Download Hindutva a Dangerous Philosophy for India

Hindutva a Dangerous Philosophy for India
1. Introduction
Human thinking and way of looking at reality has evolved in the course of history and still
continues to evolve. One can vouch for this fact, through a careful analysis of trends of thinking,
present in different periods of time. One can also notice that the philosophers came with fresh ideas
responding to the need of time. Today, we see a paradigm shift in human thinking which is
championed by Postmodernism.
Postmodern thinking which celebrates difference and respects the otherness is trying to assert
itself in every field of human life. It is waging a lone war against Ideologies, Structures and
Principles that curb difference and variety in human living, and I feel this is the need of the hour. But
there is every reason to fear that our country which prides and glories itself in its secularism and
tolerance is being alienated from the postmodern thinking by traversing a dangerous path of Hindutva
that seeks to create one nation, one culture, one religion and one language. India is a land of rich
spiritual heritage and religious beliefs but it is a pity that a handful of people become too religious
minded that they are blind to the riches of other beliefs. And this paper will elaborate the nuances of
Hindutva beginning with the origin of Hindutva.
2. The Origin and the Basic Philosophy of Hindutva
2.1 The Origin of Hindutva
‘Hindutva’ refers to an ideology rather than an Organization, which tries to change the India
through both spiritual and political means. The Hindutva ideology was reinforced by M.S. Golwalkar.
But, it was V.D. Savarkar who actually gave the push to form a group of Hindus to fight against the
non Hindus of the Nation. V.D.Savarkar, in his book, Hindutva: Who is a Hindu? aimed at finding a
common plan for uniting the various sections and layers of Hinduism. In order to bring everyone
within an all-embracing fold, he made a division between Hindutva and Hinduism. According to
him, Hinduism is derived from Hindutva. He says, “Hindutva is like a thread, which passes through
various sections of Hinduism and brings them together as one united group.”
The feeling of insecurity among the Brahmins under the Muslim and British rule was another
important factor which forced them to start Hindutva. In India, where Hindus were the majority,
Hindus felt threatened politically, economically, culturally and religiously. The westerners blamed
the Hindu religion as being superstitious. They laughed at some of the Hindu practices like caste,
sati, and untouchability. Thus, to counteract the above challenges the Hindutva force was started with
the following basic philosophy.
2.2 The Basic Philosophy
Any group or movements that exist today has its own philosophy and ideologies, so also
Hindutva. The basic philosophy of Hindutva can be summed up with the explanation of Hindu
Rashtra, Akhand Bharat and Swadeshi.
2.2.1 Hindu Rashtra
The term ‘Hindu Rashtra’ means to make India basically a Hindu country. Hindu Rashtra
evolves religious imageries of the glorious role of kings. This Hindu Rastra would simply mean to
say that the Hindus must get united and fight against their enemies, the non-Hindus.
2.2.2 Akhand Bharat
Akhand Bharat is nothing but an effort to enlarge or to increase the boundary of our country.
They claim that our neighbours were once part of our country. And they propose to extend the border
of the neighbouring country to establish the ancient India. This concept of Akhand Bharat existed in
the Hindutva movement from the beginning.
2.2.3 Swadeshi
‘Swadeshi’ is taken up by the Hindutva forces to say no to anything foreign. By taking this
term, they argue that even the Muslims and Christians are an import from foreign countries. Hence
the term ‘Swadeshi’ according to them means to chase away the foreigners. The RSS leaders recently
made a call to the Christians in India to cut off their roots with all foreign Churches and to establish
independent Swadeshi Churches.
Moreover, Hindutva is a nationalist ideology, based on a modern day version of centralized
intolerant Hinduism. It has nothing to do with a historical tradition of spiritual practices that we call
Hinduism. Today such a centralized and chauvinistic Hindutva has been brought to the fore front by a
group of political organizations.
2.3 The Political Organizations of Hindutva
The “Sangh Parivar” consisting of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (National Volunteers
Association - the mother organization after which the label Sangh Parivar is coined), the Bharatiya
Janata Party (Indian People Party - Hindutva's constitutional front that fights elections etc.), the
Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP - World Hindu Council - the formations activist front), the Shiv Sena
(the fascist front), the VHP of America (Hindutva's overseas arm) and the Hindu Students Councils
(VHP of America's student wing) are the main political organizations of Hindutva. Thus Hindutva
seems to be a dangerous philosophy which is supported by some unhealthy political organizations.
3. Hindutva: A Dangerous Philosophy
Hindutva uses ways and means to achieve their basic philosophy of building a nation in which
the Hindutva ideology will be vehemently practiced. The following paragraphs will discuss some of
the methodologies that they brought in and are still bringing in the society.
3.1 Saffronisation
Saffronisation is a political neologism, used to refer to an increase in power of right-wing
Hundu nationalism. Saffronisation of the whole country is the constant cry of the Hindutva
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movement. They believe that this Saffronisation in India will keep the country one in its beliefs,
customs and culture. Education, media and defence are their target of saffronisation.
3.1.1 Education
In India, most of us believe that the main problem that is affecting our Education is the lack of
infrastructure. But the RSS and its supporters however believe that the most affecting problem is the
type of education that is being imparted. They believe that the present educational system is not in
tune with the Indian culture and it is anti-national in its inspiration. Hence, to update the educational
system the BJP government introduces new agenda.
In October 1998, the Human Resource
Development Ministry, headed by Mr. Murali Manohar Joshi tried to pacify the State Educational
Ministers in a conference at Delhi to introduce Saraswati Vandana in the textbooks instead of the
National Anthem. But the State Ministers however rejected the idea of introducing Saraswati
Vandana, a hymn venerating the Hindu goddess of learning. But, this idea was already introduced
into the states where the BJP held power in the early 1990’s. Their main concern was to change the
history books, producing matters that will replace the history with mythology. It has also gained
power over the National Council for Education Research Training, which is supposed to be the heart
of all educational Institutes.
The Hindutva movement has set up the Vidya Bharati, which is the educational wing of the
Sangh Parivar to run the education institutions. Today in India, Vidya Bharati is the biggest NGO in
education. Currently, it runs 14,000 schools at the nursery and the secondary levels and it has more
than 18 lakh students under its wing. Ultimately, the reason for taking such an initiative is to impart
wisdom of Vedas and Upanishads to the Children in the school.
3.1.2 Media
The Hindutva fanatics have understood well that Media plays a vital role in organizing the
people in a country. Hence, most of the Brahminical Magazines actively proclaim the greatness of
Hindutva movement. Even in Television and Radio, the Hindu festivals and Hindu based religious
activities and celebrations are given more importance than the country’s social, political and cultural
news. The Media also portrays the minorities such as Muslims and Christians as anti-national. The
Muslims today in India are always portrayed as Terrorists. They even insult the Christians by
writing in their magazines that Christians use liquor in their Church and they are the flesh-eaters.
Even in some of the movies we find that the Brahmin producers always highlight the Hindus as good,
patriotic and sacrificing and the Muslims as evil forces. In Tamilnadu, the Brahmin directors like
Balachander, Mani Rathinam never fail to show the Brahmin family and they are the heroes always
and the Muslims are anti-national. Some of the examples are Roja, Aboorva Rahangal, Unnal
Mudiyum Thambi, Majjnu and Bombay.
3.1.3 Defence
The Hindutva movement has saffronised even the government offices that provide security to
protect the nation such as, army and police forces. By doing this they claim that they fulfill the wish
of their founder Savarkar who said ‘Hinduise politics and militarise Hinduism.’ The Government
uses the Army to destroy the minorities in the name of putting up peace in problematic areas. It is
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reported that after the Babri Masjid was demolished in 1992, many Muslims were killed in Ayodhya,
Allahabad, Mumbai and Meerut by the Army along with the Hindu fanatics.
3.2 Philosophy of ‘One Nation’
To build up ‘One Nation’ is the basic ideology of Hindutva. They feel that India as parts
cannot achieve anything. Hence, they say that the states must submerge and India as a whole must
emerge. Normally, a nation stands for a country, a landmass and a particular part of the globe. But a
nation need not mean only landmass as such. The Hindutva advocates say that, a nation can include a
group or community of people which has been traditionally living in a particular land, with its own
culture, a separate identity by virtue of culture and customs from others.
3.3 Philosophy of ‘One Culture’
The Hindutva ideologists believe that India is the place, where the culture had its beginning.
Hence they strive to bring all the culture that exists in India together and they are interested in
forming a single culture in the country. In short, they want to produce the Hindu culture as the
National culture. They argue that the Muslims, Christians and others must be a part of this Hindu
cultural main stream. According to them the whole is better than the parts. Hence they try to do
away with the parts that are the cultures of other religions and tribes.
3.4 Philosophy of ‘One Religion’
Most of the Indian philosophical schools hold that ‘Brahman’ is one. People like Sankara say
that the reality is one. But the forms are different. Hence, they claim that all religions are one
because they all strive towards that one, supreme and pure absolute. But today, the Hindutva
movement and its supporters say that, the ‘One Brahman’ cannot be explained by many religions.
Hence, there must be only one religion in India. That single religion must be the Hindu religion.
Thus Hindutva tries to establish itself as the absolute ideology in India.
4. Conclusion
Any ideology that denies plurality and makes room for only one group of people to exist is a
dangerous ideology. The objective of Hindutva is to create a Hindu Rashtra, which will make the
whole nation to come under one fold, the Hindu Fold. This philosophy of Hindutva does not enjoy
support from ordinary Hindus. Most of them want to see India as a vibrant nation with lot of varieties
and diversities. But the Hindutva is wrongly convinced that diversity will only divide the country
and curtail its growth.
India is rich in religious experience with varied cultures. It finds happiness and solidarity in
celebrating the difference. From time immemorial India rejoiced in multiplicity and feels happy with
its variety and hybridity. Although we are different in our cultures, languages, castes, customs yet we
feel happy to be one at times of joy and sorrow. Many sociologists say that this diversity of culture in
India has helped the country a lot to grow in its secularistic and democratic principles. This pride is
not just from recent years, but already from 531 B.C. the Pandian Kings of Tamilnadu sent their
ambassadors to the court of Caesar Augustus to enrich their culture and behaviour. According to
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Lucille Schulberg, India’s culture is a rich heritage, and the historic India is not a country, but it is a
culture which is one of the oldest and most consistent on earth, a culture for all times. We Indians are
always identified with our mother culture. In North-India each tribe has a specific culture; some of
them are Garo, Godwin, Koch, Bodo, Dhimal, Naga, Khasi, Kuki, Oldham and Lushai. And
Hindutva, with its narrow mind, tries to alienate the diversity and the rich cultural heritage of India.
Hindutva is a social agenda of shaken, threatened middle class in the service of big
bourgeoisie. It is a mass movement, a political agenda of petty industrialists, sections of middle
classes and rich peasantry blessed by capital. Hindutva aims to create the new ghettoized
untouchables, the poor Muslims, and the Shudra of the olden times and keeping this goal in mind it
wants to suppress and sidetrack the social and political aspirations of the marginalized. It is not only
the minorities who suffer but even the workers, women, Dalits and school children fall victim to their
fanatic ideas. These people often are unable to express their feelings.
Moreover, the great victory of Mr. Modi, the Chief Minister of Gujarat and a staunch
proponent of Hindutva, it seems that Hindutva is succeeding in creating a social and a political
atmosphere. But already a lot of hurdles are cropping up in the march of this movement.
On the whole, we must understand that any philosophy that proposes totalitarian theory, any
philosophy that hinders the interpersonal relationship between people of the international community
any philosophy that proposes violence to achieve a goal, any philosophy that upholds one particular
group of the society as a supreme race, can become a very dangerous philosophy. And Hindutva
which upholds the totalitarian principles is a dangerous philosophy for India, which promotes unity in
diversity.
Prepared By
Bro. Jayaseelan SDB
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