Communalism, as we understand it in our

country is blind loyalty to one’s own

religious group. 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.
• Ram Ahuja says “Communalism is an
• ideology which states that society is
• divided into religious communities whose
• interests differ and are, at times, even
• opposed to each other”.
• Abdul Ahmed says “Communalism is a
• social phenomenon characterized by the
• religion of two communities, often leading
• to acrimony, tension and even rioting
• between them”.
Communalism is an ideological concepts;
It has a broader base which
encompasses social, economic and
political aspects for its manifestation;
It causes rivalry, violence and tension
among masses;
It strikes at the roots of democracy,
secularism and national integration.
• Minorities fails to be intermingled in the
• national mainstream. Most of them do not
• participate in the secular nationalistic politics
• and insist on maintaining for separate
• identity of their religion. They fails to
• generate the appropriate national ethos.
• The orthodox members of minorities feel that they have a distinct entity with
their own
• cultural pattern, personal law and thought.
• Such feelings prevented them from
• accepting the concept of secularism and
• religious tolerance.
The British rule which produced the divide and rule policy, separate people on the basis

of religion strengthen the basis of

communalism in India. Ultimately the

partition of the country into India and

Pakistan provided further an antagonistic

feeling toward each other.

The majority of minorities communities has

failed to adopt the scientific and

technological education. Due to this they

have not been represented sufficiently in

public service, industry and trade etc. This

causes the feeling of relative deprivation and

such feelings contain the seeds of

communalism.
• There is no cultural similarities between
• majority and minority communities in India
• which is a powerful factor in fostering
• amicable relation. The social institutions,
• practices of both group are so divergent that
• they think themselves to be two distinct
• communities.
• One of the major psychological factor which
• play important role in the development of
• communalism is that Hindus think that
• Muslims are fundamentalist and not patriotic.
• On the other hand Muslims feel that they are
• being treated as second rate citizens in India.
 Religion-based politics, religion-dominated
political organizations, canvassing in
elections based on religious considerations,
political justification of communal violence
and hated speech of political leaders are
important cause of communalism.
Some foreign countries try to destabilize our
country by setting one community against the
other through their agents.
Alien invasions, damage to religious
institution, old temple and mosque conflict,
suppression by other religious ruler are also
a factor for rise in communalism.
Communal violence is a mass mobilization
of one religion people against other religion
people. The movement are unpredictable,
uncheckable and carry an emotional fury.
Communal riot are more politically motivated
Communal riots seems to be more common
in northern India than in southern India.
Out of major 58 riots in India only 13 were in
south and east India.
Most communal riots take place on the
occasion of festivals.