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Religious Pluralism and the State in India: Towards a Typology

India
Political Theory
Liberalism
Rochana Bajpai
SOAS University of London
Rochana Bajpai
SOAS University of London

Abstract

ow do states negotiate between the claims of multiple religious groups? What effects do state policies have on societal pluralism? Reflecting on India’s historical experience, this paper suggests that India’s religious pluralism has been sustained by political pluralism that is currently undermined by majoritarian nationalism. It identifies a variety of state approaches to religious pluralism across different time periods, state institutions, areas of policy, and minority groups. Forms of hierarchical pluralism characterized pre-modern states in India, with considerable group autonomy associated with the asymmetric hierarchy of caste co-existing with the dominance of the ruling group. The transition to a modern democratic state during constitution-making was influenced by the ideas of the nationalist movement. Constitution-makers accepted some traditions of religious accommodation (eg. separate religious laws), while rejecting others (eg. religion-based representation). To some extent, political pluralism of the Indian Constitution has been extended in subsequent state practice in the post-independence period. However, these have elicited a counter-reaction, in the form of majoritarian assimilationist impulse, which has gained ground electorally as well as in civil society, and has been associated with increased violence and discrimination against religious minorities. India’s experience suggests, contrary to influential post-colonial scholarship, that state policies, including those influenced by nationalist ideologies, do not necessarily entrench religious differences. Rather these can also serve to pluralize group claims. However, assimilationist approaches that seek to reduce intra-group pluralism serve to deepen inter-religious antagonisms in ways that promote violence.