leads to religious erosion — whether in the case of Islam’s decline under political rulers in medieval India or Christianity''s politicisation in Europe.
• Thinkers like John Locke and Roger Williams had argued that state authority should concern itself with civil order, not spiritual salvation.
• Thus, secularism is not anti-religion, but pro-religious freedom — enabling diversity of belief to thrive.

India’s Indigenous Roots of Secularism

Ashokan Dhamma: An Ancient Ethical Framework

• Emperor Ashoka’s edicts, over 2,000 years old, provide a foundational Indian model of religious tolerance and civic ethics:
• Rock Edict 7: Advocates equal respect for all religions.
• Rock Edict 12: Warns against exalting one''s own religion while denigrating others.
• His Dhamma was not a theology but a moral code promoting compassion and coexistence — akin to modern constitutional morality.
• Scholars like Rajeev Bhargava argue that Ashokan ideals inform India’s distinctive form of secularism.

Constitutional Secularism: Not Born in 1976

• It’s a misconception that secularism entered Indian constitutionalism only through the 42nd Amendment (1976).
• Key pre-independence and pre-1976 milestones:
• 1928 Motilal Nehru Report and 1931 Karachi Resolution advocated for a secular state.
• Even the 1944 Hindu Mahasabha draft constitution supported the idea of no state religion.
• In the Constituent Assembly, when H.V. Kamath proposed invoking God in the Preamble, the motion was democratically rejected.
• Though the term "secular" was added later, the Constitution’s structure, rights, and spirit already reflected secular ideals.

Comparative Constitutionalism: Secularism Beyond Borders

• Countries like the UK, Ireland, and Greece reference religion in their constitutional texts but maintain religious freedom and equality.
• Even Pakistan and Sri Lanka, despite endorsing state religions, constitutionally protect minority rights and religious freedom.
• India’s constitutional approach aligns with global democratic norms, while remaining rooted in its own civilizational values.

The Way Forward: Balancing Identity with Ethics

• The pressing question is not whether India should be secular, but what form of secularism it should uphold.
• Rejecting Nehruvian secularism doesn’t justify drifting into religious majoritarianism or theocracy.
• The choice is not between Western models and cultural nationalism, but between ethical governance and sectarian statecraft.
• Even the BJP, while critical of Nehru''s model, has previously endorsed "positive secularism" — suggesting room for dialogue.
• The real danger lies in dismantling constitutional ideals in favour of majoritarian politics, which risks betraying both modern democratic principles and ancient Indian traditions of tolerance.

Conclusion: A Silent Yet Living Spirit

Nietzsche’s declaration may have declared God dead, but the human need for meaning, identity, and transcendence continues to shape political life.
India’s Constitution never denied religion; it simply confined it within ethical and legal frameworks.
The absence of the word “secular” in 1950 was not a rejection, but a silent affirmation of pluralism and freedom of conscience.

India''s secularism is not a borrowed Western concept — it is a deep-rooted legacy of civilisational wisdom and constitutional foresight, which must be preserved and evolved.