It feels like most of the politician are doing the work of “Dharam Guru” and development and growth is on “Ram Bhaorse”. This blog highlights the vibrant “Chasma” that some politicians encourage people to wear, which comes in colours like green, orange etc. In a country like India with a population of 1.4 billion[1], there is a massive diversity in population which include Hindu, Jain, Sikh, Muslim, Christian and Buddhist. With the diversity in population, there is diversity in the deities that they worship and the sentiment that they follow. Throughout history, Religion has been the most important sentimental part for Indians. Even while there will undoubtedly be some chemical reactions as a result of the diverse fusion of emotions and cultures, the Indian constitution nonetheless binds us all together. The backbone of the nation is the preamble, which declares India to be a Sovereign, Socialist, Secular and Democratic Republic[2].
Digging into the history, On November 15, 1948, when a heated debate was going on in the constitutional assembly regarding the nature of the Constitution, professor KT Shah proposed to add the word secular in the preamble he said ” Sir, I beg to move, that in clause (1) of article 1, after the words ‘shall be a’ the words ‘Secular, Federalist, Socialist’ be included. The amended article or clause shall read as follows: ‘India shall be a Secular, Federalist, Socialist, and Union of States”[3]. But the amendment was not passed. Later in the regime of Indira Gandhi’s government, the 42nd constitutional amendment was passed in 1977[4]. This amendment also included the inclusion of the word ‘socialist’ and ‘secular’ into the preamble to make India a “sovereign socialist secular democratic republic”. This modification in the preamble remained even after Monarji Desai corrected the 42nd amendment through the 44th amendment[5], demonstrating that it was urgently necessary to include the term secular.
Secularism is the view that faith should not have any bearing on how society, education, or government is organized. This concept is crucial for a country’s functioning to be neutral or unbiased and to prevent the misuse of sentiments to gain power. The word “religion” is used more than twenty times in the Indian Constitution to express the idea that it cannot serve as a basis for bias[6]. Religion is highly vital and pure for the nation, which is why it should be protected from prejudice to preserve unity. It’s particularly troubling that most leaders try to use religious sentiments for personal advantage, despite the Constitution’s specific warning and the wide range of culture our country upholds. India’s political landscape is littered with divisive tactics that use the vulnerabilities of its citizens as leverage for personal gain. The use of faith for political purposes ultimately undermines the integrity of both institutions and can prove to be harmful to our Nation. The damage caused manifests itself through rioting, animosity, disagreements and “Kattarta”.This dangerous trend of exploiting religion as a vote bank strategy has led to a divisive and polarized society, where identity and ideology are used to incite conflict rather than unite. In such a sensitive climate, it falls upon our politicians to consider the greater good of our secular nation and curb this harmful practice, which only serves to fragment our society and encourage discord.
Exploitation of power
According to the conventional conception, influence is based on the control of resources that are valued or wanted by others, and power is the potential for influence. Politicians fall under the category of “real-life influencers” since they sway public opinion by doing and speaking certain things. When someone takes on a position with authority or is elevated by the public, more responsibility additionally becomes involved. But because certain politicians have handled their responsibilities improperly, we can see that crimes like hate speech have been having an enormously detrimental effect on our country as a whole. According to the project by The Wire regarding monitoring hate crimes and speeches across six North Indian states since October 2021, 89 instances were reported across four months in the lead-up to the 2022 assembly elections. According to reports, the Bajrang Dal was responsible for 14 of the 89 occurrences, followed by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad for five, the Hindu Gauraksha Dal for four, the Samyukta Hindu Sangharsh Samiti for three, and the Hindu Raksha Dal for two. Out of 89 cases, BJP leaders were connected to 18 of them or more than 20%.Five incidents took place because of an ‘unknown’ mob or group[7]. It’s important to note that this list still doesn’t include all of the hate speech that has been expressed during elections.
We have plenty of instances were some politician have led to communal violence and tension through their speeches. Controversial Asaduddin Owaisi’s brother, an AIMIM MLA, repeated his infamous “15-minute speech” against Hindus from 2012 numerous times. In an incredibly inflammatory statement, he gave in 2012, he demanded that the police be removed for 15 minutes to execute 100 crore Hindus. To incite fear and violence against Hindus, Akbaruddin Owaisi utilised the provocative phrase “15 minutes” once more in 2019. He did this by bringing up the alleged lynching’s of minorities[8]. On the other side, Anurag Thakur incited the crowd with, “Shoot down the rascals/the traitors to the country,” during an election rally reportedly in Delhi on January 20, 2020, about Muslims[9]. These two episodes are merely a preview of the reckless actions of some politicians that incites intergroup conflict. This kind of behaviour by politicians not only violated public trust but also constitutional ethos and Article 14,15,19,21 read with Article 38 of The Constitution of India[10]. Justice Joseph of the Supreme Court noted recently during a hearing on a writ petition addressing “hate speech” that India is a secular country and politics and religion should be entirely segregated, to maintain peace[11]. This observation by Justice Joseph serves as a tactical mirror for politics, religion, and hate speech.
The third schedule of the constitution of India talks about oaths or affirmations. Form of oath of office for a Minister for the Union:— “I, A. B., do swear in the name of God that I will bear true faith solemnly affirm and allegiance to the Constitution of India as by law established, 1 [that I will uphold the sovereignty and integrity of India,] that I will faithfully and conscientiously discharge my duties as a Minister for the Union and that I will do right to all manner of people by the Constitution and the law, without fear or favour, affection or ill-will”[12].When you swear in the name of God that you will obey the constitution without fear or favour, affection or ill-will, how can you first spread your religion or other personal ideologies while in a position of power? A solemn commitment is made by swearing an oath in God’s name. It implies committing to utilising your position honestly and impartially, and the funny thing about this is that some leaders break the same oath in the name of the same deity by playing with the religious sentiment of people.
Generalisation- A common mistake
In addressing issues related to religion, politicians must refrain from making sweeping generalizations that vilify entire communities. Instead, they should strive to convey their message with compassion and understanding, recognizing that every individual – regardless of their faith – is unique. Let’s examine one speech by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, delivered in Goa on April 12, 2002, to better comprehend what generalisation means. During his speech, he said” Wherever Muslims live, they don’t like to live in co-existence with others, they don’t like to mingle with others; and instead of propagating their ideas peacefully, they want to spread their faith by resorting to terror and threats. The world has become alert to this danger”[13]. After the speech, the PMO subsequently released an official English translation of it, adding the word “such” before “Muslim” and after “whenever”[14]. Here we can see the importance word ‘such’ plays and it’s very important because it targets a set of people instead of the whole community. We must acknowledge the dangers of painting an entire community with the same brush. Holding an entire group accountable for the actions of a few is not only unethical but can also lead to harmful generalizations. It is imperative to address the issue directly and hold the individuals responsible for their actions.
Elections – Political Tactics with the very essence of religion
Even after clause 3 in the model code of conduct explicitly says that “There shall be no appeal to caste or communal feelings for securing votes. Mosques, Churches, Temples or other places of worship shall not be used as a forum for election propaganda“[15] still the sword of religion is openly used by some politician. Religion has always played a role in our lives, but when it becomes the centre of political attention, it overshadows the necessary progress and development. The recent Karnataka election to the upcoming Madhya Pradesh election is the best example to highlight how the election is used to create propaganda in and around religion. Congress party in its Karnataka assembly election 2023 said that it will take “decisive action” as per law including banning organizations like Bajrang Dal. And as an opposition party, BJP linked this ban with Lord Hanuman and this became the headlines for Karnataka elections. Concerning facts here is that our nation is drowning in the cesspool of god politics while growth and development take a backseat. It’s frustrating to see the race for power overshadow our progress[16].
Apart from that, recently speaker of Karnataka, UT Khader had also arranged a three-day training course for 70 newly elected MLAs in Karnataka. The location of this event as well as the speakers that were invited is both quite strategic. Vidhana Soudha and Vikas Soudha won’t be hosting this course; instead, Dharmasthala Naturopathy Clinic in Nelamangala will. Additionally, religious, spiritual, and motivational speakers are invited to the event. In the pursuit of a truly secular society, administrative works must remain insulated from religious influence[17]. The entry of religion into the political sphere can have far-reaching consequences that can potentially harm the long-term health of the nation. It is, therefore, essential to maintain a strict separation between religion and government, as this is one of the bedrock principles of secularism. The small instances of religious interference in politics can set a precedent that undermines this principle and, thus, must be rigorously discouraged.
Wake up call
Starting with the nomination of candidates for election, some politicians have been using religion as a scapegoat to further their agenda. This practice will continue forever. It is acceptable to appreciate and honour religion ,What’s wrong is disrespecting other people’s religion through hate speech ,exploiting voter feelings and manipulating citizens through religion sentiment. As we already know, religion is a sensitive subject for many Indians, and attacking or using these sensitive subject would have an adverse impact on them.
It is true that “it takes two hands to clap”; if some politicians are wrong, then some citizens are also wrong. However, can’t we discern the politicians’ religiously veiled ulterior motives? As citizens, we must be discerning of those who wield religion as a tool for their political gain. The dangers of such individuals must not be taken lightly, as their actions extend beyond mere manipulation of public opinion. Let us remain vigilant and hold accountable those who exploit the sanctity of faith for their benefit.
The current state of our nation calls for immediate and decisive action from our lawmakers. We must address and rectify the dangerous and divisive tactics being utilized by certain politicians at the expense of our nation’s unity.
[1] Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations,25 June 2023
[2] The Constitution of India, 1950, Preamble
[3] Constituent Assembly Debates, November 15, 1948
[4] The Constitution(Forty Second Amendment) Act 1977
[5] The Constitution (Forty Fourth Amendment) Act 1979
[6] The Constitution of India 1950
[7] “89 Instances of Hate Crimes, Hate Speech Across Six North Indian States in Four Months”, The Wire, Mar. 09, 2022
[8] “Here are 15 Incidents Where Islamists Have Openly Called for Genocide and ‘Jihad’ Against Hindus”, Opindia, Dec. 24, 2021
[9] Karuna John, “10 Most Hate-Driven Statements by Indian Politicians”, Sabrang, Dec. 30, 2020
[10] The Constitution of India (Article 14 ,15,19,21 and 38)
[11] Manu Sebastian, “Justice KM Joseph : Indian Democracy & Secularism Will Always Be Indebted to Him”, Livelaw, June 17, 2023.
[12] The Constitution of India 1950 (Third Schedule)
[13] The Making of a Tragedy (Penguin, 2002), edited by Siddharth Varadarajan
[14] Government of India, “Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee”, Archive PMO, April12, 2002
[15] Election Commission of India (Model Code of Conduct), s. Clause 3
[16] Vibha Sharma, “The Hanuman Connection in Karnataka Elections”, The Tribune, May 09, 2023.
[17] “Three-Day Legislators’ Training Begins Today”, The Hindu, June 25, 2023.
Author: Shreya Bothra
Juris Centre 