Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath has declared that "secularism is the biggest lie...that has been told since Independence and has damaged the country...those who first used this word should ask forgiveness from the people." It is not a question of semantics. 70 years after independence, there are those holding important elected offices who cannot stomach the reality that India has rejected their sectarian idea of a theocratic country, a version of a "Hindu Pakistan". These leaders misuse their office to challenge the fundamental secular principles of the freedom struggle reflected in the constitution of India.
The Supreme Court on more than one occasion has ruled that the "secular character" is part of the basic structure of the constitution and that no part of the basic structure of the constitution can be abrogated, even by a constitutional amendment. This was first stated in the Kesavananda Bharati case in 1973 and reiterated in the Bommai judgement in 1994. In the latter case, the Supreme Court went into some detail as to what the concept of secularism means and reiterated "The Constitution does not recognize, it does not permit, mixing religion and State power. Both must be kept apart. That is the constitutional injunction. None can say otherwise so long as this Constitution governs this country.
