Secularism is a European concept; not needed in India, says Tamil Nadu Governor

Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi’s comments on “Secularism is a European concept” have sparked strong reactions from political leaders, especially from Congress and other opposition parties. The controversy began when Governor Ravi referred to secularism as a European concept that does not fit India, leading many leaders to criticize his statement as “irresponsible.” They raised concerns about such remarks coming from someone holding an important constitutional position.

During a public event in Kanniyakumari, Mr. Ravi expressed his views on secularism, claiming that it was a concept that originated in the West and was brought to India, where it doesn’t fit. He referred to secularism as a “fraud” committed on the Indian people and argued that it should remain a European idea.

“A lot of frauds have been committed on the people of this country, and one of them is that they have tried to give a wrong interpretation of secularism. What does secularism mean? Secularism is a European concept, and it is not an Indian concept,” Governor Ravi said. He further explained that secularism in Europe emerged from conflicts between the church and the king. According to him, such a concept does not apply to India, which is rooted in dharma.

“In Europe, secularism came because there was a fight between the church and the king… How can India be away from dharma? Secularism is a European concept and let it be there only. In India, there is no need for secularism,” the Governor added, without explaining what should replace secularism in India’s constitutional framework.

Governor Ravi’s remarks also included criticism of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who introduced the word secularism into the Preamble of the Indian Constitution during the Emergency in 1976. He claimed that the decision to include secularism was made to appease certain sections of society during a time of political insecurity.

“Twenty-five years after Independence, during the Emergency period, an insecure Prime Minister, in an effort to appease certain sections of people, introduced secularism into the Constitution,” Mr. Ravi said.

Criticism from Congress and CPI(M)

The Governor’s comments were met with criticism from several political leaders. Congress MP from Tamil Nadu, Manickam Tagore, stated that the Governor’s remarks were against the Constitution. He explained that while secularism might have different meanings in other countries, in India, it represents respect for all religions and traditions. In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), Mr. Tagore said, “This is the idea of secularism in India.”

Brinda Karat, a senior leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), also strongly criticized the Governor’s remarks, calling them “perplexing.” She suggested that Mr. Ravi’s statement implied that he did not value the Indian Constitution, which enshrines secularism as a key principle. Ms. Karat also took a dig at the BJP-led central government, accusing it of appointing Governors who do not believe in the Constitution.

“The Governor’s statement shows that he thinks the Constitution is also a foreign concept. Those who believe in the Constitution, those who question it are sitting in the Governor’s chair,” Ms. Karat said.

RN Ravi’s statement questioning the need for secularism in India has raised concerns about how constitutional principles are being viewed by people in key positions of authority. The debate over secularism in India, a country with deep religious diversity, has been a longstanding issue, and Mr. Ravi’s remarks have reignited this conversation, leading to widespread political and public debate.

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