Secularism refers to the separation of religion from political, economic, social and cultural aspects of life, and religion being treated as a purely personal matter. It emphasis dissociation of the state from religion, provides all religions with full freedom and believes in tolerance of all religions. It also stands for equal opportunities for followers of all religions and allows no discrimination on grounds of religion. Historical context of Secularism in India - Secular traditions are very deeply rooted in the history of India. Indian culture is based on the blending of various spiritual traditions and social movements. In ancient India, the Sanatan Dharma (Hinduism) developed as a holistic religion by welcoming different spiritual traditions and trying to integrate them into a common mainstream Even after the advent of Jainism, Bhuddhism and later Islam and Christianity on the Indian Soil, the quest for religious toleration and co-existence of different faiths continued. In medieval India, the Sufi and Bhakti Movements bonded the people of various communities together with love and peace. The leading lights of these movements were Khawja Moinuddin Chisti, Baba Farid, Sant Kabir Das, Guru Nanak Dev, Saint Tukaram and Mira Bai, etc. The Spirit of Secularism was further strengthened and enriched through the Indian Freedom Movement, even when the British pursued the policy of divide and rule. However, Indian Freedom Movement was characterised by secular tradition and ethos right from the start. Gandhiji's secularism was based on a commitment to the brotherhood of religious communities based on their respect for and pursuit of truth, where as JL Nehru's secularism was based on a commitment to scientific humanism tinged with a progressive view of historical change. Philosophy of Indian Secularism - The term 'secularism' is similar to the Vedic concept of 'Dharma Nirapekshata' i.e. the indifference of state to religion. The model of secularism adopted by the western societies is based on the complete separation of religion and state (i.e. separation of the Church and the State). Indian philosophy of secularism is related to 'Sarva Dharma Sambhava' (literally, it means that the destination of the path followed by all the religions are different) which means equal respect to all religions. This concept, embraced and promoted by personalities like Vivekananda and Mahatma Gandhi is called 'Positive secularism' which reflects the dominant ethos of Indian Culture. India does not have an official state religion. However, different personal laws on matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, alimony varies with an individual's religion. Indian secularism is not an end in itself but a means to address religious plurality. It seeks to achieve peaceful co-existence of different religions. Secularism and the Indian Constitution. - There is a clear incorporation of all the basic principles of secularism into various provisions of the Constitution. The term 'Secular' was not initially a part of the Preamble, it was added to the Preamble by the 42nd Costitutional Amendment Act of 1976 (India is a sovereign, socialists, secular, democratic and republic). It emphasis the fact that Constitutionally, India is a secular country. This means that the state shall recognise and accept all religions, and not favor or patronize any particular religion. While, Article 14 of the Indian Constitution grants equality before the law and equal protection of the laws to all, Article 15 enlarges the concept of secularism to the widest possible extent by prohibiting discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth. Article 25 provides 'Freedom of Conscience', that is, all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right to freely profess, practice and propagate a religion. As per article 26, every religious group or individual has the right to establish and maintain institutions for religious and charitable purposes and to manage its own affairs in matters of religion. Article 27 states that the state shall not compel any citizen to pay any tax for the promotion or maintenance of any particular religion or religious institution. Article 28 allows educational institutions to maintain different religious groups to impart religious education. Article 51A, i.e. Fundamental Duties oblige all the citizens to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood, and to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture. Threats to Indian Secularism - While the Indian Constitution declares the state being absolutely neutral to all religion, our society is steeped tin religion. Mingling of religion and politics, that is mobilization of votes on grounds of primordial identities like religion, caste and ethnicity, have put Indian secularism in danger. Communal politics operates through communalization of social space, by spreading myths and stereotypes against minorities, through attack on rational values and by practice a divisive ideological propaganda and politics. Politicisation of any one religious groups leads to the competitive politicisation of other groups, there by resulting in inter-religious conflict. One of the manifestations of communalism is communal riots. In recent past, communalism has proved to be a great threat to the secular fabric of Indian polity. Rise of Hindu Nationalism in recent years has resulted in mob lynching, on the mere suspicion of slaughtering cows and consuming beef. In addition to this, forced closure of slaughterhouses, campaigns against 'love-jihad', reconversion or ghar-wapsi (Muslim being forced to convert to Hinduism), etc., reinforces communal tendencies in the Indian society. Islamic fundamentalism or revivalism pushed for establishing Islamic state based on Sharia Law which directly comes into conflict with conception of the secular and democratic state. In recent years, there have been stray incidents of muslim youth being inspired and radicalised by groups like ISIS ( Islamic State of Iran and Syria) which is very unfortunate for both India and the world. Way Forward - In a Pluralistic society, the best approach to nurture secularism is to expand religious freedom rather than strictly practicing state neutrality. It is incumbent on us to ensure value-education that makes the younger generation understand and appreciate not only its own religious traditions but also those of other religions of in the country. There is also a need to identify a common framework or a shared set of values which allows the diverse groups to live together. The prerequisites to implement the social reform initiative like Uniform Civil Code are to create a conducive environment and forging socio-political consensus.