Democracy was also European concept: P Chidambaram flays TN Guv for ‘secularism not Indian’ quip

CHENNAI — Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister, P Chidambaram on Tuesday came out strongly against Tamil Nadu Governor, R.N. Ravi for saying there was ‘no need for secularism in India.’

P Chidambaram in a post on social media platform X said, “Having draped Tiruvalluvar in a saffron robe, the Governor of Tamil Nadu has now discovered that secularism was a European concept and it has no place in India. He is not correct, but assume he is right.”

The senior leader added, “Federalism was also a European concept. Shall we declare that Federalism has no place in India? One person, one vote was also a European concept. Shall we declare that some people will have no right to vote? Democracy was also a European concept not known to India that was ruled by maharajas and rajas. Shall we declare that democracy will be jettisoned in this country?”

P Chidambaram further said that Constitutional functionaries, especially those who hold titular positions, should take a vow of silence.

It may be recalled that R.N. Ravi had in a public function at Kanyakumari on Sunday said that secularism was a European concept and was not relevant in India.

Governor Ravi had said, “A lot of frauds have been committed on the people of this country, and one of them is they have tried to give a wrong interpretation of secularism.”

The Governor had said, “What does secularism mean? Secularism is a European concept, and it is not an Indian concept. In Europe, secularism came because there was a fight between the Church and the king… How can India be away from ‘dharma’? Secularism is a European concept and let it be there only. In India, there is no need for secularism.”

Congress leader and Member of Parliament from Virudhunagar constituency Manickam Tagore had also come out against Ravi on this statement.

Tagore had in a post on social media platform X said, “The statement of Tamil Nadu Governor on secularism is unacceptable and is against the Constitution of India and against the ‘Idea of India’ by Mahatma Gandhi, Baba Saheb Ambedkar, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhai Patel.”

He said, “While the idea of secularism may be different in foreign countries, in India we respect all other religions, we respect all other traditions and we respect all other practices and this is the idea of secularism in India.”

The three-term MP said that the BJP and other affiliated organisations were against this idea.

He charged that the BJP wanted to insult other religions and other traditions and added that the tradition of India was not like that.

He said, “We want to celebrate diversity, we celebrate other religious beliefs, we celebrate other traditions, other languages and other practices and that is India’s idea of secularism.”

Manickam Tagore said that R.N.Ravi was speaking against the Constitution.

The senior Congress leader said that the BJP and RSS were for changing the Indian Constitution which was based on the thinking of Baba Saheb Ambedkar.

The Congress leader said that the Congress party would never allow that to happen and added that the Tamil Nadu Governor had exceeded his limits.