‘India Is Secular’: Bombay HC Rushes To Rescue Dia Mirza’s Diwali Sermon, But Where Is This Environmental Concern During Bakrid?
There is something deeply peculiar about India’s secularism discourse. When Hindus celebrate Diwali, they are expected to listen to lectures on pollution, reconsider their traditions and modify the way they celebrate their festivals. But, when candles are burned, decorative lights are switched on and other forms of festive consumption take place during Christmas, nobody launches a nationwide moral campaign asking Christians to reconsider their celebrations. On the other hand, thousands of animals are slaughtered during Bakrid, and environmental concerns and animal welfare rarely receive the kind of celebrity-driven public sermonising that Diwali attracts.
- 4 Nov 2026
- OurVoice
