Contemporary Social Problems --- I
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The long-term measures are: 1)
In initiating the process of de-communalising the people at all levels, say, by bringing home to them that communal assumptions are false, by explaining to them the socio-economic and political roots of communalism.
2)
Communalisation of the state and of the political elite has to be checked because it leads to inaction against communal violence and covert or overt political and ideological support to communalism by the state apparatus.
3)
The communalisation of civil society also needs to be checked because it leads to riots that are more communal. People with communal ideas and ideologies pressurize the government to act in a manner, which is always against the principles of secularism.
4)
The role of education, particularly emphasizing on value oriented education both in schools and colleges is important in preventing communal feelings.
5)
The media can also prove to be significant in preventing communal feelings. Communal press can be banned and legal action can be taken against communal writers.
Some immediate measures are imperative for containing communalism and communal riots: 1)
Peace committees can be set up in which individuals belonging to different religious communities can work together to spread goodwill and fellow feelings and remove feelings of fear and hatred in the riot affected areas.