Communalism, regionalism, secularism

Story hook

It is 18 December 1976. The 42nd Constitutional Amendment inserts the word "SECULAR" into the Preamble during the Emergency. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi argues: "The principle was always implicit; we are merely making it explicit." But the word itself — never invoked in 1949 by Ambedkar, Nehru, or KM Munshi — now becomes the touchstone of Indian constitutional identity.

Forty-eight years later, in 2024, the Supreme Court in Dr Balram Singh v. Union of India rejects a petition to remove "secular" + "socialist" from the Preamble. The Bench: "Secularism has always been a basic feature of the Constitution. Its insertion was clarificatory."

Between Ayodhya 1992 + Babri demolition + Sabarimala 2018 + Hijab 2022 + UCC debate 2024, the Indian model of secularism has been tested + reshaped. Unlike France's laïcité (strict separation) or American "wall of separation," India's model is "principled distance" — state engages with all religions equitably. This file unpacks how — and where it strains.

Why this matters for UPSC

For UPSC:

• Prelims: 42nd Amendment Preamble, Article 25-28 (religious freedom), SR Bommai 1994 (basic structure), Stainislaus 1977, Shah Bano 1985, Sabarimala 2018, Hijab Karnataka 2022.
• Mains GS-I + GS-II + Ethics: Indian secularism model, communalism, religious tolerance, Uniform Civil Code, social harmony.
• Interview: Personal opinion on UCC + minority rights.