Karnataka Hijab Ban: The Failed Application of India’s Secularism By- Europa Doley www.kractivist.org/karnataka-hijab-ban-the-failed-application-of-indias-secularism/
Constitutional secularism could be defined using two features, the first being critical respect for all religions. Its second feature,( is ) the Indian state abandons strict separation but keeps a principled distance from all religions. This constitutional secularism cannot be sustained by governments alone but requires collective commitment from an impartial judiciary, scrupulous media, civil society activists, and an alert citizenry.
..one could argue that the idea of majoritarianism is actually ingrained in the Indian idea of secularism. The Hijab controversy is only one of many offshoots of that inherent contradiction between the Indian State and the Indian model of secularism.
No one can deny that the Indian State and its practices are blatantly and overtly Hindunised. Hinduism might not be the State religion in India, but its hegemony in public affairs is quite evident. Segregation and discrimination are fundamental in the roots and beyond, and the government allows it. Students have been divided. To counter one group of students, another group is coming with saffron shawls, saffron turbans. A woman student in her religious attire is being intimidated by an entire group of saffron-clad boys. The harassment is out in public and the government machinery fails.
The entire atmosphere of freedom is being taken over. They say one culture, one community, one religion, time and again, talking about their supremacy. It is a collective responsibility of all of us to calm this fire of hate, division and identity.