Decoding Intolerance: Riots and the Emergence of Terrorism in India

by Prateep K. Lahiri, Kuldip Nayar (Contributor)

The rioting in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, in 1961 was a watershed event for India. After the Partition, it was the first time such large-scale communal violence had taken place. The author, Prateep K. Lahiri on his first posting, was involved in bringing the situation under control. Some time later in 1969, as district magistrate of Indore, Lahiri played a key role in dealing with the outbreak of communal violence in that city. While the violence in both instances appeared to have been spontaneously provoked by an incident - just like in Gujarat in 2002 - the reasons that later emerged for the rioting revealed the deeper malaise which continues to affect our social system.

405 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2009

Reviews

[Conrad Barwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Workmanlike account of communal violence in India; notable for its application of Huntington's Clash of Civilisation thesis to India. Also for its detailed account of the biased role of the police in most communal riots; based partially on the author's own experience as an IAS officer in Madhya Pradesh during the Jabalpur riots of 1961 and Indore riots of 1969.