India - the Role of Civil Society and the State in a Nation Fragmented by Ethnicity and Religion.

Abstract: The Indian society is made up of a complex web of relations deeply rooted in caste, religion and ethnic belonging. Violence and turmoil is common and the entrance of BJP (the nationalistic party that in many ways have dominated the political scene since the late 1980:s) has greatly increased polarization. This essay is a case study of the destruction of the Babri Masjid and its consequences. The empirical research suggests a clear connection between activities undertaken on the civil arena and the ideology and actions of the state. The correlation to a degree extends both ways. Civil society does function as negotiator/agitator of decisions and practices of the political elite of the state. However, both the empirical and analytical content of this paper indicates that the overall direction of a societal development is mainly dependant on state action and ideology -be it in the shape of national or, particularly in the case of India, regional and communal politics.