Assimilation
Topic: Citizenship: Idea and Indian Law · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 6 "Citizenship"
Meaning
Assimilation is a policy under which all citizens must adopt the national culture and language in public life. They may keep their own beliefs in private. France is the main example. The policy weighs more heavily on some groups than on others, because their religious dress or customs are visible in public.
Example
In France, Sikh boys' turbans and Muslim girls' headscarves were barred in some state schools. A 2004 law banned conspicuous religious symbols in schools, and a 2010 law banned face coverings. In India, the similar debate came up in the Karnataka hijab case (Aishat Shifa, 2022), which ended in a split verdict.