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Communal Violence

Last updated on October 25, 2022 by ClearIAS Team

Table of Contents

Historical background

The seeds of the present communal violence were sown in the aftermath of the freedom struggle and the partition. The partition of Bengal on the communal lines by Lord Curzon in 1905 can be considered an attempt by the British to communalize Indian society and the political structure.

The formation of the Muslim League in 1906

the introduction of the separate electorate on communal lines in 1909 through the Minto Morley reforms

The creation of Hindu Mahasabha in 1915 was believed to be the beginning of modern-day communalism in India.

Factors Responsible For Communal Violence

• Historical factors-The history of partition and the two-nation theory generated a deep sense of communalism and mistrust among communities
• Political factors-The divide and rule policy practiced by the British and the subsequent identity politics followed by the political parties have added to the divide.
• Educational factors-Majority of Indians have failed to adopt a scientific and technological approach and hence are reluctant to adopt liberal values
• Socio-economic factors-The educational backwardness has resulted in poor representation of Muslims in public services. This relative sense of deprivation contains the seeds of communalism
• Cultural factors-Orthodox members of communities have strong elements of conservatism and fundamentalism.
• Social media-Hate campaigns and fake news plays a vital role in spreading communal riots and tensions
• Lack of strong action-Lack of strong decisive action by police and allegations of biased or delayed action are also a cause.

Precipitating factor for communal violence

The following are the immediate factors why communal riots flare up

• Gender offences-Offences like sexual harassment, rape, and elopement with girls/boys of other communities. Hindu organizations attribute such elopement as part of a conspiracy namely ‘love Jihad’.
• Land disputes-disputes regarding the construction of new places of worship, and unauthorized construction are all factors flaring disputes
• Religious festivals-Celebrations of Holi, Eid, etc often result in local disputes that have the potential to flare up.

Constitutional Provisions

• The preamble -Preamble of the Indian Constitution declares it as a secular state and secures the liberty of thought expression, belief faith, and worship.
• Article 25-All persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right to freely profess, practice, and propagate religion subject to public order, morality, and health.
• Article 26-Says that all denominations can manage their own affairs in matters of religion.
• Article 29-Mandates that no discrimination would be done on the ground of religion, race, caste, language, or any of them.
• Article 30-Mandates that all minorities, whether based on religion or language, shall have the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice.
• Fundamental duty – Art 51A- Promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India transcending religious, linguistic, and regional or sectional diversities and to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women.

Legal Provisions

• Various provisions of the Indian penal code deals with the issues of communalism in the country, like  section 153A, 153B
• The communal Violence (Prevention, Control, and Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill, 2005  must be enacted soon.
• Manipur  government came up first with its Law against lynching in 2018.

Measures to counter communal violence

• Impartial administration and police-The directives of police reforms by the Supreme Court should be adopted by the state government in letter and spirit. Fixed tenure of District Magistrate/ Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of police will make a big difference.
• Peace committees-Peace committees should be made mandatory in every area. Secular and visionary people of the area should be made part of it.
• Win people’s hearts and minds through media-The faith of common people in the local police should be restored with the help of civil society, NGOs, and media.
• Holistic development of minority communities-A sincere effort to ensure that employment and skill development opportunities are available in the economic, educational, and social spheres for minority communities.
• Manpower shortage issue in a police-The number of policemen per one lakh people in India is only 130. The minimum United Nations norm is 220. The gap should be immediately filled.
• Capacity building of police and implementation of police reforms
• Preventing community-based Ghettos in Urban areas.
• Formulation of counter radicalisation and de-radicalisation policies.

Communal violence and tensions seriously hamper national integrity. The secular ideals of the constitution should be upheld at all times of crisis.

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Communalism in India: Historical Insights, Modern Challenges, and Ways to Promote Harmony

Table of Contents

Communalism

(relevant for general   studies paper prelims/mains).

Communalism, broadly defined, refers to a strong allegiance to one’s own community. In the context of India, it is often interpreted as an unhealthy attachment to one’s religion.

As an ideology, communalism seeks to unite a community by downplaying internal differences and highlighting the collective unity of the community in contrast to others. Consequently, it fosters belief in conservative principles, intolerance, and animosity towards other religions, thus leading to societal division.

The positive aspect of communalism involves individuals showing affinity towards their own community and working towards its social and economic progress . However, in a negative sense, it becomes an ideology that accentuates the distinct identity of a religious group compared to others, often promoting its own interests at the expense of others.

• Communalism, as a political ideology, finds its origins in India’s religious and cultural diversity. Unfortunately, it has been misused as a political propaganda tool to sow division, differences, and tensions between communities based on religious and ethnic identities, leading to communal animosity and violence.
• In ancient Indian society, people of diverse faiths coexisted harmoniously. Buddha, one of India’s early spiritual leaders, propagated the concept of secularism. Similarly, Kings like Ashoka embraced policies of peace and religious tolerance.
• During medieval India, the arrival of Islam brought occasional instances of violence, such as Mahmud Ghazni’s destruction of Hindu temples and Mahmud of Ghor’s attacks on Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists . While religion held significance in people’s lives, there was no prevalence of communal ideology or politics.
• Rulers like Akbar and Sher Shah Suri adopted a policy of religious toleration, promoting various cultures and traditions across the country. However, some sectarian rulers, like Aurangzeb, displayed a lack of tolerance towards other religious practices.
• As a modern phenomenon, communalism emerged in response to British colonial influence and the reaction of different social groups within India.

The significant factors contributing to the rise and growth of communalism in modern India are as follows:

• British Imperialism and their “Divide and Rule” Policy: The British colonial rulers strategically exploited religious divisions to maintain control over India, fostering animosity between communities for their own benefit.
• Disappointment and Frustration Among the Middle Class: The stagnation in agriculture, lack of modern industrial development, and limited employment opportunities led to disillusionment among the aspiring middle-class youth. This discontent was exploited by political opportunists for their own gains.
• Hindu and Muslim Revivalist Movements: Revivalist movements within the Hindu and Muslim communities sought to assert and preserve their respective identities, inadvertently deepening communal divides.
• Communal and Distorted History Teaching: The portrayal of Indian history in a communal and biased manner in educational institutions played a significant role in fueling communal sentiments among the masses.
• Muslim Separatism and Isolation: Certain segments within the Muslim community felt marginalized and isolated, leading to a sense of separatism that exacerbated communal tensions.
• Rise of Communal and Fundamentalist Parties: The emergence of political parties with communal and fundamentalist ideologies further polarized the society along religious lines.
• Communalism is frequently defined as a political ideology that exploits religious and cultural differences to achieve political advantages.
• Economic disparities, class divisions, poverty, and unemployment contribute to the insecurity experienced by the general population, making them susceptible to political manipulation.
• The likelihood of recurring communal riots is higher in a town where such riots have already taken place once or twice compared to a town where such incidents have never occurred.
• The lack of access to scientific and technological education, resulting in inadequate representation in public service, industry, and trade, has led to a sense of relative deprivation among Muslims.
• The resurgence of economic competition between Hindus and Muslims , particularly among the lower and middle-class segments, has fueled the growth of communal ideologies.
• A lack of interpersonal trust and mutual understanding between the two communities often leads to perceptions of threat, harassment, fear, and danger from one community towards the members of the other community, resulting in conflicts, hatred, and anger.

Measures to Deal with Communalism

• There is a need for reforms in the current criminal justice system, ensuring speedy trials and providing adequate compensation to victims, which may act as a deterrent.
• Increasing representation of minority communities and weaker sections in all law-enforcement wings, along with human rights training for forces, especially regarding the use of firearms in accordance with UN code of conduct, is crucial.
• Having codified guidelines for administration, specialized training for the police force to handle communal riots, and establishing special investigating and prosecuting agencies can help in mitigating major communal tensions.
• Emphasizing value-oriented education with a focus on peace, non-violence, compassion, secularism, and humanism, as well as promoting the development of scientific temper and rationalism as core values in children at schools and universities, can prove vital in preventing communal feelings.
• The government can consider adopting models followed by countries like Malaysia, which have developed early-warning indicators to prevent racial clashes. The Malaysian Ethnic Relations Monitoring System (Mesra) uses a quality of life index, including criteria such as housing, health, income, and education, and a perception index to gauge people’s needs and feelings about race relations in their area.
• Additionally, emulating the Hong Kong model of combating communalism by setting up a “Race Relation Unit” to promote racial harmony and facilitate the integration of ethnic minorities can be beneficial for India. The Race Relation Unit has established a hotline for complaints and inquiries on racial discrimination, and it conducts educational programs in schools to raise awareness about communal harmony and the concept of racial discrimination.

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communalism, India, religious tolerance, Bri20tish colonialism, Divide and Rule, Hindu-Muslim relations, communal violence, societal division, economic disparities, revivalist movements, communal riots, peace initiatives, secularism, non-violence, Race Relation Unit, communal harmony, Best Sociology Optional Coaching, Sociology Optional Syllabus, 

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Syllabus of Sociology Optional

FUNDAMENTALS OF SOCIOLOGY

• Modernity and social changes in Europe and emergence of sociology.
• Scope of the subject and comparison with other social sciences.
• Sociology and common sense.
• Science, scientific method and critique.
• Major theoretical strands of research methodology.
• Positivism and its critique.
• Fact value and objectivity.
• Non- positivist methodologies.
• Qualitative and quantitative methods.
• Techniques of data collection.
• Variables, sampling, hypothesis, reliability and validity.
• Karl Marx- Historical materialism, mode of production, alienation, class struggle.
• Emile Durkheim- Division of labour, social fact, suicide, religion and society.
• Max Weber- Social action, ideal types, authority, bureaucracy, protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism.
• Talcott Parsons- Social system, pattern variables.
• Robert K. Merton- Latent and manifest functions, conformity and deviance, reference groups.
• Mead – Self and identity.
• Concepts- equality, inequality, hierarchy, exclusion, poverty and deprivation.
• Theories of social stratification- Structural functionalist theory, Marxist theory, Weberian theory.
• Dimensions – Social stratification of class, status groups, gender, ethnicity and race.
• Social mobility- open and closed systems, types of mobility, sources and causes of mobility.
• Social organization of work in different types of society- slave society, feudal society, industrial /capitalist society
• Formal and informal organization of work.
• Labour and society.
• Sociological theories of power.
• Power elite, bureaucracy, pressure groups, and political parties.
• Nation, state, citizenship, democracy, civil society, ideology.
• Protest, agitation, social movements, collective action, revolution.
• Sociological theories of religion.
• Types of religious practices: animism, monism, pluralism, sects, cults.
• Religion in modern society: religion and science, secularization, religious revivalism, fundamentalism.
• Family, household, marriage.
• Types and forms of family.
• Lineage and descent.
• Patriarchy and sexual division of labour.
• Contemporary trends.
• Sociological theories of social change.
• Development and dependency.
• Agents of social change.
• Education and social change.
• Science, technology and social change.

INDIAN SOCIETY: STRUCTURE AND CHANGE

Introducing indian society.

• Indology (GS. Ghurye).
• Structural functionalism (M N Srinivas).
• Marxist sociology (A R Desai).
• Social background of Indian nationalism.
• Modernization of Indian tradition.
• Protests and movements during the colonial period.
• Social reforms.

SOCIAL STRUCTURE

• The idea of Indian village and village studies.
• Agrarian social structure – evolution of land tenure system, land reforms.
• Perspectives on the study of caste systems: GS Ghurye, M N Srinivas, Louis Dumont, Andre Beteille.
• Features of caste system.
• Untouchability – forms and perspectives.
• Definitional problems.
• Geographical spread.
• Colonial policies and tribes.
• Issues of integration and autonomy.
• Social Classes in India:
• Agrarian class structure.
• Industrial class structure.
• Middle classes in India.
• Lineage and descent in India.
• Types of kinship systems.
• Family and marriage in India.
• Household dimensions of the family.
• Patriarchy, entitlements and sexual division of labour
• Religious communities in India.
• Problems of religious minorities.

SOCIAL CHANGES IN INDIA

• Idea of development planning and mixed economy
• Constitution, law and social change.
• Programmes of rural development, Community Development Programme, cooperatives,poverty alleviation schemes
• Green revolution and social change.
• Changing modes of production in Indian agriculture.
• Problems of rural labour, bondage, migration.

3. Industrialization and Urbanisation in India:

• Evolution of modern industry in India.
• Growth of urban settlements in India.
• Working class: structure, growth, class mobilization.
• Informal sector, child labour
• Slums and deprivation in urban areas.

4. Politics and Society:

• Nation, democracy and citizenship.
• Political parties, pressure groups , social and political elite
• Regionalism and decentralization of power.
• Secularization

5. Social Movements in Modern India:

• Peasants and farmers movements.
• Women’s movement.
• Backward classes & Dalit movement.
• Environmental movements.
• Ethnicity and Identity movements.

6. Population Dynamics:

• Population size, growth, composition and distribution
• Components of population growth: birth, death, migration.
• Population policy and family planning.
• Emerging issues: ageing, sex ratios, child and infant mortality, reproductive health.

7. Challenges of Social Transformation:

• Crisis of development: displacement, environmental problems and sustainability
• Poverty, deprivation and inequalities.
• Violence against women.
• Caste conflicts.
• Ethnic conflicts, communalism, religious revivalism.
• Illiteracy and disparities in education.

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Course Features

Every day, the Best Sociology Optional Teacher spends 2 hours with the students, covering each aspect of the Sociology Optional Syllabus / Sociology Syllabus and the Sociology Course . Students are given assignments related to the Topic based on Previous Year Question to ensure they’re ready for the Sociology Optional UPSC examination.

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The Best Sociology Teacher, Vikash Sir , ensures that there’s explanation & DISCUSSION on every topic of the Sociology Optional Syllabus / Sociology Syllabus in the class. The emphasis is not just on teaching but also on understanding, which is why we are known as the Best Sociology Optional Coaching institution.

Preparatory-Study Support

Online Support System (Oss)

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Strategic Classroom Preparation

Comprehensive Study Material

We provide printed booklets of concise, well-researched, exam-ready study material for every unit of the Sociology Optional Syllabus / Sociology Syllabus , making us the Best Sociology Optional Coaching platform.

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Proper guidance and assistance are required to learn the skill of interlinking current happenings with the conventional topics. VIKASH RANJAN SIR at TRIUMPH IAS guides students according to the Recent Trends of UPSC, making him the Best Sociology Teacher for Sociology Optional UPSC.

At Triumph IAS, the Best Sociology Optional Coaching platform, we not only provide the best study material and applied classes for Sociology for IAS but also conduct regular assignments and class tests to assess candidates’ writing skills and understanding of the subject.

Choose T he Best Sociology Optional Teacher for IAS Preparation?

At the beginning of the journey for Civil Services Examination preparation, many students face a pivotal decision – selecting their optional subject. Questions such as “ which optional subject is the best? ” and “ which optional subject is the most scoring? ” frequently come to mind. Choosing the right optional subject, like choosing the best sociology optional teacher , is a subjective yet vital step that requires a thoughtful decision based on facts. A misstep in this crucial decision can indeed prove disastrous.

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The choice of the optional subject should be based on objective criteria, such as the nature, scope, and size of the syllabus, uniformity and stability in the question pattern, relevance of the syllabic content in daily life in society, and the availability of study material and guidance. For example, choosing the best sociology optional coaching can ensure access to top-quality study materials and experienced teachers. Always remember, the approach of the UPSC optional subject differs from your academic studies of subjects. Therefore, before settling for sociology optional , you need to analyze the syllabus, previous years’ pattern, subject requirements (be it ideal, visionary, numerical, conceptual theoretical), and your comfort level with the subject.

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To master these intricacies and fare well in the Sociology Optional Syllabus , aspiring sociologists might benefit from guidance by the Best Sociology Optional Teacher and participation in the Best Sociology Optional Coaching . These avenues provide comprehensive assistance, ensuring a solid understanding of sociology’s diverse methodologies and techniques. Sociology, Social theory, Best Sociology Optional Teacher, Best Sociology Optional Coaching, Sociology Optional Syllabus. Best Sociology Optional Teacher, Sociology Syllabus, Sociology Optional, Sociology Optional Coaching, Best Sociology Optional Coaching, Best Sociology Teacher, Sociology Course, Sociology Teacher, Sociology Foundation, Sociology Foundation Course, Sociology Optional UPSC, Sociology for IAS,

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Anatomy of communal violence in India

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: Not much

Mains level: Paper 2- Communal violence in India

Communal violence, a complex phenomenon, has been over-simplified to suit a convenient political narrative.

India’s syncretic traditions and impact of invasions

• For aeons, India has had syncretic traditions inspired by the Vedic aphorism, “ Ekam sad vipra bahudha vadanti” (there is only one truth and learned persons call it by many names).
•  Because of this underpinning, Indian society has never insisted on uniformity in any facet of life.
• This equanimity of Indian society was, however, disrupted by invading creeds.
• The first such incursion came in 712 , when Muhammad bin Qasim vanquished Sindh, and as Chach Nama, a contemporary Arab chronicle states, introduced the practice of treating local Hindus as zimmis, forcing them to pay jizya (a poll tax), as a penalty to live by their beliefs.
• In the 11th century, Mahmud of Ghazni, while receiving the caliphate honours on his accession to the throne, took a vow to wage jihad every year against Indian idolaters.
• The fact is, ties between the two communities were seldom cordial.
• There were intermittent skirmishes, wars and occasional short-lived opportunistic alliances.
• When Pakistan declared itself an Islamic Republic in 1947, it would have been natural for India to identify itself as a Hindu state.
• It didn’t, and couldn’t have — because of its Hindu ethos of pluralism.
• India, is, and will always be, catholic, plural, myriad and a vibrant democracy.

It’s relevant to recall what Lester Pearson (14th PM of Canada) said: “Misunderstanding arising from ignorance breeds fear, and fear remains the greatest enemy of peace.”

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UPSC Key—2 August, 2023: Communalism, Communal violence, Caste census and India’s oil import

Exclusive for subscribers from monday to friday: have you ever thought about how cheetah project steering committee or g rohini commission are relevant to the upsc exam what significance do topics like project tiger, pm-svanidhi and carbon capture and storage have for both the preliminary and main exams you can learn more by reading the indian express upsc key for august 2, 2023..

Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for August 2, 2023.  If you missed the August 1, 2023 UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here

Have serious concerns how cheetah project is managed, we in dark, foreign experts tell SC

Preliminary Examination:  General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change

Mains Examination:  General Studies III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- South African and Namibian experts, all members of the national cheetah project steering committee, under which 20 cheetahs have been translocated to India beginning last September, have written to the Supreme Court expressing their anguish over being kept in the dark and have raised “serious concerns” over the project’s management.

• Why South African and Namibian experts have expressed their anguish?

• Do You Know- The first set of eight cheetahs from Namibia were released into the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 17 last year and another 12 cheetahs landed from South Africa this February. Since the first two cheetahs were released in the wild on March 11, five adults and three cubs have died in Kuno. On a petition filed by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), the Supreme Court in January 2020 had lifted the ban it imposed on the cheetah project in 2013. The court continues to monitor the project. On July 15, days after the death of male South African cheetahs Tejas and Suraj caused by radio collar injuries, South African veterinary wildlife specialist Dr Adrian Tordiffe signed a letter on behalf of his colleagues: cheetah specialist Vincent van der Merwe; and wildlife veterinarians Dr Andy Fraser and Dr Mike Toft.

• What they have said exactly?

• What is cheetah Project Steering Committee?

• Who is the chairman of cheetah Project Steering Committee?

• Why cheetahs are dying in Kuno National Park?

• What experts have said on the same?

• Expert’s Take -South African cheetah expert Adrian Tordiffe, who was involved in the translocation of the cheetahs from Namibia and South Africa, had at the time claimed to have looked at the video of the two dead cheetahs and made the suggestion that collars may be an issue. Adrian said the cheetahs in Africa were mostly used to dry weather conditions and were experiencing an Indian monsoon for the first time, causing unforeseen problems. “You must also take in stock that cheetahs are also different when it comes to resilience and susceptibility. They are not able to groom themselves as well as other animals and are not as resilient.” Mike Toft, a cheetah expert from South Africa, will be flying down to India on Tuesday and is expected to help the Kuno officials to deal with the situation. An expert in radio collars, Toft was also involved in the translocation project and has looked after some of the cheetahs at his enclosure. “In East Africa, we have similar monsoon conditions as well and face difficulty with radio collars. I have seen cases of infections breaking out in collared cheetahs, lions and dogs. There are multiple factors like the fit of the collar, long periods of a wet environment, which can cause chafing and discomfort. During the wet weather, the skin becomes thin and once it breaks, there is a risk of flies infecting the injured part, resulting in a maggot infestation. These collars are relatively large satellite tracking collars and we need to check if the collars are a contributing factor to the infection. We need to remove the collars for the monsoon and keep the cheetahs under monitoring,” Toft said. Toft also indicated the challenges in tracking cheetahs without the presence of radio collars – he said that the collars are a “necessary evil” that have to be used to monitor the animals during a translocation and have to be kept on for at least a period of six months. “We did not think of this when we were translocating the cheetahs. In Mozambique, we have wet weather conditions, but not a lot of cheetahs are collared. In this project, a large number of cheetahs are collared. It is an unforeseen problem,” he said.

• What is the Reintroduction of the cheetah in India plan?

• Cheetah in India- Background

• Extinction of Cheetah from Indian Landscape-know the reasons

• Action Plan for Introduction of Cheetah in India-Important Highlights

• Know the difference between cheetah and Leopard and African cheetah and Asiatic cheetah

• Supreme Court of India on Translocating Animals-know in detail

• Trans-continental translocation of Animals-know the Issues and Challenges

• Map Work World-South Africa, Namibia and Botswana

• Map Work India-Kuno Palpur National Park (Madhya Pradesh)

• For Your Information- Cheetahs are among the oldest of the big cat species, with its ancestors going back about 8.5 million years. It is listed as “vulnerable” by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Two subspecies, the Asiatic cheetah and the Northwest African cheetah, are listed as “critically endangered”.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 The 360° UPSC Debate: Project Cheetah — Is it problematic, or is it too early to judge?

Violence spreads to parts of Gurgaon, CM says conspiracy

Preliminary Examination:  Indian Polity and Governance

Mains Examination:  General Studies I: Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism.

• What’s the ongoing story- Violence that erupted Monday in Nuh in Haryana’s Mewat region during a procession led by the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad spread to neighbouring Gurgaon where some shops and a mosque were torched Tuesday, and the mosque naib imam killed, taking the death toll to five. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar , who held a meeting at his residence in Chandigarh , said police have taken 70 people into custody and lodged 44 FIRs. Over 1,500 Central paramilitary personnel and 30 companies of Haryana Police have been deployed in Nuh where no new incident was reported Tuesday. But incidents of arson were reported from different parts of Gurgaon throughout the day.

• Why Violence erupted in Haryana?

• What preventive measures have been taken by the administration?

• What is communalism?

• What is an example of communalism?

• What are the main features of communalism?

• What is the most common form of communalism?

• What is meant by communal violence?

• How communalism and communal violence are interconnected?

• What is the origin of the rise of communalism in India?

• What are the main causes of Communalism in India?

• What are the significant instances of Communalism seen in India?

• What is the difference between communalism and secularism?

• For Your Information- According to the NCERT textbook, in everyday language, the word ‘communalism’ refers to aggressive chauvinism based on religious identity. Chauvinism itself is an attitude that sees one’s own group as the only legitimate or worthy group, with other groups being seen – by definition – as inferior, illegitimate and opposed. Thus, to simplify further, communalism is an aggressive political ideology linked to religion. This is a peculiarly Indian, or perhaps South Asian, meaning that is different from the sense of the ordinary English word. In the English language, “communal” means something related to a community or collectivist as different from an individual. The English meaning is neutral, whereas the South Asian meaning is strongly charged. The charge may be seen as positive – if one is sympathetic to communalism – or negative, if one is opposed to it. It is important to emphasise that communalism is about politics, not about religion. Although communalists are intensely involved with religion, there is in fact no necessary relationship between personal faith and communalism. A communalist may or may not be a devout person, and devout believers may or may not be communalists. However, all communalists do believe in a political identity based on religion. The key factor is the attitude towards those who believe in other kinds of identities, including other religion-based identities. Communalists cultivate an aggressive political identity, and are prepared to condemn or attack everyone who does not share their identity. One of the characteristic features of communalism is its claim that religious identity overrides everything else. Whether one is poor or rich, whatever one’s occupation, caste or political beliefs, it is religion alone that counts. All Hindus are the same as are all Muslims, Sikhs and so on. This has the effect of constructing large and diverse groups as singular and homogenous. It is noteworthy that this is done for one’s own group as well as for others. This would obviously rule out the possibility that Hindus, Muslims and Christians who belong to Kerala, for example, may have as much or more in common with each other than with their co-religionists from Kashmir, Gujarat or Nagaland. It also denies the possibility that, for instance, landless agricultural labourers (or industrialists) may have a lot in common even if they belong to different religions and regions. Communalism is an especially important issue in India because it has been a recurrent source of tension and violence. During communal riots, people become faceless members of their respective communities. They are willing to kill, rape, and loot members of other communities in order to redeem their pride, to protect their home turf.

📍 Communal violence is not new to India. But something is different now

📍 The Challenges of Cultural diversity

Patna HC clears Bihar caste survey, says state action ‘perfectly valid’

Preliminary Examination:  Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.

Mains Examination:  General Studies II: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.

• What’s the ongoing story- PATNA HIGH Court on Tuesday allowed the Bihar government to go ahead with its caste survey, taking into account its assurance on data protection in the Assembly. On May 4, the court had stayed the caste survey through an interim order, saying that the state government was not competent to conduct the caste survey.

• What exactly Patna High Court said?

• Why Bihar is conducting a caste census?

• What is meant by caste census?

• What is the purpose of caste census?

• What is the importance of caste census?

• Has a caste census ever been conducted?

• What data are the enumerators collecting?

• What kind of caste data is published in the Census?

• How often has the demand for a caste census been made?

• On the difference between “census” and “survey”, What exactly the Patna HC said?

• For Your Information- On the difference between “census” and “survey”, the HC said Black’s Law Dictionary “defines ‘census’ as an official count of people, made for the purpose of compiling social and economic data of the political subdivision to which the people belong”. ‘Census’ as defined by Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary is the count of a population and a property evaluation in early Rome, which is almost a complete enumeration of the population, made by the Government. The Concise Law Dictionary by P Ramanatha Aiyar defines it as an official enumeration of the inhabitants of the state or country with details of sex, age, family, occupation, possession etc”. A “survey”, the court said, is defined in the Oxford Advanced Dictionary as “an investigation of the opinions and behaviour of a particular group of people”, determined by asking them pre-framed questions. Black’s Law Dictionary defines it as an appraisal and a general consideration of something and also includes the measuring of a tract of land. It has also been defined as a poll or questionnaire, especially one examining popular opinions, the HC said.

• What is the Socio Economic and Caste Census?

• Caste Census and Socio Economic and Caste Census-Compare and Contrast

📍 Why we need the Bihar caste census

📍 Explained: The caste census debate, and the government stand over the years

Sharp skew in national big cat map: 20% of tiger area has less than 1% of tiger population

Preliminary Examination:  General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialization.

Main Examination:  General Studies III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

• What’s the ongoing story- One-fifth of India’s tiger area spanning 16 tiger reserves harbours only 25 — or less than one per cent — of India’s 3,682 tigers, show figures in the latest All-India Tiger Estimate (AITE) report released Tuesday by the Environment Ministry. None of these 16 “bottom reserves,” — the lowest 16 by number of tigers per 100 sq km — has more than five tigers. Seven have one tiger each, and five reported none.

• All-India Tiger Estimate (AITE) report-What are the key takeaways?

• What are the reasons for abysmal tiger density?

• For Your Information- In its latest report released last week, the Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) — a “comprehensive, system-wide, peer-based” assessment on 33 parameters — scored nine of these 16 bottom reserves as ‘Very Good’ (above 75%) or ‘Good’ (60-74%). While two were notified after the MEE exercise, the remaining five reserves were scored ‘Fair’ (50-59%). “It’s worrisome that the slide in the bottom strata (in tiger count) shows no sign of reversal. One of the big achievements of Project Tiger was that we held on to India’s tiger range until this trend of losing areas set in. Losing tigers from an area may have irreversible consequences and reintroduction cannot always compensate for the genetic loss,” said conservation biologist Raghu Chundawat who has worked extensively on snow leopards and tigers.

• What is Project Tiger?

• Quick Recall- Project Tiger was launched by the Central government on April 1, 1973, in a bid to promote conservation of the tiger. The programme came at a time when India’s tiger population was rapidly dwindling. According to reports, while there were 40,000 tigers in the country at the time of the Independence, they were soon reduced to below 2,000 by 1970 due to their widespread hunting and poaching. Concerns around the issue further intensified when the same year, the International Union for Conservation of Nature declared the tiger as an endangered species. Two years later, the Indian government conducted its own tiger census and found that there were only 1,800 of them left in the country. To tackle the problem of hunting and poaching of not just tigers but also other animals and birds, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi promulgated the Wildlife Protection Act in 1972. A year later, after a task force urged the government to create a chain of reserves dedicated to tiger preservation, Indira unveiled Project Tiger. Launched at the Jim Corbett National Park, the programme was initially started in nine tiger reserves of different States such as Assam, Bihar, Karnataka , Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra , Odisha , Rajasthan , Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal , covering over 14,000 sq km.

• Map Work- Tiger Reserves in India, Locate top five and bottom five states (Population) Tiger Reserves in India

• Under which Prime Minister was Project Tiger launched?

• What is India’s tiger population?

• How scientists count tigers in India

• How are camera traps used to count tigers?

• What is spatial capture-recapture used to count tigers?

• What is Monitoring System for Tigers: Intensive Protection and Ecological Status (MSTrIPES)?

• National Tiger Conservation Authority is a statutory body under which Ministry?

• Who is the Chairman of National Tiger Conservation Authority?

• What is Conservation Assured Tiger Standards (CATS)?

• Know about Section 38V (1) of The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972

• As tigers inhabit diverse habitats across a vast geographical expanse in India, they are categorized into five major landscapes based on biogeography and interconnectivity of the habitats-What are they?

• What are the persisting threats facing the tiger across its habitats?

📍 Fifty years of ‘Project Tiger’: How the programme saved Indian tigers

📍 BACK FROM THE BRINK

Previous Year Prelims Questions Covering Same theme: 📍The term ‘M-STrIPES’ is sometimes seen in the news in the context of (Please Refer GS1 2017 for Complete Question) 📍Among the following Tiger Reserves, which one has the largest area under “Critical Tiger Habitat”? (Please Refer GS1 2020 for Complete Question)

IN PARLIAMENT

Delhi services Bill tabled in LS amid Opp protests

Mains Examination : General Studies II: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein

• What’s the ongoing story- The Centre on Tuesday introduced the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, in Lok Sabha. The Bill seeks to replace the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023, on the control of services in Delhi. While the Opposition tore into the government, alleging that the Bill aims to take away Delhi Assembly’s powers, Union Home Minister Amit Shah , who was present in the House, said, “All objections raised are political, which do not have any Constitutional basis.”

• The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023-Know the key provisions

• Quick Recap- The Centre on May 19 promulgated an Ordinance extending powers to the Delhi lieutenant governor over services in the administration of the national capital – basically, the power to transfer and appoint bureaucrats posted to Delhi. The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023, is seen as a bid to nullify last week’s ruling by a Constitution bench of the Supreme Court that handed over the reins of “services” to the Delhi Government. The court had then underlined the importance of the people’s mandate in a democracy expressed through an elected government.

• “The intent of this Bill is to “override” the Supreme Court’s verdict of May 11, 2023” alleged by the opposition in parliament-What was the Supreme Court’s verdict of May 11, 2023 on the same issue?

• What did the court decide?

• What exactly Supreme Court said in its judgement?

• Do you agree that the Lt. Governor of Delhi has more power? Attest your opinion with some recent incidence.

• What is the 69th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1991?

• The Chief Minister of Delhi is appointed by the Lieutenant Governor (LG)-True or False?

• In Delhi, In the case of difference of opinion between the Lieutenant Governor (L-G) and his ministers, the Lieutenant governor’s (L-G) decision is taken into the consideration-True or False?

• Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991-Know the Key Provisions

• The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2021 and Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991-Compare and Contrast

• Know the Key Provisions of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2021

• Articles 239AA and 239AB of the Constitution-Know in Detail

• There was Conflict between the Chief Minister of Delhi and the Lieutenant Governor (L-G)-What were the point of conflicts between the two?

• Supreme Court of India’s Verdict in Government of NCT of Delhi vs Union of India and Another in 2018 case-Know in Detail

• National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCTD) and Other Union territories-Compare and Contrast

• “NCTD, having a sui generis federal model, must be allowed to function in the domain charted for it by the Constitution”-What do you understand by this statement?

• “The Union and NCTD share a unique federal relationship. It does not mean that NCTD is subsumed in the unit of the Union merely because it is not a ‘State’,”-Comment

• The Legislative Assembly of NCTD has competence over entries in List II (state list) and List III (concurrent list) except for the expressly excluded entries of List II. The excluded entries are related to what?

• The Supreme Court also made it clear that “NCTD has legislative and executive power over services, that is, Entry 41 of List II of the Seventh Schedule.” Why did the Supreme Court have to come out with this directive?

• What Centre had contended with Entry 41 of List II of the Seventh Schedule?

• For Your Information- While the Supreme Court said that the legislative and executive power of NCTD over Entry 41 shall not extend to services related to public order, police, and land, these powers would remain with NCTD over “services such as Indian Administrative Services, or joint cadre services, which are relevant for the implementation of policies and vision of NCTD in terms of day-to-day administration of the region shall lie with NCTD”.

• “If a democratically elected government is not provided with the power to control the officers posted within its domain, then the principle underlying the triple-chain of collective responsibility would become redundant”-Elaborate further

• What is the extent of Delhi’s powers now?

• Extent of Delhi’s powers now- Article 239AA specifically excludes land, police and public order from the purview of the legislative powers of the Delhi government. The court acknowledged that these three issues can also have some overlap with “services” “The legislative and executive power of Delhi over Entry 41 (services) shall not extend over to services related to public order, police and land. However, legislative and executive power over such services such as Indian administrative services, or joint card of services, which are relevant for the implementation of policies and vision of NCT of Delhi in terms of day to day administration of the region, shall live with Delhi,” the court said.

📍 The 360° UPSC Debate: Delhi Statehood Debate—Reasons For And Against

📍 Capital brazenness

GOVT & POLITICS

Govt sets fresh target of 63 lakh loans for street vendors by year-end

Preliminary Examination:  Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.

• What’s the ongoing story- The Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry has set a new target for its loan scheme for street vendors — 63 lakh new loans in less than six months till December this year — after having disbursed 50 lakh loans to 39 lakh beneficiaries in the three years since the scheme’s launch in 2020.The Pradhan Mantri Street Vendors Atmanirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) was launched during the Covid-19 pandemic and the resultant lockdown to provide street vendors with small working capital loans of Rs 10,000 each. During its launch, the target was set at 50 lakh beneficiaries.

• What is PM-SVANidhi (PM Street Vendors’ AtmaNirbhar Nidhi)?

• Why PM-SVANidhi (PM Street Vendors’ AtmaNirbhar Nidhi) was launched?

• For Your Information- The scheme, which was launched as a part of the COVID-19 response measures, completed three years on June 1. According to data from the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, of the total number of beneficiaries (36.33 lakhs) of the scheme in the country, 21.31 lakh are men and 15.02 lakh are women. The scheme also includes 219 beneficiaries of the “others” gender category. In 10 states and Union territories, almost all in the Southern and North-East region, women are the majority of the beneficiaries. Among the 10 are Andhra Pradesh (70 per cent women), Telangana (66 per cent women), Tamil Nadu (64 per cent women) and Karnataka (50 per cent women%). Kerala is an exception, but this state has been a pioneer in fostering women’s empowerment through its own programmes like the Kudumbashree which in June this year completed 25 years.

• Who are street vendors in India?

• Street Vendors in India-What data’s and statistics says?

• What are the issues and challenges faced by Street Vendors?

• Do we have any Government’s Initiatives for Street Vendors?

• How PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) scheme for street vendors helped alleviate poverty?

• What are the various challenges that vendors are facing while applying for the loan?

• What is the National Association for street vendors of India?

📍 Explained: How scheme for street vendors will help alleviate poverty

📍 Explained: What is the PM SVANidhi scheme for street vendors, and why was it launched?

THE EDITORIAL PAGE

Fading green

Preliminary Examination:  Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination: 

• General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

• General Studies III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

• What’s the ongoing story- Sharachchandra Lele Writes: It is hoped that the wider public will see through the verbiage of the preamble , ignore the false drumbeat of development, national security and strategic importance, and mobilise for the long battle ahead to regain our right to govern our environments and forests in a meaningful way.

• What is Greenwashing?

• How Greenwashing Works?

• What are the examples of Greenwashing?

• Why greenwashing is a problem?

• Greenwashing refers to actions that claim to provide positive environmental benefits but don’t achieve much. With the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill 2023, the government is going one step further and indulging in “green-gutting” — using pro-environment language while actually undermining regulations-what author is trying to say in this paragraph?

• What is the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023?

• How the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023 is different from the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980?

• The Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023-What are the objectives?

• For Your Information- On March 29, the government introduced The Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023 in Lok Sabha to make changes to The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. It was passed on July 27 and is now awaiting passage in the Rajya Sabha . Diversion of forests for the construction of roads, railway lines or other projects of strategic nature near India’s international borders would no longer require clearance once the bill becomes law. It exempts certain kinds of infrastructure or development projects from the need to get forest clearance, which is mandatory at present. The amendment bill also renames the parent legislation, the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, to Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam which translates to Forest (Conservation and Augmentation) Act. Besides being in Hindi, the new name is a reflection of a new focus on afforestation and reforestation activities with the objective of increasing India’s forest cover and fulfilling its international commitment of creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes by 2030. The predominant idea of the proposed changes is to build forest carbon stock by raising plantations. The Bill also seeks to make land available for developers to meet their legal obligation towards compensatory afforestation in lieu of forest land diverted for development projects. The Bill tries to achieve both these objectives by restricting the applicability of the FC Act, and by freeing up land that is currently locked up as unrecorded forests.

• What are the concerns and issues with the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023?

📍 Forests and national security

WHO report on tobacco control: key findings, how India fares

Mains Examination: 

• General Studies II: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

• General Studies II: Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.

• What’s the ongoing story- Bengaluru finds special mention in a World Health Organisation (WHO) report on tobacco control measures released Monday. Hundreds of enforcement drives, putting up ‘No Smoking’ signs, and creating awareness about the effects of smoking and second-hand smoke resulted in a 27% reduction in smoking in public places in the city, the report said. Across the world, there are 300 million fewer smokers today, with the prevalence of smoking declining from 22.8% in 2007 to 17% in 2021.

• What is MPOWER?

• What does the report say?

• Why is it important to curb second-hand smoke?

• How does India fare?

• What do experts say?

• What is the role of World Health Organization?

• How many countries are members of World Health Organization (WHO)?

• What is the mission and vision of the World Health Organization (WHO)?

• What are the three stages of health defined by World Health Organization (WHO)?

• What are the contributions of the World Health Organization (WHO)?

• What are the issues and challenges with the World Health Organization (WHO)?

📍 India tops ‘no tobacco’ labelling, says WHO. But what about second-hand smoking?

Sub-categorisation of OBCs

• What’s the ongoing story- The long awaited report of a commission set up to examine the sub-categorisation of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) was submitted to President Droupadi Murmu on Monday (July 31), the last working day of the commission. The four-member commission headed by Justice G Rohini, a retired Chief Justice of Delhi High Court, was appointed on October 2, 2017, and received as many as 13 extensions to its tenure.

• Why the G Rohini commission was set up?

• What is the Commission’s brief?

• What is sub-categorisation of OBCs?

• What is the need for sub-categorisation of OBCs?

• What were the terms of reference of the Rohini Commission?

• How did the work of the Commission proceed?

• Know the background- Under the provisions of Article 340 of the Constitution, the Rohini Commission was established in October 2017. It was granted 12 weeks to present its report, but since then, there have been multiple extensions (13th extension), the most recent is until January 31, 2023 to submit its report.

• When was it meant to submit its report?

• What have its findings been so far?

• What is the extent of OBC recruitment in central jobs?

📍 Sub-categorising OBCs

WHAT IS CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE, CAN IT CUT EMISSIONS?

Preliminary Examination:  Economic and Social Development – Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.

• What’s the ongoing story- A key tool to stop climate change is costly and has for decades not worked as well as fossil fuel companies said it would. Experts say carbon capture and storage — a way to grab a planet-heating gas and lock it underground — is sorely needed to cut pollution in sectors where other clean technologies are farther behind. There are cases where capturing carbon makes a lot of sense — but we also need to push all the options to avoid CO2 in the first place, said Georg Kobiela, an expert in cleaning up industry at the environmental nonprofit Germanwatch. “Some applications can be just a fig leaf for keeping fossil fuel business models alive.”

• What is carbon capture and storage?

• For Your Information- Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a way to catch carbon and trap it beneath the earth. It is different to carbon dioxide removal (CDR) — where carbon is sucked out of the atmosphere — although some of the technologies overlap. The key difference is that CDR brings down the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, cooling the planet, while CCS in fossil fuel plants and factories prevents the gas from getting out in the first place. In its latest review of scientific research, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) found both options will be needed for emissions that are hard to wipe out. For chemical processes that release carbon dioxide, there are few alternatives to capturing CO2 straight away or sucking it out of the air later. Scientists see a big role for CCS in factories that make cement and fertiliser, as well as in plants that burn rubbish. They are split on whether it makes sense to use it to make steel and hydrogen, which have some greener alternatives. Most of their skepticism goes to capturing carbon when making electricity, because there are already cheaper alternatives that work better, like wind turbines and solar panels. In theory, it could play a role in gas plants as a back-up when the sun doesn’t shine and wind doesn’t blow — particularly in countries that are still building fossil fuel plants today — but it would have to quickly grow cheaper and more effective.

• How well does CCS work?

• Why is CCS controversial?

• How can CCS work better?

📍 Carbon capture and storage: where should the world store CO2? It’s a moral dilemma

Touching a record high, Urals volumes boost India’s Russian oil imports in July

Mains Examination:  General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

• What’s the ongoing story- After falling sequentially in June, India’s Russian oil imports in July recovered to almost touch the all-time high level of 1.93 million barrels per day (bpd) seen in May, thanks to a jump in import volumes of Moscow’s flagship Urals crude, data shared by energy cargo tracker Vortexa showed. Going ahead, however, imports of Russian oil by Indian refiners could see some moderation due to various factors, which include export cuts by Russia and higher demand from Russian refineries, erosion in discounts offered by Moscow on its oil, and Urals breaching the G7 price cap of $60 per barrel.

• What percentage of India’s oil import is imported from Russia?

• For Your Information- In July, Russian oil imported by Indian refiners rose 5.3 per cent over June to 1.92 million bpd. Of this, Urals alone accounted for 83.3 per cent. Import of Urals crude rose 17.9 per cent sequentially in July to 1.60 million bpd. Russian oil accounted for 41.9 per cent of India’s overall oil imports of 4.58 million bpd in July, and dwarfed the cumulative volumes of at least the next four large suppliers–Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the United states. Urals, which is a medium-sour crude, has been the mainstay of India’s Russian oil purchases. However, its price recently breached the price cap imposed by G7 countries and the discounts being offered by Russian oil exporters have eroded substantially, which could have a bearing on India-Russia oil trade, which has been booming since Moscow’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine . Russia began offering deep discounts on its oil exports as major Western economies started weaning themselves off Moscow’s crude. Indian refiners lapped up the opportunity, snapping up the discounted barrels in huge quantities, resulting in Russia emerging as India’s largest source of crude. From a share of less than 2 per cent in India’s oil imports prior to the war in Ukraine, Russian crude now accounts for over 40 per cent of Delhi’s oil import pie.

• How much trade does India have with Russia?

• Why India imports more oil from Russia?

• How can India reduce its dependency on oil imports?

• What crude oil means?

• What are the types of crude oil?

• Why India is dependent on crude oil?

• Where does India import oil?

• India’s domestic crude oil and natural gas production has declined steadily-why?

• What steps have been taken by the Government of India to reduce the imports of crude oil?

• What is the difference between Open Acreage Licensing Programme (OALP), New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP) and Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP)?

• How high reliance on imported crude oil impacts the Indian economy?

• Do You Know- The share of high-sulphur crudes, or sour crudes, in India’s oil imports in 2022-23 rose to 77.5 per cent from 76.6 per cent a year ago. Indian refiners imported a total of 197.9 million tonnes of sour crudes during the fiscal, up from 185 million tonnes a year ago. Import volumes of low-sulphur crudes, or sweet crudes, rose marginally to 57.3 million tonnes in 2022-23 from 56.7 million tonnes in 2021-22. Sour crudes have high sulphur content, which makes the refining process complex and relatively more cost-intensive than refining sweeter grades of oil. However, sour crudes are usually cheaper than sweet crudes and newer refineries are equipped to process them. In the Indian crude basket, which represents a derived basket of the two grades as per Indian refineries’ processing of crude, the ratio of sour to sweet grades is 75.62 to 24.38.

📍 Explained: The fall in crude oil prices, and its impact in India

📍 The significance of rise in India’s petroleum product exports to EU

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Communalism - Meaning, Causes, Effects of Communalism in India

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Sub-Categories:

GS-I: Social Issues

What is Communalism?

How did communalism evolve in india, causes of communalism in india, effects of communalism in india, steps required to address the issues pertaining to communalism in india.

Mains:  Social Empowerment, Communalism, Regionalism & Secularism.

Communalism refers to the belief in the primacy of one's own religious community over others , often leading to conflict and violence between different religious groups. It can also refer to the political ideology and movements that promote this belief. Communalism as an ideology emphasizes the interests and identity of a particular religious community over those of the larger society.

Communalism , as a political movement, seeks to mobilize members of a particular religious community for political action. In India, Communalism has been a major source of social conflict with political implications.

What are the different connotations of Communalism?

Communalism can manifest itself in different forms, including

• Assimilationist: According to this dimension, members of minority communities should give up their distinct cultural and religious identities and assimilate into the dominant culture and society. For example, The Hindu Code Bill applies to Sikhs, Buddhists, and Jains in addition to Hindus.
• Welfarist: This connotation refers to the belief that members of minority communities should be provided with special welfare and affirmative action programs to improve their socio-economic status. For instance, the Jain community associations utilize a welfarist approach by providing resources such as hostels, scholarships, and employment opportunities for the members of the community.
• Retreatist: By following the retreat approach, minority communities retreat into their own separate and distinct communities, away from the dominant culture and society. It is evident from the example of Bahaism, where members are prohibited from participating in political processes.
• Retaliatory: In retaliation, people retaliate against the dominant culture and society in response to perceived injustices and discrimination. For example, Assam Violence of 2012 between the Bodos and Bengali-speaking Muslims.
• Separatist: Separatists believe that members of minority communities should form a separate state as an independent country. For example, there was a separatist tendency, especially in the 1980s, among religious fundamentalists in Punjab for the demand of Khalistan as a separate country.

Communalism in India has evolved over a period of time and has been shaped by various policies and incidents. Some key incidents and policies that contributed to the evolution of communalism in India include

• Divide and rule: The British colonial policy of divide and rule was a significant factor in the origin and evolution of communalism in India. The British created divisions between communities by playing them against each other, leading to communal tensions and conflicts.
• Partition of Bengal: The partition of Bengal in 1905 by the British was also a significant factor in the origin of communalism in India. The partition led to a Muslim-majority province in the east and a Hindu-majority province in the west.
• Communal Award: The Communal Award of 1932 was a policy implemented by the British government that allocated seats in the legislative assembly to different depressed communities based on their population.
• Appeasement policy of the British: The British government's appeasement policy further increased communal tensions by favoring one community over the other. This led to perceived alienation and the rise of communal ideologies.

The main causes of communalism can be complex and multifaceted and vary depending on the specific context. However, some of the main causes of communalism include:

• Historical factors: British colonial policies, such as the divide and rule strategy, led to the creation of communal divisions and tensions between different religious communities in India.
• Political factors: Political factors such as competition for power and resources, as well as divisive political rhetoric, can contribute to the rise of communalism. Some political leaders and parties may use communal rhetoric to mobilize support and gain power.
• Socio-economic factors: Socio-economic factors such as poverty, unemployment, and lack of access to resources can contribute to communal tensions as different communities compete for scarce resources.
• Socio-cultural factors: Socio-cultural factors such as caste and class divisions, as well as regional and linguistic differences, can contribute to communal tensions. For example, the caste-based reservation system in India has often led to communal tensions between castes and communities.
• Role of Media: The role of media in shaping communal ideologies and spreading misinformation and hate speech can contribute to the rise of communal tensions.
• Religious factors: In some cases, religious factors such as religious fundamentalism and extremist ideologies can contribute to communal tensions. For example, religious extremist groups and fringe elements can incite communal violence against minorities.

There have been several major occurrences of communalism in India throughout history, some examples include

• The Partition of India in 1947: One of the most significant events in India's history, the partition led to the creation of Pakistan and resulted in widespread communal violence and displacement of millions of people.
• Anti-Sikh Riots: In October 1984, the anti-Sikh riots broke out after the assassination of Indira Gandhi, where more than 4000 Sikhs were killed in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and other parts of India.
• The Babri Masjid demolition in 1992: The destruction of the Babri Masjid, a 16th-century mosque in Ayodhya, by a mob of Hindu nationalists led to widespread communal riots across India, resulting in the deaths of over 2,000 people.
• The Gujarat riots of 2002: A series of violent communal riots in the Indian state of Gujarat resulted in the deaths of over 1,000 people and the displacement of over 150,000 people.
• Assam Violence 2012 : Violence broke out due to ongoing tensions between the Bodos and Bengali-speaking Muslims. These tensions stemmed from competition for resources, land, and political influence.
• The Muzaffarnagar riots of 2013: A series of violent communal riots in Uttar Pradesh resulted in the deaths of over 60 people and the displacement of over 50,000 people.
• The Delhi riots of 2020: A major communal violence broke out in New Delhi, in February 2020. The violence resulted in the deaths of over 50 people and injuries to hundreds more, as well as the displacement of thousands of people.

Addressing the issues of communalism in India is a complex and multi-faceted task that requires a combination of short-term and long-term strategies. Some steps that could be taken to address the issues of communalism in India include:

• Promoting social harmony and understanding: Encouraging interfaith dialogue, cultural exchange programs, and educational initiatives that promote understanding and respect for different communities can help to reduce communal tensions.
• Addressing socio-economic inequalities: such as poverty, unemployment, and lack of access to resources, can help to reduce the competition between different communities for scarce resources and thus reduce communal tensions.
• Holding political leaders accountable: Holding political leaders and parties accountable for divisive rhetoric and communal actions can help to reduce the use of communal ideologies for political gain.
• Media monitoring: Monitoring and regulating the media to prevent the spread of misinformation and hate speech can help to reduce communal tensions.
• Implementing legal measures: Implementing legal measures to punish those who incite violence and discrimination based on communal identity can help to reduce communal tensions.
• Addressing historical issues: Addressing historical injustices and conflicts can help to reduce communal tensions.
• Promoting secularism: Promoting secularism , where the state is neutral towards all religions, can help reduce communal tensions.

It's important to note that addressing communalism is a long-term process and requires the involvement of various stakeholders, including the government, civil society, media, and the public. It also requires a holistic approach that addresses the root causes of communalism and its different dimensions, and it's not a one size fits all solution.

PYQs on Communalism

Q.1. Communalism arises either due to power struggle or relative deprivation. Argue by giving suitable illustrations. (2018)

Q.2. Distinguish between religiousness/religiosity and communalism giving one example of how the former has got transformed into the latter in independent India. (2017)

FAQs on Communalism

Q) has communalism always been in india.

No. Communal conflicts between religious communities in India, especially Hindus and Muslims, started occurring since the British colonial rule, occasionally escalating and leading to serious inter-communal violence and clashes.

Q) What is the difference between Communalism in the west and Communalism in India?

Communalism in the west generally refers to the division of society along religious or ethnic lines, often leading to discrimination and prejudice against certain groups. In India, communalism is a more serious issue as it has led to large-scale communal riots and violence in the past, whereas in the west, it is mostly limited to discrimination and prejudice.

Q) How does communalism impact the development of a nation?

Communalism can have a significant negative impact on the development of a nation. It can lead to disruptions in economic activity, damage to infrastructure and property, and loss of human life. It also undermines the social fabric and civic peace of the society, which can cause mistrust among different communities and a lack of willingness to invest in or develop the country.

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• 2023 Manipur Violence Explained UPSC Notes

2023 Manipur Violence Explained [UPSC Notes]

Manipur’s ethnic composition.

• Geographical features and the location of the State have a significant influence on the problems faced by Manipur. 
• There are 16 districts in Manipur and the State is said to be divided into “valley” and “hill” districts. 
• The Imphal Valley lies at the centre of the State and is surrounded by hills.
• Four highways act as the access points to the valley from the rest of the region out of which two highways are regarded as the “lifelines for the State”. 
• People belonging to the Meitei community account for over 64% of the State population and yield 40 out of the 60 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) of the State.
• Meanwhile, the hills that account for close to 90% of the geographical area of the State are inhabited by about 35% recognised tribes but are represented by only 20 MLAs.
• The majority of the Meiteis are Hindus followed by Muslims and the 33 recognised tribes who are broadly categorised as “Any Naga tribes” and “Any Kuki tribes” are mainly Christians.

Manipur Violence Historical Background

Image Source: Indian Express

• The kingdom of Kangleipak was ruled by the Ningthouja dynasty. 
• According to many historians, the tribal patches outside the valley were also part of the kingdom. However, such claims are disputed by the tribes, especially the Naga tribes.
• The kingdom of Kangleipak, which was a British protectorate, was repeatedly attacked by the Naga tribes from the northern hills. 
• In order to protect the valley, the British political agent in Manipur is said to have brought the Kuki-Zomi from the Kuki-Chin hills of Burma to make it a buffer territory between the Meiteis and the Nagas.
• The Kukis, similar to the Nagas, were fierce headhunting warriors and the Maharaja provided them land along the ridges, where they could act as a shield for the valley.

Meitei Community’s Demands for ST Status

• Since 2012, there has been a constant demand led by the Scheduled Tribes Demand Committee of Manipur (STDCM) for granting the Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the Meitei community.
• The Meetei (Meitei) Tribe Union had filed a petition before the Manipur High Court and had argued that the Meitei community was once recognised as a “tribe” before the merger of the princely state of Manipur with the Union of India in 1949 and that it lost its identity as a tribe after the merger.
• The Meitei community has been victimised without any constitutional protection. 
• They have been gradually marginalised in their ancestral land. 
• And the population of the Meitei community has reduced from 59% of the total population of Manipur in 1951 to 44% as per 2011 Census data.

Manipur High Court’s Judgement

• The Manipur High Court on April 19, 2023, asked the Manipur government to submit a 10-year-old recommendation to the Union Tribal Affairs Ministry for the inclusion of the Meitei community in the ST list within four weeks.
• The High Court referred to the Union Tribal Ministry’s letter to the State government in May 2013 which had sought recommendations along with the latest socio-economic survey and ethnographic report.

Opposition by other tribal groups

• The demand for ST status for the Meitei community has been opposed by the other tribal groups of the state.
• They further argue that the Meitei community is more advanced than the tribal groups academically and in other aspects. 
• According to the various tribal organisations, granting ST status to the Meiteis would result in the loss of employment opportunities and would also allow Meiteis to acquire land in the hills which would ultimately push the tribals out.
• Additionally, groups like the All Tribal Students’ Union of Manipur also argue that the Manipuri language of the Meiteis is included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution and that various sections of the community are already enjoying various benefits associated with the Scheduled Castes (SC) or Other Backward Classes (OBC) status. 

Recent Unrest in Manipur

• Following the April 19th directives of the Manipur High Court, the All Tribal Students’ Union of Manipur (ATSUM) called for a “Tribal Solidarity March”.
• The March was organised in protest against the demand for the inclusion of the Meitei community in the ST category.  However, violent clashes broke out at various places during the march.
• The situation in Manipur turned extreme and violent which saw the deployment of the Indian Army and other central police forces.
• The Manipur government also authorised all District Magistrates to issue “ shoot at sight orders ” in “extreme cases” in order to control the situation.

Other reasons for the recent unrest

• The divide between the Meiteis and tribals such as Kukis on various issues has aggravated in recent years.
• Displeasure over the state government’s notices which claim that the 38 villages in the Churachandpur-Khoupum Protected Forest area are “illegal settlements” and its residents are “encroachers” and the eviction drive that followed the notices led to serious clashes.
• Concerns and displeasure over the first delimitation process in the state since 1973.
• Meitei leaders have alleged that there has been a sudden mushrooming of villages in the Churachandpur district.
• The Kuki-Zomi tribesmen of both countries are bound by strong links of ethnicity, customs, language, and dress.
• Pro-government groups in the State believe that a few tribal groups with vested interests are trying to scuttle the government’s battle against drugs.
• Ethnic conflict between the hill communities and the Meiteis has continued to exist ever since the time of the kingdom of Kangleipak.
• These tensions and conflicts escalated during the 1950s with the rise of the Naga national movement and the demands for an independent Naga nation. 
• The Naga insurgency was countered by the rise of insurgent groups among the Meiteis and Kuki-Zomi.
• In the 1990s, as the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) (NSCN-IM), which is one of the largest Naga groups, pushed harder for self-determination, the Kuki-Zomi groups began to militarise.
• The Kukis later launched their own movement for “Kukiland”, which demanded the creation of a separate state within India.
• Although the Kukis once were the protectors of the Meitei people, the “Kukiland movement” created a rift between the communities.

Supreme Court’s Views

• The Supreme Court has regarded the Manipur crisis as a “humanitarian problem” and expressed concerns about the loss of life and property.
• The apex court had further noted that it is the President who has the power to designate a community as Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe and not the High Court.
• The Chief Justice of India (CJI) has urged the Centre and the Manipur government to undertake efforts to protect the people.

Centre’s stand

• The Union Home Minister said that the order passed by the Manipur High Court will be studied and discussed with all stakeholders and appropriate decisions will be taken after consultation.
• The Indian Army has deployed Heron Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) and helicopters to increase surveillance on the situation in Manipur and along the Indo-Myanmar Border.

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