secularism

Shri Pranab Mukherjee
President of India
Rashtrapati Bhavan
New Delhi - 110 004

Honourable President of the Republic of India,

We, the signatories to this representation, members of the IITKanpur community (past and present) in different capacities, join the nationwide call of artists, scientists and various intellectuals who have been registering their protest against growing intolerance in India.

"I must say at the outset that most people, particularly the media, give way too much importance to a fatwa. First of all, they insist upon calling any statement a fatwa. I have no hope that the media will change anytime soon because fatwa, for them, is a sexy term. It’s juicy and interesting and it creates a counterpoint of Muslim communalism. If the Hindus have Bajrang Dal and VHP you also need some hate-mongering Muslim institutions to create a fine balance.

"In ’secular’ India politicians of all make and public officials regularly seek the divine blessings in advertised events such as the inaugural ceremonies of state sponsored buildings and public projects and use religious priests to supervise laying of the foundation stones and undertake bhoomi puja (Worship of Earth) for the approval of the supernatural powers with the chanting of prayer. Even Virgins, Cows and astrologers are deployed at these events and no one bats an eyelid. Was’nt the state supposed to steer clear from religion?

"A day after row erupted over a Republic Day advertisement of Information and Broadcasting Ministry, the Shiv Sena on Wednesday demanded "permanent deletion" of the words 'secular' and 'socialist' from the Constitution. An acrimonious war of words had broken out between political parties yesterday when an advertisement issued by the I&B Ministry carried a picture of the Preamble to the Constitution as it appeared before the 42nd Amendment, without the words 'secular' and 'socialist'..."