Mantolives

Mantolives, I am so impressed by your profile and by one of your replies to an article
(excerpt below) ... I am new to chowk and cannot see now to message you regarding this, so I shall post here, in this fashion.


Secularism in my view is a necessity not just for India but for any country of the world... the specific form that secularism takes depends on how homogenous or heterogenous the state is. Hence I agree with your comments almost in entirety as with the article.

Your point about religion and language is a salient one. When asked to specify how exactly I envisaged the half baked third house idea (given in article mentioned earlier) to work practically, with one voter multiple identities, I was forced to conclude that the broad division was always along religious and linguistic lines ... that resulted in #200 on my board.

I have a conception of the state (and hence citizenship) above identities.... hence the state does not only treat all religions (and languages) equally but is itself not religious but rather an impartial arbiter amongst religious and linguistic groups... in this way, the separation of church and state constitutes a basic principle of statehood. I think this answers tolkinin’s question addressed to me as well...