Deconstructing Communalism in India

The author describes the book by defining different causes for the rise of communalism in pre-independent India and the role of British in perpetuating it, which ultimately culminated in the partition of undivided India. He further talks about the unresolved Kashmir issue and its impact on the Muslims and Pundits. The book then shifts its focus on communalism in post-independent India. The rise of right-wing in the 1970-1980’s and the rise of BJP in 1990’s and its impact on the minority communities like Muslims and Christians. He analyses how right-wing elements is communalizing the middle class by invoking fear in them by propagating distorted history. The author stress the fact that pluralism is a part of India society from centuries and how different religion has flourished in this part of world. Later part of this book deals with how Islam is associated with terrorism and the role of global politics in it.  He delves into Hindu nationalist organisations and their attempts to bring back the Dalits and Adivasis into the fold of Hindutva . He further questions the narrow notion of women’s role in the society defined by them.