GENDER RELIGION AND CASTE
1. What is communal politics?
OR
How does communalism create problems in politics?
Ans: (i) When one uses religion in politics, it is communal politics.
It creates problems when one sees religion as the basis of the nation.
(ii) When one religion considers itself superior to other religions.
(iii) When there is discrimination against the followers of the other religion.
(iv) When state power is used to help one religion to dominate other religious
groups.
(v) When the demands of one religious group are in opposition to others.
2. What are the effects of communalism on politics?
Ans: (i) Political parties are formed on communal basis — Muslim
League, Akali Dal, the Hindu Mahasabha, the DMK are some examples.
(ii) Religion rather than ability becomes the criteria to choose candidates for
elections.
(iii) People prefer to cast votes in favour of candidates of their own religion.
(iv) Communalism can turn ugly and lead to violence, massacre and riots.
3. What is secularism? Mention any four provisions of the India Constitution which
makes it a secular state.
Ans: 1. Secularism means all religions are given the same respect and there is
no state religion.
2. No religion has a special status.
3. Freedom to practice, profess and propagate one’s religion is allowed by the
Constitution.
4. No discrimination of any kind is allowed on religious grounds.
5. ‘Untouchability’ is banned.
4. When does the problem of communalism begin?
Ans: The problem of communalism begins when religion is seen as the basis of
the nation.
2. The problem becomes more acute when religion is expressed in politics in
exclusive and partisan terms, when one religion and its followers are pitted
against another.
3. This happens when the beliefs of one religion are presented as superior to
those of other religions, and
4. when the state power is used to establish domination of one religious group
over the rest.
5. Which factors have led to weakening of caste hierarchy in India?
Ans: 1. Caste hierarchy in India is weakening due to number of reasons
2. Efforts of social reformers like Gandhiji, Periyar, Jyotiba Phule etc. did the
starting part of establishing a society in which caste inequalities are absent. It
has also weakened due to
3. Economic development,
4. Large-scale urbanisation,
5. Growth of literacy and education,
6. Occupational mobility, and
7. The weakening of the position of landlords in the villages.
6. Do the ‘caste’ and ‘vote bank’ factors completely control the elections in India?
Ans: 1. There is an impression that elections in India are all about
caste and nothing else.
2. But it is also true that ‘caste’ and ‘vote bank’ factors alone cannot determine
elections in India due to the following reasons :
3. No single caste is ever elected with a clear majority in any parliamentary
constituency.
4. So votes of more than one caste is required to win the election for every
candidate or party.
5. Many political parties may put up candidates from the same caste. Some
voters have more than one candidate from their caste, while many voters have
no candidate from their caste.
6. No party wins the votes of all the voters of a caste or community.
7. Define a feminist movement. What is their objective?
Ans:1. A woman or a man who believes in equal rights and opportunities for
women and men.
2. More radical women’s movements aimed at quality in personal and family life
as well.
3. These movements are called feminist movements.
4. The objectives of the feminist movements are
5. Enhancing the political and legal status of women,
6. Improving their educational, health and career opportunities.
8. Explain the major factors responsible for the rigid caste system disappearing
from India. Give two suggestions of your own.
Ans.1. Social reformers like Gandhi, Jyotiba Phule, B.R. Ambedkar and
Ramaswami Naickar have worked hard for a society free of caste inequalities.
2. Literacy, education, occupational mobility and economic development have
been other factors.
3. The position of the landlords has been weakened.
4. The Constitution of India prohibits any kind of discrimination based on caste.
5. The fundamental rights have also played a major role because they are
provided to every citizen without any discrimination.
6. The caste system can be further reduced if education is spread in every group
to every caste.
7. Inter-caste marriages can also remove caste barriers.