--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: India was secular even when Muslims…" description: "\"India was secular even when Muslims hadn't come here and Christians hadn't set foot on this soil. It is not as if India became secular after they came...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/252/atal-bihari-vajpayee-5114_christianity_india-was-secular-even-when-muslims-hadn_1415922.png" --- # India was secular even when Muslims hadn't come here and… ![“India was secular even when Muslims hadn't come here and Christians hadn't set foot on this soil. It is not as if India became secular after they came. They came with their own modes of worship, and they, too, were given a place of honor and respect. They had the freedom to worship God as per…” quote by Atal Bihari Vajpayee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/252/atal-bihari-vajpayee-5114_christianity_india-was-secular-even-when-muslims-hadn_1415922.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/252/atal-bihari-vajpayee-5114_christianity_india-was-secular-even-when-muslims-hadn_1415922.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/252/atal-bihari-vajpayee-5114_christianity_india-was-secular-even-when-muslims-hadn_1415922.png) > “India was secular even when Muslims hadn't come here and Christians hadn't set foot on this soil. It is not as if India became secular after they came. They came with their own modes of worship, and they, too, were given a place of honor and respect. They had the freedom to worship God as per their wish and inclination.” [Atal Bihari Vajpayee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atal-bihari-vajpayee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. India's secularism existed before external religions arrived, emphasizing inherent religious freedom. **In simple terms:** Secularism pre‑dated newcomers. Key Takeaway Respect all faiths. Themes secularism religious freedom history Mood thoughtful balanced Type political philosophical When to use this quote - policy making - education - interfaith dialogue Key Concepts pluralism constitutional law Questions to Reflect On - How does history shape current secular policies? - What challenges arise in maintaining religious harmony? A Different Perspective Historical narratives can be contested; secularism is complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Honor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honor/) [Honor and respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honor-and-respect/) [India Secular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/india-secular-2736508/) [Islam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/islam/) [Muslims Hadn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/muslims-hadn-5001788/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Secular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secular/) [Secular Came](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secular-came-5001786/) [Secular Muslims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secular-muslims-5001787/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) [Worship god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worship-god/) ## Related quotes > [If India is not secular, then India is not India at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atal-bihari-vajpayee/if-india-is-not-secular-then-india-is-not-india-at-all/) [Atal Bihari Vajpayee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atal-bihari-vajpayee/) > [India is a secular nation and believers of all religions and atheists have a place in this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pinarayi-vijayan/india-is-a-secular-nation-and-believers-of-all-religions-and-atheists/) [Pinarayi Vijayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pinarayi-vijayan/) > [The fact remains that secularism is inherent in the Indian system, in the Indian ethos and culture. India cannot but be secular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pranab-mukherjee/the-fact-remains-that-secularism-is-inherent-in-the-indian-system-in/) [Pranab Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pranab-mukherjee/) > [“Honor and respect the situation, and deal with it. By all means deal with it. Do the best you can. But deal with it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-a-singer/honor-and-respect-the-situation-and-deal-with-it-by-all-means-deal/) [Michael A. Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-a-singer/) > [“When I say 'I won't hurt you', it's a promise, which can and will be kept but it does not come from me without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evette/when-i-say-i-won-t-hurt-you-it-s-a-promise-which-can-and-will-be-kept/) [Evette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evette/) > [“Once you begin to honor and respect the wisdom of your intuition, your life will never be the same. 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There are various…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-livermore/the-desire-to-treat-other-people-with-honor-and-respect-doesn-t/) [David Livermore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-livermore/) > [It is your holy work, to deeply love, honor and respect the precious self that you are, the soul that only you hold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-ford/it-is-your-holy-work-to-deeply-love-honor-and-respect-the-precious/) [Debbie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-ford/) > [What International Women's Day represents to me is a time that gives women their position, honor, and respect, which represents empowerment to all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natti-natasha/what-international-women-s-day-represents-to-me-is-a-time-that-gives/) [Natti Natasha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natti-natasha/) > [“If you seek honor and respect you will not find it, for a leader is powerless to elevate himself. It is only when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevenson-willis/if-you-seek-honor-and-respect-you-will-not-find-it-for-a-leader-is/) [Stevenson Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevenson-willis/) ## More by Atal Bihari Vajpayee > [Declaring victory without war .. the belief that India gave up the option of war under American pressure is totally wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atal-bihari-vajpayee/declaring-victory-without-war-the-belief-that-india-gave-up-the/) [Atal Bihari Vajpayee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atal-bihari-vajpayee/) > [If the elections are a mere fraud, why are terrorists being trained and infiltrated into India at the command of the Inter-Services Intelligence Agency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atal-bihari-vajpayee/if-the-elections-are-a-mere-fraud-why-are-terrorists-being-trained/) [Atal Bihari Vajpayee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atal-bihari-vajpayee/) > [No state should be allowed to profess partnership with the global coalition against terror, while continuing to aid, abet and sponsor terrorism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atal-bihari-vajpayee/no-state-should-be-allowed-to-profess-partnership-with-the-global/) [Atal Bihari Vajpayee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atal-bihari-vajpayee/) > [India has a consistent and well-known position on terrorism. We oppose all acts of terrorism, wherever they occur. 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The entire nation is with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atal-bihari-vajpayee/i-would-like-that-no-citizen-of-the-state-feels-alone-and-helpless/) [Atal Bihari Vajpayee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atal-bihari-vajpayee/) > [No one can be considered untouchable on political grounds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atal-bihari-vajpayee/no-one-can-be-considered-untouchable-on-political-grounds/) [Atal Bihari Vajpayee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atal-bihari-vajpayee/) > [The overwhelming public sentiment in India was that no meaningful dialogue can be held with Pakistan until it abandons the use of terrorism as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atal-bihari-vajpayee/the-overwhelming-public-sentiment-in-india-was-that-no-meaningful/) [Atal Bihari Vajpayee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atal-bihari-vajpayee/) > [The prime minister's office is not something that one enjoys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atal-bihari-vajpayee/the-prime-minister-s-office-is-not-something-that-one-enjoys/) [Atal Bihari Vajpayee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atal-bihari-vajpayee/) > [We want peace to be permanent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atal-bihari-vajpayee/we-want-peace-to-be-permanent/) [Atal Bihari Vajpayee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atal-bihari-vajpayee/) > [I am contesting elections since 1952, but never did I throw mud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atal-bihari-vajpayee/i-am-contesting-elections-since-1952-but-never-did-i-throw-mud/) [Atal Bihari Vajpayee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atal-bihari-vajpayee/) > [It requires an effort of logical acrobatics to believe that carnage of innocents is an instrument for freedom and elections are a symbol of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atal-bihari-vajpayee/it-requires-an-effort-of-logical-acrobatics-to-believe-that-carnage/) [Atal Bihari Vajpayee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atal-bihari-vajpayee/) [Explore all 103 Atal Bihari Vajpayee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atal-bihari-vajpayee/) ## More Christianity quotes > [Christianity was never meant to be defined by its disciplines, but by its passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/christianity-was-never-meant-to-be-defined-by-its-disciplines-but-by/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [“God hates Hell. 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