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What is secularism ?
Secularism refers to the separation of religion from the State. The Indian Constitution allows individuals the freedom to live by their religious beliefs and practices as they interpret these. As a result, India adopted a strategy of separating the power of religion and the power of the State. According to the Constitution, only a secular State can realise its objectives to ensure the following:
1. that one religious community does not dominate another;
2. that some members do not dominate other members of the same religious community;
3. that the State does not enforce any particular religion nor take away the religious freedom of individuals.

In India, government spaces like law courts, police stations, government schools and offices are not supposed to display or promote any one religion. In order to respect the sentiments of all religions and not interfere with religious practices, the State makes certain exceptions for particular religious communities.


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