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ADHISH PRASAD
Roll no: - 904 Semester: - 1st Session: - 2013-18
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I am very thankful to everyone who all supported me for I have completed my project effectively and moreover on time. I am equally grateful to my Political Science faculty: Mr. S.P Singh. He gave me moral support and guided me in different matters regarding the topic. He had been very kind and patient while suggesting me the outlines of this project and correcting my doubts. I thank her for his overall supports. Last but not the least, I would like to thank my friends who helped me a lot in gathering different information, collecting data and guiding me from time to time in making this project despite of their busy schedules ,they gave me different ideas in making this project unique.
Thanking you
ADHISH PRASAD
CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that my Project Work entitled The Politics of Communalism. Submitted by Mr. ADHISH PRASAD is the record of work carried out during semester-I of First Year B.A. LL.B. Course for the academic year 2013-2018 under my supervision and guidance in conformity with the syllabus prescribed by Chanakya National Law University.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
5. CHAPTERISATION MEANING OF COMMUNALISM....9,10 CAUSES OF COMMUNALISM.11-13 EMERGENCE OF COMMUNALISM IN INDIAN POLITICS..14 COMMUNALISM AND INDIAN POLITICS.....15 THE POLITICS OF COMMUNALISM A THREAT TO INDIAs UNITY16-19 LATEST NEWS REGARDING POLITICS OF COMMUNALISM..20-23 PROBLEMS DUE TO THE POLITICS OF COMMUNALISM IN INDIA ....24 SUGGESTION FOR THE ERADICTION OF COMMUNALISM.25 CONCLUSION.26
6. BIBLIOGRAPHY..27
INTRODUCTION
The politics on communalism by political leaders is an old phenomenon indeed. On the Hindu side, it appears along with the crystallization of militant Hinduism in the late ninth century. It was primarily aimed at mobilizing the Hindu community against what was perceived by some Hindu leaders at the Muslim threat. It can be proved by some of the most important examples. Tilaks reinterpretation of processions in honor of Ganesh festival beginning in the 1890s, the case of the Ram Lila in Allahabad, representation an anti-Muslim Unitarian mobilization. In the 1920s, following the Khalifat movement, the same logic operated1.
A unique feature of our country is that the major religions of the world are practiced here like Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism and Zoroastrianism. Hinduism is a dominant religion and others are in minority. But we can notice comparative peace and friendliness among other religions. Unluckily this peace and friendliness are not seen among the Hindus and the Muslims. The two have never respected each other's identity and broken out from time to time in various parts of the country. And whenever there is a riot, national integrity has fallen into danger. We can trace the history of communal riots in the background of our independence. We gained our independence after a long and difficult struggle. Our leaders had a vision of a free and a united country, which inspired them to fight eventually not one but two countries were formed, India and Pakistan. The separate state of Pakistan was created for Muslims. When these two states were formed terrible problems arose. There were many Hindus in Pakistan and Muslims in India. Some communal minded people began to inflame communal passion. They began to riot and kill people belonging to the other faith. Communal hatred showed its true color as lakes of innocent people were massacred and millions rendered homeless.
Wilkinson Steven I., Religious, political and communal violence, Oxford publication, edition- first in 2005
The horrors of partition had a strong effect on everyone's mind. The creation of Pakistan could not solve the communal problems. Hindus and Muslims remained at daggers drawn. The makers of the constitution resolved that India would be a secular state where everyone would be free to practice his/ her religion. But due to some misguided people and corrupt Politicians several communal riots have broken out even after independence. In 1979, Aligarh was utilized by communal riots and it took several months to bring the situation under control. In 1980 there were communal riots in Moradabad, Aligarh, Allahabad, and Delhi. Again in 1987 and 1991 there were widespread riots in Meerut. To crown them all was the drab Carnage which occurred in the year 2002. It looked a partition again. These communal riots are the greatest blot on humanity they spread hatred and insecurity. They lead to a great destruction of life and property. The normal lives of people are disturbed which is a great loss to the country as well. For the well being of all our people and the country, it is important that we respect other religions and live in peace and harmony. Our leaders can be of great help in this field. They can inspire people to outlook the differences between Hindus and Muslims. Social workers should extend their helping hands in preparing an atmosphere of love, friendship and harmony. Disputes should be solved peacefully. The media of mass communication should promote an atmosphere of natural understanding by high highlighting the similarities in the culture of the two communities. The T.V., newspaper and the radio should not give any such news which may inflame communal feelings. Instead the news should aim at restoration of peace which alone can save humanity.
Thus, Communalism became even more significant vehicles of violence when local power politics was at strike. The relative democratization of the political system, which followed the Government of India act of 1919, favored the emergence of a political class which was more to the sensibilities of the electorate and was concerned, therefore, with defending religious institutions such as processions. Over the years, a specific pattern of communal-based riots has emerged, for ideological and electoral reasons.
The growing importance of elections in a democratic framework and the increasingly tense relations between Hindu and Muslims from the 1970s onwards largely explain this development. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, however, the different aspects of the politics of communalism were increasingly integrated2. Hindu nationalist leaders used communalism and riots to mobilize supports more and more frequently, especially at the time of elections, when it was particularly useful for them to polarize the electorate along religious lines.
HYPOTHESIS
The researcher hypothesizes that, the topic of my project THE POLITICS OF COMMUNALISM is a very burning topic of todays India. Most of the politics are done on communalism. Even most of the politicians are asking for vote in the names of Communalism. As we that India is the country of all religions. Here all the religions got equal importance. But due the Politics of communalism, it seems to be unequal. And sometimes it results into riots also.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The various books, websites, magazines and newspaper are referred for this topic. The sources from which the material for this research collected are secondary. So the methodology used in the research has been Doctrinal. No non-doctrinal method has been used by the researcher in this project work.
MEANING OF COMMUNALISM
Communalism is an ideology of politics allegiance to a religious community. It means to use a religious community against another communities or the nation. It exploits religion for political, personal, financial or electoral gains3.
It is described as a tool to mobilize people for or against by raising an appeal on communal lines. Communalism is associated with religious fundamentalism and dogmatism. Abdul Ahmad says, Communalism is a social phenomenon characterized by the religion of two Communities, often leading to acrimony, tension and even rioting between them.
Prabha Dixit writes, Communalism is a political doctrine which makes use of religious and cultural differences to achieve political ends. According to Asqhar Ali Engineer, Moin Shakir and Abdul Ahmed, it is an instrument in the hands of to upper Cass to concentrate power by dividing people. The elites strive to maintain a status quo against transformation by dividing people on communal and religious lines. Communalism may be perceived as a total commitment to a set of beliefs and it, s far from rationality. Communalism is the belief that because a group of people follow a particular religion they have, as a result, common secular, that is, social, political and economic interests. It is the belief that in India religious groups like Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians form different and distinct communities; that all the followers of a religion share not only a commonality of religious interests but also common secular interests; that there is, and can be, no such thing as an Indian nation.
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http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/communalism/problems-of-communalism-in-india-essay/4091/
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But only a Hindu nation, or a Muslim nation and so on; that India can, therefore, only be a mere confederation of religious communities. Inherent in communalism is the second notion that the social, cultural, economic and political interests of the followers of one religion are dissimilar and divergent from the interests of the followers of another religion. The third stage of communalism is reached when the interests of the followers of different religions or of different religious 'communities' are seen to be mutually incompatible, antagonistic and hostile. Thus, at this stage, the communalists assert that Hindus and Muslims cannot have common secular interests, and that their secular interests are bound to be opposed.
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CAUSES OF COMMUNALISM
There are a number of causes which are responsible for the prevalence of communalism. Some of the important causes of communalism are discussed below.
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5. Geographical Causes:
The territorial settlement of different religious groups especially Hindus, Muslims and Christians Causes in them wide variation in the mode of life, social standards and belief system. Most of these patterns are contradictory and this may cause communal tension.
6. Historical Causes:
The Muslims, all over the subcontinent, are converts from Hinduism, which was facilitated due to the caste-hate relations and under the compulsions of Muslim rulers. The problems of social segregation, illiteracy and poverty that had set apart the low caste people remain unresolved for them, as the foreign elite that rubbed never shared power with them. Their work ended with the conversion of the Indians and the converts began by imitating the masters in thought, speech and dress. It caused their alienation. Gradually, elements of communalism entered in the Muslim community. The separatist elements in the Muslim community, from the very start of the national resurgence had discouraged others of their community, from associating themselves with it. As a result Muslim league was formed which demanded partition of the country.
7. Social Causes:
Cultural similarity is a powerful factor in fostering amicable relations between any two social groups. But the social institutions, customs and practices of Hindus and Muslims are so divergent that they think themselves to be two distinct communities.
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8. Psychological Causes:
Psychological factors play an important role in the development of communalism. The Hindus think that the Muslims are fanatics and fundamentalists. They also believe that Muslims are unpatriotic. On the contrary, the Muslims feel that they are being treated as second rate citizens in India and their religious beliefs and practices are inferior. These feelings lead to communal illfeeing.
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Some of the important reasons for the emergence of communalism in Indian politics are given below1. Because of historical reasons, many of the Indian Muslims consider themselves closer to the Muslims of other countries rather than other religious groups of India. 2. Some of the Muslims and their leaders undermine the feeling of nationalism and espouse religious fundamentalism. 3. Indian Muslim leaders suffer from minority complex and fear psychosis and find the reasons of backwardness of Muslims on communal lines. They always blame the government for their backwardness and allege that the government is discriminatory towards Muslims. 4. The narrow approach of our neighbor Pakistan towards Indian Muslims incites the feeling of separateness and fundamentalism among Indian Muslims. 5. The educational and economic backwardness of Indian Muslims keep them away from national mainstream and perpetuates fundamentalism and separation among them. They become easy victims of vested political interests.4 The policy of vote bank towards Muslims, adopted by political parties has further encouraged the divisions among different religious groups and obstructed the possibility of religious harmony and closeness.
http://younghopes.wordpress.com/2011/04/09/religion-and-communalism-in-indian-politics/
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Moreover, communal issues are often brought up during the time of elections; this is mostly done to divert attention from real issues of basic development. A section of politicians have been manipulating communal issues for their selfish ends. This section of individuals and groups are more prone to use divisive ideologies like communalism to ensure their political power. Communalization of politics has today become a threat to secular character of the nation. In Independent India, the tendency of communalism has increased in the democratic process. Thus, Muslims have been treated as a Vote Bank by different political parties in differen times. Political parties have adopted the policy of appeasement towards Muslims and other minority groups like Sikhs and Christians to seek their political support.
INTRODUCTION TO ISSUES IN INDIAN POLITICS: CASTE, COMMUNALISM, Accessed on 06/09/2013 at 23:45 IST,
http://www.kkhsou.in/main/polscience/issues_indian.html
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the holocaust of 1947, assassination of Mahatma Gandhi demolition of the Babri Mosque at Ayodhya and the riots accompanying it etc. to get a feel of the trauma. The Muslim fundamentalists have made it an issue of their identity and existence. The Hindu fundamentalist are also not behind inciting the gullible masses, to rise against the Muslims, by making them believe that Hindus in Hindustan are being treated as second class citizens. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sang (RSS) and the Sangh Parivar, which is an umbrella sheltering and nurturing organization like Bharitya Janata party (BJP), Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), the Bajrang Dal, the Shiv Sena and other of their ilk, is such a conglomerate. The backbone of the now infamous Saffrom Brigade i.e. the organizations following a militant Hindu Fundamentalist agenda and fascist principles, is the RSS. In fact the family came into being because the RSS was rejected by people after the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi and thus chose to remain in background. The basic fabric of Indian society and polity, which is heterogeneous, composite and democratic, The basic fabric of Indian society and polity, which is heterogeneous, composite and democratic, Can under attack by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sang (RSS) and its various supporters in different guises. The most important of these is BJP. The politicians or religious leaders of BJP, VHP, RSS and Bajrang Dal might have some good reasons in reviving the past glories of Hinduism, but the cruel fact is that their efforts for such revival are creating communal tensions among Muslims. After independence all the political parties have exploited religion and caste sentiments in furthering their political goals. Over the past years, the Muslim community in India has been demonized in both subtle and overt Ways. Hindu right is obsessed with sexuality and power, which manifested themselves in most Gruesome form during the riots via both the systematic attacks on Muslim women and the widespread and false stories circulating those Hindu women were being abducted and raped by Muslim men. They second key obsession is with nation. It is telling that immediately after the burning of the Sabarmati, the Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani said that the event was Pakistani-inspiration, in the absence of any evidence. Although some claimed that this was to divert blame away from the local Muslim community, the record of the Sangh Parivar, and Advani in particular, shows that the fundamental motivations are quite the opposite to put the nationality of Indian Muslims under question.
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Creating strong associations between the notion of Muslims and the notion of foreigner is a part of the Sangh Parivar project of the construction of India as a Hindu State. During the riots it is common for mobs to chant the verse there seemed only two living places for MuslimsPakistan or the cemetery (kabrastan) Traditionally secular forces in India have attempted to undermine these notion by stressing the Indian-ness and loyalty of Indian Muslims, with the role of so many in the freedom struggle, etc. In the aftermath of Gujarat, what was seen by many as a cynical attempt to divert attention away from the carnage, the Indian government engineered a confrontation with Pakistan which brought the region to the edge of nuclear war. On 14 May 2002 an army barracks at Kaluckhak near Jammu was stormed by militants and both soldiers and their families were killed. Although there have been such regular attacks before- indeed ones which have taken a greater tool this time India immediately geared up for war with Pakistan. It is very uncertain what degree of control Pakistan commands over militants infiltrated into India, but with the countr5y still reeling from the violence in Gujarat it was clearly a convenient time to divert everyones attention towards the permanent enemy. All groups, whether Hindu or Muslim, which encourage narrow communal identities are adding to the problem. The reality is that real peoples identities are fluid and complex, whereas the project of ethnic nationalism requires the construction of narrow identities, and then the use of those identities to mobilize people. In this way, the apparently innocent encouragement of religious identity can be part of a process which culminates in violence. Riots are rarely spontaneous events. Probably the most incorrect caricature of the recent violence is of spontaneous tit for tat violence. To highlight the organized nature of violence is not to brush away the difficult questions of where exactly mass violence and mass sexual violence comes from and how these are connected with authoritarianism and sexual repression. The religious right in India exploits to a great extends its multiple faces, from the more respectable to the more extreme. The key point to recognize is that the differences between the organizations are tactical rather than ideological. There are no golden pasts. History, especially the pre-British history of India, has become a battleground with Hindu Nationalist reminding us of an apparently beautiful pre-Islamic era, and secularists attempting to counter this with examples of peace, progress and cohesion achieved during the time of Mughal rule. The reality is that such simplifications of history are always
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dangerous. All empires, pre-Islamic, and post-Islamic have been born though brutal conquest and expansion hand have seen great social injustices. Many have also had their times of relative peace and stability, and social progress. Today it is probably more useful to question the overall way the history is caricatured, rather than getting bogged down in detailed debate. Enmity between India and Pakistan is crucially linked to the ability of the Sangh Parivar in India to orchestrate violence against Muslims. Fear of the enemy without and the enemy with feed off each other. The perceived threat of terrorism, the associated climate of fear, and the need for strong leaders which this breeds are preconditions for getting the complicity of significant sections of the population in a genocidal project. Thus the anti-communal movement must be linked to a peace movement. Undermining the construction of India as a Hindu state, undermining the construction of Pakistan as a Muslim state, and undermining their cross-border tensions because of Terrorism all linked ingredients in preventing a slide towards fascism and war. In a country like India, with so much plurality and diversity, talking of Hindu state, or Hindustan for Hindus, shall be a dangerous sign, totally the well-established, secular fabric of Indian Constitution. The un-secular forces organizations must keep in mind that communalizing India will bring horror in the country and the people will eat other and time is near that we will be again under foreign rule. Unless an all-out attempt is made to contain the communal forces, the very unity of India is in danger. A total ban on all types of communal organizations must be put forth. A social and cultural movement should be launched to awaken the people about the reality of the communal violence and their effects on them and on the country as a whole. The process has to start from top. All political parties and religious organizations must stop delivering inflammatory speeches and inciting the general masses in the name of religion. A wrong action on the part of a community cannot be equalized by another wrong action by another community. For the survival of the country, secularism has to survive for the survival of secularism, religious friendship, togetherness and tolerance are must. Communalism can only destroy the unity and integrity of the nation; it cant help in creating friendship, fraternity or togetherness.6
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http://www.rosemaryinstitute.com/essayarticles/1834-essay--communalism-a-threat-to-Indias-unity
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LATEST NEWS
'Goondaraj' SP and Congress playing politics of 'communalism': BJP7
New Delhi, Aug. 26 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday hit out at the ruling Congress and the Samajwadi Party (SP) for imposing restrictions on the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) from going ahead with its 'Chaurasi Kosi Parikrama Yatra in Ayodhya. Reacting to the accusation that his party had vandalized the Samajwadi Party's office, BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said the allegations were baseless. "The restrictions put on the religious yatra are against democracy. Now, tell me how is it possible to attack the office of the goondaraj itself? This is a joint game played by the Congress and the SP to politicize the whole issue. It is an effort by them to lead the common man astray," Javadekar said. "It is a joint effort by the Congress and the Samajwadi Party to not let Parliament to function, as well as impose restrictions on religious yatras in Uttar Pradesh. They are together going about their politician based on religion and communalism," he added. Meanwhile, The Uttar Pradesh Government's massive crackdown to prevent the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) from going ahead with its 'Chaurasi Kosi Parikrama Yatra in Ayodhya on Sunday, led to protests on the streets of Delhi on Monday. About 2,000 VHP activists protested at Jantar Mantar and the police used water cannons when some of them tried to break barricades to go towards Parliament. In the Lok Sabha, BJP member Yogi Adityanath accused the UP government of insulting Hindus by not allowing the VHP to go ahead with its planned yatra.
ANI, Goondaraj' SP and Congress playing politics of 'communalism': BJP, Accessed on 05/09/2013 at 22:45 IST,
http://in.news.yahoo.com/goondaraj-sp-congress-playing-politics-communalism-bjp-105615483.html
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Senior VHP leaders Pravin Togadia and Ashok Singhal were among the nearly 1,700 people arrested in a massive crackdown by the Uttar Paradesh administration to foil the saffron outfit's yatra on Sunday that was banned over fears of a communal flare-up. The planned 'Chaurasi Kosi Parikrama Yatra' was to have lasted till 13th September crisscrossing six districts of Uttar Pradesh. The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court had earlier on Saturday dismissed a plea for allowing the 'Chaurasi Kosi Parikrama Yatra', stating that there is a possibility of tension, and added that the restriction will be maintained. The VHP has vowed to kick off its 'Chaurasi Kosi Parikrama' around Ayodhya to revive its demand for a Ram temple. The Samajwadi Party Government has banned the proposed Yatra, as a preemptive measure against communal flare-up, and put in place elaborate security arrangements by rushing in 10 companies of the Rapid Action Force and 12 companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC). (ANI)
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Indian society is pluralistic from religious point of view. Here, we have the followers of all the great religious systems. Hindus constitute the bulk of the population and they inhabit in all parts of the country. Muslims constitute the largest religious minority. But the adjustment between the Hindus and Muslims has been a failure several times, resulting in violent communal riots.
In the communal riots during the period of independence millions of people were rendered homeless while millions of others lost their property. Communalism was responsible for the division of the country into India and Pakistan. The partition was expected to resolve the riddle, but it failed. There is, yet, to develop the neighborhood living pattern between Hindus and Muslims9.
Puja Mondal, Problems of Communalism in India Essay, Accessed on 06/09/2013 at 23:11 IST,
http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/communalism/problems-of-communalism-in-india-essay/4091/
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3. Public Opinion:
Efforts should be made through mass media for changing the attitude of people towards other Communities. People must be aware of the evils of the communalism.
4. Inter-religious Marriage:
Youth organizations and other types of associations should be formed in every locality to give Opportunity to people of different communities to come closer and know each other. This may help them to practice inter-religious marriages which will lessen the social distance among the members of different religious groups. Both the Government and people should make efforts for eradication of communal tension and conflict.
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CONCLUSION
After going through various books, online materials and other data sources, the researcher has concluded that, the religious processions are occasions lend themselves to the outbreak of Communalism or communal riot because the participants have an intricate relation to space and an exceptionally strong sense of belonging to their community.
However, the available evidence suggests that these conditions are certainly necessary but not sufficient for collective aggression. In most of the cases cited in this project, such potential energy exploded when it was directed and even sparked off by ideologically minded leaders. Indeed, as communalism has become increasingly politicized, they have become more directly correlated with riots. The pattern of communalism based riots which emerged in the late nineteenth century with the reinterpretation of the Ganesh festival was initiated by Hindu leaders eager to unify and mobilize Hindus- allegedly in reaction to Muslims assaults. This type of ideological communalism, as a vehicle for recurrent acts of violence, was to be found again in the 1920s in Nagpur. At the time, the democratization of the political system brought forth a small political class which, divided as it was into parities and factions, was all the more inclined to exploit the religious sentiments of the electorate. In fact, the transformation of Hindu processions into shows of force and the triggering of communal violence were sometimes seen as a means of polarizing the voters along religious lines. Another significant change lay in the partial nationalization of the Hindu-Muslim, as promoted by yatra politics.
By concluding, the researcher must say that, Politicians should not do their politics on communalism because India is the country of mixed caste and religion, And this is the only country where all the religions got equal importance. For mentioning the dignity of our country, Politicians instead of doing Politics of communalism they must support all the religion equally and should also propagate the feelings of brotherhood. By this there will be no any chance for the occurrence of riots
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
WEBSITES:1. www.rosenmaryinstitute.com Accessed on 05/O9/2013 at 22:18 IST 2. zeenews.indc.com Accessed on 05/09/2013 at 22:30 IST 3. in.news.yahoo.com Accessed on 05/09/2013 at 22:45 IST
BOOKS:1. RELIGIOUS POLITICS AND COMMUNAL VIOLENCE, written by- Steven I. Wilkinson, Oxford publication, edition- first in 2005 2. POLITICS OF INCLUSOION, Written by- Zoya Hasan, Published by- Oxford, Edition- First published in 2009.
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