Religion is not a private matter

Sunil Dutt, whose life was full of struggle and achievements once, said, "I cannot understand why people use religion to cause divisions among people. Religion is beautiful but very private. For a country like India secularism is the only way of life."

I do not agree with the late Dutt's observation. Religion is not private. All the religions of the world have their own codes for its followers. Instructions and injunctions of a religion are not merely applicable to one's private life but to one's social, economic, and national life as well. Religions have been prescribed to protect social order and moral values.

Secularism doesn't mean blending of all the religions together to form an assorted religion. Secularism, as I understand, ensures one's right to practice one's religion freely while allowing one to enjoy one's democratic right without discrimination, and under a state framework.