Confusion

Monday, December 11, 2006 Confusion? The term secular means that you are worldly-wise and not connected with any religion and spirituality and sacred stuff. Secularism asserts freedom from religion or is neutral to religious thoughts or beliefs. The policy should be free from religious domination. From the above criteria how many Indians are free? How many are secular? Every body lives on some or the other kind of faith. It is just that a particular notion or idea characteristic of particular religion should not be foisted on others who do not espouse it. Wherever parties have got votes and ruled, whether BJP or non-BJP, there has been no coercion of who is what and why does one espouse a view or adhere to a particular notion that one does. It is just that BJP counters appeasement towards some people to simply to get votes. This appeasement should also be regarded as a non-secular thought. To widen the network, an abstention from a meeting called by the majority might be construed as a non-secular act. You defy vulgarism and if you are in minority, are you non-secular? Protecting a criminal, shielding a law-breaker cannot be a secular act. Secularism has become a melting pot and an issue that draws flak as people are drawn towards a drum beating man who rants before a circus show. You will immediately find people polarized some going to cathode and some to anode, as all become charged according the their mental landscape. After the show is over you return home buying something of taste and lambaste those who did not agree with you. 6:08:16 PM Posted By nirmal mishra Comments (2) Politics Comments RISHTEY-NATEY Monday, December 11, 2006 6:16:18 PM Secularism is real in india--no matter what is the cribb of vested parties. It was an enlightenment that minorities in INDIA were not getting a share in INDIAN resources. Hullo, Mr MAN MOHAN, did you say it from the core of your heart? Was it a joke? We have a MUSLIM PRESIDENT: a SIKH PM; a CHRISTIAN DEFENCE MINISTER; A CHRISTIAN as President of Ruling Party; A SIKH Chief of Army; a SIKH as Chairman of Planning Commission; All top actors in Bollywood are from Muslim Community. MINORITIES NEED EDUCATION AND NOT DOLES OF NOTES FROM GOVT. VOTE BANKS POLITICS ? K.Venugopal Monday, December 11, 2006 7:51:28 PM Secularism is a word connected to religion and in India secularism is relevant at two levels. (1) That the state does not discriminate against its citizens on the basis of religion. (2) That the citizens have the freedom to practise or not practise any religion they wish. While the constitution guarantees the citizens religious freedom, nothing stopped Manmohan Singh from seeking to give Muslims the first right to resources. Vajpayee never sought to give Hindus the first right to anything, though he is from the Hindutva school of thought. Vajyapee and the BJP government proved they are secular while Manmohan Singh and Congress are proving themselves to be anti-secular.