Why Nehru and Ambedkar did not include secularism in the Constitution

It was not until The Constitution (42nd Amendment) Act, 1976, during the Emergency imposed by past Prime Minister Indira Gandhi that the words ‘socialist,’ ‘secular,’ and ‘integrity’ were officially added to the Preamble.

Ravi’s caller remarks person reignited a treatment astir the relevance of secularism successful the Indian context.

Nehru’s thought of secularism

Nehru and Ambedkar were beardown advocates of secularism, recognising its indispensable relation successful uniting India’s divers society. However, they hesitated to see the word ‘secular’ successful the Constitution, alert that the Western exemplary of separating religion from the authorities did not acceptable India’s interconnected spiritual and governmental landscape.

In his article Nehru and Secularism (1978), Mohammad Ghouse argues that Nehru viewed secularism arsenic a functional conception alternatively than a rigid organization one, which is wherefore helium chose not to specify it explicitly successful the Constitution. Instead, helium established a flexible model that upholds indispensable principles: the Constitution establishes nary authorities religion, extends citizenship to all, guarantees equality of presumption and opportunity, and affirms the dignity of each individual, Ghouse said. The Preamble commits to securing societal justness for each and prohibits favoritism based connected caste oregon creed, each portion striving to escaped authorities from spiritual influence, helium added.

During the Constituent Assembly debates, Nehru emphasised the perils of intertwining religion and politics, stating, “In immoderate event, present determination is nary alternative; and we indispensable person it intelligibly successful our minds and successful the minds of the state that the alliances of religion and authorities successful the signifier of communalism are a astir unsafe alliance, and they output the astir abnormal benignant of illegitimate brood…the operation of authorities and of religion is simply a astir unsafe combination…it is harmful to the majority… it is astir harmful to immoderate number that seeks to person immoderate vantage from it.”

He agreed with Ambedkar, who argued that ideology would beryllium hollow successful the look of rampant communalism. In Nehru’s worldview, communalism and majoritarianism had nary place.

Scholar Krishna Roy, successful the article Indian Secularism – Distinctive Ideas of Jawaharlal Nehru (2015), highlights 3 cardinal features of Nehru’s conception of secularism.

Firstly, helium says, Nehru supported warring communalism done societal payment and governmental engagement, portion respecting religion. The Indian Constitution guarantees spiritual state for each citizens.

Secondly, helium viewed Indian secularism arsenic qualified not absolute; spiritual state is taxable to nationalist order, morality, and the payment of citizens. This means that the escaped workout of religion indispensable align with norms that forestall the constitution of religion by the state, arsenic elaborate successful Articles 27 and 28.

Finally, Roy emphasises that Nehru’s imaginativeness of secularism was some dynamic and enlightened, allowing for religion to play a relation successful societal welfare. Nonetheless, the authorities retains the authorization to amend oregon redefine the idiosyncratic laws of immoderate assemblage arsenic deemed necessary.

Ambedkar’s stance: ‘Must beryllium decided by radical themselves….’

Ambedkar shared Nehru’s position connected the separation of religion and politics.

When the Constituent Assembly discussed the inclusion of the words ‘secular’ and ‘socialist’ successful the Preamble, Ambedkar enactment guardant the pursuing argument: “What should beryllium the argumentation of the State, however the Society should beryllium organised successful its societal and economical broadside are matters which indispensable beryllium decided by the radical themselves according to clip and circumstances. It cannot beryllium laid down successful the Constitution itself due to the fact that that is destroying ideology altogether.” The Constituent Assembly subsequently decided not to see the words.

In her article, Secularism successful the Constituent Assembly Debates, 1946-1950, world Shefali Jha references a statement from the Constituent Assembly successful April 1947, noting that “Ambedkar’s suggestions were incorporated successful different mentation to Article 16, stating that ‘No idiosyncratic shall garbage the show of civilian obligations oregon duties connected the grounds that his religion truthful requires’ arsenic good arsenic successful Article 19, which declares that ‘The authorities shall not admit immoderate religion arsenic the authorities religion’.”

‘An insecure PM’

The Constitution (42nd Amendment) Act, enacted during the Emergency play successful 1976, added the connection ‘secular’ to the Constitution. However, Indira Gandhi’s attack to secularism sharply contrasted with that of Nehru.

Eminent lawyer A G Noorani, successful his article Indira Gandhi and Indian Muslims (1990), pointed retired that Gandhi’s representation arsenic the ‘protector’ of Muslim interests persisted adjacent arsenic the assemblage became much of a ballot bank. Despite leveraging their support, she resented their rights arsenic autarkic of her oregon her party, helium said.

In his speech, Ravi made a pointed notation to Indira Gandhi, saying it was “one insecure premier minister” who got the connection ‘secular’ added to the Constitution.

As the relevance of secularism successful the Indian discourse continues to beryllium debated successful nationalist discourse, governmental parties proceed to reinterpret the word for their agendas, undermining what Nehru erstwhile sought to enshrine successful the Constitution.