The use of religious greetings on party hoardings, especially by the ruling party, risks transforming governance into a sectarian spectacle
The Constitution of India in its Preamble declares the Republic to be “Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic.” Secularism, as affirmed by the Supreme Court, is a part of the Constitution’s basic structure and therefore cannot be amended away. It does not mean hostility towards religion but neutrality, an assurance that the State and those aspiring to govern it do not align themselves with or privilege any faith. Articles 14, 15, and 25 through 28 further embed this neutrality by guaranteeing equality, prohibiting discrimination, and preserving freedom of conscience.
When political communication blurs this neutrality, particularly through large public displays that combine party identity with religious greetings, it conveys an impression of governance coloured by sectarian preference. In such circumstances, the State is no longer viewed as an impartial guarantor of rights, but as leaning toward one faith community.
Party behaviour and
Representation of the People Act
The Representation of the People Act, 1951, directly addresses this problem in electoral contexts. Section 123(3) defines as a corrupt practice the appeal to vote or refrain from voting on grounds of religion, race, caste, community or language. Section 123(3A) extends the prohibition to the promotion of enmity or hatred on such grounds. Section 127A regulates printed campaign material, requiring compliance with strict disclosure norms. Together with Section 125, these provisions aim to ensure that political competition remains free of religious appeals.
Although their strictest application is during election campaigns under the Model Code of Conduct, the spirit of the law remains constant. Party-sponsored hoardings that combine religious symbolism with partisan insignia, even when framed as festive greetings, risk contravening these principles once elections are declared, and corrode the secular ethos in the meantime.
Religious imagery
and electoral psychology
Political science scholarship consistently points out that religious symbolism has a strong cognitive effect on electorates. Studies on electoral behaviour in India, such as those by Christophe Jaffrelot, highlight how religious references, even if subtle, create a sense of communal belonging that influences voter choice. Research in political psychology further shows that religious cues prime identity-based voting, often at the expense of issue-based evaluation. When a ruling party uses religious greetings tied to its insignia, it subtly constructs a narrative that governance and faith are aligned, thereby shaping public perception in a way that undermines the secular promise of the Constitution.
This effect is magnified when visual displays dominate shared civic spaces. Hoardings in agricultural belts, where communities gather and livelihoods converge, create a perception of cultural ownership. Citizens encountering such boards may not view them as neutral greetings, but as assertions that political legitimacy flows from religious affinity.
Normativity and
political responsibility
Normatively, political parties, especially those in power, bear a duty of restraint. Several principles explain this duty:
1. Neutrality: Those seeking to wield State power must not signal affiliation with a particular faith.
2. Equal citizenship: No community should feel like outsiders in their own polity due to political-religious messaging.
3. Fair political competition: Religion is not an evenly distributed resource, and its use tilts the democratic playing field.
4. Public reason: Citizens deserve to be persuaded on policy and governance, not on sectarian identity.
5. Non-domination: The subtle coercion of party-religious greetings in civic spaces erodes individual freedom to stand apart from majoritarianism.
The philosopher John Rawls argued that democratic persuasion must rest on “public reason,” accessible to all citizens regardless of their personal doctrines. Party communication that blends political insignia with religious messages departs from this ideal and narrows the space for rational political choice.
The Election
Commission’s role
The Election Commission of India has a mandate to preserve the integrity of the democratic process. It must:
Scrutinise such displays under Section 127A for compliance;
Treat party-branded religious greetings as potential appeals on religious grounds once the Model Code of Conduct is in effect;
Issue advisories reminding parties that governance must remain secular in character and appearance;
Ensure takedowns where permissions or advertisement regulations are breached, regardless of campaign timelines.
The Commission has in the past directed parties in other states to remove hoardings carrying religious symbols during elections. Extending this vigilance outside the narrow campaign window would strengthen public confidence in the impartiality of governance.
Call for secular
political culture
Secular governance requires more than constitutional text or statutory prohibition, it requires secular political culture. Parties must cultivate a practice of restraint, ensuring that public displays of greetings, particularly those carrying religious overtones, are not tethered to party identity. When political competition is conducted on grounds of performance, policy, and vision, democracy thrives. When it is conducted through the lens of religiosity, democracy weakens, and citizens are divided into insiders and outsiders.
Goa’s political landscape, marked by a mosaic of communities, demands particular care. The use of religious greetings on party hoardings, especially by the ruling formation, risks transforming governance into a sectarian spectacle. The Constitution’s Preamble points firmly the other way: a Republic where the State belongs equally to every citizen, regardless of faith. For that promise to endure, secular conduct must become the unquestioned norm in political practice.
