Communalism as a Political Strategy during the Indian Independence Movement

Sandhya Rani

doi:10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i05.57444

Communalism as a Political Strategy during the Indian Independence Movement

Author(s)	Dr. Sandhya Rani
Country	India
Abstract	This article explores the emergence, evolution, and consequences of communalism as a political strategy during the Indian freedom movement, with particular emphasis on the intersection between colonial administrative policies and nationalist politics. Far from being a spontaneous social phenomenon, communalism in colonial India was systematically nurtured through policies of classification, representation, and governance that emphasized religious identities over shared national aspirations. The introduction of separate electorates through the Morley-Minto Reforms of 1909, the communal provisions in the Government of India Acts of 1919 and 1935, and the controversial Communal Award of 1932 institutionalized communal representation and reinforced sectarian consciousness as a means of political mobilization. The study further investigates how political organizations primarily the Indian National Congress, the All-India Muslim League, and the Hindu Mahasabha adopted or responded to communal strategies in their quest for influence and legitimacy. While the Congress officially advocated a vision of composite nationalism and secular unity, tactical compromises such as the Lucknow Pact of 1916 revealed an implicit acceptance of communal political frameworks. The Muslim League, evolving from a party seeking constitutional safeguards for Muslim interests into the principal architect of the demand for Pakistan, used communalism to articulate political identity and sovereignty. Similarly, Hindu nationalist groups advanced their own narratives of cultural and political distinctiveness, reinforcing religious polarization.1 The article examines key events like the Khilafat Movement, the 1940 Lahore Resolution, and Partition negotiations to show communalism’s dual role: a colonial tool of division and a means for minority representation. Initially a short-term strategy, it became a lasting force shaping the independence movement and postcolonial politics, highlighting the paradox of India’s struggle where national unity coexisted with communal divisions.
Keywords	Keyword: Communalism, Independence Movement, Khilafat Movement, Partition of India
Field	Sociology > Archaeology / History
Published In	Volume 7, Issue 5, September-October 2025
Published On	2025-10-19
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i05.57444

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Communalism as a Political Strategy during the Indian Independence Movement

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