The common man on both sides of borders often harbors ambivalence toward the rise of Hindutva and the emergence of PM Modi in the Indian political landscape. Such political apathy fails to take into account the entire narrative surrounding the Hindutva ideology, its historical roots, and its vision for the Indian heartland, as well as its regional and global outlook.
Hindutva, a political ideology rooted in the Hindu faith, asserts the supremacy of Hinduism and perceives other religions, particularly Indian Muslims, as outsiders. The ideology contends that India’s political, legal, economic, and social landscape should align with Hindu principles. It is noteworthy that such a faith-driven stance is defined by a political leader rather than a religious monk.
Examining the history of Hindutva, one must consider the influential perspectives presented in Savarkar’s “Essentials of Hindutva” (1923) and M.S. Golwalkar’s “We or our Nationhood Defined.” Both figures, admirers of Hitler, explicitly advocated for an exclusive form of nationalism and society grounded in political Hinduism. They played pivotal roles in establishing the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in 1925, which championed the cause of Hindutva.
Riaz Hussain Pirzada takes charge of Housing MinistryDuring this period, the Indian National Congress, the driving force behind Indian independence, was led by liberal and pluralistic minds like Gandhi and Nehru, who firmly rejected the idea of Hindutva. Nehru,........