Question

The growth of communalism in India was encouraged by the British authorities as well as certain trends in Indian society. In the light of this observation, explain:

1. The Divide and Rule Policy of the British.
2. The writings and speeches of the Assertive Nationalists.
3. The erroneous interpretation of Indian History.

Answer 1

1. The Divide and Rule Policy of the British:
   During the Revolt of 1857, Hindus and Muslims fought together against the British. The British believed that the revolt was led by Muslims aiming to revive the Mughal empire, so they suppressed Muslims by not allowing them in civilian jobs and the army. After 1870, when Congress grew stronger, the British changed their attitude and started the Divide and Rule policy to keep Muslims away from Congress and maintain their control in India. They began to present themselves as protectors of Muslim interests, and many young Muslims started relying on the British to safeguard their rights against the Hindu majority. This eventually led to the formation of the All India Muslim League to counter Congress.
2. Assertive nationalists contributed significantly to the national movement, but some of their actions hindered national unity.
   1. Their speeches and actions upset some sections of Indians.
   2. For example, Tilak’s promotion of the Shivaji and Ganapati festivals, Aurobindo Ghosh’s idea of India as a mother and nationalism as a religion, and the start of the Anti-Partition movement with rituals like dipping in the Ganga did not resonate with some Muslims.

3. The way Indian history was explained during that time increased communal thinking among Hindus and Muslims.

   1. Some British and communal historians divided Indian history into Hindu and Muslim periods. They called the rule of Turks, Afghans, and Mughals the "Muslim rule," where the rulers were said to follow Islam and their subjects followed other religions. In the so-called Hindu period, Muslim rulers were shown as foreign invaders. Historians portrayed Rana Pratap and Shivaji as national heroes and Akbar and Aurangzeb as foreigners, creating communal feelings.

   2. These historians ignored the idea of India’s mixed culture and tried to create a divide between the two communities. They did not recognise that India's diversity was based on class and region, not religion.

   3. Some communal historians wrongly claimed that Indian society and culture were at their peak during the ancient period and started declining during the medieval period, which was ruled by the Mughals. They did not highlight the contributions of the medieval period to India's economy, religion, art, literature, and culture.

   4. Communal bias was spread through poetry, drama, novels, short stories, newspapers, and other forms of media.