Berhampur, It was delivered by Shri Satya Narayan Sahu, who served as OSD to the former President of India, Shri K. R. Narayanan. The Coordinator of the P. G. Department of Political Science Dr. Rajesh Seth presided over the meeting and introduced the topic to the students Shri Satya Narayan Sahu, the speaker, discussed the multiple perspectives of Secularism. He explained how the Indian secularism is different from the western secularism. Citing reference to Constituent Assembly debates and India’s freedom struggle movement he argued for inclusionary nature of Indian secularism. Shri Sahu expressed concern over imposition of a l homogenised narrative of secularism upon a multicultural Indian society.
He stressed on religious toleration, communal harmony and ‘principled distance’ of state from religious matter for achieving larger goals of peace, development and democracy. Shri Sanjaya Meher, Asst. Professor of P. G. Department of Political Science and Coordinator of P. G. Department of Public Administration, extended the vote of thanks. Dr. Sharada Prasanna Rout and Dr Kirtimayee Routraya are other faculty members who coordinated the event. A large number of students participated in the lecture with enthusiasm.