South Asian secularism means equal respect for all religions rather than state neutrality.

Evidence

Consequently, in the South Asian context, secularism may be defined as “equal respect for all religions (and for those who choose not to follow any religion)” (Aiyar 2004: 5). — Neil DeVotta, Sinhalese Buddhist Nationalist Ideology, 136

For most Westerners, the word secularism denotes “absence of religion” or “neutrality on religion,” and a secular state is considered to be one that eschews religious influence in governance. Thus the Establishment Clause in the U.S. Constitution is used to claim that America was created as a secular state, although this separation has always been contested (Sandel 1998). In fact, although the West touts the values of secularism, Western countries have had to seek various compromises regarding coherence of the religious and the secular. It is therefore hardly surprising that secularism has also been an issue in South Asian states like Sri Lanka, where religion is omnipresent at all levels of interaction. Consequently, in the South Asian context, secularism may be defined as “equal respect for all religions (and for those who choose not to follow any religion)” (Aiyar 2004: 5). — Neil DeVotta, Sinhalese Buddhist Nationalist Ideology, 136

Categorization

• DEFINE: Clarifies that Western ‘secularism as absence of religion’ does not translate to South Asia, where the operative meaning is positive even-handedness toward all faiths.
• XREF: Useful contrast point: Bangladeshi, Indian, and Sri Lankan secularisms all diverge from the American Establishment-Clause model — relevant to the constructed-identity theme. — connects to: A secular state must grant equal treatment across all religious communities — Neil DeVotta, Sinhalese Buddhist Nationalist…, 312; Secularism is not essentially religious toleration or rational ethics
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Neil DeVotta, Sinhalese Buddhist Nationalist…, 136

Broader Connections

• A secular state must grant equal treatment across all religious communities #expands (0.90) — Neil DeVotta, Sinhalese Buddhist Nationalist Ideology, 312
• Secularism is not essentially religious toleration or rational ethics #qualifies (0.80)