Religion, Religiosity and Communalism

In this anthology, several academics, journalists and activists come together to explore several facets of India's communal problem its history, political settings and theoretical underpinnings. Distinctions as well as convergence between religion, religiosity and communalism are opened up to examination in an analytical perspective at one level and investigation in regional and local contexts at another. The thread that binds the anthology is a look at the problem as dynamic, rather than a given phenomenon: its dynamics would as well allow space for its resolution.

Table of Contents

• Introduction Praful Bidwai, Harbans Mukhia, Achin Vanaik
• Communal Violence and the Transmutation of Identities Harbans Mukhia 25
• Radicalism of the Right and Logics of Secularism Aijaz Ahmad 37
• How Not to Defend Secularism Rajeev Bhargava 57
• Religion and Communalism Saral Jhingran 75
• The BJP: Political Mobilization for Hindiutva Manini Chatterjee 87
• Citizen's Inquiry Reports on Ayodhya and its Aftermath Kamal A Mitra Chenoy 107
• Communal Violence and the Role of Law Enforcement Agencies Asghar Ali Engineer 127
• Caste, Communalism and the Democratic Process Rajni Kothari 143
• Three Riots in Varanasi: 1989-1990, 1991 and 1992 Dipak Malik 157
• Minority Identity and its Dis

• : Ayodhya and its Aftermath Mushirul Hasan 167
• BJP and the North-East Ms Prabhakara 205
• The BJP and Backward Castes in Gujarat Ghanshyam Shah 217
• Educating the Children of the Hindu Rashtra: Notes on RSS Schools Tanika Sarkar 237
• Party Politics and Communal Mobilization in Uttar Pradesh Zoya Hasan 249
• Contributors 273