Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi created a political stir with his remark on 'secularism'. While addressing an event in Kanyakumari district on Sunday, the Governor said secularism is a European concept evolved after a conflict between the church and the king whereas Bharat is a dharma-centric nation and therefore, it was not part of the Constitution, but added during the Emergency by "one insecure prime minister".
Ravi asserted a lot of frauds have been committed on the people of the country, and one of them was a wrong interpretation of secularism.
Secularism is not a Bharatiya concept: Governor
"What does secularism mean? Secularism is a European concept, secularism is not a Bharatiya concept," he said.
Decades later, during emergency (1975-77), "one insecure Prime Minister," introduced secularism in the Constitution in order to appease some sections of people, the Governor alleged.
Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister during the emergency. He further said in Europe, secularism emerged as there was a fight between the church and the king and in order to end this conflict, which went on for a long time, this concept was evolved.
At the time of independence, when the Constitution was being drafted, a discussion came up on secularism and the Constituent Assembly rejected it observing that Bharat is a dharma-centric country and there has been no conflict, similar to what was witnessed in Europe, Ravi claimed.
"How can there be a conflict with dharma? How can Bharat be away from dharma? it cannot be!" he said. Hence, they said secularism was a European concept and let it be there, Ravi added.
In India, there was no need for secularism, they said and hence, it was not included in the Constitution, the Governor asserted.
The Congress on Monday slammed as "outrageous and unacceptable" Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi's remark and demanded his immediate sacking. The grand old party said that Ravi is "only a trial balloon floater" and is echoing what Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to get done.
Congress MP Dr Syed Naseer Hussain said, "Neither does he know the meaning of the word secularism nor does he know what was discussed when the word 'Secular' was inserted in the Constitution. It has become his habit to say anything. Earlier, only BJP leaders used to speak but now they have started to make Governors and constitutional bodies speak. Either they should follow the Constitution or resign."
(With agencies inputs)
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