Communalism
Table of Contents
Definitions and Meaning
- What is the term for a principle of political organization based on federated communes?
a) Communism
b) Nationalism
c) Communalism
d) Secularism
Ans: c) Communalism
Communalism is an ideology that separates people, groups, and communities based on their ethnicity, religion, beliefs, and values. It can also be defined as an attempt to create separate religious or ethnic identities, incite conflict, and encourage violence among these groups.
allegiance to one’s own ethnic group rather than to the wider society.
- What is the name of the book written by Bipin Chandra on communalism?
a) Communalism in Modern India
b) Communalism and Nationalism
c) Communalism and Secularism
d) Communalism and Democracy
Ans: a) Communalism in Modern India
- What is the term used by Ram Ahuja to describe the manifestation of communalism as an ideology?
b) Communal harmony
a) Communal violence
c) Communal identity
d) Communal politics
Ans: a) Communal violence
According to Ram Ahuja, Communalism is a belief that is characterised by strong antagonism practiced by the members of one community against the people of other community.
- What is the common social, political and economic interest of a communal group according to Bipan Chandra?
b) Caste
c) Class
a) Religion
d) Region
Ans: a) Religion
- What is the main motive of communalism according to K.M Ashraf?
b) To preserve cultural heritage
c) To promote religious tolerance
a) To get political benefits
d) To achieve social justice
Ans: a) To get political benefits
- What is the opposite of communalism as an ideology?
a) Secularism
b) Nationalism
c) Regionalism
d) Fundamentalism
Ans: a) Secularism
- What is the meaning of the Latin word ‘seculum’ from which the term secularism is derived?
b) Relating to sacred
c) Relating to eternal
a) Relating to contemporary
d) Relating to divine
Ans: a) Relating to contemporary
Forms of Communalism
- According to Ram Ahuja, which of the following is not a form of communalism?
A) Political communalism
B) Economic communalism
C) Religious communalism
D) Cultural communalism
Ans: D) Cultural communalism
- How many types of communalism did T.K. Oommen classify?
A) 3
B) 4
C) 5
D) 6
Ans: D) 6
- Which type of communalism is based on the assimilation of small religious groups into big religions group?
A) Assimilationistic communalism
B) Secessionist Communalism
C) Retreatistic communalism
D) Retaliatory communalism
Ans: A) Assimilationistic communalism
- Which type of communalism is based on the provision of welfare services for a particular community?
A) Assimilationistic communalism
B) Welfaristic communalism
C) Retreatistic communalism
D) Retaliatory communalism
Ans: B) Welfaristic communalism
- Which type of communalism is based on the criticism of traditional religions by teaching new religious doctrines and beliefs?
A) Secessionist Communalism
B) Welfaristic communalism
C) Retreatistic communalism
D) Retaliatory communalism
Ans: C) Retreatistic communalism
- Which type of communalism is based on the attempt to harm, hurt and injure the members of other religious communities?
A) Assimilationistic communalism
B) Welfaristic communalism
C) Retreatistic communalism
D) Retaliatory communalism
Ans: D) Retaliatory communalism
A very good example of this case is the Godhra Riots and its aftermath.
- Which type of communalism is based on the demand for a separate territorial state within the country by a religious community?
A) Secessionist Communalism
B) Welfaristic communalism
C) Retreatistic communalism
D) Separatist communalism
Ans: D) Separatist communalism
- Which type of communalism is based on the demand for a separate political identity and insists to have a separate nation?
A) Assimilationistic communalism
B) Welfaristic communalism
C) Secessionist communalism
D) Separatist communalism
Ans: Secessionist communalism
Communalism– Causes
- What is the main reason behind the backwardness of moving forward together in the sense of nationhood for minorities?
A) Insecure attitudes and existential tendencies
B) Religious fundamentalism
C) Historical reasons and arrangements of religious institutions
D) All of the above Answer
Ans: A) Insecure attitudes and existential tendencies
Regarding minorities, the main reason behind the backwardness of moving forward together in the sense of nationhood is because of having the impression that their own culture will merge into the majority of the religious culture.
- What is the term for the blind adherence to outdated beliefs without a rational perspective?
A) Insecure attitudes and existential tendencies
B) Religious fundamentalism
C) Historical reasons and arrangements of religious institutions
D) None of the above
Ans: B) Religious fundamentalism
- Which of the following historical events or arrangements contributed to the Hindu-Muslim conflicts in India?
A) Ashoka’s attack on the Ajivkas
B) Jinnah’s formation of the Muslim League
C) Religious festivals like Ganapati and Shivaji
D) All of the above
Ans: B) Jinnah’s formation of the Muslim League
- What is the term for the feeling of insecurity and fear of losing one’s identity and culture among minorities?
A) Existential tendencies
B) Fundamentalist tendencies
C) Secessionist tendencies
D) Retaliatory tendencies
Ans: A) Existential tendencies
- Which of the following religious festivals was used to inculcate the emotions of the people and make them participants in the freedom movement?
A) Ganapati
B) Shivaji
C) Durga Puja
D) Both A and B
Ans: D) Both A and B
- What was the name of the theory proposed by M.D. Ali Jinnah that claimed that Hindus and Muslims were separate nations?
A) Two-nation theory
B) Partition theory
C) Secession theory
D) Nationality theory
Ans: A) Two-nation theory
- Which of the following Hindu organizations was formed in 1964 for the preservation of Hindu Dharma at the international level?
A) Hindu Mahasabha
B) Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
C) Vishwa Hindu Parishad
D) None of the above
Ans: C) Vishwa Hindu Parishad
In 1964 Golwalkar, Apte& Swami Chinmayananda together formed an organization called Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) for the preservation of Hindu Dharma at International level.
- Which of the following Muslim rulers attacked the Somnath Temple in 1024?
A) Malik Kafur
B) Ghori Muhammad
C) Muhammad of Ghazini
D) None of the above
Ans: C) Muhammad of Ghazini
- Which of the following proposals of Rahmat Ali in England led to severe conflicts between the two groups?
A) Pakistan
B) Bange Islam
C) Usmanistan
D) All of the above
Ans: D) All of the above
- Which of the following reforms of 1909 fuelled discontent among Hindus and the Muslim League’s contribution to the partition of Bengal also intensified Hindu-Muslim tensions?
B) Montagu-Chelmsford reforms
A) Minto-Morley reforms
C) Simon Commission
D) Government of India Act
Ans: A) Minto-Morley reforms
- Which of the following Hindu organizations was formed in 1914 by Madan Mohan Malaviya of Haridwar?
A) Hindu Mahasabha
B) Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
C) Vishwa Hindu Parishad
D) None of the above
Ans: A) Hindu Mahasabha
- Which of the following organizations was formed in 1927 under the chairmanship of Bahadur Yar Jung to unite 72 Islamic tribes?
A) Muslim League
B) Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen
C) Jamaat-e-Islami
D) None of the above
Ans: B) Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen
- Which of the following English historians wrote anachronistic writings that also refer to Hindu-Muslim conflicts?
A) James Mill
B) Thomas Macaulay
C) Edward Said
D) None of the above
Ans: A) James Mill
- In which year did Gandhi’s hunger strike for Hindu-Muslim unity fail to achieve its objective?
A) 1920
B) 1924
C) 1931
D) 1947
Ans: B) 1924
- What was the name of the day that Muhammad Ali Jinnah declared on 16 August 1946 to demand a separate Muslim homeland?
A) Pakistan Day
B) Direct Action Day
C) Independence Day
D) Partition Day
Ans: B) Direct Action Day
- Which Muslim general attacked the Srirangam Temple in 1311 and plundered its wealth and idols?
A) Muhammad of Ghor
B) Malik Kafur
C) Mahmud of Ghazni
D) Timur
Ans: B) Malik Kafur
- Which of these organizations was founded in 1964 by M. S. Golwalkar, S. S. Apte and Swami Chinmayananda?
A) Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP)
B) Hindu Mahasabha
C) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
D) Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)
Ans: A) Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP)
- Who was the founder of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in 1925?
A) M. S. Golwalkar
B) S. S. Apte
C) K. B. Hedgewar
D) Swami Chinmayananda
Ans: C) K. B. Hedgewar
- Which state in India witnessed communal riots in 1970 that led to the formation of the Madan Commission?
A) Gujarat
B) Maharashtra
C) Bihar
D) West Bengal
Ans: B) Maharashtra
- What was the main focus of the Madan Commission’s report on the communal riots?
A) The role of the police and the administration
B) The socio-economic causes and consequences
C) The intersection of religion and politics
D) The impact on the minority communities
Ans: C) The intersection of religion and politics
Serious Religious Conflicts Occurred in India
- Which commission was appointed by the Gujarat government on 6 March 2002 to inquire into the Godhra train burning incident?
A) Nanavati-Mehta Commission
B) Shah Commission
C) Banerjee Commission
D) Nanavati Commission
Ans: B) Shah Commission
- How many people were killed in the attack on the Gulbarga Society on 28 February 2002?
A) 31
B) 59
C) 97
D) 1100
Ans: 31
- Which bakery in Vadodara city was attacked by a bomb on 1 March 2002?
A) Best Bakery
B) Bombay Bakery
C) Bakers Inn
D) Bread Basket
Ans: A) Best Bakery
- Which village near Ahmednagar was attacked by cylinders on 28 February 2002, resulting in 97 deaths?
A) Naroda Patiya
B) Naroda Gam
C) Naroda Gaon
D) Naroda Gram
Ans: A) Naroda Patiya
- Which retired Supreme Court judge was added to the commission of inquiry after protests over the appointment of Justice K.G. Shah?
A) G.T. Nanavati
B) U.C. Banerjee
C) A.H. Mehta
D) R.K. Jain
Ans: A) G.T. Nanavati
On this riots, K.G. Shah Commission was appointed on 6th March 2002 and later Nanavati-Mehta Commission was set up on May 21st 2002. The commission submitted its report in the year 2008.
- Which train was attacked by a mob at Godhra railway station on 27 February 2002?
A) Sabarmati Express
B) Rajdhani Express
C) Shatabdi Express
D) Garib Rath Express
Ans: A) Sabarmati Express
- How many people were killed in the fire that engulfed the S6 coach of the Sabarmati Express on 27th February, 2002 at Godhra Railway Station?
A) 27
B) 48
C) 59
D) 97
Ans: C) 59
- In which year was the Babri Masjid demolished by the karasevaks in Ayodhya?
A) 1989
B) 1990
C) 1991
D) 1992
Ans: D) 1992
In 1528, there is an argument that a mosque was built on top of the Ram Temple. (Historical evidence for this has been found by archaeologists).
- Which commission was set up by the government of India to investigate the demolition of the Babri Masjid?
A) Shah Commission
B) Liberhan Commission
C) Nanavati Commission
D) Banerjee Commission
Ans: B) Liberhan Commission
- Which political leader led the Ram Rath Yatra from Somnath to Ayodhya in 1990 to mobilize support for the Ram temple?
A) Atal Bihari Vajpayee
B) L. K. Advani
C) Uma Bharti
D) Kalyan Singh
Ans: B) L. K. Advani
In the month of May 1992, the then Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Kalyan Singh, gave permission for the construction of the Ram temple.
On December 06, 1992 Advani’s procession reached Ayodhya and on the same day Babri Masjid was destructed in the hands of Karasevaks.
- How much land was allotted to the Ram Janmabhoomi Trust by the Supreme Court in its 2019 verdict?
A) 1.77 acres
B) 2.77 acres
C) 3.77 acres
D) 4.77 acres
Ans: B) 2.77 acres
- Which mosque was built in 1528 by the Mughal general Mir Baqi on the disputed site in Ayodhya?
A) Babri Masjid
B) Jama Masjid
C) Fatehpuri Masjid
D) Moti Masjid
Ans: A) Babri Masjid
1528-29: The Babri Masjid is constructed by Mir Baqi, a commander of the Mughal emperor Babur. It’s said to be built on the site believed by Hindus to be the birthplace of Lord Rama.
- When was the Nanavati Commission appointed by the government of India to investigate the 1984 anti-Sikh riots?
A) 1985
B) 1990
C) 2000
D) 2005
Ans: C) 2000
- How many Sikhs were killed in Delhi according to the government estimates cited by the Nanavati Commission?
A) 2,733
B) 3,350
C) 4,267
D) 5,000
Ans: A) 2,733
- Which political party was accused by the Nanavati Commission of being involved in the riots and inciting the mobs?
A) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
B) Indian National Congress (INC)
C) Communist Party of India (CPI)
D) Janata Dal (JD)
Ans: B) Indian National Congress (INC)
- Which Sikh leader was blamed by the Nanavati Commission for provoking the assassination of Indira Gandhi by his inflammatory speeches?
A) Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale
B) Jagjit Singh Chauhan
C) Sant Longowal
D) Giani Zail Singh
Ans: A) Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale
After Indira Gandhi’s assassination in Delhi in 1984, there was a massacre of Sikhs. Nanavati Commission on this incident was appointed.
- What was the main cause of the 1989 Bhagalpur communal riots?
A) A pig entering a mosque
B) A cow being slaughtered by Muslims
C) A Rama sila procession by Hindus
D) A land dispute between Hindus and Muslims
Ans: C) A Rama sila procession by Hindus
- The Communal Harmony Week in India is celebrated in which month?
October
December
November
September
Ans: November
The Communal Harmony Week, also known as ‘Quami Ekta Week’ is celebrated from November 19-25 every year.
It was first celebrated in 2016.
The National Foundation for Communal Harmony (NFCH), an autonomous organization with the Ministry of Home Affairs, organizes the event.
The observance aimed at fostering and reinforcing the spirit of communal harmony and national integration.
National Foundation for Communal Harmony was established on 19th February 1992 under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
It was founded to help victims of communal violence and rehabilitate them.
Under its ‘Project ‘Assist’, it provides financial aid to children who suffered due to communal violence.
- The administrative oversight of the National Foundation for Communal Harmony is exercised by:
Tribal Affairs Ministry
Prime Minister’s office
Communal Ministry
Home Affairs Ministry
Ans: Home Affairs Ministry
- In which year the “National Communal Harmony Award” was instituted?
1996
1995
1994
1997
Ans: 1996
- Which incident sparked the 2013 Hindu-Muslim clashes in Muzaffarnagar?
A) A fake video clip of a lynching
B) A dispute over a loudspeaker at a mosque
C) An eve teasing case involving a Hindu girl and a Muslim boy
D) A communal clash during a religious procession
Ans: C) An eve teasing case involving a Hindu girl and a Muslim boy
- What was the name of the person who was convicted of murdering Graham Staines and his two sons in Odisha in 1999?
A) Dara Singh
B) Ravi Shankar
C) Rajesh Tiwari
D) Prakash Kumar
Ans: A) Dara Singh
Staines had been working in Odisha since 1965 as part of an evangelical missionary organisation named “Mayurbhanj Leprosy Home” caring for people who had leprosy and looking after the tribal people in the area who lived in abject poverty.
- Which term was used to describe the 2018 clashes between Hindu and Muslim groups in Nalikeli, West Bengal?
A) Nalikeli riots
B) Nalikeli violence
C) Nalikeli massacre
D) Nalikeli pogrom
Ans: B) Nalikeli violence
- Which animal was the cause of the Meerut religious conflicts in 1987?
A) Pig
B) Cow
C) Dog
D) Monkey
Ans: A) Pig
- Which district in Karnataka experienced Sikh-Hindu communal clashes in 1988?
A) Bidar
B) Belgaum
C) Mysore
D) Mangalore
Ans: A) Bidar
- Which city witnessed a clash among labourers over cow protection in 1893?
A) Bombay
B) Calcutta
C) Madras
D) Delhi
Ans: A) Bombay
Religious Conflicts- Prevention
- National Integration Council was established in the year
1951
1971
1961
1981
Ans: 1961
- In the context of National Integration Council, which of the following statements is NOT correct?
A) Prime Minister is the Chairman
B) It was formed as per the recommendations of the National Integration Conference held in 1961
C) It is a Constitutional body.
D) Its first meeting was convened in 1962
Ans: It is a Constitutional body.
- The National Integration Council is chaired by the
President of India
Vice President of India
Chief Justice of India
Prime Minister of India
Ans: Prime Minister of India
- Under which act was the National Foundation for Communal Harmony (NFCH) registered as an autonomous organisation?
A) Societies Registration Act, 1860
B) Charitable and Religious Trusts Act, 1920
C) Indian Trusts Act, 1882
D) Public Trusts Act, 1950
Ans: A) Societies Registration Act, 1860
- What is the main objective of the National Foundation for Communal Harmony?
A) To provide assistance for the physical and psychological rehabilitation of the child victims of communal, caste, ethnic or terrorist violence
B) To promote communal harmony, fraternity and national integration
C) To provide scholarships and arrange educational rehabilitation for victims of religious persecution
D) All of the above
Ans: D) All of the above
- What is the name of the week that the National Foundation for Communal Harmony observes every year from 19th to 25th November?
A) Communal Harmony Campaign Week
B) National Integration Week
C) Quami Ekta Week
D) All of the above
Ans: D) All of the above
- Who is the chairman of the National Foundation for Communal Harmony?
A) The Prime Minister of India
B) The President of India
C) The Union Home Minister
D) The Chief Justice of India
Ans: C) The Union Home Minister
- Which of these is not a partner organisation of the National Foundation for Communal Harmony?
A) All India Women’s Conference
B) Bharat Sevashram Sangha
C) Vishwa Hindu Parishad
D) Gandhi Peace Foundation
Ans: C) Vishwa Hindu Parishad
- In which year Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh (RSS) was established?
a) 1914
b) 1925
c) 1929
d) 1931
Ans: b) 1925
Indicators of Terrorism
- What is the name of the think tank that produces the Global Peace Index (GPI) every year?
A) Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP)
B) Institute for Strategic Studies (ISS)
C) Institute for Global Development (IGD)
D) Institute for Peace and Security Studies (IPSS)
Ans: A) Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP)
- Which country was ranked as the most peaceful country in the world according to the GPI 2023?
A) Iceland
B) Denmark
C) Ireland
D) New Zealand
Ans: A) Iceland
- What is the rank of India in the world as per Global Peace Index (GPI), 2023?
136th
137th
126th
124th
Ans: 126th
India ranked 126thin the index. Whereas, the top three countries are Iceland, Denmark and Ireland.
Afghanistan is at the bottom of this index.
The Global Peace Index is compiled by the Institute of Economics & Peace. This was counted for a total of 163 countries.
- What was India’s rank on the Global Terrorism Index 2023, a marginal improvement from the previous year?
A) 12th
B) 13th
C) 14th
D) 15th
Ans: B) 13th
- Which think tank produces the Global Terrorism Index every year using data from TerrorismTracker and other sources?
A) Institute for Economics and Peace
B) Institute for Strategic Studies
C) Institute for Global Development
D) Institute for Peace and Security Studies
Ans: A) Institute for Economics and Peace
Religious Terrorism
- When did terrorists attack Indian Parliament?
a) Dec 11, 2000
b) Dec 13, 2002
c) Dec 13, 2001
d) Dec 11, 2003
Ans: c) Dec 13, 2001
- Which among the following commission was appointed in 2009 on the Ayodhya incident?
a) KG Shah
b) Nanavati
c) Madan
d) Liberhan
Ans: d) Liberhan
- Which train is commonly known as Friendship Express and was started between India and Pakistan?
a) Sabarmati Express
b) Maitri Express
c) Samjhauta Express
d) Akhanda Express
Ans: c) Samjhauta Express
- Which of the following countries was accused of having a role in the 2007 Samjhauta Express bombings?
a) Pakistan
b) Bangladesh
c) Nepal
d) Sri Lanka
Ans: a) Pakistan
- Which of the following terrorist groups was responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks?
a) Lashkar-e-Taiba
b) Jaish-e-Mohammad
c) Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami
d) Al-Qaeda
Ans: a) Lashkar-e-Taiba
On November 26, 2008, a terrorist attack took place at Hotel Taj and other places in Mumbai.
- Which of the following explosives was used for the first time in India in the 1993 Bombay bombings?
a) RDX
b) TNT
c) C4
d) PETN
Ans: a) RDX
- Which of the following locations was not targeted by the 2013 Hyderabad blasts?
a) Anand Tiffins
b) Venkatadri Theatre
c) Dilsukhnagar Bus Stand
d) Mecca Masjid
Ans: d) Mecca Masjid
- Which train running between Pakistan and India was attacked on February 18, 2007?
A) Shatabdi Express
B) Samjhauta Express
C) Rajdhani Express
D) Duronto Express
Ans: B) Samjhauta Express
- Where did the bomb blasts occur on August 25, 2007?
A) Gokulchat Koti and Lumbini Park, Hyderabad
B) Hotel Taj, Mumbai
C) Indian Parliament, Delhi
D) Dilsukhnagar, Hyderabad
Ans: A) Gokulchat Koti and Lumbini Park, Hyderabad
- Which city experienced a terrorist attack on November 26, 2008?
A) Delhi
B) Hyderabad
C) Mumbai
D) Chennai
Ans: C) Mumbai
- Where did the Makkah Masjid blasts occur?
A) Mumbai
B) Delhi
C) Hyderabad
D) Chennai
Ans: C) Hyderabad
On May 18, 2007, the Makkah Masjid blasts took place in Hyderabad.
- When did bomb blasts occur in the Dilsukhnagar area of Hyderabad city?
A) February 21, 2013
B) May 18, 2007
C) March 12, 1993
D) November 26, 2008
Ans: A) February 21, 2013