Communal Politics in India: Rise and Decline

Mahatma Gandhi raised in 1920 a spectre of fear in many hearts with his strategy of mobilizing the masses for the freedom struggle. Many perceived a danger to their supremacy in the ancient social order. To ward off the march of time they dreamt of unifying various diverse and innumerable religious beliefs in India under a central authority to impose uniformity to retain their social supremacy. The muslims settled for nearly 700 years and integral part of society were readily available symbols for hatred needed for mobilization.