Identity Faith And The Constitution: Negotiating Religious Freedom In Contemporary India

Abstract

Religion and faith in modern India are the subject of this study. Instead of aiming to separate religion from state power, it investigates how the Constitution does so. A political science perspective is used to explore how religious beliefs affect political involvement, voting behavior, governance, and public discourse in India. The public considers the Constitution as a democratic framework that controls religious expression rather than a codification of laws. Examining major political events like the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Sabarimala, and Ayodhya, the study shows how faith-based issues are exploited for political reasons and to mobilize large numbers of people. It shows how Hindutva has become a major intellectual movement that impacts state symbols, voting patterns, and policy by blending religious and nationalist ideals. The political effects of court rulings on power, public narratives, and majority-minority relations are analyzed. Religious issues are more than private or legal; they affect India's politics. Queer rights, citizenship, social inclusion, and faith-based politics affect these issues. The majority's political practices and non-religious people's democratic ambitions are always at odds. The paper contends that religion as a dynamic political factor in constitutional governance and modern power structures is necessary to comprehend Indian democracy.