Religious Communalism in India – A Critical Analysis

Abhay Singh Yadav(1983004)

Abstract

The secular abode where all religions are welcome called India has been under the clutches of
Religious Communalism for the past 150 years or so. We have seen how leaders and politicians
have systematically introduced religious communalism into our society and how it has effectively
deteriorated the previously existing fraternal society of India. Bhagat Singh way back in 1926
argued that communalism is as big an enemy of the Indian people as colonialism. Mahatma
Gandhi had spent his entire life preaching communal harmony and yet we have seen close to
7000 communal riots since our Independence itself. Most of these riots were centered around
Hindus and Muslims and an important question that comes up is why communities that
peacefully co-existed and lived in harmony even before our colonization would turn against each
other in such a hostile and barbaric manner? How did the nation where people of all religions and
faiths peacefully co-existed suddenly turned hostile and created scenarios dire enough for people
to protest and riot against the government and the leaders of the nation? This paper is focused on
analyzing the emergence of religious communalism in India and how it has evolved and ruined
our nation as a whole. The author has analyzed the recent trends in religious communalism and
reviewed how religious communalism has changed with modernization and the recent
developments of the past few years. It further elucidates upon the various measures taken up by
the government and recommendations from the side of the author as to how this poison of
religious communalism can be removed from our nation.

Literature Review

This study follows the doctrinal research method in the compilation, organization, interpretation,
and systematization of the primary and secondary source material. The approach of the study is
descriptive and analytical. The data was collected, organized, and systematized from the
secondary data resources. We have collected the data from different websites, research papers
books, and other publications.

In India, "communalism" refers to the formation of a party identity based on religious or racial
status, as well as the related exclusion of non-party members.

In his first book, Identity and Violence (2006), Amartya Sen 1 highlights how the origins of
communalism in India can be traced to the path of "self-determination" in human identity. Such a
way of looking at people in a religious sense and, as a result, a member of the public may feel
justified in discriminating against his economic activities, such as the provision of food, rental

1
Amartya Sen, Identity and Violence: The Illusion of Destiny (W.W. Norton & Co. 2006).
 housing, or taxis. The continued prominence and some say the rise of communalism in India
makes it an issue that needs urgent constitutional attention.

According to Richard C. Lambert2, "The term Communalism is used in India in unequal social
units." It can be said that Communalism is a negative aspect of society. That is to say, when
people in a particular community care for their own interests that are a little troubling, using their
religious beliefs, old customs, and conservation practices, ignoring the interests of the whole
community, then it can be called communalism.

The ideology of communalism has three elements:

1. Belief- People who follow the same religion have the same political, economic, and
social interests. So here socio-political commonalities arise.
2. Notion- In a multi-religious society like India, the interest of one religion differs from
another religion.
3. Interest- Differs in different communities and are seen to be completely incompatible,
antagonist and hostile.

Communalism can be practiced in many ways: political, economic, and religious. It is political
trade in religion. Communal violence is the conjectural consequence of the communal ideology
on which communal politics is based.

According to T.K. Oommen3 there are six dimensions of communalism:

1. Assimilationist: One in which small religious groups are integrated into a big religious
group. Such communalism claims that Schedule tribes, Jains, Sikhs, etc. are Hindus and
should be covered by Hindu Marriage Act.
2. Welfarist: Aims at the welfare of a particular community like improving living
standards, and providing education and health of Christians by Christian associations.
3. Retreatist: In this, a small religious community keeps itself away from politics.
Example: Bahai Community.
4. Retaliatory: Attempts to hurt, harm, injure members of other religious communities.
5. Separatist: In this, the cultural group wants to maintain its cultural specificity and
demands a separate territorial state within the country. Example –NAGAS in Northeast
India.
6. Secessionist: In this religious community wants a separate political identity and demands
an independent state. Small militant of the Sikh population demanding Khalistan.
The last three dimensions of communalism create problems that endanger agitation,
communal riots, terrorism, etc.4

2
Richard C. Lambert, Language and Commonality in India: A Case Study of Language Policy (Niermeyer
1978).
3
T.K. Oommen, "Communalism, Caste and Hindu Fundamentalism," in Rajni Kothari, et al., Caste and Community
(Delhi: Ajanta Publications, 1986), 98.
4
T.K. Oommen, Protests and Power: New Social Movements in India (Sage Publications 1990).
 In his celebrated book Construction of Communalism in Colonial North India, Gyanendra
Pandey5 writes, communalism in India is another characteristic and paradoxical product of the
Age of Reason (and of Capital) which also gave us colonialism and nationalism. ‟ Pandey, along
with his other subaltern historiography colleagues externalize the rise of communalism to the
source of reason and capital accompanying the British colonial rule in India.

Introduction

What is Communalism?

Despite the adoption of national principles and human equality, communalism in one way or
another continues to show its ugly face in India. It seriously undermines the cause of national
integration and political stability and destroys the lives of the people and the property of the
country. Donald E. Smith6 states that communalism is often associated with a small, selfish,
divisive, and aggressive attitude toward a religious group.7

Ideally, it represents the protection and promotion of the interests of a particular community and,
worst of all, is a catastrophic state of promoting the interests of the part of the people to the extent
that it starts to harm society as a whole. It perpetuates the existing hostility towards other
communities living within the same political domain. Working in the name of a particular
religion or culture, communalism opposes all social change and progressive development and
thus, produces orthodoxy.

India is a non-religious country with a mixed religious and cultural identity. The ancestors of our
constitution found it a great benefit to the nation and its people not to have a formal religion. This
can be understood as a manifestation of pre-colonial life in India as the nation was not united as
one country or state before the colonial regime of the British empire began. Instead, India was a
union of many small kingdoms each with its own cultural and religious beliefs.

Communalism means a strong attachment to one's personal life, be it personal religion, region, or
language. It promotes diversity of interests among communities that may cause hostile enmity
between communities. Communalism in India takes on a certain political character. In India, it is
often associated with a strong and vicious attachment to a religious belief that creates animosity
towards other religions.

What are the characteristics of Communalism?

5
Gyanendra Pandey, Construction of Communalism in Colonial North India (New York: Oxford University Press,
1990), 45.
6
Donald E. Smith, India as a Secular State (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1963), 110.
7
Donald Eugene Smith, India as a Secular State, Princeton University Press (1963)
• Creates a community-based perspective.

• Preaches a way of discriminating against the differences in interests between different

communities that may or may not be compatible.

• Communalism unites one community against another.

• One society seeks to grow and gain economic prosperity through the loss of other communities.

• Extreme communalism often preaches the elimination of other religions.

Communalism is not a very old ideology. In the context of the Indian subcontinent, it can be said
that the seeds of communalism were sown in the late 1880s and seemed to flourish as a major
political tool of the modern world in the mid-1900s with the formation of the Hindu Mahasabha
and the Muslim league.

Communalism can be understood as a philosophy of supporting your religion, its beliefs, and all
the acts performed in the name of religion without question. It is often referred to as blind faith in
one's religion and is said to be the cause of many riots that have erupted in the last century. It is a
concept often associated with the same umbrella as fascism and religious fundamentalism.

Communalism, however, is widely regarded as deeply rooted in the religious landscape and the
protection of religion in the Indian subcontinent is actually a political tool of mass mobilization
for the benefit of political leaders and groups. It has nothing to do with true religion and is often
seen as the promoter of the British concept of sectarianism and segregation where sectarianism
makes it easier to control and govern. When we translate the situation in India we see how the
political leaders took the identity that we were given by the bris because of our religion and
instead of breaking those boundaries they started using it to gain and support politics.

History and Emergence of Religious Communalism in India

History of Communalism in India

We have never had a religious war as in the west against so-called religious threats. The problem
of communalism is a modern one based on a modern socio-economic structure built in India by
colonial rulers. Modern politics developed on similar concepts and is now based on social
inclusion and social segregation.

India has been a multicultural society since before the word secularism was introduced. It was
called the abode of all the religions of our world. Looking back on the Hindu scriptures we can
see how in the pre-Mughal timeline, our Vedas often spoke of peace and harmony among all
religions. Even during the Mughal period, we saw how Hindus and Muslims found harmony and
there was a sense of brotherhood among all who lived in India. Emperor Ashoka and Emperor
Akhbar were preachers of intelligent believers in social cohesion and worldly practices.
 There were certain social aspects between the social and political conflicts such as the demolition
of places of worship highlighted by colonial historians but which had to do more with one's
politics than the religious struggle.

Undoubtedly due to differences in belief systems and thought processes, there were elements that
created tensions even in these times such as the demolition of places of worship and rulers like
Aurangzeb who imposed civil laws and imposed restrictions based on one's religion but the
communal sentiment seen today on topics of religion is unprecedented.

The communal sentiment we see today can be traced back to the British arrival on the Indian
subcontinent. When the British arrived in India they used social divisions and religious
segregation to stir up feelings of dissatisfaction among many rulers based on religion. They used
the policy of segregation and domination to break up the current peaceful coexistence of Hindus
and Muslims and caused tensions between us.

A clear example of this is seen in the partition of West Bengal where we see how the common
people opposed the movement and the vast majority of people who participated in the Bande
Mataram movement against the order of separation were Muslims. Lord Curzon had personally
visited and secured the Dhaka Nawab as a result of which he and government officials spread
anti-Hindu sentiments among the masses and strongly opposed the anti-sectarian movement.

With the support of the British Government, especially Lord Minto 8, the Muslim League came
into existence in December 1906. It included a group of Orthodox Hindus as a result of which
Hindu Mahasabha and Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh were present in 1907 and 1925.
respectively. The British government planned to use Muslims against Hindus in general and
Congress in particular.

The Morley-Minto Reforms or Indian Council Act of 1909 9 provided for separate voters from
Muslims in the election of the Central and Provincial Legislative Council. The Indian
Government Act of 191910 extended the same area to Sikhs, Christians, and Anglo-Indians.
Ramsay Macdonald's Communal Award 11 was presented to various voters in the oppressed
sections and communities mentioned above. With the help of the government, the Sikhs are
united as a separate society, and thus, they create divisions in the unity of the Hindus.

The Muslim League was promoted by the government and eventually sought a different Muslim
country. It is called the National Congress a Hindu organization operating against the Muslim
League. Jinnah's "Bilingual Theory" almost divided Indian politics. Hindu organizations felt that
Muslims were taking bad agreements with the government and the National Congress. V.D.
Savarkar wanted an undivided India to establish the "Hindu Raj". Jinnah's invitation to a "Day of
Specific Action" and the subsequent segregation of India caused a great uproar in the community.
Pakistan was created but sections of society continued to disrupt human relations.
8
Morley-Minto Reforms.
9
Indian Council Act of 1909
10
Government of India Act of 1919.
11
Ramsay Macdonald’s Communal Award (Government of India 1930).
 During the first three decades after independence, and even after the division of the Indian
subcontinent in Pakistan in 1947, no political power was acquired in the name of Hinduism. Since
the mid-1980s there has been a resurgence of a new form of Hindu nationalism in Indian society
and its political institutions. Basically, the Hindu nationalist movement has defined itself as
opposed to Islam and Muslims. Hindu rebels have promoted the claim that a minority of Muslims
in India threaten Hindus and have sought to establish India as a predominantly Hindu nation,
based on Hindu ideology, values, and religion. Hindutva's ideology and politics - the level of
Hinduism - were accompanied by a rapid increase in major (Hindu-Muslim) civil unrest in the
1980s and 1990s.

Massive civil unrest spread throughout India in 1990 and following the demolition of the Babri
Masjid mosque in Ayodhya in 1992. Gujarat, one of the richest provinces in India, has been
instrumental in the growth of communalism. Since the mid-1980s Gujarat has been a hotbed of
repetitive civil unrest. The state has become the emotional center of the Hindu nationalist
movement and has been recognized as a Hindu laboratory. The growth of communalism in
Gujarat culminated in the massacre of Muslims in many parts of the region in February 2002.

Classes of Communalism and Their Evolution

Communalism, suggests Bipan Chandra12 is an testament,i.e a belief system orinter-related

supposition through which polity or societies are viewed. The collaborative testament assumes
that Indian society is unnaturally divided into religious communities, whose interests not only
differ but may frequently be opposed to each other. The opposition between the religious
communities is apparent not only in their religious and artistic way of life but also when
organized for a temporal profitable and political purpose. Bipan Chandra, in his book India's
Struggle for Independence, argues that communalism consists of three introductory rudiments or
services.

First stage — Communal nationalism

The first phase of communalism, according to Bipan Chandra, began mainly in the second half of
the 19th century, thanks to a revolutionary movement. It is a belief that people who follow the
same religion have similar interests in the world, which are the same political, economic, social,
and cultural interests. These religious units are considered to be the basic units of Indian society.

The first phase of Indian Communalism was marked by the growth of Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs,
etc. The roots of the communist ideology are rooted in the religious revolution of the late 19th
century. At that time, India saw a Hindu revival movement such as the Arya Samaj's Shuddhi
movement, cattle protection riots (1892), etc.13

Similarly, Islamic reform movements such as the Faraizi Haji Shariatullah movement aimed at
restoring Bengali Muslims to the true path of Islam contributed to communalism in the late 19th
century. Also, people like Syed Ahmed Khan, despite having a scientific and rational approach,
12
Bipan Chandra, India's Struggle for Independence (New Delhi: Penguin Books India, 1989), 167.
13
] Imsu Jinger, Hindutva the ideology the impact and the implications Academia.edu (2017),
https://www.academia.edu/30976749/Hindutva_the_ideology_the_impact_and_the_implications
 nurtured the feelings of the Indian Muslims by projecting them as a separate community (qaum)
having distinct interests when compared with other religious communities. 14

Second Stage - Liberal Communalism

The second aspect of communalism is based on the premise that the country's interests of one
community are different and that they do not reflect the interests of the community of other
community. The second stage is called liberal communalism. The liberal communalist basically
believed in and practiced social politics; but he still clung to certain principles of freedom,
democracy, and nationalism.

At this stage of Indian communalism, social politics were liberal, democratic, and humane with
nationalistic values. This trend continued until 1937. At this stage, people of a particular group
begin to believe that their social, economic, political, and cultural interests differ from those of
other societies.

Third Stage - Extreme Communalism

The third stage of communalism was fascist syndrome. This form of communalism was extreme
and was based primarily on fear and hatred. At this stage, sections of the community resorted to
violence and demanded a separate nation. This category is characterized by people's belief that
their interests are not only different but also different from other societies and cannot co-exist. It
was represented by the Muslim League and the Hindu Mahasabha after 1937.

The third stage of communalism is perceived when the interests of various societies are seen as
inconsistent, and hostile. So communalism is actually a theory on which social politics is based.
Extreme communalism is based on the premise that fear and hatred have a tendency to use the
language of violence, actions or behavior, war language, and hostility against political opponents.
It was at this point that the Hindu Communists and Muslims formulated the view that Muslims
and Hindus formed different ethnic groups in which their differences were permanent and
unresolved.

Causes of Communalism

(a) Design of leaders:

Ironically, if Communalism flourished in India, the minority would suffer. A minority sees
religious discrimination as their cover for self-defense and the only weapon against
communalism.

Yet India's past colonial era that produced a policy of segregation and domination, the
Community Award, a separate vote on the basis of religion, strengthened the foundation of
communalism in India. Eventually, the division of undivided India into Pakistan and India
(Bharat) gave a sense of opposition to each other.
14
Valerian Rodrigues, In Search of an Anchor: Muslim Thought in Modern India, Economic and Political Weekly
(2011), https://www.epw.in/journal/2011/49/special-articles/search-anchor-muslim-thought-modern-india.html
Communalism has flourished in India because the communist leaders of both Hindu and Muslim
communities wish to promote it in the interests of their communities. The effective manifestation
of this field of thought was the need of the various voters and the organization of the Islamic
movement. Voters were divided on the basis of religion, the British rule that produced the policy
of segregation and domination, strengthened the foundation of communalism in India. Finally, the
division of the country into India and Pakistan gave one sense of opposition to each other.

(b) The tendency of the few:

Minors fail to mix nationally. The majority of members of minority communities do not
participate in national politics and insist on maintaining a distinct party. They also demand health
and property protection, minor bookings for services, and so on. In this regard, R.A.
Schermerthorn believes that "Muslims must realize that their future is linked to the future of
nonreligious religion and that they must support and strengthen — Hindus and others who have
started a war against communalism."

Muslims are not mixed with the common world. Most of them have no interest in national politics
and insist that Muslim authorities do not establish the necessary national policies.

(c) Orthodoxy and Obscurantism:

Orthodox members and minority obscurantists feel they have a different business with their own
cultural patterns, personal rules, and way of thinking. Such a feeling has made it difficult for them
to accept the concept of secularism and religious intolerance. Hindu chauvinism also has a similar
obligation not to accept worldly principles.

Prominent and Hindu chauvinist leaders have tried to impose Hindu culture on Muslims in the
name of Indiaisation. This has resulted in resistance to the Muslim community and the revival of
the need for different voters and the formation of different political parties organized in the order
of fundamentalism.

Young Orthodox members believe that they have a distinct body with their own cultural patterns,
personal rules, and thinking. Among Muslims, there are strong aspects of conservatism and
fundamentalism. They have been disappointed to accept the idea of nationalism and religious
freedom in such ways.

(d) Organized and Forces:

Some scholars have argued that civil unrest is often the result of religiously motivated
fundraisers. For example, Moin Shakir, in his book "Politics and Minorities", argues that civil
unrest should be viewed as the work of organized and violent Hindu organizations such as the
R.S.S. They want to achieve some political ends by rebelling against the government.

Social violence is the result of a political situation of mobilizing the community to oppose each
other for political purposes. This process is accelerated by the use of machines in the opposite
field, community, or religious leadership. It is also no coincidence that social unrest became more
widespread after the Indo-Pak war (1965). On the contrary, RSS leaders have strongly denied
their involvement in social media.

(e) The weak economic situation of a few:

The largest group of young people in India remains orthodox and traditional in appearance which
contributes to social sensitivity. So a large percentage of Muslims in India have failed to embrace
western education, science, technology, and philosophy. Due to their educational backwardness,
Muslims were not adequately represented in public works, industry, trade, etc. trade. In India,
most Muslims were unable to learn science or technology. They have never been properly
represented in public works, manufacturing, trade, etc., because of their educational
backwardness. This creates a sense of connection and the seeds of communalism are in these
feelings.

(f) Causes of location:

The geographical location of the various religious groups, particularly Hindus, Muslims, and
Christians, causes a wide variety of lifestyles, social norms, and beliefs. Often those patterns are
contradictory and this can lead to social unrest.

There are several differences between the way of life, the social practices, and the belief system
in the area where the various religious groups live, especially Hindus, Muslims, and Christians.
Many of these models are controversial and may cause conflict between cultures.

(g) Causes of History:

Historical causes are less important either. It is no exaggeration that Muslims entered India as
aliens and began to convert Hindus to Islam with the power of the sword. Many Hindus are
forced by Islamic rulers to accept Islam. If they say no, then it is because they are suffering
terribly and in injustice. In contrast, Hindu kings also opposed the religious system of Islamic
kings.

And there we find many instances where Hindus and Muslims work together. For the liberation
of the country, Hindus and Muslims had to fight together. Whether it be the Congress or the
I.N.A., Muslims always provide skilled support to Hindus and stand by their side. But gradually it
contained elements of communalism, as a result of which the Islamic State was formed and
demanded a partisan state.

Muslims on the continent were converted to Hinduism, due to racial tensions and restrictions on
the Islamic State. The problems of social classification, the alphabet and the poverty that plagued
the poorest citizens remain unresolved, as the international rubble has never had an effect on
them. Their work ended with the conversion of the Indians and the converts began by imitating
the thought, speech, and dress of the king. Their separation began. In the Muslim community, the
elements of communalism gradually entered the fray. From the beginning of the National
Revival, the divisive elements in the Muslim community prevented others from associating with
their community. This contributed to the formation of the Islamic State, which forced the country
to be divided.

(h) Psychological Causes:

Hatred, disgusting, deceptive, and misleading teachings create tensions in society. Different
beliefs of both societies over each other often dominate the past. Hindus consider Muslims to be
religious and religious. Most important of this is that Hindus believe that Muslims do not have a
country and owe their allegiance to Muslim countries.

In contrast, Muslims also feel that they are treated as elite citizens of India and that their religious
practices are looked down upon by Hindus. During the Indo-Pak wars of 1965 and 1971, no
responsibility, related to public safety, was assigned to Muslims. This has created a feeling
among Muslims that they are being treated as second-class citizens and a sense of mistrust
continues against them.

In the growth of communalism, psychological factors play a vital role. Hindus believe that
Muslims are cunning and extremist. They think that Muslims also have no country. In contrast,
Muslims feel that India is viewed as inferior and has no religion. These feelings contribute to the
misfortune of the group.

(i) Failure of government equipment:

The State Government and the Union Government cannot escape their responsibility for the
growth of communalism in our country. They have often failed to check on the situation,
anticipating a sudden outbreak of riots. They have also failed to take immediate steps to reduce
the tension. Governments are trying to rob the opposition and throw all their guilt on them. The
government has also failed to eliminate political parties that are organized according to public
opinion.

(j) Offensive against enemy states:

Some foreign countries interfere in India's internal politics and try to tarnish its internal affairs by
uniting one community against another through their spies. Pakistan's role in promoting Muslim
harmony in our country will not be underestimated. Hindu religious leaders suspect that civil
unrest is being fueled by India by its Indian ambassadors.

Some foreign powers try to undermine our country, by using their agents to set up one party
against another. Pakistan has been instrumental in promoting a similar spirit among Muslims in
our country. By inciting extremist segments of the Indian Muslim community, Pakistan has
encouraged and encouraged civil unrest. Kashmir youth are being trained to tarnish India's
internal security by spreading group poisoning by Pakistan.

In the same way, whenever there is a Hindu-Muslim conflict the Pakistani authorities always
blame the Hindus for it and express the view that the Indian Government is also behind the
incident. Pakistan is alleged to have encouraged and incited civil unrest by inciting parts of the
Indian Muslim military to resort to violence. It was also confirmed that Pakistan trains Sikh
terrorists and youths of Kashmir and undermines India's internal security by spreading toxins in
the community. The USA has also played a dirty role with C.I.A., Its secret institution.

(k) Negative impact of large media:

Messages about social unrest, in any part of our country, are being circulated through the media.
This has led to tensions and unrest among competing communities. For example, news of the
demolition of a protest building in Ayodhya spread like wildfire across the country through the
media. This only made matters worse, as riots broke out in many cities and villages.

Messages about social unrest or riots in any part of the country were broadcast on social media,
as well as on social media, in all parts of the world. This leads to more conflicts and riots between
the two rivals.

The cultural similarity is an important factor in developing good relations between two different
sections of society. But Hindu and Muslim social institutions, cultures, and customs are so
different that they feel they are two separate groups.

What are the consequences of communalism?

• Harmful to Social Fabric

1. Communalism opens the door to social cohesion and brotherhood.

2. The poisonous idea of communalism contributes to the ingenuity and outrage of science.

3. It creates an endless cycle of mistrust, hostility, and violence.

4. National unity is not possible in a place of social cohesion

• Economic collapse

1. Communalism puts limits on development.

2. Jammu and Kashmir are ancient examples of a region marred by civil strife and failing to
achieve its great potential for growth.

3. Land development is only possible in a coherent environment where workers are productive.

4. A public levy is not a good place to invest.

• Threat to internal security

1. There is always the possibility of chaos and violence in some pockets of the country.
 2. At-risk young people are at risk of developing external interests and mind-boggling activities.
There are reports15 from the Home Affairs Ministry about 100 young people joining ISIS

3. Civil strife in border areas can lead to illegal entry and threaten national peace and security.

• The majority

1. The great danger of communalism is democracy.

2. Voters dealing with public sentiment will not make the right decisions about ballot boxes.

3. Loyalty to democracy is lost if the electoral process is run by public policy.

Cases of Civil Violence in India (Judicial Commentary)

The partition of India saw the bloodshed and violence that lasted until 1949. No major social
upheaval occurred until 1961 when the Jabalpur riots shook the country because of economic
competition between the Hindu and Muslim bid producers than any other electoral competition.

The 1960s - A series of riots erupted mainly in the eastern part of India - Rourkela, Jamshedpur,
and Ranchi - in 1964, 1965, and 1967, in the areas where Hindu refugees from then-East East
Pakistan once settled.

In September 1969, riots in Ahmedabad rocked the nation's conscience. The obvious reason was
that Jan Sangh issued a ruling on the conduct of Indian Muslims in order to show strong
opposition to Indira Gandhi's left-wing move.

In April 1974, violence broke out in a chawl or residential area, in the Worli area of Mumbai after
police tried to break up a meeting of the Dalit Panthers who had turned violent, outraged by a
confrontation with Shiv Sena.

In February 1983, violence erupted in Nellie over the failure of a controversial 1983 election by-
elections in Assam, following Indira Gandhi's decision to give Bangladesh four million
immigrants the right to vote. It has been described as one of the worst crimes since World War II.

In October 1984, anti-Sikh riots erupted after the assassination of Indira Gandhi, in which more
than 4,000 Sikhs were killed in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and other parts of India. Meanwhile, the
Bombay-Bhiwandi riots were sparked by Shiv Sena when he jumped on the Hindutva bandwagon
to revive the Shiv Sena political treasure that had lost its appeal. The Shah Bano conflict in 1985
and the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi conflict became powerful tools for strengthening
communalism in the eighties. Civil unrest erupted in tragedy in December 1992 when the Babri
Masjid was demolished by right-wing groups.

Communalism Today

15
National Crime Records Bureau, Report on Communal Violence (New Delhi: Ministry of Home Affairs, 2022),
23, https://ncrb.gov.in/en/publications/Crime-India.
Communalism to this day is a disgrace to India. Social upheaval occurs whenever religious
ceremonies of two communities meet. For example, civil strife occurs whenever Eid and Holi
occur, or Dussehra and Muharram on the same date. Similarly, the social upheaval has occurred
whenever there have been instances when religious symbols and scriptures are not honored.
Analysis of civil unrest also showed that a change in government or political system did not have
a major impact on social change. Therefore, it can be concluded that social behavior has become
an ongoing process that is not limited to certain times in modern times.

Reasons for Communalism today

• Divide Inheritance

1. The division of India into religious lines only reinforced animosity.

2. Bloodshed during divorce is deeply ingrained in the minds of those who suffer.

3. The early years were very difficult as there was an official response such as promoting a Hindu
code bill.

• Deep intrusion of communalism

1. There has been major post-independence unrest in various parts of the country.

2. Social tensions over places of worship, conversion always worked in one place or in other parts
of the country

3. the 1960s - A series of riots erupted mainly in the eastern part of India - Rourkela, Jamshedpur,
and Ranchi - in 1964, 1965, and 1967, in the areas where Hindu refugees from then-East East
Pakistan once settled.

• Creating a political religion

1. Community mobilization is carried out by political parties for the first time in the election
process.

2. The multi-party democracy also led to the formation of religious-based political parties that
supported religious interests.

• Economic causes

1. The economic situation of a few societies has not changed since independence.

2. A Sachar committee report highlighted the limited reduction in religious minorities in health,
education, income, and standard of living.

3. This creates the impression of multiple establishment bias.

 4. These truths are exploited by selfish cults for political gain.

• Media interest

1. The insensitivity expressed by the media in reporting social conflicts has exacerbated tensions.

2. Social media has become a hateful, hateful society.

• Weak coercion of resistance

1. The act of inaction or consolation during the exodus of Shah Bano, Babri Masjid, and Kashmiri
Pandit was a major factor in the credibility of the institution's support for religious intolerance.

2. This creates consolation ideas in both Hindu and Muslim communities.

What is being done?

Contrary to the three cases just mentioned, the Supreme Court in the case of Zoroastrian
Cooperative v. The District Registrar (2005) 16 maintained the legality of the collective
discriminatory by-laws of the housing community. The Zoroastrian Cooperative Housing Society
set a limit on the sale of real estate to those who did not follow the prophet Zoroaster. This was
upheld by the Supreme Court on the basis of Article 29 of the Constitution, which allows
minority religions to preserve their traditions. (The Supreme Court also recognized the fact that
the Parental Act, the Bombay Co-operative Societies Act 1925 17, under which the housing
association was registered, did not impose any restrictions on such discriminatory by-laws.)
There were, however, no compelling reasons to explain and other religious groups in the housing
community threatened to undermine the culture of the Zoroastrian minority. In any case, the
decision of the Supreme Court will apply only to certain circumstances that require the
constitutional protection of the minority religious culture. Therefore, the case has no precedent in
some cases where people from minority religions are placed in a position of limited access to
public property.

• Provision of the Constitution

1. The Constitution declares India as a country of democracy.

2. The fundamental rights to equality, non-discrimination, and freedom of religion are equal
rights.

3. It places an important responsibility on every citizen to promote harmony and brotherhood for
the dignity of the nation.
16
Zoroastrian Coop. Hous. Soc’y v. Dist. Registrar, (2005) 5 S.C.C. 636 (India).
17
Bombay Cooperative Societies Act 1925.
 • Electoral laws

1. The Representation of the Peoples 'Act, 1951 prohibits public campaigning. Abhiram Singh's
decision declared that recruitment was an election crime. 18

2. The code of conduct is an effective way to curb communalism during elections.

3. Section 123 (3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 prohibits a candidate from
making a sympathetic religious appeal. Such a person is liable for withdrawal.

• National Integration Council

1. It is a constitutional body headed by a Prime Minister.

2. The NIC was established to combat the evils of communalism, apartheid, region, and
languages.

3. Sixteen NIC meetings have been held so far.

• Ranganath Mishra Commission

It was designed to propose effective measures for the development of social and economic
backward divisions between minority religions and languages.

DATA ANALYSIS WITH REFERENCE TO COMMUNAL VIOLENCE IN RECENT

YEARS

18
Representation of the People Act, 1951, No. 43, Acts of Parliament, 1951 (India).
Recommendation
Abolition of Civil Society: The government must ban or disband all political parties that rely on
religion. In order to stop preaching communalism, even non-political cultural organizations must
be closely monitored.

Passing on past values: Feelings of nationalism should be ingrained in the minds of the people by
reminding the public of the glorious historical times of Hindus and Muslims and Sikhs in order to
protect the interests of their country.

General public opinion: Efforts to change people's attitudes toward other cultures should be made
through the media. The citizens must understand the evils of communalism.

Interfaith Marriage: Youth groups and other organizations in all provinces should be formed to
give people from different communities the opportunity to come together and get to know each
other. This will encourage them to marry within religious groups that reduce sectarianism among
members of religious groups. Government and the people must make every effort to eliminate
social ills and conflicts.