Nehru’s Views on Communalism and Secularism

Jawaharlal Nehru, who served as the first Prime Minister of independent India and was a pre-eminent architect of the Indian independence movement, was a strong believer in secularism as well as a firm opponent of communalism. Those values in one way were for a manifesto, but if anyone followed Shri Rao as a leader, he was talking about a modern Indian routes, modern inclusive and progressive India. In this article, we will discuss Nehru’s perception towards communalism and secularism and how this influenced his political thought and policy during his rule.

Communalism: The Potential Catalyst for National Disunity

It is said that Nehru believed that communalism, particularly religious communalism, is a threat to the unity and integrity of India. Communalism means mobilizing of religious communities for political purpose and more often causes onslaughts of one community into the other community. Communalism, in Nehru’s view, was a backward-looking ideology that could threaten the democratic structures of the country and negatively affect its progress.

Historical Context: Nehru’s stand against communalism was informed by the fraught reality of India, and especially the subcontinent’s partition in 1947, which killed and displaced millions. He considered communalism a legacy of British divide-and-rule policies, in which British rulers had stoked religious tensions to stay in control.

Social Unrest and Economic Repercussions: According to Nehru, the communalism resulted not only in social disturbances but also economic damages. He felt that this society was not conducive for economic growth and the riots and unrest that the society was going through were hampering normal life causing a loss of life and property. That peaceful, cooperative society was integral to his dream of a modern India.

Political Exploitation: Nehru condemned the exploitation of religious sentiments for political ends. He considered it a dangerous and cynical practice that could usher in authoritarianism and erode democratic norms. Nehru had propounded a politics that was rooted not in religious identity but in questions of governance, development and social justice.

Secularism: An Identifier of Pakistani Nationality

A staunch supporter of secularism, whatever Nehru believed secularism to mean, Nehru regarded it as a bedrock of India’s national character. For Nehru, secularism was not the absence of religion but the squalid and impartial treatment of all religions by the state.

Equality Among All Religions: Nehru’s vision of secularism was ensuring the neutrality of the state towards all religions. To him, only a secular state where all religious communities are given equal citizen protection and opportunity would create a true sense of national identity and unity, as opposed to a fragmented, bomb-throwing society.

Advancement of Rational Thinking: Nehru championed the cause of rational thinking and scientific temper integral to a progressive society. The secular regime in India, he saw, would foster critical thought, while superstition and dogma held back social and economic progress.

Cultural Pluralism: Nehru was a great admirer of the cultural and religious heterogeneity of India. He had felt that maintaining this diversity and keeping it from becoming divisive was best achieved through secularism. His ideal India was one in which people of various religions, castes and ethnicities could live peacefully with one another and engage equally in the nation’s progress.

Legal and Constitutional Framework: Nehru played a pivotal role in instilling secularism as a cardinal doctrine of the Indian Constitution. The Constitution grants religious freedoms under Article 25, while Article 26 empowers religious groups to manage themselves. These provisions were meant to safeguard religious minorities and merit the absence of state-sponsored discrimination.

The Practical Implementation of Secularism

Nehru’s secular commitment was not just rhetorical flourishes. As the Prime Minister, he introduced a number of policies and measures which protected and promoted secular values and helped reduce communal tensions.

Education and Social Reform: Nehru viewed education as the means to promote secular values. He championed institutions such as the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) to cultivate a scientific and rational mindset. He was one of the advocates of social reform measures including the Hindu Code Bill, which sought to modernise and secularise personal laws.

Economic Development: Nehru also sought economic development and industrialization as part of his larger strategy to promote secularism. By enhancing the economic situation of every citizen, he wished to strain communal politics, and to give people a collective stake in the country’s progress.

Another area where Nehru’s idealism played a key role was his approach to diplomacy and governance. He frequently sought out leaders of other religious communities to listen to theirs concerns and to pursue mutually beneficial understanding. Facilities such as the National Integration Council, which was developed to promote national integration and counter communalism, also enjoyed his support.

He was the example they needed: Nehru stood above any specific religion, never subordinated to any religious community. He visited the places of worship of other religions and celebrated their festivals with all people of faiths. His personal behaviour and public statements repeatedly reinforced the message of secularism and national unity.

Legacy and Impact

Nehru and Communalism: His advocacy for secularism set the stage for a plural India which remains a template for other multi-religious nations. It also treats the problems posed by communalism, which are still far from resolved, including as they do the failure to achieve religious harmony and national integration.

Nehru’s secular vision is enshrined in the Indian Constitution whose secular framework is a guiding light for the country. His vision of a modern, secular and united India continues to serve as an inspiration for political leaders and citizens who uphold the significance of religious pluralism and national unity.

Conclusion

You are the of a secular world in which apprehensions of religious extremism were not original and Nehru’s communalism reflected a desire to build in India. He considered communalism as a menace to the nation’s unity and progress and secularism as a tool to augment both harmony and development. Nehru endeavored, through policies and his own example, to build a society in which adherents of different faiths could coexist peacefully and in mutual respect. His leaving has remained a valuable part of India’s political and social climate in this regard.