The term ‘religion’ applies to the belief and way how and to whom one worships. Its origin dates back to the origin of mankind. It means to say that it grew along with the growth of human being.

Primarily there have been four major religions-Hindu, Islam, Christianity and Sikhism. All these religions take human being to its salvation. The followers of these different religions follow different Gods and different ways of their worship. With the growth of humanity, a number of other sub-religions have been born. But one thing is very clear that followers of all the religions believe in a super power and they try to get its blessing.

Its means that religion is the super concept that relates the physic to the metaphysic but there has been a very dangerous turn in the ideal of religion. Politics has intrued in religion and religion is being used for politics.

According to the constitution India is a secular country which provides to all its citizens the freedom of faith and worship in their own way. But in the present scenario this religious freedom is being misused. Religious appeals are made by the leaders for seeming more and more votes. Religious feelings of the people are aroused for political gain.

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The demolition of the disputed structure in Ayodhya is one of the examples of the misuse of religion. As a result there were communal riots all over the country. It was as if people had lost their mental balance and were out to destroy their religions rivals. It was forgotten at that time that India is a land of many religious and all religions are given equal respect and weight. However the issue was handed over to the Supreme Court and the Government is bound to follow its judgement.

As our life has completely been politicalised, religion has taken a prominent place in every field of our life. Politics is the way through which we occupy the government, rule the country and establish contacts with the mass, on the other hand religion is the most sensitive way through which we take ourselves to a completely different world which is transcendental.

While politics is completely a physical phenomenon related to this world, religion is completely a Meta physical phenomenon which has in no way any relation to this world. It means both stands apart. But in the present context of our way of life both have been intermingled which has created a chaotic situation and we are completely confused.

This chaotic situation is the outcome of selfish attitude of the politicians. Today politicians are not concerned with the welfare of the nation. Instead they think only for the next election. Hence they try to create their vote banks in either way. For this they apply every possibility and make all efforts to win over the majority of the people in their favour.

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They use money, caste-factor, regionalism, lingualism etc. for this purpose. They have not spared the pious religion. Times to time religious issues are raised to black -mail the sentiment of the people following the particular religion. There are a number of examples which our country has witnessed in recent years. Advani’s Somnath Yatra, Godhra Carnage, Mumbai bomb-blast, 1984 riots, operation blue-star, demolition of Babri Masjid are some of the well-known incidents which have hunted our minds and we are compelled to think over the misuse of religion for vested interest of a few misguided leaders or people or political parties.

Very recently we have witnessed the hue and cry over the arrest of Jayendra Saraswati the Shankaracharya of Kanchikamkoti Pith. He has been the prime suspect of a murder of one of his assistants. Some of the leaders have raised their voice of protest against it. How much are these protesters justified in protecting an accused of murder? Should such persons not be treated like other criminals? It is a time of retrospection to think over the misuse of religion for such purposes. Religion should not be the way to get votes. It should be kept apart from politics. It should not be corrupted with politics.