Secularism in Europe is simply as the identical because the one India adopted and the secularism in India shouldn’t be distinct, stated Akeel Bilgrami, the Sidney Morgenbesser Professor of Philosophy and professor, Committee of International Thought, Columbia College, at a lecture delivered in Madras Christian School in Tambaram on Friday.
Talking on the subject, ‘Gandhi in his time and ours: Reflections on Secularism and Multiculturalism’, Prof. Bilgrami laid down three commitments of secularism, to a largely younger viewers.
“Secularism consists of three commitments: freedom of religious belief and practice, principles enshrined in the constitution that make no mention of religion (or opposition to religion) such as equality, freedom of speech, gender equality and third is the meta-commitment, which says if there is a clash between the first and second commitments, the second commitment must get priority,” he stated.
Professor Bilgrami stated Mahatma Gandhi thought of secularism as a doctrine wanted to restore the injury brought on by non secular majoritarianism in Europe. “So, Gandhi said, this damage has not occured in India and this was a European problem. And that it was irrelevant to Indian context. For him, nationalism was nothing but anti-imperialism and in fact, it would repudiate European forms of nationalisms and it would be inclusive,” stated Professor Bilgrami.
Key distinction
Prof. Bilgrami additionally sought to differentiate between the concept of secularisation and secularism.
“The word secularisation is a social process…of loss of belief in religious doctrines, ceasing to carry out standard rituals, changing diets and so on and so forth. Secularism is a different idea. It’s a political doctrine and its main idea is that religion should be kept out of the orbits of the politics. So, it’s not the name of a social process, it has nothing to do with religious practices. It’s got to do with keeping religious practice out of direct influence on politics,” he stated.
Prof. Bilgrami additionally rejected the oft-repeated standard notion of ‘Indian’ secularism as ‘acceptance of all religions’, he added that it was pluralism, not secularism. The occasion was organised by the Division of Philosophy of Madras Christian School, as part of their Sesquicentennial Distinguished Worldwide Lecture collection. The chairperson for the occasion was Vaishna Roy, Editor, Frontline.