give various definitions of communalism? what is the ideological basis of communalism
Answers
Answer:
Various Definitions of Communalism
Bipan Chandra
According to Bipan Chandra, communalism is “the belief that because a group of people following a particular religion, they have common social, political and economic interests”. He further adds that religious distinction is the fundamental distinction that overrides all other distinctions.
In Indian context, he cites that Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs have dissimilar social, economic, cultural and political interests as they are different religious entities. Hence, if one communal group seeks to better its social, political and economic interests then it will be a loss for the other groups. According to him, the Indian people can act socially and cannot act in any other manner except as members of such homogeneous communities whose interests and outlook remains the same.
Bipan Chandra has outlined three elements of communalism:
Communalism is strong among those people who have common secular interests.
Secular interests of different religions are divergent from that of the others.
Interests of different communities are different and hostile to others.
Harbans Mukhia
According to historian Harbans Mukhia, “communalism is the phenomenon of religious differences between groups, often leading to tension and even rioting between them.” He elaborates that people of different religious communities becomes hostile when they have to live together and share common economic, political and other scarce resources.
D.E. Smith
Communalism as the function of religious communities in a way, generally considered detrimental to the interests of other groups or of the nation as a whole.
Gopal Krishan
According to Gopal Krishnan, communalism is destructive Indian expression of religion in politics, which emphasizes religious identity of social groups and requires political society to be organized, as a confederation of religious communities.
Ram Ahuja
Communalism is a belief that is characterised by strong antagonism practiced by the members of one community against the people of other community. In some instances, this rivalry goes to the extent of harming and insulting members of a particular community and in extreme cases dishonouring women and even killing persons. While communalism is an ideology, ‘communal violence is a demonstration of this ideology‘. Communal persons are those who practice politics through religion. These people tend to use God and religion as instruments to gain political support. This is similar to the older society where the King and church head used the name of religion to live luxuriously. This trend is witnessed now in present society also.
Zenab Banu
“Communalism is an ideology in which a minority receives unequal treatment from the majority, on the basis of religion, culture and ethnic characteristics.” Communalism is a very complex phenomenon inevitable in plural societies.
Explanation:
Communalism is based on the idea that religion is the principal basis of social community. It involves thinking along the following lines :
(i) The followers of a particular religion must belong to one community with the same fundamental interests.
(ii) It also follows that people who follow different religions cannot belong to the same community.
(iii) If the followers of different religions have some commonalities these are superficial and immaterial. Their interests are bound to be different and involve a conflict.
(iv) In its extreme form communalism leads to the belief that people belonging to different religions cannot live as equal citizens within one nation.