Question

What is communalism?

Hint:

Do not confuse communalism with being religious. A person can be deeply religious without being communal. Communalism is about using religious identity for political mobilization and promoting hostility against other religious groups.

Answer 1

Step 1: Key Concept:
Communalism is a political ideology that promotes the belief that people who share a common religion also have common social, political, and economic interests. In its extreme form, it involves promoting the interests of one's own religious group in opposition to, and at the expense of, the interests of other religious groups, leading to inter-religious hostility and conflict.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Communalism can be understood in three stages:
1. Mild Communalism: The belief that people of a particular religion form a distinct community with shared secular interests. This is the beginning of communal thinking.
2. Moderate Communalism: The belief that the interests of one's own religious community are different from and divergent to the interests of other communities. This leads to demands for special political and economic safeguards for one's own community.
3. Extreme Communalism: The belief that the interests of different religious communities are not only different but also mutually incompatible and antagonistic. This stage often leads to hatred, violence, and the demand for a separate nation-state.
In the context of India, communalism is seen as a major threat to its secular fabric and national unity, as it divides society along religious lines and undermines the principles of equality and fraternity.