13/02/2015

EssayontheProblemsofCommunalisminIndia(1042Words)

EssayontheProblemsofCommunalisminIndia
(1042Words)
by Pragati Ghosh

HereisyouressayontheProblemsofCommunalisminIndia.
Theyear1937wasaturningpointinthehistoryofcommunalisminIndiainsofarasitconcernsthe
stridencyandintensityofpoliticsofhatred.Intheelectionsheldfortheprovinciallegislative
assembly,theMuslimLeaguewononly109outof492reservedMuslimseatsandonly4.8%ofthe
totalmuslinvotesshowingtherebythelackofpopularsupportforMuslimLeagueevenamongthe
Muslimpopulation.ItwasawellknownfactthatLeaguessupportbasewasmostlyamongstthe
wealthyandthelandlords.
Asconstructiveprogrammefordevelopmentofpopularsupportalwaystakesthetimeandalsothe
factthatanyconstructivesocioeconomicprogrammewouldhavetargetedatthewealthyandlanded
MuslimsupportersoftheLeague,theLeagueresortedtotheshortcutbyraisingthecryofIslamin
dangertherebydirectlytalkingtotheMuslimmassesabouttheimpendingHinduRaj.Andwhat
followedwasacommunalpropagandafulloffervor,fear,contemptandbitterhatred(W.C.Smith).
TheideologyofcommunalisminIndiaisasunder:
(i)ThatthedifferentcommunitiesinIndiacannotcoexisttotheirmutualbenefit,
(ii)ThattheminoritieswillbecomevictimsofHindusubjugation,and
(iii)Thattheneitherhistoricallycreatedsituationnorculturewillallowcooperation.InIndianpolity
communalismtookdeeptootduringthelaterphaseofthenationalmovement.Thiswasencouraged
bythecolonialrulers.Thisprocesswasacontinuationoftheweaknessandinadequacyof
Secularismasconceivedandpracticedduringtheanticolonialstruggle.
Partitionwastheculminationoftheconflictwhichcouldandshouldhavebeenavoided.Communal
forcesarethereforeviewedasdivisionandasignofpoliticalunderdevelopment.Communalism
ariseswhenoneortwocharacteristicofanethnicidentitye.g.religiousbeliefsaretakenand
emotionallysurcharged.
Communalmovementsareoftenbriefandexistinadyad,comprisinganopposingforceorideology
whichhastobecountered.HinduMuslimriotsreflectthereligiousfearsandsocioeconomic
aspirationsoftheHindusandMuslims.Sometimestheseriotsoccurforveryminorreasonssuchas
quarrelsbetweenMuslimandHindushopkeepers.
Infact,thesearenotisolatedactsbutoftendeliberatemechanizationsofvarioussocioreligious
organizations.InAugust1946inCalcuttaandMuslimLeagueobservedaDirectActionDay.
Bombaydidthesameinthefollowingmonths.Thus,Independencewaserectedonthecorpsesof
manythousandsofpeople.
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13/02/2015

EssayontheProblemsofCommunalisminIndia(1042Words)

WithMahatmaGandhisassassinationtheriotsabatedawhile,andthissituationwasbasically
sustainedbyNehru.Lateron,thepassingawayofNehruin1964andthedeterioratingsocio
economiccircumstancesledtotheresurrectionofcommunalviolence.
(1)RecentcommunalRiots:
Duringthelate60sand1970stherewaslargescalecommunalriotinginAhmedabad,Baroda,
Ranchi,Jamshedpuretc.In1969itselfacommunalriotsoccurredinAhmedabad.Theinflammatory
factorswereinsultstoHolyScripturesandsacredcows.Itwassuspectedhowever,thattheseriots
werepoliticallymotivated.
Inthemidseventies,thecommunalriotsabatedabitbothduetotheEmergencyandtheJanata
Regime.Thefirstexercisedironcontrolanddisciplinewhilethesecondarousedthehopesofboth
HindusandMuslims.Infact,thosewhoresorttoitareneithertrueHindusortrueMuslims.Religion
doesnotpreachenmity.However,thecausesareflimsysuchasplayingmusicbeforeamosque,
insultingtheProphetortheHolyQuran.Thisissufficienttoprovokeviolenceamongsomeofthe
Muslims.SoalsodisturbingbyMuslimsofareligiousyatraisenoughtorouseHinduire.
(2)ReasonsforCommunalRiots:
Ghosh(1981)pointsoutseveralreasonsfortheexistenceandcontinuationofcommunalriotsas
under:
(i)Theriotsarepartofprogressinanunderdevelopedcountry.Theclassstruggleisconvertedinto
acommunalstruggleweakeningthesolidarityoftheproletariatclass.
(ii)Themiddleandbackwardclasseshaveacquiredgreaterpoliticalandeconomicstrengthand
influenceandtheseoftenassertthemselves.EconomicconflictsleadtoriotsasinBiharSharifand
Bhiwandi.
Theaboveexplanationscannotbebinding.Ofteneconomicreasonsemergeafter(notbefore)the
riotinghasbegun.Againinadevelopingsocietyeconomicfactorswherecompetitiveoronelagging
behindtheothercanleadtoariot.HinduMuslimriotsinrecenttimeshavebeenconfinedtomedium
sizedtownsandcitieslikeMeerut,Aligarh,Moradabad,Puneetc.
(3)InterCommunityDynamics:
Mediumsizedtowns/citiesaredividedoncommunallines.Theworkersdonthaveclass
consciousness.Theeducatedmiddleclassprofessionalactasabridgebetweentheboth
communities,HinduandMuslims.BeforethepartitionofthecountrytherewereMuslimdoctors,
lawyersetc.whoalsoattractedHinduclients.Inthesameway,Hinduprofessionalswerepatronized
byMuslimclients.Theresultswereasunder:
(i)Theredevelopedcommonbonds
(ii)Therewerecommonnetworkandpatronizatioh.
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13/02/2015

EssayontheProblemsofCommunalisminIndia(1042Words)

TheexistenceofMuslimprofessionalsadministratorsetc.createdapositiveimagefortheMuslims.
Postpartitionmassmigrationssawtheseadvantagesvanishing.Agreatnumberoftradeand
economicactivitiesarerunbyHindus.TherewerenoproblemstilltheMuslimswerenotcompetitive.
TherewasinterdependencebetweenHinduemployersandMuslimartisans.Butinrecenttime,
economiccompetitivenesscomesfromMuslims.IthasturnedintoareligiousthreattoHindus.Again
channelingofArabmoneyintomosquerenovationandlavishfestivalcelebrationshasresultedinan
admixtureofeconomicsandReligionwhichcreatesintercommunitytensionsanderuptionsof
violence.
(4)Remedy:
ItisessentialtoseekthefactorswhichcanremedythecommunaldivideinIndia.Somesuggestions
areasunder:
(i)First,theReligionshouldbeseparatedfrompoliticsandcommunalbodiesshouldbebanned.
(ii)Second,thefreedomofpressshouldnotextendtospreadingcommunalidea.
(iii)Communalismneedstobedenouncedbypoliticalleadersandallleadingcitizens.
(iv)Measuresshouldbetakenforraisingtheeconomiclotoftheminoritycommunity.
(v)Stepsshouldbetakenthatleadtopeacebetweencommunitiesandanendtocommunal
violence.
(vi)Communityleadersshouldexplainthesituationtothecommunityanddefusetensions.
(vii)Religionshouldnotbecomethewhippingboyofpoliticalambitions.
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