ASKiIMAN™ ARCHIVE / INDIAN POLITY
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Secular

Neutrality, Equality & Principled Distance

PART I — CONSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK

SUB-REALM 14.1

42nd Amendment 1976

  • Added to Preamble
  • Explicitly declared
  • Implicit before 1976
  • Supreme Court affirmed
SUB-REALM 14.2

Positive Secularism

  • Equal respect for all
  • State protects equally
  • Not anti-religious
  • Sarva Dharma Sambhava
SUB-REALM 14.3

Western vs Indian

  • West: Strict separation
  • India: Principled distance
  • State supports reforms
  • No watertight compartments
SUB-REALM 14.4

Freedom of Religion

  • Articles 25 to 28
  • Conscience and practice
  • Manage religious affairs
  • No religious taxation
SUB-REALM 14.5

State Neutrality

  • No official religion
  • Equal state treatment
  • No discrimination (Art 15)
  • Secular public education
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