Communalism and its impact on social cohesion…

Communalism in the western concept is referred to as a “theory or system of government in which virtually autonomous local communities are loosely in federation”. Communalism is a political philosophy, which proposes that market and money be abolished and that land and enterprises to be placed in the custody of the community. But in the Indian sub-continent context, communalism has come to be associated with conflicts and clashes between different religious communities.

Communalism impact on social cohesion:

• Communalism spread as a by- product of colonialism, economic stagnations and absence of modern institutions of education and health.
• These factors caused competition, people started using nepotism (patronage bestowed or favouritism shown on the basis of family relationship, as in business and politics), paying bribes to get job etc. Short term benefits from communalism started giving validity to communal politics.
• Spread of education to small landlords gave rise to new middle class, as agriculture was becoming stagnant. So, these people started demanding communal representation and this way, social base for communalism widened.
• Middle class oscillated between anti-imperialism and communalism. Communalism, started rooting deeply, as it was an expression of aspiration and internet of middle class for less opportunity.
• In several part religious distinction coincided with social and class distinction, causing communal distortion.
• Communal outlook was given, not by participants but by the officials, politician and journalists.
• Communalism represented a struggle between two upper classes / strata for power privileges and economic gain.
• Consequences of communalism is well known to all of us. With killings in mass, the real sufferers are the poor, they lose their house, their near and dear ones, their lives, their childhood etc.
• It violates the human rights from all direction. Sometime children will lose their parents and will become orphan for life time and nobody will be there to look after them.
• Apart from having effect on the society, it is also a threat to Indian constitutional values, which promotes Secularism and religious tolerance. In that case, citizens don’t fulfil their fundamental duties towards the nation. It becomes a threat for the unity and integrity of the nation as a whole. It promotes only the feeling of hatred in all directions, dividing the society on communal lines.