The Politics Of Indian Secularism

“The Politics of Indian Secularism”

“The object of this paper is to unravel the entangled and often contradictory strands of Indian secularism. To this end, it will examine the practical underpinnings of India’s dominant nationalist creed, of which secularism has been a central plank….The relationship between nationalism and secularism is of particular interest to the understanding of the working of majoritarian politics in India……During the early years of his Prime Ministership, therefore, Nehru initiated a pattern of politics in which the Indian state would respond positively to religious and communal pressures, particularly to those emanating from Hindu groups, but would keep a distance from communal parties and platforms.”