Question

‘Communalism can take various forms in politics.’ Explain.

Answer 1

Communalism means promoting religious ideas to divide people into different communities. Communalism can appear in politics in several ways:

1. Everyday beliefs: The most common form is in daily attitudes, involving religious prejudice and the belief that one’s religion is superior to others.
2. Political dominance: When a majority community tries to dominate politically, minority communities may feel the need to form their own separate political units.
3. Political mobilization: People are sometimes brought together on religious lines using sacred symbols, religious leaders, emotional appeals, or fear. In elections, this can lead to voters being influenced based on religion rather than policies.
4. Communal violence: In extreme cases, communalism can result in riots, violence, and massacres, such as what happened in India and Pakistan during the partition.