1. Understanding Secularism: Secularism aims to ensure the separation of religion from state affairs to promote equality and non-discrimination. It advocates that the state should not favor or discriminate against any religion. Ideally, secularism upholds the rights of all individuals irrespective of their religious or ethnic backgrounds.

2. Politics of Religion: Politicization of religion often involves exploiting religious sentiments to gain political power or influence. For example, the BJP’s electoral strategies have frequently involved the promotion of Hindu nationalism, which can lead to the marginalization of religious minorities. Such political maneuvering can undermine the principles of secularism by favoring one religion over others.

3. Ethnic Violence: Ethnic violence frequently arises when political leaders exploit ethnic identities for electoral gains or control. Recent instances include the Riots in Manipur (2023), which have roots in ethnic tensions exacerbated by political and administrative failures. This ethnic strife underscores the failure of secular frameworks to address and mitigate underlying ethnic conflicts.

4. Secularization vs. Sectarianism: Secularization ideally promotes equal treatment and harmony among diverse groups. However, when political entities use religion or ethnicity as a tool for division, it results in sectarianism rather than genuine secularism. For instance, the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests in India highlighted the conflict between secular ideals and policies perceived as discriminatory against Muslims.

5. Critical Analysis: The statement implies that when politics becomes entangled with religion and ethnicity, it often reflects a failure of secularism rather than its success. Effective secularism should aim to diminish religious and ethnic tensions rather than exacerbate them.

Conclusion: The politics of religion and ethnic violence often illustrate a failure of secularism, highlighting how political exploitation of religious and ethnic identities can undermine the core principles of secular equality and non-discrimination.