24 SOCIAL SCIENTIST (iii) Classes, strata, castes, communities, and varied groups are either represented within the state, or they have a marginal place in the state. Diverse social groups use the principle of representation to influence the exercise of state power. Different social groups use different methods to achieve this goal of majority representation within the state. The state thus becomes a centre of multiple ideologies and social tendencies, and secularism and communalism as ideologies fight out their battles in the streets and also in all fora of the state. Since the foundations of the Indian state are based on universal adult franchise, different social and ideological groups have to compete to capture state power. The secularists and the communalists practicipate in the electoral process to win the elections and influence the policies of the state. Thus contest between secularists and communalists is not only in society, it also takes place within the state. The Indian state is pursuing many secular policies but the communalists are contesting the secular role of the state. Democratic participation is both an opportunity for the secularists to contain communalism by using state power, as also an area of dispute among the contending ideologies* The representational state in India is subject to multiple pressures of classes, castes and communities and their ideological world. The secularism of the Indian state is weak and the challenge of communalism is becoming strong but the basic battle between a secular state and emerging communalism is in the offing in contemporary India. The advantage of a representational state is that alliances and coalitions can be formed and have been formed to contest the so-called caste or community majoritism. (iv) The Indian state is a federal state and sometimes its different constituents pull in different directions. A strata of the ruling class is secular and another strata of the same ruling class is communal as the Indian state represents such contradictory tendencies of classes, communities and castes. The rich peasantry in Punjab, a significant section of the Indian ruling class, is communal in its approach to state power, and the landlords in Bihar use caste power to achieve class interests and to capture levers of state government. In a federal state, the ideology of secularism competes and has competed against communalism at various levels: at the level of the Centre, states, cities, towns and villages. The ideology of secularism has to filter down and its support structures have to be around every level of the state. We may experience secularism at the top levels of the state, but with communalism at the middle level or lower levels of the state or vice versa, the result will be weak secularism. This has been witnessed during the last forty-three years. If political representatives of the state are firm in secularism they can meet the challenge of communalism at other levels, but if they are