CBSE 8 Polity Ch 2 Understanding Secularism Notes

Ch 2 – Understanding Secularism Notes

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Meaning of secularism

Secularism means the government treats all religions equally, does not favour any particular religion, and ensures everyone has the freedom to follow any religion or choose not to follow any religion. This principle is important for a country to be democratic.

It is important to separate religion from the state

Separating religion from the state is important in secularism to ensure fairness and equality for everyone, as this helps a country function democratically. It allows people to follow any religion freely, and the government treats all citizens equally, promoting peace and democracy in the country.

Another reason to separate religion from the state in democratic societies is to protect people’s freedom. This means everyone should be free to leave their religion, follow a new one, or understand religious teachings in their own way. For example, consider the practice of untouchability in Hinduism. If the government supported it, changing this practice would be very hard. Even if you were part of the same religion, others might stop you and say there is only one correct way to follow it. This shows why it’s important to keep religion separate from state power.

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Indian secularism

The Indian Constitution says that India must be a secular country (the government treats all religions equally) this country can achieve their goals by making sure that –

  • No religion should be more powerful or treated better than another. Every religion is treated equally and fairly.
  • No one in a religious group should have more power or control over others. This means everyone should be treated equally, with no one being treated better than others in the same group.”
  • The government does not force people to follow any one religion and allows everyone to follow their religion freely.

The government keeps a distance from religions and treats all religions equally, without supporting one more than the others. In India, places like courts, police stations, government schools, and offices can’t support any one religion and ensure people can freely follow their religion without interference. Sometimes, the government steps in to protect everyone’s rights and prevent one religion from being more powerful than others. Indian secularism is different from other countries like the United States. In the U.S., religion and the government are completely separate. The Indian Constitution also allows religious groups to open their schools and colleges, providing financial help while treating all religions equally without giving special treatment to any one religion.

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In February 2004, France made a law that banned students from wearing big religious or political symbols, like the Islamic headscarf, Jewish skullcap, or large Christian crosses, in schools. Many immigrants, especially from Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco, were unhappy about this law. These immigrants came to France to work in the 1960s. Their daughters wore headscarves to school, but after the new law, some girls were told they could not go to school because of their headscarves.

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