Question

What do you understand by Secular State in India? Explain.

Answer 1

Hint: The Preamble serves as the brief introduction to the Constitution of India. It sets out the basic philosophy and values that our founding fathers believed to be the spirit of the nation. It begins with stating the very source of the Constitution “We, the people of India” and thus embodies the hopes and aspirations of the people as a whole. The 42nd Amendment of 1976 inserted the words “socialist” and “secular” and changed the phrase “unity of the nation” to “unity and integrity of the nation”.

Complete step by step solution:
Since its inception, secularism has meant the separation of religion and State. The foundation of the concept is that religious activities or beliefs do not interfere with civic or state affairs. In the context of the Indian Constitution, the term “secular” implies that India is not a theocratic state and thus does not have an official religion. The Fundamental Rights contained in Part III of the Indian Constitution grants the Right to Freedom of Religion to all individuals and guarantees equal treatment to all irrespective of their religious beliefs or the lack thereof. The Fundamental Rights also provide that no religious instruction shall be provided in State-run educational institutions.

Note: The declaration at the end of the Preamble highlights that it was adopted, enacted and given to ourselves on Nov 26, 1950, which signifies that the Constitution was not granted by any authority, native or foreign but belonged to and was derived from the people.