---
title: "Communalism: Meaning, Causes & UPSC Notes | Model Diplomat"
description: "Communalism is the political mobilization of religious identities, crucial for understanding social dynamics in India and relevant for UPSC candidates."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/communalism"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- Communalism is the political mobilisation of religious community identity as the primary basis of social and political solidarity, asserting that co-religionists share antagonistic interests against other communities.
- How does communalism differ from secularism in the Indian constitutional context?
- What are the three stages of communalism according to Bipan Chandra?
- Is communalism the same as religious belief or fundamentalism?
- What colonial policy is credited with institutionalising communalism in India?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

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## Timeline

1. 6 December 1992

   Post-independence episodes include the anti-Sikh violence in Delhi in November 1984 following the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi; the demoliti…

2. 15 August 1947

   The Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act of 1991, which froze the religious character of shrines as they stood on , remains a contested instrument in t…

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Example

In February–March 2002, communal violence erupted across Gujarat after the burning of a train coach at Godhra, leading to over a thousand deaths and prompting inquiries by the Nanavati Commission and India's National Human Rights Commission.

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