R.Jagannathan has to be commended for shedding ample light on the conspiracy of silence maintained by the so-called liberals in the country to the communalism displayed by some of the fundamentalists among the minorities in his above article (DNA,19/2/2008). This distorted secularism has brought disrepute the concept of secularism. Discussion and debate are the essence of democracy and secularism. If that is punished, it would corrode both democracy and secularism.
If we are really a secular state, why temple trusts such as Siddhi Vinayak Temple Trust are in the hands of the government ? Why only Haj pilgrimage is being subsidised ? Why special reservations and funds for minorities ? Our distorted secularism has created more rift among our people instead of bridging the gulf between the communities. Secularism means no discrimination based on religion. True secularism requires that the state does not interfere with religion and religion does not interfere with the state – sarva dharma samabhava ( equal respect for all religions).
February 22,2008.
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