As elsewhere we too have a HOA (House Owners Association) that we call Jan Kalyan Samiti. People pay annual subscriptions that go to maintenance of common services, mostly security. Office bearers are all honorary position holders that do liaison with municipal authorities, police etc. The Association also organises an annual get together over cultural programmes and dinner. This get together is synchronised with the popular Holi festival.
Last year saw addition of several religious celebrations to Samiti's activities, like Ganesh Puja, Durga Puja, Bhagwat Katha. It may not be totally irrelevant to mention that a spate of such activities was observed all around us, in the city and also the state. I was amongst very few members of our society who made bold to suggest that these activities be undertaken on individual basis or group basis but NOT under the aegis of the association which must confine itself to secular activities. Though, it was not accepted.
Accounts presented in the general body meeting show that the amount collected and spent in religious activities matched the total expenditure towards the secular activities. This shows a strong possibility of change in the very nature of the association and hence, when given an opportunity to speak, I reiterated my suggestion that the association should confine itself to secular activities and resist the wave of majoritarianism pervading the country. I believe that these also go against the stated objectives of the Samiti in its bylaws.
In response one person mentioned that secularism merely means Sarvdharm Sambhaav, and another suggested that our Vice President of the association, who happens to be a Muslim, host an Eid party to be attended by the committee members. Eid party hosted by an individual is perfectly okay, and in tune with my argument that religious observances should be individual affair and I do hope that this is not merely a feeble balancing act and will be applied to all other religious celebrations, annual get together being the only exception.
I would like to add that secularism doesn't and shouldn't mean equal respect for all religions. That definition has already caused a lot of ambiguity. Also, even with that definition, secularism is taking a beating today. What secularism should actually mean is equal disregard for all religion in matters related to governance and services.
