<p>Kolkata: Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister P Chidambaram on Saturday said the word secularism is being given a different twist and termed as appeasement.</p>.<p>The former union home minister who had also held the finance portfolio, said at a lecture on the 'Future of Democracy' at St Xavier’s University here that the word secularism is being misinterpreted.</p>.'BJP candidates chosen by gods': Chidambaram alleges misuse of probe agencies during polls.<p>He said, "Appeasement word is an attempt at discrediting (the concept of secularism).”</p><p>With a wry smile, he added, “If you are a non-Hindu, you are a half-citizen. If you are a Muslim, you are not a citizen.” Asserting that religion ought not figure in an election, he said, "But today it is very much present in an election.” </p><p>Religion must be based on faith, the senior Congress leader said.</p>.<p>Observing that the country is moving towards centralisation which is an antithesis of democracy, Chidambaram said, "We are undermining, debilitating institutions that promote democracy." </p><p>He claimed that the media, the common man, the MPs in Parliament and the top bureaucracy are living in fear now and that is also an antithesis of democracy.</p>.Chidambaram apologises for loss of lives during Telangana statehood stir, BRS says too late.<p>Chidambaram alleged that central agencies are virtually taking control of state law and the police police in many cases.</p>.<p>Describing the move to roll out a uniform civil code as 'anti-democratic', Chidambaram said the idea of 'one nation, one ration card, one food habit, one language is completely undemocratic.' </p><p>The Congress leader claimed that the happenings make one describe India as an 'electoral autocracy' subverting the democratic process to only elect someone to power.</p>.<p>The senior politician and lawyer alleged that in several Hindi-speaking states, there is no English class in certain schools as no English teacher is there.</p>.<p>"It is affecting the education there.. in North Indian states. Only southern states have the three-language formula," he added. </p>
<p>Kolkata: Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister P Chidambaram on Saturday said the word secularism is being given a different twist and termed as appeasement.</p>.<p>The former union home minister who had also held the finance portfolio, said at a lecture on the 'Future of Democracy' at St Xavier’s University here that the word secularism is being misinterpreted.</p>.'BJP candidates chosen by gods': Chidambaram alleges misuse of probe agencies during polls.<p>He said, "Appeasement word is an attempt at discrediting (the concept of secularism).”</p><p>With a wry smile, he added, “If you are a non-Hindu, you are a half-citizen. If you are a Muslim, you are not a citizen.” Asserting that religion ought not figure in an election, he said, "But today it is very much present in an election.” </p><p>Religion must be based on faith, the senior Congress leader said.</p>.<p>Observing that the country is moving towards centralisation which is an antithesis of democracy, Chidambaram said, "We are undermining, debilitating institutions that promote democracy." </p><p>He claimed that the media, the common man, the MPs in Parliament and the top bureaucracy are living in fear now and that is also an antithesis of democracy.</p>.Chidambaram apologises for loss of lives during Telangana statehood stir, BRS says too late.<p>Chidambaram alleged that central agencies are virtually taking control of state law and the police police in many cases.</p>.<p>Describing the move to roll out a uniform civil code as 'anti-democratic', Chidambaram said the idea of 'one nation, one ration card, one food habit, one language is completely undemocratic.' </p><p>The Congress leader claimed that the happenings make one describe India as an 'electoral autocracy' subverting the democratic process to only elect someone to power.</p>.<p>The senior politician and lawyer alleged that in several Hindi-speaking states, there is no English class in certain schools as no English teacher is there.</p>.<p>"It is affecting the education there.. in North Indian states. Only southern states have the three-language formula," he added. </p>