Distinguish between religiousness/religiosity and communalism giving one example of how the former has got transformed into the latter in independent India. (250 words, 15 marks)

Religiosity is personal or community devotion expressed through faith, worship, ethics and cultural practice. Communalism is a political ideology that treats a religious community as a homogeneous, antagonistic interest group seeking power against others.

• Religiosity: plural, spiritual and primarily concerned with meaning, moral conduct, ritual or fellowship; it can coexist with respect for other faiths.
• Communalism: political, exclusionary and historically constructed; it selectively mobilises identity, stereotypes another community and converts difference into competition or conflict.
• Religious institutions may provide charity and solidarity, whereas communal politics demands loyalty based on birth and uses fear, symbols or violence.

Religiosity can become communalism when political entrepreneurs detach symbols from ethical teachings, portray a community as victimised, circulate historical grievances and seek votes through polarisation. The Ram Janmabhoomi mobilisation, culminating in the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992 and subsequent communal violence, illustrates how a religious site and devotional sentiment were transformed into an exclusionary political campaign. The example does not indict faith itself; it shows the politicisation of faith.

Constitutional secularism, impartial law enforcement, interfaith dialogue, responsible media, civic education and accountability for hate speech can prevent this conversion. Religious literacy should emphasise internal diversity and shared ethical values. Protecting freedom of belief while rejecting discrimination is the appropriate democratic balance.

Keywords: religion and society, religiosity, communalism