Problem Of Communalism In India

Contributed articles.

What do we mean when we say India is a secular country? How is secularism defined and to what extent are secular tenets reflected in our public and private life? Are there hidden communal agendas that are innate to the socio-cultural ethos of India, and can these ýcommunal elementsý as they are so often referred to indeed undermine the integrity of the country? These are questions that must concern every educated and intelligent citizen as India makes its way into the new millennium. In a year that has seen the gruesome murder of the missionary Graham Staines, the resignation of the foreign-born president of the Congress from her post following protests about her un-Indianness, and the fall of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre by a single vote, it has become more necessary than ever to take a hard look at the ýunity in diversityý that India as a nation-state is supposed to represent, and to identify the strands of communalism that run through our socio-political fabric. In this remarkable and timely book edited by K.N. Panikkar who provides an illuminating introduction on the subject, six commentators on contemporary India reveal the stark truth about the communal, sectarian and segregationist tendencies that have always lurked behind our secular facade. While Romila Thaparýs essay provides a historical overview of communalism in India, Rajeev Dhavan pinpoints the legal underpinnings of the secular identity that is propounded in Indiaýs Constitution. Sumit Sarkar looks closely at the vexed issue of conversions which is at the centre of current debates on communalism. Jayati Ghosh, on the other hand, studies the destructive effects of communal agendas on the liberalized economy. Tanika Sarkarýs essay straddles the twin issues of gender and communalism to show how all marginalized sections are rendered equally vulnerable by the spread of communalism. Finally, Siddharth Vardarajan looks at the interesting relationship between communal thought and its representations in the media and popular culture. Thought provoking and incisive, The Concerned Indianýs Guide to Communalism urges us to question where we stand with regard to communalism at the close of the millennium, and challenges us to fashion a truly secular identity for ourselves in the twenty-first century.

Transcript of lectures organized by the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development, Chandigarh; chiefly in the context of India of the eighties.

This book entitled 'Indian Social Problems: A Sociological Perspective' provides a glimpse of many social problems that have been haunting the Indian society since years, decades, and even centuries. Though India is fast developing, it has lots of regional, cultural, linguistic and religious diversities. These diversities are also reflected in its social problems. This book covers social problems which are general in nature and common to the whole nation such as population problem, poverty, unemployment, child labour, urbanization, youth unrest, problems of the aged, family disorganization, corruption, crime and delinquency, etc. This book is prepared mainly to cater to the needs of the undergraduate and postgraduate students. Most of the universities in India have prescribed one paper on ';Indian Social Problems' either at the undergraduate or postgraduate level. The book also covers topics that are included in the syllabi of IAS, NET, SLET, KAS and other national- and state-level competitive examinations. It also contains lessons that form part of MBA, nursing and fiveyear law courses. Such students and examinees will definitely find the book highly helpful.

Revised version of papers presented at a seminar organised by All India Radio in October 1968.