Institutional Communalism

Institutional Communalism

During the movement for national independence, a similar conflict arose over protective measures for oppressed and vulnerable castes in the Hindu society……

The overwhelming numerical majority of Hindus in India8 (80.5% according to the 2001 Census), accords them a privileged location in the political, social, cultural and eventually economic networks, while disadvantaging the religious minorities (Muslims [13.4%], Christians [2.3%] and Sikhs [1.9%]) in these networks (Go Ind)9…..

It is very difficult to get hard data on the representation of different religious communities in the intelligence agencies of the Indian state. A human rights activist, who shared with me some confidential information he was able to gather, was of the view that there were many layers of secrecy associated with different intelligence agencies of the state and that it was an unwritten rule that the more secret an agency was, the less was the likelihood of non-Hindus being given a job or role in it.