5. Factors aiding Communalism in India

♤ Political factors: British policy of divide and rule led them to focus on using religion to divide India. This culminated in separate electorates for Muslims, which was later given to Sikhs and Anglo Indians. Other political factors include religion-based politics, partiality of political leaders towards their communities etc.

♤ Economic factors: Communalism in India has its beginnings in the British policy of ‘divide and rule’. A prominent reason why this policy gained currency was that the Muslim middle class had lagged behind the Hindus in terms of education, which contributed to their low representation in government jobs. Due to lack of enough economic opportunities at that time, a government job was highly coveted by the middle classes. The demand for a

separate nation of Pakistan got the fervour due to marked inequalities in socio-economic indicators including representation in the seats of power.

The Mappila Rebellion, the first so-called communal clash was also more of a proletarian strike against the landed gentry than a communal riot. It only so happened that the landed gentry were Hindus and the peasants were Muslims.

In India, politics of opportunism, is the biggest cause of communalism driven by the middle/ upper class for secular gains and trusted by the lower sections that identify with the cause.

♤ Historical factors: British historians projected ancient India as being ruled by Hindus and Medieval period as the period of Muslim rule, when Hindus were exploited and threated. Some influential Indians too supported this projection.

♤ Social factors: Issues like beef consumption, Hindi/Urdu imposition, conversion efforts by religious groups etc., further created a wedge between the Hindus and Muslims.