On Friday 29 Feb 2008 7:24:03 am Charles Haynes wrote: > Is book burning ever appropriate in a nominally > free, pluralistic, secular democracy
A little comment on the above quote: There is a commonly seen misrepresentation of reality here The Republic of India is a secular democracy. In a secular country the government is secular and does not allow religion into affairs of state (at least nominally) But just because the laws and government are secular does not mean that Indians are secular. Indians are decidedly not secular. Religion fills their lives and religion fills every nook and cranny of India. Secular refers to absence of religion. That is fine for government, but it will not do for an Indian of any hue. Indians allow religion everywhere - the only general caveat being "pluralism" - i.e let every religion exist side by side. This can never be secularism. shiv
