Former Lok Sabha Secretary-General P.D.T. Achary has said that India cannot survive without secularism and cautioned that any attempt to make the country theocratic is bound to become a “failed experiment”.
ADVERTISEMENT
He was delivering the keynote address on ‘The Indian Constitution and the threat of theocracy in the country’ at a Constitution Day observance organised by the Institute of Parliamentary Affairs (IPA) on Saturday.
Cautioning against threats faced by the secularist ideals of the Constitution, he said the scenario unfolding in the country was not encouraging. A theocratic nation, he asserted, would witness social strife and ruin itself. Secularism alone can guarantee the survival of the country in the 21st century, he said.
ADVERTISEMENT
Fearing that the country had deviated from the Constitution, Mr. Achary said the idea of secularism implied that the State has no religion and shall not promote any religious activity. “Unfortunately, the country embraced the concept of ‘Sarva Dharma Sama Bhava’ that essentially underscored the need to respect each religion. As a result, religions and religious leaders play important roles in politics,” he said.
Caste system
He viewed the caste system in the country as an offshoot of the social order that has existed for nearly 3,000 years, wherein people are born to certain castes. The social system that began during the Vedic period continues to the present day. “While such practices were largely prevalent in north India, we (the people of Kerala) have not rid ourselves of such a line of thought. We have largely upheld such practices, albeit in a subtle manner,” he said.
He added that the concepts of equality, liberty and fraternity that are enshrined in the Constitution could not be internalised in the caste system.
Transport Minister Antony Raju inaugurated the observance. Elamaram Kareem, MP, presided over the programme. IPA director general Biveesh U.C., board of governors member S.R. Sakthidaran and registrar Ratheesh G.R. spoke.