Given below are two statements:
Statement I: Communalism claims that whether one is poor or rich, whatever one's occupation, caste or political beliefs, it is religion alone that counts.
Statement II: This claim has the effect of constructing large and diverse groups as singular and homogenous.
In the light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Both Statement I and Statement II are correct
Statement I: Communalism claims that whether one is poor or rich, whatever one's occupation, caste or political beliefs, it is religion alone that counts. — Correct. This is how communalism claims that religious identity overrides everything else. Wealth, occupation, caste and political belief are set aside, and religion alone is said to count.
Statement II: This claim has the effect of constructing large and diverse groups as singular and homogenous. — Correct. Treating all Hindus as the same, and all Muslims or Sikhs as the same, hides the many differences inside each group. Large and diverse groups are thus made to look singular and homogenous, that is, all of one kind.
NCERT (2026-27): “Communalism, Secularism and the Nation-state … |