Muhammad Qasim Bhutta

The writer is a research associate at Institute of Policy Studies.

Could be reached at mq76156@gmail.com

Hindutva politics
After all, the fascist government of Modi passed Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019.
India’s label of secularism revealed after this bill and prove that, India is going to establish
Hindustan based on the obsequious ideology of “Hindutva”. By the way what is meant by
Hindutva? Let us overview the concept and objectives of Hindutva and its connection with
ruling party BJP.

Hindutva is the alternative to the Nehruan discourse of secularism and composite culture.
Hindutva is an ethno-religious term that’s literally mean Hinduness. The early leaders of
Hindutva have essentially two objectives. One is to preserve their social caste privilege. The
other is to have access to the new sources of power that is bureaucratic jobs and the largest
support base in the electoral politics.

The entire concept of Hindutva promotes that Hindus are those who share blood, language and
culture with each other. So Hindu Rashtra as nation must share five major elements such as;
geography, race, religion, culture and language. All these factors have to be Indian and they
must all treat India as a holy land. According to this, the Muslims and Christians have no share
in it and must accept the subordinate stature and the supremacy of Hindu culture. There were
two major organizations that persuade the Hindutva project. Hindu Mahasabha and Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). RSS mainly have two wings, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bhartiya
Jana Sangh which are later on converted into the Bhartiya Janta Party. Every General Secretary
of BJP is nominated by the RSS. RSS rejected the entire Nehruan project and considered it as a
borrowed western idea to rob the Indian of Hindu heritage. Instead of the idea of India they
have presented the idea of Bharat. So the entire concept of Hindutva and ideology of BJP is
related to “Hindu majoritarianism”.

They are extremely against the Muslims and their culture. They desired to change the rules
which supported the Muslims in India. They wished to rewrite the constitution of India to
protect cows, change text of school books and ban on conversion of Hindus to the Muslims.
They also tried to change article 350 and 35A in the past. BJP also proposed to build Haram
Janama Bhoomi at the site of Babri Masjid. But they do not have maximum majority in the Lok
Sabha to do all these acts. They were part of the government through coalitions. But in 2014, it
was Narendra Modi, who was able to form a pure BJP government. But still BJP was not able to
change the constitution of India. Because it was the most competitive tenure.

Finally, in 2019 Modi become the Prime Minister of India with a majority vote. Therefore, the
BJP government is in a position to reach out their goals. They change article 350 and its part
35A. The decision of Babri Masjid and now the discriminatory Citizenship Act shows the hideous
sentiments of Hindus against the Muslims. The Muslims of Kashmir, India and in the region
faced adverse circumstances.

These all steps represent that, Hindutva politics replace the Nehruan’s idea of secularism. Now
Indian majoritarianism transformed into the Hindu majoritarianism. Extreme protests are
started in India against the current discriminatory act. The freedom of Kashmir enters into a
new and more vibrant phase. These all immoral and illegitimate actions lead towards instability
of the nuclear region. The irony is that, the international community, the world and regional
powers are still muted. It is a matter of concern for super section of the Indian society and also
for anyone living outside India if he is interested in regional and global peace, prosperity and
justice.