THE PROBLEM OF PRINCIPLED DISTANCE: A NORMATIVE RECONSTRUCTION OF INDIAN SECULARISM

Abstract

This paper revisits the idea of principled distance as a central yet under-theorised concept in Indian secular thought. Moving beyond the binary between rigid separation and unbounded accommodation, the study argues that Indian secularism constitutes a distinctive normative framework grounded in context-sensitive yet principled engagement between state and religion. Rather than equating secularism with abstention, the concept of principled distance allows the state to intervene in, or support, religious practices when such engagement is justified by public reasons rooted in freedom, equality, and dignity. Through a qualitative and interpretive methodology grounded in normative political theory, the paper reconstructs principled distance as an ethical practice of public justification rather than as a descriptive account of policy. It critically engages with both liberal-separationist and postcolonial-genealogical critiques to clarify the internal architecture of the concept its understanding of neutrality as equal concern, its permissive stance toward differential treatment under conditions of historical inequality, and its insistence on public reason as a constraint on discretion. The paper develops a typology of engagement modes and a four-stage justificatory pathway identifying protected interests, ensuring accessibility of reasons, testing proportionality, and safeguarding internal dissenters to make the framework action-guiding. Analytically, the reconstruction demonstrates that principled distance is not a euphemism for flexibility but a disciplined method of reasoning about justice in plural societies. It thus transforms context-sensitivity from a weakness into a normative virtue grounded in reasoned respect. By rendering Indian secularism conceptually robust and normatively transparent, the paper positions it as a significant contribution to global debates on secularism, multiculturalism, and democratic justification under conditions of deep diversity.