Dr Rajeev Bhargava, director of the New Delhi-based Center for the Study of Developing Societies in India, was the keynote speaker at Canada's International Development Research Centre in Ottawa.
As part of 'The India Lectures', he was invited by the IDRC to speak on 'Secularism and Governance in India'. His presentation was chaired by David Malone, till recently Canada's high commissioner to India, who is now president of the IDRC. Bhargava has taught at New Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University and was the head of the University of Delhi's political science department.
The political scientist discusses secularism in India with Senior Editor Ajit Jain.
What do you think are the larger implications of faith, politics and democracy in India?
The Indian conception of secularism is quite distinct from what a lot of people can learn. It could serve for them as a blueprint in their own social background in the context of their own historical trajectory.
For Indians, secularism is important because it is an example of how the people in India have developed certain conceptions which is not only distinct but it tries to respond to problems, which are very much around today. Such problems are, sadly, increasing in the West.
Image: Activists of the Lok Raj Sangathan, a group of secularists, carry a coffin representing Indian secularism during a march in New Delhi to protest against the 2002 communal violence in Gujarat. (Inset) Dr Rajeev Bhargava.
Photograph: Bivas Banerjee/Saab Press/Getty Images
Also read: SIMI's 'success' is a result of our secular polity
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