The beauty in India that is Bharat is our culture and constitution. We have always granted space for all religious beliefs and practices. This did not happen because the Constitution was changed in the 1970s and the word ‘secular’ was added to the preamble. Culturally, we always allowed space for different religious beliefs.
In modern society, there are some constitutional guarantees to various degrees. Most constitutions in the world guarantee religious freedom — just like India. At the same time, is any of this freedom or constitutional right absolute? No, including the right to life. For heinous crimes, the court can give the death penalty. Therefore, no right to freedom is considered absolute.
Currently, we have this big turmoil in society. The courts are considering the use of religious symbolism, particularly of a restrictive kind in schools and colleges. Most colleges do not have a dress code especially if these are private. You are free to wear what you want because it doesn't go against any rule or law. But there are schools where there is a dress code, a uniform. Therefore, to say that my religious freedom should be more important than the uniform of the school or institution, including institutions like the police, army, etc., is against the spirit of the Constitution.
One cannot say that because the Constitution gives me religious freedom, I can do what I want, including the overthrow of institutional regulations of uniform etc. That type of freedom will degenerate into chaos and break up society. Just imagine what would happen if every religious person from the hundreds of sub-sects in India wanted to do their own thing. There would be no order. Therefore, wherever a uniform etc. is required then one needs to ensure that that remains more important than one’s religious symbolism. In one’s private life and those areas of public life where such requirements are not there, one is free to follow one’s religious symbolism provided they are not thrust upon the practitioners subverting their freedom.
(The writer is the founder of Aarsha Vidya Foundation. You can write to him at aarshavidyaf@gmail.com)
