Identify the odd one out with reference to communalism:

The correct answer is Option (2) → Being a devout believer in personal faith

Option (1) Believing in a political identity based on religion — Incorrect. This is a true feature of communalism. All communalists believe in a political identity based on religion, so it is not the odd one out.

Option (2) Being a devout believer in personal faith — Correct. Communalism is about politics, not about personal faith. There is no necessary relationship between being devout and being communalist, so a devout believer may or may not be a communalist. This is the one point that does not describe communalism.

Option (3) Holding a hostile attitude towards other religion-based identities — Incorrect. This is the key factor in communalism. Communalists build an aggressive political identity against those who hold other identities, including other religion-based ones.

Option (4) Claiming that religious identity overrides caste, class and occupation — Incorrect. This is a characteristic feature of communalism. It claims that religion alone counts, whatever a person's caste, class or occupation, and so treats large, diverse groups as one.