I. Answer the following questions in two sentences:
1. Who were persecuted in Germany by Hitler?
Ans: Jews were persecuted by Hitler in Germany.
2. Which treats are faced by Israel’s Muslim and Christian community?
Ans: The Jewish state of Israel treats its own Muslim and Christian minorities quite badly now.
3. In Saudi-Arabia how is the treatment with non-Muslims?
Ans: In Saudi-Arabia non-Muslims are not allowed to build temple, church etc. and nor can they gather in a public place for prayers.
4. What powers does Indian constitution has?
Ans: Indian constitution contains Fundamental rights that protect citizens against state power as well as against the tyranny of the majority.
5. What do you mean by Secularism?
Ans: Secularism refers to separation of religion from the state.
6. What are the bad effects of majority religious groups?
Ans: If the majority religious group has access to state power than it could easily use this power and financial resources to discriminate and persecute persons of other religions. This tyranny of the majority could result in the discrimination, coercion and at times killing of persons.
7. What is the another important reason to separate religion from the state in democratic societies?
Ans: It is important to separate religion from the state in democratic societies is because we also need to protect the freedom of individuals to exist from their religion, embrace another religion or have the freedom to interpret religious teachings differently.
8. What is Indian secularism?
Ans: The Indian constitution mandates that the Indian state be secular. According to the constitution ,only a secular state can realize its objectives to ensure the following:
i) That one religious community does not dominate another,
ii) That some members do not dominate other members of the same religious community
iii) That the state does not enforce any particular religion nor take away the religious freedom of individuals .
9. How should schools function in regard to secularism?
Ans: Government schools cannot promote any one religion either in their morning prayers or through religious celebrations. This rule does not apply to private schools.
10. How does constitution not interfere with religious practices?
Ans: The other way in which Indian secularism works to prevent domination is through a strategy of non interference .Hence in order to respect the sentiments of all religious and not interfere with religious practices.
For eg: A Sikh youth, does not have to wear a helmet. This is because the Indian state recognizes that wearing turban.
11. How does the Indian state prevent domination by religious communities?
Ans: The Indian state used a strategy of distancing itself from religion. The Indian state is not ruled by a religious groups nor does it support any one religion. In India, government institutions like law courts, police stations, government schools and offices are not supposed to display or promote any one religion.
12. Why is state intervening in religion?
Ans: The state is intervening in religion in order to end the social practices. For example, the fundamental rights of “Lower classes” are violated.
13. What is meant by the term establishment?
Ans: The establishment refers to that the legislature cannot declare any religion as the official religion nor they can give reference to one religion.
14. What does the first amendment of the US Constitution prohibits?
Ans: The First Amendment of the US constitution prohibits the legislature from making laws “respecting an establishment of religion” or that “prohibit the free exercise of religion.
15. What is meant by the separation between the state and religion in the U.S.A?
Ans: In the U.S.A the separation between state and religion can interfere in the affairs of one another.
16. How does Indian secularism differs from the secularism practiced in S.A?
Ans: Indian secularism differs from the dominant understanding of secularism as practiced in the United States of America. This is because unlike the strict separation between religion and the state in American secularism, in Indian secularism the state can intervene in religious affairs.
17. What rights does the Indian constitution grant to religious communities?
Ans: The Indian constitution grants the right to religious communities to set up their own schools and colleges. It also gives them financial aid on a non preferential basis.
18. Why does the Indian constitution ban untouchability?
Ans: The Indian constitution band untouchability in order to prevent religion based exclusion and discrimination of the lower classes.
II. Answer the following questions in two sentences:
1. What is an essence of secularism?
Ans: The discrimination on the grounds of their religious practices and beliefs should come to an end. All forms of domination related to religion should end. This is the essence of secularism.
2. What are the reasons to separate religion from the state power?
Ans:
(a) The Indian constitution allows individuals the freedom to live by their religious beliefs and practices as they interpret.
(b)The Indian constitution contains Fundamental rights that protect us against state power as well as against the tyranny of the majority.
(c) In keeping with this idea of religious freedom for all, India also adopted a strategy of separating the power of religion and power of the state.
3. How is secularism referred to as the separation of religion from the state?
Ans:
(a) The Indian constitution contains fundamental rights that protect citizens against state power as well as against the tyranny of the majority.
(b) The Indian allows individuals the freedom to live by their religious beliefs and practices as they interpret these.
(c) India adopted a strategy of separating religion and the power of the state.
4. Why is it important to separate religion and state in democratic societies.
Ans:
(a) Almost all countries of the world have more than one religious groups living in them, it is always a possibility that one group may have majority. If this majority group has access to state power and financial resources will be used and other minority group will be discriminated.
(b)The tyranny of the majority could result in the discrimination , coercion and at times even the killing of religious minorities.
(c) The majority could easily prevent minorities from practicing their religion .
(d)We need to protect the freedom of individuals to either leave their religion, embrace another religion or have the freedom to interpret religious teachings differently
5. How does Indian state work in various ways to prevent the religious domination?
Ans:
(a) It uses a strategy of distancing itself from religion the Indian state is not ruled by a religious group and nor does it support any one religion
(b)In India, government spaces like law courts, police stations, government schools, and offices are not supposed to display or promote any one religion.
6. How is Indian constitution provide support to the citizens?
Ans: The intervention of the state in the form of support. The Indian constitution grants the right to religious communities to set up their own schools and colleges. It also gives them financial aid on a non-preferential basis.
7. “The Indian state is secular and works in various ways to prevent religious domination”. Explain?
Ans:
(i) The Indian constitution guarantees fundamental rights that are based on these secular principles. However we cannot say that there is no violation of these rights in Indian society.
(ii) When we know about such rights makes us sensitive to their violations and enables us to take action when violations takes place.
8. The ideals serve as the standard through which we can judge the states secular principles. Explain?
Ans: In Indian secularism, though the state is not strictly separate from religion it does maintain a principled distance vis-a-vis religion. This means that any interference in religion by the state has to be based on the ideals laid out in the constitution. These ideals serve as the standard through which we can judge whether state is or is not behaving.