"Secularism not European, but Indian": DMK's TKS Elangovan hits back at Governor RN Ravi

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], September 23 : Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader TKS Elangovan on Monday hit back at Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi over his secularism remark, saying that there are many religions in India and that secularism is essential for maintaining harmony in a country where multiple faiths coexist.
"Secularism is not a European concept, it is an Indian concept as there are many religions in India. India is the motherland of Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Shaivism and Vaishnavism. Secularism is the most needed concept in India, not in Europe," Elangovan said.
Elangovan criticised Governor Ravi for not understanding the Indian Constitution, specifically Article 25, which guarantees freedom of religion and urged him to read the Constitution.
"The Governor, he had not gone through the Constitution of India. Article 25 says that there should be a conscious freedom of religion that he doesn't know...He should go and read the constitution fully...22 languages are listed in our constitution. Hindi is a language which is spoken by a few states. The remaining states speak other languages...The problem with the BJP is that they neither know India, nor the Constitution...They don't know anything. That is why they could not even form a government on their own," Elangovan added.
Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi on Monday sparked a debate by saying that secularism is a European concept that doesn't belong in India.
Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi, while addressing the people in a convocation of Hindu Dharma Vidya Peetham at Thiruvattar in Kanyakumari, said, "Lot of frauds have been committed to the people of this country, and one of them is that they have been given a wrong interpretation of secularism. What does secularism mean!? Secularism is a European concept, secularism is not a Bhartiya concept."
He also stated that secularism is a European concept and should remain there as there is no need of secularism in India.
"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," he said.
This is not the first time the Tamil governor has made such a statement. Last year, he said that the people who want to break this country have given a distorted interpretation of secularism.
"Our Constitution is not against 'dharma' ..it is the people who want to break this country, they have given a distorted interpretation of secularism. We have to understand the true meaning of secularism in our constitution....those talking about eradicating Hinduism have a hidden agenda to break this country in collaboration with hostile foreign powers. They will not succeed as Bharat has inherent strength," the Tamil Governor said.