Is India a secular democracy?
This isn't a homework question or anything this is just something I was wondering.
secular and democracy are words that have meanings that widely vary. I remember in the 1980's a lot of preachers in the US were going nuts about the US becoming secular (which it it is and has been for 200 years).
But in the meaning that most intelligent persons use for secular (not having view are laws based on religion) and democracy (a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives), India is indeed a secular democracy for the most part. However, there are some vestiges of the influnce of Hindus in the constitution, that need to be eliminated. See http://www.outlookindia.com/article/Why-India-Is-Not-A-Secular-State/239584
In the US, we have the same fights over the Ten Commandments, Christmas displays, and currently in "conservative" states laws that allow folks to practice discrimination based on "religious" beliefs. An Lord help a Muslum try to arrange a political rally on the capitol grounds (as happened here in Texas a few weeks ago, and an idiot came in shouting their view of Salvation to the muslims over the PA system.
Such is life amoung bigots. Yes, I would call India a secular democracy, but it has some issues it needs to grow out of in favoring Hindus.
Yes, India is a secular democracy. To determine this, you can examine two key aspects: secularism and democracy.
Firstly, secularism refers to the separation of religion and state. In the case of India, the Constitution guarantees religious freedom and ensures that the state does not favor or promote any particular religion. The secular nature of India is evident in various aspects, including the freedom to practice and propagate any religion, the absence of an official state religion, and equal treatment of all religions under the law.
Secondly, democracy refers to a form of government where power rests with the people. In India, the country follows a parliamentary democratic system. It has a multi-party political system and conducts regular elections at different levels of government, including general elections for the national parliament and state assemblies. These elections allow citizens to vote for their representatives and have a say in shaping the policies of the country.
Therefore, combining the principles of secularism and democracy, India can be considered a secular democracy.