India is a land of multi-religious faith and multi-cultural beliefs. It is the birth place of four major religions – Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism. Modern nation-states are multi-religious, so there is a need for tolerance of all religions. The concept of secularism aims at a society in which people of religious beliefs, and people who do not belong to any religion, can live together in harmony and peace.
1. Origin of the Term and Its Promoters
- The term secularism is derived from the Latin word 'saeculum', meaning 'an age' or 'the spirit of an age'.
- George Jacob Holyoake, a British newspaper editor, coined the term secularism.
- Rajaram Mohan Roy, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, Rabindranath Tagore, Mahatma Gandhi and B.R. Ambedkar contributed towards the spread of secularism in Indian society.
- Jawaharlal Nehru: "India will be a land of many faiths, equally honoured and respected, but of one national outlook."