Acharya Prashant addresses the question of whether one can have faith in religion while being secular. He begins by stating that the concept of secularism has been so overused that it confuses many simple people. He clarifies that secularism is not meant for individuals but for a system, a structure, or the State. The idea of an individual being secular is, in his view, quite crude. The State can be secular, meaning it will not discriminate among its citizens based on their religion, be it Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, or Christian. The State will not deem one religion more acceptable or superior than another. When citizens approach the State with petitions or complaints, the State will judge the matter on its legal merits, not on the religious identity of the individuals involved. The speaker explains that the functions of the State, such as providing justice, education, electricity, roads, water, and healthcare, are inherently secular. Science is not different for various religions, and roads are not built differently for Hindus and Muslims. Therefore, the State must be secular out of practicality, not just as a policy. However, an individual cannot be secular. An Indian is a human being, a living consciousness that needs Dharma (religion/righteousness). You cannot make a human being secular. Dharma is that which one holds as the highest value in life, something worthy of attainment, and to which one must bow. Everyone has something they hold as their highest value, which means everyone has a Dharma. The issue, he points out, is that many people do not know their own Dharma. They might claim to be non-religious, but they have given the highest value to something else, like money, prestige, or an ideology. He criticizes the modern, superficial understanding of secularism, where people celebrate all festivals without understanding any of them, merely for show. He asserts that being religious is not a matter of shame but of honor and beauty; the shame lies in being a false religious person. He concludes by reiterating that secularism is a beautiful and necessary ideal for the State, but an individual should be deeply and genuinely religious.