The debate on religious identities and inter-religious conflicts in South Asia emanates from the orientalist writings which perpetuate exclusive model of competing religio-cultural traditions in the region. Taking the thread forward Sandria Fretieg and Peter van der Veer view communalism inherent part of South Asian tradition, albeit transformed by the colonial encounter. It is in this context Peter van der Veer argues against treating religious discourse and practice as a mere smoke screen that hide the real clash of material interests. However, the neo-imperialist school historians popularly called Cambridge school view inter-religious conflict in South Asia as a product of economic hardships than expression of religious zeal. Writing about Allahabad between 1880 to 1920, C.A. Bayly concludes that religious attributions were often banners under which different economic and social groups organized whose motives have little to do with religion. Francis Robinson advances a similar claim about the Muslims of Uttar Pradesh in his “Separatism among Indian Muslims”. He says that in their pursuit of ―provincial, class and sectarian interests Muslim politicians adopted the Muslim identity when it suited them and discarded it when it had served their purpose.‖Digital copy of ThesisUniversity of Kashmir
