Secularism Under Siege: Nationalist Narratives Nurture New Religious Realities.
India was founded as a secular democracy, even though it has long hailed religious pluralism as its very vision, which was largely framed for the Indian public by its first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. Nehru envisioned an inclusive, secular state where “all faiths could live amicably.” This foundation has gradually been eroded with the rise of Hindu nationalism, particularly at the hands of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), whose ideological parent is the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
In this regard, secularism has faced extreme pressure over the last few decades due to the rising entwinement of religious identity with political governance owing to nationalist movements across various parts of the world. The rise of nationalist trends in countries like India, Turkey, and the USA progressively reshape national identity, placing secularism in jeopardy. Embedded in the consolidation of power, these trends not only undermine democratic pluralism but also pose a broader challenge to social unity and civil liberties.
The BJP’s Hindutva ideology that seeks to make Hinduism the main focus of Indian identity has challenged the very fabric of the country’s secular character. Perhaps no other example of this disturbing drift better illustrates the trend than the Citizenship Amendment Act passed in 2019. The CAA permits eligibility for citizenship to all refugees from neighboring countries, a step that has been criticized worldwide for its treatment of Muslims. Similarly, the National Register of Citizens, especially in Assam, has provided a source of fear for religious minorities who may end up being stripped of their citizenship status.
On the surface, these are administrative policies to deal with real issues of illegal migration and citizenship fraud, but on the ground, they convey a message of the Hindu-centered notion of citizenship, which further fuels social tensions.
Politically, the BJP’s affirmative action toward Hindutva has a goalline-secured voter support base, particularly that of right-wing Hindus. Using religious sentiments and portraying Hinduism as vulnerable to acts of opposing external forces, that is, Muslim forces, the BJP has gained popular support, but at the expense of the secular ideals upheld by the Indian Constitution.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey has been able to deliver the final nail in what was once a bastion of secularism in the world of Muslims. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk founded modern Turkey on the foundation of separating religion from the state. Atatürk’s reforms included closing religious schools, abolition of the caliphate, and a dress code favoring Western clothes over Islamic attire. The code remained mostly intact until most of the 20th century.
But since entering the leadership in 2003, Erdoğan and his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) have slowly rolled back much of the reforms Atatürk initiated by reinstating Islamic values into public life. A defining moment came in 2020, when Erdoğan made Hagia Sophia, originally built as a cathedral, transformed into a mosque, then a museum, and again a mosque, – a move, widely seen as a symbol of Turkey’s movement away from secularism-made headlines and sent shockwaves around the world.
Moreover, Erdoğan typically frames his politics in Islamic language, addressing his conservative base as a key component of his constituency. It has empowered Erdogan to solidify his power, especially among rural and religious voters, and his policies often serve as a distraction from economic crises and political scandals, with religious nationalism serving as a means of buttressing political legitimacy.
The separation of church and state is a constitutional principle of the United States, essential to keeping a democratic society; nevertheless, with the passage of decades, the rising factor of Christian nationalism has threatened this separation of church and state. Christian nationalism is the belief that the U.S. fundamentally is a Christian nation and that laws and policies should reflect Christian values.
Some movements that have been defining factors in U.S. politics include the religious right, which impacts the Republican Party in a significant way. The three major issues that define this movement are abortion, same-sex marriage, and religious freedom laws. In 2022, Roe v. Wade, a landmark case established nearly 50 years ago to protect abortion rights, was overturned by the
U.S. Supreme Court. This decision, shaped largely by conservative Christian values, reflects the rising political power of Christian nationalism. Politically, acceptance of the values of Christians has helped the Republican politicians earn a hardcore group of voters who are committed and mobilized evangelicals. These politicians have found a loyal and responsive voter base by framing moral debates on issues such as family, education, and personal liberties in religiously defined terms.
Global religious nationalism has very far-reaching implications for both democracy and social cohesion. Religious nationalists isolate the religious minorities from the majority and further entrench social cleavages and sectarian conflict. Muslims are increasingly suspected in India, while secularists feel sidelined in Turkey. Christian religious nationalism has also played a role in exacerbating political polarization in the United States.
The focus on religious identity works against democratic pluralism and has an inhomogeneous inclination toward authoritarianism. Figures like Erdoğan and Modi wield religious nationalism against checks and balances, civil liberties, and dissent. Such a sectarian development, over time, can result in increasing religious conflict, further weakening global secular ideals that push toward human rights and equality for citizens of all faiths.
Such a convergence of faith and nation has cast secularism over the world in grave danger. With countries like India, Turkey, and the U.S. seeking to redefine national identity through a religious prism, governance with secular principles, and the pluralism it safeguards face a crisis profound in scale and essence. Without a renewed commitment to the separation of religion and state, such trends are likely to exacerbate social cleavages and undermine the democratic foundations of modern states.
