Religion, Communalism & Politics
🧑🤝🧑 Societies are religiously diverse. Religion can inspire ethical politics—but when used narrowly, it can fuel exclusion and conflict. This lesson examines both sides, with Indian examples.
🕌 Religious Diversity⚖️ Rights of Minorities🛡️ Anti-communal Values
📚 Introduction
- 🌍 Every country is religiously diverse. Even within one religion there are differences (e.g., Northern Ireland: Catholic & Protestant groups).
- 🗣️ People may express needs and demands in politics as members of religious communities.
- 🇮🇳 India has followers of many religions living together.
📊 Religious Diversity in India (share of population)
| Religion | Approx. Share (%) |
|---|---|
| 🕉️ Hindu | 79.8 |
| ☪️ Muslim | 14.2 |
| ✝️ Christian | 2.3 |
| 🪔 Sikh | 1.7 |
| ➕ Others | ~2.0 |
🔎 Source noted in your material as “Census India (illustrative)”.
🧭 Religion in Politics — Two Sides
✅ Positive Role
- 🕊️ Gandhiji’s view: Politics should reflect moral/ethical values present in all religions.
- 🛡️ Human rights lens: Protect religious minorities from communal violence; ensure special safeguards.
- ⚖️ Women’s rights: Reform family laws that discriminate; make them more equitable.
❌ Negative Role
- 🚫 Exclusive, partisan use of religion in politics.
- 🏴☠️ Treating religion as the basis of the nation; promoting superiority.
- ⚠️ Using state power to dominate other religions or interfere unnecessarily in religious matters.
- 🎯 Fulfilling one group’s demands at the cost of others → resentment & conflict.
🧑⚖️ Notified Minority Communities (NCM Act, 1992)
Muslims · Sikhs · Christians · Buddhists · Jains · Zoroastrians (Parsis)
🧨 Communalism — Meaning & Expressions
Communalism is an ideology that prioritises one’s religious community over others, often suppressing internal differences and encouraging intolerance.
| Aspect | What it looks like | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 🧠 Superiority Belief | Stereotypes & the idea that one’s religion is superior. | Prejudice; social distance; discrimination. |
| 👥 Majority–Minority Clash | Dominance by majority; or minority’s demand for separate unit. | Polarisation; instability. |
| 🗳️ Vote-bank Politics | Religious symbols/emotions used to mobilise voters. | Narrow appeals; weak public interest policies. |
| 🔥 Communal Violence | Riots, targeted attacks, fear & displacement. | Loss of life/property; long-term mistrust. |
🌟 Positive sense of community
Working for your own community’s uplift (education, health) is good—without harming others.
🚫 Negative communalism
Asserting separate identity at others’ expense; promoting intolerance & hate.
🧠 Exam Quick Notes
- ✅ Religion can inform ethical politics (values, rights, reforms).
- ✅ Protect minority rights; reform discriminatory family laws.
- ❌ Avoid exclusive, partisan, or state-enforced religious domination.
- ⚠️ Communalism → superiority belief, vote-bank politics, violence.
📝 Try These
- Give two examples each of the positive and negative roles of religion in politics.
- Define communalism and describe any two of its expressions.
- Who are the notified minority communities under the NCM Act, 1992?
- How can citizens and governments counter communalism while protecting religious freedom?