Editor,
Both meat and milk have high nutritional value. But to consume them together causes several ailments in the body. Similarly, both politics and religion have high societal value. But the combination of the two triggers allergic reactions in the body politic. The immediate outcome of such a combination is hate speeches which can be compared with vomiting acid after consuming meat with milk.
The Supreme Court of India rightly observed that hate speeches would end the moment politicians stop using religion in politics. Justice Joseph hit the nail on the head when he observed that the country was caught in a “vicious circle of hate” and the solution lay in expunging religion from politics.
Earlier in feudalism, a king or a feudal lord used to favour his own religion over other religions. History witnessed that such a practice spelt disaster on every occasion. Just like people learned from their mistakes the need to separate milk from meat, here also they felt the need for a complete separation of religion from politics. This gave birth to secularism. All modern progressive nations have embraced secularism after learning how painful it would be to deviate from its path.
The mixture of politics and religion causes two major problems. When a particular religion is favoured in a country over other religions, it divides the citizens. This mixture does not allow the policy makers to follow the progressive ideals of equality and fraternity. Rather it attracts negative things such as discrimination, marginalisation, conflict and unrest. Some of our neighbouring countries have experienced the danger of not walking in the path of secularism.
It creates the second problem when a political leader tries to usurp the role of a representative of God. This sounds the death knell for democracy. It completely destroys accountability as well as the lock-gate to check corruption and abuse of power. In a democracy a ruler has to remain accountable to the voters. But it would be difficult to hold the head of the government accountable if people start believing that the person is chosen by God.
The emergence of India as a secular, democratic country was certainly a gain of the evolution. It appears that the gains are likely to be eclipsed for a time because efforts are being made to exploit religion as a political instrument.
Secularism separates milk of religion from political meat. It is like a doctor who advises us to consume meat and milk separately. Undoubtedly, there will be several ailments in the body politic without secularism.
Sujit De,
Kolkata