Secularism in Indian Politics: Between Rhetoric and Normative Commitment Introduction Secularism in the Indian constitutional and political context has long been the subject of contestation, simultaneously invoked as a foundational value and critiqued for its strategic manipulation by political actors. While the Constitution of India, particularly through Articles 25–28 and the Preamble, guarantees freedom of … Continue reading Critically examine the proposition that secularism in Indian politics functions more as a rhetorical construct than as a consistently upheld normative principle. To what extent has the practice of secularism in India been shaped by political expediency, electoral compulsions, and selective state interventions in religious affairs? Assess the implications of this politicisation of secularism for the constitutional commitment to religious neutrality and the protection of minority rights in a pluralistic democracy.