CBSE Class 10 · Gender, Religion and Caste

Religion, Communalism and Politics Class 10: Forms and Remedies

Updated 14 October 2026 · Fact-checked

Religion in politics is not wrong when every religion is treated equally. Communalism begins when religion is seen as the basis of the nation and one religion is pitted against another. Its forms are everyday prejudice, quest for political dominance, religious mobilisation and communal violence. India's answer is a secular Constitution, plus countering prejudice and religion-based mobilisation.

Religion in politics is fine when all faiths are treated equally; communalism climbs from prejudice to violence, and a secular Constitution answers it.

Illustration drawn for QuestionBuddy.

Understand Religion, Communalism and Politics

Religion and politics can mix acceptably. Religious diversity is widespread, and religious differences are often expressed in politics. Some examples that are not wrong or dangerous:

Gandhiji said religion can never be separated from politics. By religion he meant not a particular faith but the moral values that inform all religions; politics must be guided by ethics drawn from religion.
Human rights groups demand special steps to prevent communal riots and protect religious minorities.
The women's movement argues that family laws (on marriage, divorce, adoption, inheritance) of all religions discriminate against women and should be made equitable.

Ideas and values from religions can play a role in politics; people may express needs and demands as members of a religious community; and those in power may regulate religious practice to prevent discrimination. These acts are fine as long as they treat every religion equally.

Where the problem begins: communalism.

When religion is seen as the basis of the nation (as in Northern Ireland).
When religion is expressed in politics in exclusive and partisan terms: one religion is presented as superior, demands of one group are framed against another, and state power is used to establish one group's domination. This is communal politics.

The communal way of thinking. Communal politics assumes that religion is the principal basis of social community: followers of one religion form one community with the same fundamental interests; followers of different religions cannot belong to the same community; their interests must conflict. In its extreme form, it holds that people of different religions cannot live as equal citizens in one nation: one must dominate or they must form different nations.

Why this belief is flawed. People of one religion do not share the same interests in every context; everyone has several roles, positions and identities; every community has many voices, all with a right to be heard. Bringing all followers of a religion together in non-religious contexts suppresses many voices inside that community.

Four forms of communalism in politics.
1. Everyday beliefs: religious prejudices, stereotypes and belief in the superiority of one's own religion; so common that we often fail to notice it.
2. Quest for political dominance: for the majority, this becomes majoritarian dominance; for a minority, a desire to form a separate political unit.
3. Political mobilisation on religious lines: using sacred symbols, religious leaders, emotional appeal and plain fear; in elections, special appeals to voters of one religion over others.
4. Communal violence, riots and massacre: its ugliest form. India and Pakistan suffered some of the worst communal riots at Partition, and the post-Independence period has also seen large-scale communal violence.

India's response: a secular state. Communalism was and remains one of the major challenges to Indian democracy, so the Constitution makers chose a secular state:

no official religion (unlike Buddhism in Sri Lanka, Islam in Pakistan, Christianity in England);
freedom to profess, practise and propagate any religion, or none;
prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion;
the state may intervene in religious matters to ensure equality within communities, e.g., it bans untouchability.

Secularism is one of the foundations of India, not the ideology of a few. Communalism threatens the very idea of India. A secular Constitution is necessary but not sufficient: communal prejudice must be countered in everyday life, and religion-based mobilisation in politics.

Religion, Communalism and Politics: key facts

When religion in politics is fine: Values from religion guide politics; communities voice demands; state regulates practice to stop discrimination; every religion treated equally; Gandhiji, human rights groups, women's movement examples.
Communal politics: Religion as basis of nation
one religion presented as superior
demands framed against another
state power used for one group's domination
Communal thinking: Religion = principal basis of community; same interests within, conflicting interests across; extreme: cannot live as equal citizens; Flawed: people have many identities and voices.
Four forms: Everyday prejudice; political dominance (majoritarian or separatist); mobilisation via symbols, leaders, emotion, fear; violence, riots, massacre
Secular provisions: No official religion; freedom to profess, practise, propagate or not; no religious discrimination; state may intervene for equality (bans untouchability)
Remedy: Secular Constitution necessary but not sufficient; counter prejudice in daily life and religious mobilisation in politics

How to answer Religion, Communalism and Politics questions

Questions ask when religion in politics is acceptable, what communalism is, its forms with examples, why it is dangerous, and how India's secular state combats it. Case questions describe a speech or event and ask you to identify the form.

1Separate acceptable uses of religion in politics (equal treatment) from communal politics (one religion against another).
2Define communalism using 'religion as the principal basis of social community'.
3For forms, give all four with one example each.
4For 'why flawed', use multiple identities and many voices.
5For secularism, list four constitutional provisions and say why they are necessary but not sufficient.

Religion, Communalism and Politics in real life

The idea, met in an everyday situation. Answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

Identifying communal mobilisation

Suppose that before a local election, a candidate's posters use sacred symbols of one religion and his speeches warn that 'our community will be in danger if the other side wins', asking voters of that faith to vote together.

Identify the form of communalism and explain why it is harmful to democracy.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Identify: political mobilisation on religious lines (symbols, emotion, fear).
Explain the assumption: all followers share one interest opposed to others.
Show the harm: suppresses many voices within the community, creates conflict.
Link to the secular principle: religion-based mobilisation must be countered in politics.

Answer: This is political mobilisation on religious lines: the candidate uses sacred symbols, emotional appeal and fear to unite voters of one religion against another. It assumes all followers share one interest that conflicts with others, which is false, since people have many identities and every community has many voices. It can breed conflict and even violence, and it goes against India's secular foundations.

Memory hook: Symbols plus fear equals communal politics.

Tricks to remember Religion, Communalism and Politics

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

B-D-M-V
Beliefs (prejudice), Dominance, Mobilisation, Violence: 'Bad Deeds Make Violence'.
Use it when: Four forms of communalism.
No official religion: SL, Pak, Eng
Sri Lanka (Buddhism), Pakistan (Islam), England (Christianity) have one; India does not.
Use it when: Secular state comparisons.
Necessary, not sufficient
Constitution is the floor; daily life and politics build the house.
Use it when: Remedy answers.

Religion, Communalism and Politics: solved examples

Ordered from board level to HOTS. Try each one before you open the solution.

Example 1: Not communal · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

Which one of the following is NOT an example of communalism?
(a) Believing one's religion is superior to others
(b) Using sacred symbols and fear to unite voters of one religion
(c) Demanding that family laws of all religions be made fair to women
(d) Using state power to establish one religion's domination

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

The women's movement's demand treats all religions equally and seeks equality; it is not communal (1 mark).

Answer: (c) Demanding that family laws of all religions be made fair to women

Example 2: Forms of communalism (3 marks) · 3 marks · Short answerBoard level

State any three forms of communal politics with an example of each. (3 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Everyday beliefs: religious prejudices, stereotypes and belief in one's religion's superiority (1 mark).
Quest for political dominance: majoritarian dominance by the majority, or a desire for a separate political unit by a minority (1 mark).
Political mobilisation on religious lines, using sacred symbols, religious leaders, emotional appeal and fear; or communal violence, as in the riots at Partition (1 mark).

Answer: Everyday beliefs: prejudices and stereotypes about other communities and belief that one's religion is superior. Quest for dominance: the majority seeks majoritarian domination, or a minority wants a separate political unit. Mobilisation on religious lines: using sacred symbols, religious leaders, emotional appeals and fear to unite voters of one religion; at its worst, riots, as at Partition.

Example 3: Assertion-reason: secular state · 1 mark · Assertion-reasonHarder board level

Assertion (A): The Indian Constitution allows the state to intervene in matters of religion.
Reason (R): Such intervention is meant to ensure equality within religious communities, for example by banning untouchability.
(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true, but R is false.
(d) A is false, but R is true.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

NCERT gives R as the purpose of the provision in A (1 mark).

Answer: (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.

Example 4: Communalism and the idea of India (5 marks) · 5 marks · Long answerHarder board level

'Communalism threatens the very idea of India.' Explain the statement, and describe how the Constitution and citizens can combat it. (5 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Communalism treats religion as the principal basis of community and the nation, pits one religion against another, and in its extreme form denies equal citizenship (1 mark).
This is flawed: people have many identities; every community has many voices; it suppresses them and leads to dominance, separatism or violence, as at Partition (1 mark).
India's idea rests on secularism: no official religion, unlike Sri Lanka, Pakistan or England (1 mark).
Freedom to profess, practise and propagate any religion or none; no discrimination on grounds of religion; state intervention for equality, such as banning untouchability (1 mark).
A secular Constitution is necessary but not sufficient: prejudice must be countered in everyday life and religion-based mobilisation in politics (1 mark).

Answer: Communalism sees religion as the main basis of community and nation, pits one religion against another, and at its extreme says people of different faiths cannot be equal citizens of one nation. This is flawed, since people have many identities and every community has many voices, and it leads to dominance, separatism or violence, as at Partition. India was built as a secular nation, so communalism threatens its very idea. The Constitution gives India no official religion, unlike Sri Lanka, Pakistan or England; it guarantees freedom to follow any religion or none, bans discrimination on religious grounds, and lets the state intervene for equality, as in banning untouchability. But this is not enough: citizens must counter prejudice daily and reject religion-based mobilisation in politics.

Example 5: Case: three examples from NCERT · 4 marks · Case-basedHOTS / competency

Read the case and answer the questions.

NCERT gives three examples of religion and politics meeting. Gandhiji held that religion can never be separated from politics, meaning moral values found in all religions. Human rights groups have asked the government to prevent communal riots and protect religious minorities. The women's movement has argued that family laws of all religions discriminate against women and should be made more equitable.

(i) What did Gandhiji mean by 'religion' here? (1)
(ii) What are family laws? (1)
(iii) Why does NCERT say these examples are not wrong or dangerous, unlike communal politics? (2)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

(i) Not any particular religion, but moral values that inform all religions (1 mark).
(ii) Laws dealing with family matters such as marriage, divorce, adoption and inheritance; different ones apply to followers of different religions in India (1 mark).
(iii) They treat every religion equally and aim at ethics, protection of minorities and equality (1 mark).
(iii) Communal politics presents one religion as superior, frames demands against another, and uses state power for domination (1 mark).

Answer: (i) Moral values that inform all religions, not one particular religion. (ii) Laws on family matters such as marriage, divorce, adoption and inheritance; in India, different family laws apply to followers of different religions. (iii) These examples treat all religions equally and aim at ethical politics, protection of minorities and equality for women. Communal politics, by contrast, presents one religion as superior, pits its demands against another's and uses state power to dominate.

Example 6: Why communal thinking is flawed (2 marks) · 2 marks · Very short answerHOTS / competency

Why does NCERT call the communal belief 'fundamentally flawed'? (2 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

People of one religion do not have the same interests in every context; everyone has several roles, positions and identities (1 mark).
Every community has many voices with a right to be heard; uniting all followers in non-religious matters suppresses them (1 mark).

Answer: People of one religion do not share the same interests everywhere, since each person has several roles and identities. Every community has many voices; forcing all followers into one political bloc suppresses those voices.

Where students lose marks in Religion, Communalism and Politics

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

Mistake: Saying all religion in politics is communal
Overgeneralising.
Wrong working
Any mention of religion in politics is communalism.
Right working
It is communal only when one religion is pitted against another or seeks dominance.
Do this: Equal treatment test.
Usually costs: 1-2 marks.
Mistake: Listing forms without examples
Names only.
Wrong working
Forms: beliefs, dominance, mobilisation, violence.
Right working
Add examples: stereotypes; majoritarianism; sacred symbols and fear; Partition riots.
Do this: Form + example.
Usually costs: 1-2 marks.
Mistake: Defining secularism as 'no religion'
Misreading secularism.
Wrong working
A secular state is anti-religion.
Right working
No official religion; freedom for all religions; equality; state may intervene for equality.
Do this: Equal respect, not rejection.
Usually costs: 1 mark.
Mistake: Forgetting 'necessary but not sufficient'
Students stop at constitutional provisions.
Wrong working
The Constitution has solved communalism.
Right working
It must also be countered in daily life and politics.
Do this: End with this line.
Usually costs: 1 mark.

Exam tips

Open communalism answers with NCERT's definition: religion as the principal basis of social community.
Give all four forms with examples in 5-mark answers.
Contrast India with Sri Lanka, Pakistan and England when explaining 'no official religion'.
Political Science word limits: 40 (2 marks), 60 (3 marks), 120 (5 marks).

Practice questions on Religion, Communalism and Politics

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

Q1 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level
According to NCERT, in which country does Buddhism have a special status, unlike any religion in India?
(a) Sri Lanka
(b) Pakistan
(c) England
(d) India
Hint
NCERT names Sri Lanka, Pakistan and England.
Answer
(a) Sri Lanka
Q2 · 2 marks · Very short answerBoard level
Mention any two constitutional provisions that make India a secular state. (2 marks)
Hint
Official religion; freedom.
Answer
There is no official religion for the Indian state. The Constitution gives all individuals and communities freedom to profess, practise and propagate any religion, or not to follow any (it also prohibits religious discrimination).
Q3 · 2 marks · Very short answerHarder board level
How does communalism take different forms for majority and minority communities? (2 marks)
Hint
Quest for political dominance.
Answer
A communal mind seeks political dominance of its own community. For the majority, this becomes majoritarian dominance; for a minority, it can become a desire to form a separate political unit.
Q4 · 3 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
Suppose a student says, 'I only crack jokes about people of other religions; that is not communalism.' Evaluate this using NCERT's forms of communalism. (3 marks)
Hint
Everyday beliefs.
Answer
Such jokes usually rest on religious stereotypes and prejudices, which NCERT calls the most common form of communalism: everyday beliefs. It is so routine that we often fail to notice it. It may seem harmless, but it builds the sense of superiority and difference on which communal mobilisation and even violence can draw.
Q5 · 1 mark · Assertion-reasonHarder board level
Assertion (A): A secular Constitution alone is sufficient to end communalism.
Reason (R): Communal prejudices and propaganda need to be countered in everyday life.
(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true, but R is false.
(d) A is false, but R is true.
Hint
Necessary, not sufficient.
Answer
(d) A is false, but R is true.
Q6 · 5 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency
Distinguish between the acceptable role of religion in politics and communal politics, with examples. (5 marks)
Hint
Equal treatment vs one against another.
Answer
Religion can play an acceptable role in politics. Gandhiji wanted politics guided by moral values common to all religions; human rights groups ask for protection of minorities from riots; the women's movement asks for fair family laws for women of all religions. People may voice demands as members of a community, and governments may regulate religious practice to stop discrimination. These are acceptable because they treat every religion equally. Communal politics is different: it treats religion as the basis of the nation, presents one religion as superior, frames one group's demands against another's and uses state power for domination. It shows up as prejudice, quests for dominance, religious mobilisation using symbols and fear, and riots.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

1.What did Gandhiji mean by religion in politics?Show answer
Moral values that inform all religions.
2.What are family laws?Show answer
Laws on marriage, divorce, adoption and inheritance.
3.What is the ugliest form of communalism?Show answer
Communal violence, riots and massacre.
4.Name a constitutional provision allowing state intervention in religion.Show answer
The ban on untouchability.
5.What does communalism threaten?Show answer
The very idea of India.

Religion, Communalism and Politics: frequently asked questions

What is communalism in Class 10?

Politics based on the idea that religion is the principal basis of social community, in which one religion is pitted against another or used to dominate.

What are the forms of communalism?

Everyday prejudice and stereotypes, quest for political dominance, political mobilisation on religious lines, and communal violence.

Is religion in politics always bad?

No. It is acceptable when values from religion guide politics and every religion is treated equally; it becomes communal when one religion is set against another.

How does India's Constitution prevent communalism?

No official religion, freedom of religion for all, no religious discrimination, and state intervention to ensure equality, such as banning untouchability.