Identity Politics: Kashmiriyat and Communalism
Identity politics has played a central role in shaping the political discourse of Jammu and Kashmir. Among the various forms of identity that have emerged, Kashmiriyat and communalism represent two contrasting, yet interconnected, modes of political articulation. While Kashmiriyat has often been projected as an inclusive, syncretic cultural identity, communalism has emphasized religious boundaries and exclusivist politics. The tension between these two has profoundly influenced the region’s political conflicts, social relations, and debates over representation and legitimacy.
Understanding identity politics in Jammu and Kashmir requires situating these concepts within their historical, cultural, and political contexts, rather than treating them as fixed or natural categories.
Identity Politics: A Conceptual Framework
Identity politics refers to political mobilization based on shared characteristics such as religion, ethnicity, language, culture, or region. In plural societies, identity can function both as:
- A resource for collective solidarity and political empowerment
- A source of exclusion, polarization, and conflict
In Jammu and Kashmir, identity politics developed in response to:
- Historical experiences of rule and resistance
- Perceived political marginalization
- Contestations over sovereignty and autonomy
Kashmiriyat and communalism represent different responses to these conditions.
Kashmiriyat: Meaning and Historical Roots
Kashmiriyat is often understood as a distinctive cultural ethos rooted in the history, geography, and social life of the Kashmir Valley. It is commonly associated with:
- Shared linguistic traditions
- Sufi–Bhakti influences
- Everyday practices of coexistence among religious communities
Historically, Kashmiriyat symbolized a composite cultural identity, transcending rigid religious divisions. It emphasized mutual tolerance, cultural pluralism, and a sense of belonging tied to the land rather than to exclusive religious affiliation.
As an identity, Kashmiriyat emerged not only from cultural practices but also from historical experiences of marginalization and collective memory.
Kashmiriyat as a Political Idea
In the political sphere, Kashmiriyat was invoked as a unifying framework to:
- Mobilize society against autocratic rule
- Assert regional distinctiveness
- Legitimize demands for autonomy and self-rule
Political leaders and movements used Kashmiriyat to articulate a vision of inclusive politics that could accommodate diversity while resisting external domination. In this sense, Kashmiriyat functioned as a counter-hegemonic identity, challenging both centralized authority and communal polarization.
However, its political usage often depended on selective interpretations of history and culture.
Limits and Contradictions of Kashmiriyat
Despite its inclusive ideals, Kashmiriyat has faced significant limitations:
- It was often Valley-centric, marginalizing experiences of Jammu and Ladakh
- It tended to obscure internal social hierarchies
- Its cultural inclusivity did not always translate into political consensus
As political conflict intensified, Kashmiriyat struggled to contain growing polarization and violence. The erosion of trust, displacement of communities, and prolonged conflict weakened its integrative capacity.
Thus, Kashmiriyat remained a contested and fragile identity, rather than a stable foundation for political unity.
Communalism: Emergence and Dynamics
Communalism refers to the politicization of religious identity, where political interests are articulated primarily in religious terms. In Jammu and Kashmir, communalism emerged through:
- Colonial legacies of categorization
- Unequal access to political power
- Mobilization around religious majorities and minorities
Communal politics framed political claims as struggles between religious communities, often simplifying complex social and economic issues into binary oppositions.
Unlike Kashmiriyat, communalism emphasizes difference and exclusion, reinforcing boundaries rather than shared belonging.
Communalism and Political Mobilization
Communalism gained traction during periods of:
- Political instability
- Weak democratic institutions
- Heightened competition for power
Political actors used communal identities to mobilize support, consolidate constituencies, and delegitimize opponents. This process transformed religion from a cultural marker into a political instrument.
In doing so, communal politics narrowed the scope of democratic debate and intensified social divisions.
Kashmiriyat versus Communalism: A Tense Relationship
The relationship between Kashmiriyat and communalism is not simply oppositional; it is marked by overlap, tension, and contradiction. While Kashmiriyat promotes cultural syncretism, communalism thrives on religious differentiation.
At times, appeals to Kashmiriyat were used to counter communal polarization. At other times, Kashmiriyat itself was reinterpreted through religious lenses, blurring the boundary between inclusive identity and communal assertion.
This tension reflects the broader struggle over how identity should be defined and mobilized in the region.
Conflict, Violence, and Identity Transformation
Prolonged conflict has significantly reshaped identity politics in Jammu and Kashmir. Violence, displacement, and militarization:
- Hardened communal identities
- Undermined shared cultural spaces
- Reduced opportunities for everyday coexistence
As a result, identity politics increasingly shifted from cultural expression to political survival, making reconciliation more difficult.
Identity, Representation, and Legitimacy
Identity politics directly affects questions of representation and legitimacy. When political institutions fail to represent diverse identities fairly, identity-based mobilization intensifies.
In Jammu and Kashmir, competing identity claims have often questioned:
- The legitimacy of elected institutions
- The inclusiveness of governance
- The credibility of democratic processes
Thus, identity politics became both a response to and a cause of democratic fragility.
Beyond Binary Identities
Reducing the politics of Jammu and Kashmir to Kashmiriyat versus communalism risks oversimplification. The region contains multiple identities shaped by:
- Region
- Language
- Class
- Gender
- Historical experience
A sustainable political future requires moving beyond rigid identity binaries toward plural and dialogic frameworks that recognize complexity.
Conclusion
Identity politics in Jammu and Kashmir has been shaped by the interplay between Kashmiriyat and communalism—one emphasizing shared cultural belonging, the other reinforcing religious boundaries. While Kashmiriyat offered a vision of inclusive identity and coexistence, its capacity to structure politics was weakened by conflict, exclusion, and uneven representation. Communalism, meanwhile, gained ground by simplifying political grievances into religious terms, deepening polarization.
The experience of Jammu and Kashmir demonstrates that identity can be both a source of solidarity and a trigger for division. The challenge lies in reimagining identity politics in ways that support democratic inclusion, social justice, and political dialogue, rather than exclusion and conflict.
References
- Zutshi, Chitralekha. Languages of Belonging: Islam, Regional Identity, and the Making of Kashmir
- Bose, Sumantra. Kashmir: Roots of Conflict, Paths to Peace
- Pandey, Gyanendra. The Construction of Communalism in Colonial North India
- Schofield, Victoria. Kashmir in Conflict
