Abstract
India over thousands of years had become a ‘melting pot’ of religious, linguistic and cultural diversity, and thereby created a unique cultural fabric based on the principles of multiculturalism and pluralism.The ancient Indian philosophy was based on the ideals of vasudaivakutumbakam - the whole world is one family and sarvadharmasambhava- all religion leads to the same destination. These philosophical notions have attained legal status in the India. This article will focus on the background and constitutional perspective of secularism as implemented in India, the Supreme Court’s interpretation of secularism and identification of certain religious practices as an essential and integral part of a religion and lastly the role of the State in regulating the freedom of religion.
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