Stages of communalism

• The ideology of communalism evolved through three stages in a il.c

om)
gm
India: 3@
gh
7
s i n
1. Communal Nationalism: all people belonging h( r a vik to a particular
ing
religious group have similar secular interests u ma
r S
despite their
K
ethnic, linguistic or socio-economic or
Rav differences.
i

e df
2. Liberal communalism: the notion rso na
lis that since two communities
e
have different religiouseninterests,
t is
p
they have different interests
m
in the secular sphere is d oc too.
u
Th
3. Extreme communalism: the notion that not only different
religious communities have different interests but that these
interests are incompatible with each other.
 om)
il.c
• Communalism is a modern day phenomenon,
a
gm
7 3@
i n gh
rooted in the modern social, economic i n gh
( r a vik
s
and
S
political colonial structure. avi Ku mar

R
for
l i sed
na
e rso

• Communalism is associated with the emergence

p
nt is
u me
oc
is d
of political structures based upon mass
Th

mobilization and popular participation.

 Reason’s for the rise of communalism
m)
• Socio-economic reasons: the economic under-development gm
a il.c
o

ensured by british colonial polices meant thatsinthere 3@

gh
7 was an
intense rivalry for government jobs and trading g h (ra
vik opportunities
n
between the elites/bourgeoisie of theumtwo
ar
Si
communities.
iK
av
forR
ed
• Political reasons: because ofpersthe alis
on rampant unemployment there
was ample scope for colonial u m e nt
is
government to use concessions,
favors and reservations
Th
is do to fuel communal and separatist
c

tendencies.
 British policy of divide and rule
• Colonial repression of muslims post 1857: the muslims )
were
seen as prime instigators of the 1857 uprising and gm
a il.cthus in the
om

immediate aftermath of the 1857, they were s i n ghsubjected to

7 3 @

repression and discrimination by government.

ing
h( r a vik

r S
u ma
vi K
Ra
• After 1870’s, with the emergence df
or
a lise
of indian nationalism, the
government reversed its t policy is p
e rso
n
of repression of muslims and
instead tried to appease do
c u me the muslim elites to rally behind
n

them through concessions,

Th
is
reservations and use them against
nationalist forces.
 Applications of policy of divide and rule
• the idea of martial races post 1857. a il.c
om)
gm
• The cultivation of aligarh school of thought post a v ik sin
gh7
3@

h(r
1870’s. um
a rS
ing

vi K

• morley minto reforms 1909. alise

df
or
Ra

on
• Communal award of 1932 e r s
t is p
m en
cu
• Specially post the Cripps proposal, the British gave
o
is d
Th

the muslim league a virtual veto on any future

political settlement
Other reasons for the rise of communalism
• Communalization of history writing: initially suggested m)
by
imperialist historians later adopted by some Indian g mail.
c o

3@
historians, the communal interpretation ofiksIndian ing
h 7 history
portrayed the ancient phase as hindu phase
Sin g h(r
av
and the
medieval phase as muslim phase. vi Kumar
a
– The conflicts of ruling elites ofismedieval
e d for
R
phase were distorted
l
and exaggerated as Hindu-Muslim
pe
r son
a
Conflicts.
nt is
u me
oc
• The revivalist tendencies of socio-religious reform
Th
is d

movements
 Was the partition of India inevitable??
• The evolution of two nation theory happened over
il. c o mdecades-
)
a
– 1880’s and the cultivation of aligarh “loyalist” school. 3@
gm
7
gh
– 1906- Agha Khan led a muslim delegation hdemanding i n
( r a vik
s
separate
g
electorates. a rS
in
um
– 1907- All India Muslim League was f o r
v K
Raformed
i

– 1915- All India Hindu Mahasabha r son

a l i sed
was formed
e
– 1916- Lucknow pact: Congress m en
t is p granted tacit acceptance to the
politics of muslim league.
is d oc
u
Th
– 1920’s – Communal riots and clashes over shuddhi and talibagh
and tanzeem movements
– 1927-28: Jinnah’s fourteen point demand
• 1937 elections: the poor performance of muslim league in
1937 provincial elections resulted in the muslim league
switching from liberal communalism to more extreme c o m)
ail.
forms. h7
3@
g m

si ng
a vik
h(r
ing
• Post 1937 there was a tendency toi Kuproject rS
ma muslims not as a
minority in search of safeguards d f o r Rand
av
reservations to
e
protect its political and economic e rso
n alis interests but as a
separate nation. me
n t is
p

cu
• 1940- Pakistan resolution
Th
is d
o

• Post 1940- the virtual veto to muslim league granted by

British.