Yes, secularism has problems. There are two ways problems can arise: One way it can arise is if people, for some reasons, culturally, politically, have a set of problems. Indian secularism faces that problem. There's another kind of problem which comes from lack of understanding — it is a problem of misunderstanding.

If you don't understand the purpose for which something is devised then you will make a mess of it. It is like if you do not understand the meaning of friendship, you will never make a good friend. That's a conceptual problem of people not being able to understand what secularism means.

A lot of people find Indian secularism problematic because they don't fully understand what it is. It is ironic that Indians themselves do not understand what secularism means. How can then we expect others to understand our form of secularism?

Secularism, if it is properly understood, means building on civic friendship, which is despite all the differences amongst people of different faiths.

Canadians come from different faith groups -- Jains, Hindus, Sikhs, Christians of various denominations -- and they must be having differences. But they have to devise some ways to live together in a reasonably decent and friendly manner. So, such differences are part of the game. Sometimes such differences could develop into a conflict also.

The question is whether you allow this conflict to develop beyond a certain point and cross that threshold of decency. That's what we should never allow to happen. I am talking about Indian secularism and devising forms of relationships which allow mutual respect and decent, civic living.

Image: Activists hold placards as they take part in a protest in New Delhi, December 2007, to mark the fifteenth anniversary of the razing of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya.
Photograph: Manpreet Romana/AFP/Getty Images

Also read: Perverting secularism

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