Here is your essay on the Problems of Communalism in India.
The year 1937 was a turning point in the history of communalism in India in so far as it concerns the stridency and intensity of politics of hatred. In the elections held for the provincial legislative assembly, the Muslim League won only 109 out of 492 reserved Muslim seats and only 4.8 % of the total muslin votes showing thereby the lack of popular support for Muslim League even among the Muslim population. It was a well known fact that League’s support base was mostly amongst the wealthy and the landlords.
As constructive programme for development of popular support always takes the time and also the fact that any constructive socioeconomic programme would have targeted at the wealthy and landed Muslim supporters of the League, the League resorted to the short cut by raising the cry of ‘Islam in danger’ thereby directly talking to the Muslim masses about the impending ‘Hindu Raj’. And what followed was a communal propaganda ‘full of fervor, fear, contempt and bitter hatred’ (W. C. Smith). The ideology of communalism in India is as under:
(i) That the different communities in India cannot co-exist to their mutual benefit,
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(ii) That the minorities will become victims of Hindu subjugation, and
(iii) That the neither historically created situation nor culture will allow cooperation. In Indian polity communalism took deep toot during the later phase of the national movement. This was encouraged by the colonial rulers. This process was a continuation of the weakness and inadequacy of Secularism as conceived and practiced during the anticolonial struggle.
Partition was the culmination of the conflict which could and should have been avoided. Communal forces are therefore viewed as division and a sign of political underdevelopment. Communalism arises when one or two characteristic of an ethnic identity e.g. religious beliefs are taken and emotionally surcharged.
Communal movements are often brief and exist in a dyad, comprising an opposing force or ideology which has to be countered. Hindu-Muslim riots reflect the religious fears and socioeconomic aspirations of the Hindus and Muslims. Sometimes these riots occur for very minor reasons such as quarrels between Muslim and Hindu shopkeepers.
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In fact, these are not isolated acts but often deliberate mechanizations of various socio-religious organizations. In August 1946 in Calcutta and Muslim League observed a ‘Direct Action Day’. Bombay did the same in the following months. Thus, Independence was erected on the corpses of many thousands of people.
With Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination the riots abated awhile, and this situation was basically sustained by Nehru. Later on, the passing away of Nehru in 1964 and the deteriorating socio-economic circumstances led to the resurrection of communal violence.
(1) Recent communal Riots:
During the late 60s and 1970s there was large scale communal rioting in Ahmedabad, Baroda, Ranchi, Jamshedpur etc. In 1969 itself a communal riots occurred in Ahmedabad. The inflammatory factors were insults to Holy Scriptures and sacred cows. It was suspected however, that these riots were politically motivated.
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In the mid seventies, the communal riots abated a bit both due to the Emergency and the Janata Regime. The first exercised iron control and discipline while the second aroused the hopes of both Hindus and Muslims. In fact, those who resort to it are neither true Hindus or true Muslims. Religion does not preach enmity. However, the causes are flimsy such as playing music before a mosque, insulting the Prophet or the Holy Quran. This is sufficient to provoke violence among some of the Muslims. So also disturbing by Muslims of a religious yatra is enough to rouse Hindu ire.
(2) Reasons for Communal Riots:
Ghosh (1981) points out several reasons for the existence and continuation of communal riots as under:
(i) The riots are part of progress in an under developed country. The class struggle is converted into a communal struggle weakening the solidarity of the proletariat class.
(ii) The middle and backward classes have acquired greater political and economic strength and influence and these often assert themselves. Economic conflicts lead to riots as in Bihar Sharif and Bhiwandi.
The above explanations cannot be binding. Often economic reasons emerge after (not before) the rioting has begun. Again in a developing society economic factors where competitive or one lagging behind the other can lead to a riot. Hindu-Muslim riots in recent times have been confined to medium sized towns and cities like Meerut, Aligarh, Moradabad, Pune etc.
(3) Inter-Community Dynamics:
Medium sized towns/cities are divided on communal lines. The workers don’t have class consciousness. The educated middle class professional act as a bridge between the both communities, Hindu and Muslims. Before the partition of the country there were Muslim doctors, lawyers etc. who also attracted Hindu clients. In the same way, Hindu professionals were patronized by Muslim clients. The results were as under:
(i) There developed common bonds
(ii) There were common network and patronizatioh.
The existence of Muslim professional’s administrators etc. created a positive image for the Muslims. Post partition mass migrations saw these advantages vanishing. A great number of trade and economic activities are run by Hindus. There were no problems till the Muslims were not competitive.
There was interdependence between Hindu employers and Muslim artisans. But in recent time, economic competitiveness comes from Muslims. It has turned into a religious threat to Hindus. Again channeling of Arab money into mosque renovation and lavish festival celebrations has resulted in an admixture of economics and Religion which creates intercommunity tensions and eruptions of violence.
(4) Remedy:
It is essential to seek the factors which can remedy the communal divide in India. Some suggestions are as under:
(i) First, the Religion should be separated from politics and communal bodies should be banned.
(ii) Second, the freedom of press should not extend to spreading communal idea.
(iii) Communalism needs to be denounced by political leaders and all leading citizens.
(iv) Measures should be taken for raising the economic lot of the minority community.
(v) Steps should be taken that lead to peace between communities and an end to communal violence.
(vi) Community leaders should explain the situation to the community and defuse tensions.
(vii) Religion should not become the whipping boy of political ambitions.