Principled Distance
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Principled Distance is a new model of secularism defined by Rajeev Bhargava. It is different from western model of secularism which is the separation of government institutions and persons mandated to represent the state from religious institutions and religious dignitaries. He says that Indian secularism did not erect a strict wall of separation, but proposed a 'principled distance' between religion and state.[1] Morever, by balancing the claims of individuals and religious communities, it never intended a bludgeoning privatization of religion. In India, secularism means equal treatment of all religions. Religion in India continues to assert it's political authority in matters of personal law.[2] The western model of secularism is criticized in India for being an outdated concept as Rajeev argued that since Western model was developed when society was more homogeneous but since in the era of globalization, society is becoming more heterogeneous therefore a new concept, suitable for the present situation, is needed. He even argued that since Europe itself is no more homogeneous hence West should also follow the principled distance model which on one hand respects the diversity and at the same time empowers the state to interfere in case of any discrimination in the name of religion.[3]
Background
India is culturally, linguistically, religiously and to a certain extent, ethnically, one of the most diverse if not the most diverse country in the world. As per the 1961 Census of India, the country is home to 1652 mother tongues.[4] The culture of India has been shaped by its long history, unique geography and diverse demography. India's languages, religions, dance, music, architecture and customs differ from place to place within the country, but nevertheless possess a commonality. The culture of India is an amalgamation of these diverse sub-cultures spread all over the Indian subcontinent and traditions that are several millennia old.[5] The Indian caste system describes the social stratification and social restrictions in the Indian subcontinent, in which social classes are defined by thousands of endogamous hereditary groups, often termed as jātis or castes.[6]
The term multiculturalism is not much used in India. Within Indian culture, the term unity in diversity is more commonly used.
Religious Diversity
Religiously, the Hindus form the majority, followed by the Muslims. The statistics are: Hindu (80.5%), Muslim (13.4%), Christian (2.3%), Sikh (2.1%), Buddhist, Bahá'í, Jain, Jew and Parsi populations.[7] Largest population of non-Indian religions, such as Bahá'í Faith, Zoroastrianism resides in India. India is also the home to 200 muslims, the largest muslim population in a muslim-minority country.
Some people believe the alternative to bad religion is secularism, but that's wrong . . . . The answer to bad religion is better religion--prophetic rather than partisan, broad and deep instead of narrow, and based on values as opposed to ideology.[8] by Jim Wallis
Linguist Diversity
Linguistically, the two main language families in India are Indo-Aryan (a branch of Indo-European) and Dravidian. In India's northeast, people speaking Sino-Tibetan group of languages such as Manipuri (Meitei-lon) recognized by the Indian constitution and Austroasiatic languages are commonly found. India (officially) follows a three-language policy. Hindi (spoken in the form of Hindustani) is the official federal language, English has the federal status of associate/subsidiary official language and each state has its own state official language (in the Hindi sprachraum, this reduces to bilingualism). Further, India does not have any national language.[9][10] The Republic of India's state boundaries are largely drawn based on linguistic groups; this decision led to the preservation and continuation of local ethno-linguistic sub-cultures, except for the Hindi sprachraum which is itself divided into many states. Thus, most states differ from one another in language, culture, cuisine, clothing, literary style, architecture, music and festivities. See Culture of India for more information.
Occasionally, however, India has encountered religiously motivated violence,[11] such as the Moplah Riots, the Bombay riots, the 1984 anti-Sikh riots,the 2002 Gujarat riots, the 2012 Assam violence and most recently the Muzaffarnagar riots 2013. This has resulted from, traditionally disadvantaged communities in public employment (e.g.: policing of the same locality), apprehension of owners in giving properties for sell or rent[12] and of society in accepting inter-marriages.[13] On the other hand, perennial suspicion by communal and linguistic minorities of their constitutional guarantees (e.g.: minority institutions[14] and personal law) being tinkered with, doesn't help matters either.
Behavioral Diversity
Namaste (Hindi), Juhar/Namaskar in Odia, Namaskar, Swagatam (Marathi) or Namaskara (Kannada) or Namaskaram (Telugu, Malayalam), Vanakkam (Tamil),Nomoshkaar (Bengali), Nomoskar (Assamese) is a common spoken greeting or salutation, though becoming considered old-fashioned by some. Namaskar is considered a slightly more formal version than Namaste but both express deep respect. It is commonly used in India and Nepal by Hindus, Jains and Buddhists, and many continue to use this outside the (Indian subcontinent). In Indian and Nepali culture, the word is spoken at the beginning of written or verbal communication. However, the same hands folded gesture is made usually wordlessly upon departure. Taken literally, it means "I bow to you". The word is derived from Sanskrit (namah): to bow, obeisance, reverential salutation, and respect, and (te): "to you". As explained by an Indian scholar, in literal terms Namaste refers to 'Godliness in me bows to Godliness in you' or 'Divinity in me, salutes divinity in you'. In most Indian families, younger men and women are taught to seek the blessing of their elders by reverentially bowing to their elders. This custom is known as Pranāma.
Other greetings include "Jai Jagannath" in Oriya Language, "Ami Aschi" (in Bengali),"Jai Shri Krishna", "Ram Ram", and Sat Shri Akal (Punjabi, used by followers of Sikhism), Jai Jinendra, a common greeting used across the Jain community,"Jai Bhim" used by Buddhist Converts in Maharashtra after B. R. Ambedkar and "Nama Shivaya", "Jai ambe", "Jai Sri Ram" etc.
These traditional forms of greeting are no longer used in the world of business and in India's urban environment. The handshake is the common form of greeting between men and men and also between women and women; the handshake is often long and soft. Men should greet Indian women with a slight nod unless the woman offers her hand for a short shake.[15]
Examples of Principled Distance
The First_Amendment_of_the_Constitution_of_India, enacted in 1951, is the first such instance of principled distance in Republic of India in which Parliament amended the constitution to introduce reservation to SC/ST. Besides that the act made several other changes to the Fundamental Rights provisions of the constitution. It provided against abuse of freedom of speech and expression, validation of zamindari abolition laws, and clarified that the right to equality does not bar the enactment of laws which provide "special consideration" for weaker sections of society.[16]
The Haj subsidy is a subsidy given to Indian Muslim Hajj pilgrims by the Government of India. The program has its origins in British colonial era. In post-colonial era, the Nehru government expanded the program in 1959 with the Hajj Act.[17] The subsidy and taxpayer funded arrangements initially applied to Muslim Indian pilgrims traveling for religious reasons to Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Jordan. Since 1973, pilgrims applying through the Haj Committee of India are offered a concessionary fare on Air India.[18]
Central Wakf Council, India is an Indian statutory body established in 1964 by the Government of India under Wakf Act, 1954 (now a sub section the Wakf Act, 1995) for the purpose of advising it on matters pertaining to working of the State Wakf Boards and proper administration of the Wakfs in the country. Wakf is a permanent dedication of movable or immovable properties for religious, pious or charitable purposes as recognized by Muslim Law, given by philanthropists. The grant is known as mushrut-ul-khidmat, while a person making such dedication is known as Wakif.[19][20][21]
Article 25 to 28 in Constitution of India provide religious security in India on one hand and encourage the propagation of good teachings of religions and forbids bad teaching on the other hand. Article 29 & 30 in Constitution of India provide cultural freedom to minorities as well as majority to protect, preserve and propagate their cultural, linguistic and religious identity through establishment of cultural and education institutions.[22][23]
On one hand there is All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), a non-government organisation constituted in 1973 to adopt suitable strategies for the protection and continued applicability of Muslim Personal Law in India, most importantly, the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act of 1937, providing for the application of the Islamic Law Code of Shariat to Muslims in India in personal affairs.[24][25] The Board presents itself as the leading body of Muslim opinion in India. A role for which it has been criticised[26][27] as well as supported[28] But on the other hand, through judgement, Supreme Court of India allows muslims to adapt child. The apex court said on Wednesday that the laws of land has to get primacy over personal law till the country achieves Uniform Civil Code as provided in Article 44 of the Constitution.[29]
Therefore, the essence of this model is that heterogeneity is not bad, it is good for collective growth of a nation if used in constructive manner. The principled distance model give a positive connotation to diversity and provide a constructive and integrative solution to differences arises due to various forms of diversity unlike Western model of secularism which takes diversity in neutral perspective but provides a solution which is more as compromise than a solution as well as the laïcité model which takes diversity in negative light and tries to suppress it. Since multiculturalism is inevitable in the era of globalized world hence only suitable model is principled distance.
A truly free society protects all faiths, and true faith protects a free society... by Rick Warren
See also
References
- ^ http://www.opendemocracy.net/rajeev-bhargava/states-religious-diversity-and-crisis-of-secularism-0
- ^ http://berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/resources/events/rethinking-secularism-refining-the-concepts-of-public-religions-principled-distance-and-the-twin-tolerations?q=Jos%C3%A9%20Casanova
- ^
Bhargava, Rajeev (2013). Secular States and Religious Diversity. Vancouver: UBC Press. p. 84. ISBN 978-0-7748-2514-6.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ^ "Language in India". Language in India. Retrieved 2012-01-29.
- ^ Mohammada, Malika. The foundations of the composite culture in India. Aakar Books, 2007. ISBN 9788189833183.
- ^ "India – Caste". Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
- ^ "Indian Census". Censusindia.gov.in. Retrieved 2010-12-10.
- ^
Jim, Wallis (2008). The Great Awakening: Reviving Faith and Politics in a Post-Religious Right America. London: HarperOne. p. 123. ISBN 978-0-06-055829-1.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help); Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/hindi-not-a-national-language-court/article94695.ece
- ^ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Theres-no-national-language-in-India-Gujarat-High-Court/articleshow/5496231.cms
- ^ Democracy, Religious Violence, and India's Future. Martha C. Nussbaum. Harvard University Press.
- ^ "Sachar Committee Report" (PDF). (Cabinet Secretariat, Govt. of India). Nov 2006. pp. 9–25. Retrieved 2012-08-18.
- ^ Singh, Deepti; Goli, Srinivas (2011). "Exploring the Concept of Mixed Marriages in Indian and selected states: First time evidences from large scale survey". Princeton University.
- ^ Iftikhar Gilani (May 13, 2012). "Panel wants to protect linguistic minority schools". DNA (Daily News and Analysis), New Delhi. Retrieved 2012-08-18.
- ^ Cf. Messner, W. (2013). India - Intercultural Skills. A Resource Book for Improving Interpersonal Communication and Business Collaboration. Bangalore: Createspace, p. 92.
- ^ Full text of First Amendment
- ^ The Haj Committee Act, 1959 Government of India
- ^ Press Information Bureau, "Hajj operation in India 2006", December 2006. Retrieved 26 June 2009.
- ^ Introduction Tamilnadu Wakf Board website.
- ^ Ariff, Mohamed (1991). The Islamic voluntary sector in Southeast Asia. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. p. 42. ISBN 981-3016-07-8.
- ^ Gupta, K.R.; Amita Gupta (2006). Concise encyclopaedia of India, (Volume 1). Atlantic Publishers. p. 191. ISBN 81-269-0637-5.
- ^ http://ncm.nic.in/Constitutional_provisions.html
- ^ http://realitycheck.wordpress.com/2013/01/15/article30-series/
- ^ AIMPLB Home Page
- ^ vakilno1.com. "The Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937". vakilno1.com. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Lawrence, Bruce B (15 November 2007). On violence: a reader. Duke University Press. p. 265. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
{{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Narain, Vrinda B (24 May 2008). Reclaiming the nation: Muslim women and the law in India. University of Toronto Press. p. 93. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
{{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Gani, H. A. (1988). Reform of Muslim personal law: the Shah Bano controversy and the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986. Deep & Deep Publications. p. 65.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Supreme-Court-gives-Muslims-right-to-adopt-a-child/articleshow/30662143.cms
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