When a religious, cultural or linguistic group or community consciously considers itself to be a separate class and keeps putting political demands on the basis of religious and cultural grounds and gives priority to its demands over national and social interests, this can be called communalism.

According to Smith :

“He is a communal person or a group which considers each religious and linguistic group a separate social and political entity and whose interest is different from other groups and can be hostile to them. The ideology of such individuals or individual groups will be called communalism or communalist”.

Causes of Problem of Communalism

• Representation in the formation of the cabinet on the basis of religion : 

It is always put in cognizance while constituting a cabinet or legislature at the centre or in states that all main communities and prominent religious groups get suitable representation in it. In the formation of central cabinet, Sikhs, Christians and minorities are given due representation.

• Religion and national unity :

Religion and communalism are regarded detrimental to national unity. The great country, India, was partitioned on account of religious differences and still these fanatic groups are at play. 

• Religious pressure group in politics :

Certain communal organisations play a role of powerful coercion in Indian politics. These religious groups influence the policies of the administration and sometimes manipulate decisions in their favour.

• Nurturing a spirit of separation by political parties for their own interest :

It is true that many political parties and organisations came into being before independence and partition of the country, and after independence too, purely on the basis of religion, which include Jamayat-E-Islam, All India Majlis-E-Ittehade Muslim, etc. Unfortunately, these organisations started politics of religion for fulfilling their political interests and hence because of which, a nature of separation developed among communities. Besides, these organisations indulged in certain activities of separatism, thus challenging the unity and integrity of our country.

• Other reasons : 

1. There is a spurt in communal passion in the society because of economic and educational backwardness of Muslims. 

2. In vote-bank politics, when a particular group is given something extra or more in comparision to others, it is quite natural that tension develops in the society. 

3. Even today, a faction of Muslims is suffering from a mindset of separatism, and as such they cannot include themselves in the national mainstream.