Secular Yapping !!

A lot has been made of secularism this election season, with certain parties with questionable secular intentions using the 'secular' concept as a major 'USP' (Unique Selling Point) of their party over certain other supposedly religion oriented parties. [Irony is some of these organisation owe their origin to 'Secularism' ]

Here is my attempt (might be feeble !!) to dissect this issue and see the merits (or the lack of those) in the arguments pro and against secularism as an issue these elections.

Rail Minister of India Laluji where he explains how the 'Secular' Lalu would have crushed the 'anti-secular' Varun under a roller. This piece of bovine excreta made me ponder over why so much importance is given to the secular tom-toming by Cong, SP, BSP and others.

Why Secularism a huge issue?

I guess it was a huge issue in the 1950s when the word 'secular' was drafted into the Indian Constitution. The word categorically differentiated India from Pakistan which was decisively Islamic. At that juncture the move was hailed as one of extreme greatness by the Father of the Nation - the Mahatma.

Another juncture when Secularism might have been a huge issue was probably in the aftermath of the Babri Masjid riots. It was then that parties opposing BSP upheld the secular flag against the Hindutva plank of the BJP. But even this was 17 , I repeat 17 years ago. In 2009, where there are little or no communal disharmonies left in society, I personally believe secularism isn't an issue at all.

If secularism isn't an issue, what are the issues?

According to me the following are the 6 key issues that have to be addressed by the parties in that order:

Basic amenities to all - food, water, shelter
Security - internal and external
Basic Literacy
Population control
Tackling unemployment
General development - Poverty eradication

Clearly each of the following issues in 2009 context rank far above such sidey issues like secularism and reservation in higher education instis. And yet, what do we see in India, ppl voting for such issues. not sad, its downright disgusting to live with such stark realities.Right, we understand secularism, but what do you mean by pseudo-secularism?In one sentence - pseudo secularism is implicit non-secular behavior under the mask of pledged secularism. The so called secular parties of India are the masters of such pseudo secular behavior and they have displayed it time and again. The biggest example of such a character is classifying the electorate into Vote Banks!

But why this issue all of a sudden?Yes, thats a pertinent question. Why this issue, and why now?

The reason is quite straight forward. For years now, the secular parties have been using their secular status as some sort of a Brahmastra - the weapon which absolves them of all their shortcomings. The best example is that of the Left in WB. For 25 yrs, they have done little or no development in the whole of WB and yet they go to the electorate and demand votes just coz they are standing on the secular plankI believe its time for the Indian voter to Jago Re from his slumber , look around and give votes in a shrewd manner rather than just becoming a part of a votebank...

Adios !!