C0MMUNALISM IN INDIA ISSUES AND OUTLOOK

Focusing on India in the late 1980s, this article analyzes the drivers of communal polarization and the institutional tools available to dampen escalation. It identifies catalytic events, mobilization strategies, and media narratives that translate local grievances into broader identity confrontations. The paper examines the electoral incentives that sometimes reward polarizing appeals and the role of organizational infrastructures—processions, religious associations, and neighborhood committees—in sustaining mobilization. It surveys legal responses, from public-order statutes to hate-speech provisions, and explores preventive policing models such as peace committees and confidence-building patrols. The analysis argues that a durable reduction in communal violence requires credible accountability for organizers of riots, equitable delivery of public services, and civic platforms that reward cross-community problem solving.

The body presents district-level patterns in flashpoint areas, highlighting the interaction between rumor, crowd dynamics, and police posture. It reviews case studies where early mediation and transparent investigation limited contagion, and contrasts them with episodes where impunity entrenched cycles of retaliation. Institutional reforms include specialized prosecution units, independent oversight of law-and-order responses, and reforms to compensation mechanisms for victims. The article also considers the role of education, interfaith dialogues, and economic inclusion to address structural drivers of resentment. It concludes by emphasizing sequencing: protect life and property through impartial enforcement, then build incentives for cooperative politics via urban service delivery, mixed-neighborhood planning, and civic forums that elevate shared interests over sectarian appeals.