Submitted for the internal assessment for the course of

B.A. LL.B., (Hons.) – Third Semester

Academic Year: 2021-22

Subject: Sociology

Topic: Lack in Communal Harmony and its Effects on

Society.

Course Faculty: Submitted By:

Dr. Jisu Ketan Pattnaik Udit Bajpai
Assistant Professor, Section - B
Sociology. Roll No.- 1206
Contents
1. DECLARATION..................................................................................................................3
2. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT....................................................................................................4
3. INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................5
4. LITERATURE REVIEW.....................................................................................................6
5. RESEARCH OBJECTIVE...................................................................................................7
6. STATEMENT OF RESEARCH PROBLEM.......................................................................7
7. METHODOLOGY............................................................................................................... 8
8. CHAPTERIZATION............................................................................................................8
9. RECOMMENDATIONS....................................................................................................13
10. CONCLUSION..................................................................................................................13
11. REFRENCES..................................................................................................................... 14
1. DECLARATION

This is to declare that this project report on the topic, “Lack in Communal Harmony and its
Effects on Society,” submitted to Dr. Jisu Ketan Pattnaik, Assistant Professor, National
University of Study and Research in Law, Ranchi, is a record of an original work done by Udit
Bajpai, Student, B. A., LL. B (Hons.) (Third Semester), National University of Study and
Research in Law, Ranchi, batch-2020-25, and has been satisfactorily completed.
2. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to convey my sincere regards to Dr. Jisu Ketan Pattnaik, who provided me with all
the helpful insights which were the foundation of this project.

Special thanks to my classmates, who always helped me in tackling, even the smallest of
problems which I faced during the course of completion of this assignment.

Finally, I would thank my father and my brother, who always encouraged me and never stopped
trusting me.

-Udit Bajpai
3. INTRODUCTION

In a nation, different communities with a diverse range of differences live under the same
roof and co-habit. The working mechanism of a society is dependent on the coexistence of
people with a spectrum of diversities. Unity in diversity is what exhibits and catalyzes a
society to keep progressing. The advancement of a society leads to the greater growth of the
nation. Communalism is defined as "the allegiance to a social organization based on religious
or ethnic identity rather than to society as a whole." It is an ideology that manifests itself in
three distinct shapes or phases, each one succeeding the other. Initially, there is a perception
that people who adhere to the same religion have similar secular interests, which are defined
as shared politico-economical-social- cultural interests. This is the first stage. It is believed
that in a multi-religious country such as India, the secular interests of followers of one
religion are different and divergent from those of followers of another religion. This is known
as the second stage. The third stage is characterized by the belief that the goals of adherents
to various faiths are mutually incompatible, adversarial, and hostile.

However, with growing hate among different religions and socially stratified classes
proliferated through online or social media has led to a disruption in the basic structure of the
communal harmony in a society. The amicable relations have become sour and people are
more self-oriented rather than society oriented for the greater good. Whenever a society is
confronted with wide- ranging issues such as inadequate healthcare, rising unemployment,
illiteracy, the safety of vulnerable communities, the devastation caused by climate change,
systemic corruption, and so on, there are limited resources available to deal with these
complex issues. As a consequence of the resources (both human and monetary) spent on
reacting to disputes, resources from another important area are depleted.

Indeed, according to media reports, the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), an
Australian think tank, discovered that violence (of all kinds) cost the Indian economy
$1,190.51 billion in 2017. This represents approximately 9 percent of the country's gross
domestic product (GDP) or
$595.4 (more than Rs 40,000) per person in the year 2017. In contrast, India spends a little
more
 than 3 percent of its entire GDP on education and a little more than 1 percent of its total
GDP on healthcare. Research by civil society that was published in 2019 found that the
average yearly per capita expenditure on legal assistance, for which 80 percent of the
Indian population is entitled, was just 75 paise. A growing body of evidence indicates that
when social and religious tensions escalate, the growth of a whole country is adversely
affected.

4. LITERATURE REVIEW

 Blasphemy, Cultural Divergence and Legal Relativism (1995) by Clive Unsworth.

o This article encompasses the impact of the offence of blasphemy on the social and
cultural growth of a society and the legal strategies available as such. The article
includes a thorough description of its features, as well as an evaluation of how those
features relate to laws that deal with related issues including sedition, obscenity,
insulting public dignity, and insubordination.

 A Triangle of Communal Harmony, Communal Violence & Political Power: A

Sociological Analysis (2014) by Marjan Huque.
o In this article the author has highlighted how the communal fire has disrupted the
brunt reality of the pluralistic existing democratic system. It throws light on the
importance of stringent laws to prevent the collapse of a democratic society which is
facing the brunt of rift among different communities and the prevailing intolerance
and tension.

 Communal Harmony: Need of the Hour (2016) by Dr. M. Asad Malik.

o The author in this article briefs on the working of societies based on the communal
harmony between the different communities. It asserts how the lack of communal
harmony has become a way of life rather than a mitigating factor of a society. It
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emphasizes the ethical principle of a society based on communal harmony and the
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lack of it has led to the malfunctioning of the resilience of citizens.

  Communal Harmony - The Need of the Hour (2014) by Dr. R. Ravichandran.
o The article deals with how the lack of communal harmony has created a hollowness
in the society and vivisected nation. The differences among various communities
has led to a disintegration in the society. The same has resulted in the formation of
robust groups with vengeance. The spread of hate messages has threatened the
religious fundamentalists.

5. RESEARCH OBJECTIVE

➔ To specify what are the factors leading to lack of communal harmony?

➔ To highlight what is the impact of the aftermath of communal disharmony in society?
➔ To emphasize what are the legal strategies available to resort to the mitigation of
religious intolerance?

6. STATEMENT OF RESEARCH PROBLEM

In a country like India, there are scores of religious dimensions. People practice different
religious values and beliefs, however, the essential element that binds them all together is
secularism to maintain communal harmony. Now with the growing rift between different
communities and groups has led to an increased number of social conflicts and a great
impact on life and property in a colossal magnitude. Religious intolerance has resulted in
communal riots and socio-religious discrepancies in the development of the society. The
idea of communalism is entailed from the feeling of different communities based on
religion and linguistic affiliation; however, the harmony of a society is jeopardized with the
notion of religious supremacy among different communities leading to a hollow democratic
society. A one-sided unitary domination of a cultural diversity has resulted and catalyzed
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the instability in the functioning of the society in an egalitarian approach. The society is
democratic when governed under a Rule of Law which pervades the entire system of
 administration and the advancement of the society. The lack of communal harmony has led
to menace on the good governance of the society, endangering the well-being of scores of
people.

7. METHODOLOGY

➔ The Study is based on Doctrinal Research.

➔ The target Population is the citizens of a nation.
➔ The Method of Data Collection is through secondary sources such as surveys, articles,
journals, newspapers and editorials.

8. CHAPTERIZATION

Communal Violence

When compared to the same period the previous year, there has been a significant increase in
the number of cases of communal violence in India, with nearly 25% more reported in the
first half of this year than in the same period the previous year. The following figures are
derived from a comparison of annual data for the years 2012, 2013, and 2014. In the last three
years, there have been 668, 823, and 644 incidents of communal violence across the country
(with Uttar Pradesh accounting for 18 percent, 30 percent, and 20 percent of the total,
respectively). During the year 2014, there was a noticeable decrease in community violence.
2015, on the other hand, appears to be the "Year of Communal Intolerance." The divisive
forces operating in the country are constantly consuming innocent human lives, causing
damage to public property that has been built with tax payers' money, and creating an
environment of desperation and uncertainty, in which legitimate growth prospects are stifled
by concerns about safety and security.
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Reasons Behind Communal Violence

Communal forces thrive in an atmosphere of mutual distrust and rely on hostility of other
communities to survive. The factors listed above are mostly responsible for the emergence of
diverse scenarios. Politicians who utilise the communal card to connect themselves with a
specific group or to split up the vote bank of another party often instigate communal riots.

Sacred leaders from other faiths, as well as groups within the same religion, engage a so-
called holy war to maintain their religious beliefs. Various classes of people, such as dalits,
tribals, and other minorities, cling together to portray a collective front in order to preserve
their importance in a system that looks to be excessively prejudiced. Any danger to their class
is vehemently fought in order for their voices to be heard in this abyss. Communities use
communal disputes to affirm their community identities and seek a fair share of economic,
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educational, and employment possibilities. The effort to ensure that the interests of their
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community are effectively maintained is extremely hotly debated, especially in these times of
economic downturn. Churches were burned down in Delhi and other parts of India in 2013,
Hindu-Muslim riots in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh in 2013, Hindu groups were accused of
forcibly converting several Muslims and Christians to Hinduism (Ghar Wapisi) in December
last year, ethnic clashes over the disputed Nagaland-Assam border in August, rumours of
beef consumption, i.e. Dadri lynching, and the sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib. Several
states, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, have recorded caste-based
violence.

Many times, the media airs unsubstantiated, sensitive, and sometimes prejudiced news on
national television in order to sensationalise the problem and boost their TRP. As the
minority population feels endangered and the majority group feels victimised, this frequently
adds gasoline to the fire and promotes enmity between the two communities. As the
availability of natural resources such as land, water, minerals, and other resources decreases
as a result of an exponentially rising population, the demand for ownership of the existing
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resources at the disposal of diverse communities grows. India has a slew of unfriendly
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neighbours that want to weaken the country by dividing it along religious lines. Pakistan and
China would rather wage an unconventional war, which is more cost-effective in the short
term but more harmful to national stability in the long run.

Consequences of Communal Violence

The innocent ordinary people who are trapped hopelessly in situations beyond their control
are the worst victims of community conflict. There is an unnecessary loss of life, as well as
harm to vital public property. It encourages hooliganism, and antisocial individuals often take
advantage of the situation by robbing and engaging in actions only for personal gain. Anti-
national groups have enough chance to stoke anti-national sentiments and try to create an
environment that undermines our society's cohesion. Foreign investors are hesitant to
establish up shop in India because of the instability and domestic strife. Internal security
dangers are heightened as a result of lawlessness arising from communal discord, which is
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exploited by divisive forces working in the nation. The social fabric of society is irreversibly
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harmed, and the resulting climate of distrust serves as a trigger for future conflicts based on
shaky foundations. The deployment of large-scale security personnel drains the state's coffers
and may result in human rights violations on rare occasions. These stifling constraints on
people's fundamental right to freedom have a negative impact on the society's Human
Development Index.

Growth Rate Due to Riots.

Source: Economic growth and ethnic violence: An empirical investigation of Hindu—Muslim riots in India,
Journal of Peace Research, September 2010, Vol. 47, No. 5 (september 2010), pp.589-600

Steps to Handle Communal Violence

During a riot, the local population must be kept informed about the situation on a frequent
basis by different types of media, which must be monitored to ensure that the situation does
not worsen. All occurrences that may occur during the unrest should be investigated quickly
and fairly, and communities should be informed of the administration's/actions. governments
to encourage more individuals to come forward, ensure that informers and witnesses'
identities and safety are protected. States must have emergency money on hand to purchase
vital commodities like medications and food, as well as to compensate individuals for their
losses. Although law and order are a governmental responsibility, in an emergency such as a
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communal riot, the district collector may be unable to effectively manage the situation at the
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panchayat and block levels. As a result, the Sarpanch should be granted magisterial powers
 and assigned reasonable responsibilities in order to prevent communal tensions from
growing. Victims who have been "internally displaced" should be recorded with the
government via a single window system, as envisaged in the PCTB, 2013 Bill, and properly
rehabilitated. They should be able to sue the government for compensation for loss of
property, life, and livelihood. Blankets, napkins, syringes, soaps, sanitary pads, medications,
bandages, scissors, food, water, books, stationery goods, kitchen items, and other supplies
must be stocked in sufficient numbers and delivered promptly by the states. The safety and
security of the most vulnerable members of society, such as women, children, the elderly, and
the infirm, must take precedence. The Election Commission should keep a careful eye on
politicians' public speeches and legislative addresses, and issue notifications or file FIRs
against anybody who makes incendiary remarks about the communal violent event. Cyber
police should be on the lookout for postings on social media and websites that include any
inflammatory material with the intent of inciting communal discord and bring such
individuals to justice.

9. RECOMMENDATIONS

The government must make quick and proper judgments. After determining the nature, stage,
and severity of the disturbance, urgent steps must be taken to minimise losses and be
proactive in requisitioning and moving resources, as well as detaining people who engage in
provocative behaviour. Specially trained police forces must be quickly dispatched in
sufficient numbers with the necessary equipment and gear to manage the situation on both a
physical and mental level. So that no one glances over their shoulder during a crisis, proper
delegation of duty and power must be specified. It's also critical to hold the individual in
charge responsible for any reservations or abuses of power. Licenced weapons such as
revolvers, firearms, and caustic chemicals must be prohibited prior to the real build-up of
tension.

10. CONCLUSION
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 Finally, the community spirit that pervades the nation, as well as the communal tensions that
have developed between various populations, are the root causes of all communal upheavals.
The community milieu offers fertile ground for communally oriented individuals to plant
seeds of communal hate and nourish them until communal violence reaps its cruel fruit. For
the sake of humanity and the security of our great country, we as a growing community,
particularly the young, must band together to combat communal forces and rise beyond
pettiness.

11. REFRENCES

 S.K. Chaturvedi. (2009). Communal Harmony: Philosophical Perspective. The Indian

Journal of Political Science, Vol. 70, No. 4.

 P.K. Abdul Ghafour. (2018). Communal Harmony: Need of the Hour. Saudi Gazette.
 David Waddington. (1992). Contemporary issues in Public Disorder: a comparative
and historical approach. Routledge.
 Tehmina Arora. (2020). Communal harmony and internal security. The Wire.
 Yogesh Atal. (2015). The Climate of Violence and the Concern for Communal
Harmony.
 Perspective of Violence and Othering India, pp 55-68.
 Nandgopal R. Menon. (2014). Communal Harmony as Governmentality. Cambridge
University Press, Modern Asian Studies, 49 (2), 393-492.
 Jan Berman. (2002). Communal Upheaval as Resurgence of Social Darwinism,
Economic and Political Weekly Vol. 37. No. 16, pp. 1485-1488.
 Joseph G. Bock. (2002). The Exercise of Authority to prevent Communal Conflict.
Peace and Change. A journal of Peace Research, pages 187-203.
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