I agree with Ramananda Sengupta. We should have a uniform civil code at the earliest, to tackle the recent fatvas issued by barbaric, fanatic, medieval muslim priests. All religions are equal and they desrve a uniform civil code
A person can have a secular outlook; however, being secular is not a role. Hence the question Show me a 'secular' person, and I'll show you a liar may not be apt.
Having a secular outlook does not mean that he can not be a religious person. Even science never deprives anybody of their religious beliefs, specially in the realm of unknown.
Being secular definitely means accepting secular constitution and not demanding to make it a religious state, Hindu or Islamic. It definitely means accepting supremacy of civil and criminal law. It definitely implies accepting all are equal in front of law irrespective of economic or cultural strata or religious denomination, or political nomination. Secularism is our best bet to attain equality in the best sense of the word.
Paritihi is wrong to say that Hindu temple can be built in the middle of the road.Some unsrupolous people try but Police is active to remove such structures.I live in Delhi and I have seen hundreds of such fake temples demolished.It takes time but our MC is never efficient. Din
You've only brushed pass the caste issue. I believe it deserves much more attention than that! The Mandal Commission should have been hung for their recommendations. Let's get rid of this SC/ST/OBC thing, shall we? How come there hasn't been a PIL on this yet?
Senguptas column is remarkable for its clarity and relevance to the present days political environment of deceit and opportunism. He has cogently explained the core meaning of the word secularism by saying that a diverse multi-religious, multi-community society like in India can call itself secular only if its citizens are all treated equally under the law, regardless of their faith. We must ensure that no one can cite religious norms to promote practices, which violate basic human values and dignity. I take that to mean that there should be only one set laws for all Indians, otherwise called the Uniform Civil Code.
The desired characteristic of secularism of the Republic has been twisted out of shape to suit political objectives. It was possible to do so because of the largely uneducated and illiterate masses that could be convinced by appealing to their emotions rather than rationale. The repeated use of the word has only tended to put distance between the communities rather than bringing them together to forge an integrated society.
Political expediency almost always works to the detriment of the fabric of the society.
Secularism means exclusion of all religious considerations by the state. By that definition, India has never been a secular country. India is just a multi-lingual, multi-ethnic, multi-religous country whose state has a lot of compartments, each of which is used to categorise each "type" of Indians.
We should have a universal civil code and abandon preferential treatment regimes, including all forms of quotas. That does not mean exclude aiming public services at backward communities.
However, there is a strong anti majoritarian trait among the leftist circles of the country that should be resisted. We cannot wish away the minorities of India, for without them there will be a moth-eaten, mutilated and incomplete India. But without the so-called "majorities", there will be no India as we have known it.
Thank you, Mr. Ramananda Sengupta. You have described the feelings of every Inidan who thinks for his/her country. Let the reservations be on ecenomic criteria, and let caste, creed and religion be banned from the government. We need to see India improve in all fields, and our "SECULAR" politicians dig deper graves for the nation daily. Ram Vilas Paswan's call for a "mulim" chief minister for Bihar, Lallu Prasad's and Mulayam Singh's call to Yadav's, the "MINORITY" vote banks of the congress, the BJP and its RSS brothers, the poor Scheduled Castes and Tribes who are exploited mercilessly, and the general politics our country endures is, indeed, sickening. CONGRATS to you for voicing this fear of the ordinary Indian. Let us one personal law for every Indian, one court for all problems, and, straight politicians. ( I know I ask for too much ) Please start a movement for these simple things. You have a lot of support. Rajiv.
the tone and message conveyed by the article are absolutely true and justified...what india needs now is a handful of politicians who have the spine to stand up against this baseless and unjustified caste system, which was formalised by the foolish VP singh to ensure his vote bank on caste and religious backgrounds. The need of the hour is to have politicians with some wisdom and sense who could start a gradual abolishment of this reservation system.
