While ideas like secularism and pluralism are undoubtedly the goals which we must work towards, we must recognise the fact that these words have never had much to do with the reality of this society. Even the most progressive thinkers in the mainstream often fail to realise this.

Those who've been marginalised by the oppressive power structures in this society will invariably mock the facade of those in the mainstream calling themselves "secular" or "plural". It is crucial to realise that this mockery isn't coming from a place of ideological opposition.

Their mockery is coming from a place of mistrust that got accumulated based on their lived experiences in a society that has turned its back on them for ages. It is an expression of exhaustion from participating in an age-old charade about an imaginary secular society.

If the goal is to establish a secular society, it is crucial to understand how much we lack secularism in the present. It is crucial to empathise with the anger, frustration and suffering of the marginalised instead of expecting them to comply to your privileged worldview.