Distinguish between religiousness/religiosity and communalism giving one example of how the former has got transformed into the latter in independent India.(UPSC GS Paper 1 2017)
Religiosity is associated with ideology, community, doctrine, beliefs, values, practices, rituals, moral, and cultural dimensions. Communalism is the process of constructing religious or ethnic identity. There is a presence of violence, orthodoxy, aggressive ideology, etc.
| Religiosity |
Communalism |
- Religiosity is as old as the religion and civilization itself.
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- Communalism is a newer phenomenon compared to religiosity. It was born during the colonial times, when the British used religious contrasts among different communities to rule over them.
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- It can be found throughout the world.
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- Communalism is a phenomenon mainly confined to Indian subcontinent, and South Asia.
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- Religiosity is concerned with the worship of God.
- Religiosity is often accompanied by 1) prayers i.e. petition direct at a supernatural power and 2) rituals i.e. symbolic series of actions to appear the aid supernatural power.
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- Communalism is a belief system and a social phenomenon wherein, history is interpreted for mobilization of people.
- It involves the use of sacred symbols, religious leaders, emotional appeal and plain fear in order to bring the followers of one religion together in the political arena.
- Secularism and egalitarianism are portrayed as abnormal. People belonging to other faith and religion are portrayed as antagonists.
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- A person usually engage in religiosity to seek help of a supernatural power to solve his problems.
- Religiosity is the human response to those elements in the life and environment which are beyond his ordinary comprehension.
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- A person engages in communalism to fulfill social, economic of his community and or his personal political ambitions.
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| Religiosity by default is not associated with violence, unless the religious tenants themselves require human or animal sacrifice. |
- In Communalism the religious identity overrides everything else. Anyone who doesn’t share this identity can be attacked verbally or physically.
- When communalism escalates into 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 or avenge the death of dishonour suffered by their co-religionists elsewhere or even in the distant past.
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Transformation: Religiosity has been practiced since the time of ancient India but gradually it has transformed into communalism.
The Mughal era witnessed separate taxation systems like jizya and zakat for different communities.
During the time of the British rule, the partition of Bengal, divide and rule policy, separate electorate, Communal Award had provided more fuel to it.
And in recent times, the Babri Mosque demolition, each and every phase played a part in the transition.
Transformation of religiosity into communalism creates serious obstacles to good governance, economic development and social harmony of our country. Therefore, both the state and the society must prevent any individual, organization or event that encourages such process.
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