Q.Explain the concept of principled distance.

Principled distance is Indian secularism's alternative to strict separation — the state engages with each religion differently, case by case, depending on what its own values require. …

The complexity of Indian secularism cannot be captured by the simple phrase 'equal respect for all religions.' If that phrase is taken to mean peaceful coexistence or ordinary inter-religious tolerance, it understates what secularism actually demands, which is genuine freedom and equality, not just coexistence. If instead it is taken to mean an equal feeling of respect towards every religion and every one of its practices, it becomes ambiguous and, in fact, misleading — because Indian secularism permits principled state intervention in every religion, and such intervention necessarily involves some disrespect for particular aspects of that religion. Religiously sanctioned caste hierarchies, for instance, are simply unacceptable within Indian secularism, whichever religion sanctions them. …