Hindutva
Politics: Future Trajectory
By Ram Puniyani
05 July, 2004
Milligazette
The
results of parliamentary elections May 2004 were most significant in
the history of India's elections so far. The only other one's which
had such a massive impact so far have been the results of post emergency
elections, which threw out the Congress regime and brought in Janata
party to power. The present results on one hand sent a sigh of relief
to many while shocking many in various ways. Those committed to the
values of Indian constitution, those striving for democracy heaved a
sigh of relief that the RSS agenda executed through NDA will be curtailed
for the time being. Those within the Sangh combine, those wanting to
replace the democratic structure to Hindu Rashtra, and were very sure
that they are close to their agenda, felt a great set back by the verdict
of the elections.
It is sure that
had they returned to power, with whatever majority, they would has taken
their agenda to very different level. The processes, which they had
begun to erode, the democratic institutions, did signal the dangerous
portents. The success of RSS combine lay in the fact that for a large
section of population it could equate Hindus with their brand of Hinduism
and Hinduism with Hindutva, and Hindutva as synonym with the politics
of RSS and its progeny. Any criticism of BJP, RSS and VHP etc. was and
is regarded as an attack on Hindus. The fact that Hinduism has various
shades and the RSS brand of Hinduism is a mere reiteration of Brahmnical
values got relegated in the background.
The point that Hindutva
is not a religion but a politics of Hindu elite, especially the affluent
sections of middle classes again got relegated to the background. Those
who bought the RSS propagated values
became very critical of Human rights activists on the grounds that these
activists are pro Muslims, are against Hindus. Not only that this committed
core cadre of RSS went on to put more severe allegations against social
activists than being mere pro Muslims. This came about mainly due to
the propaganda of RSS combine carried through different channels, the
center of which is the RSS shakha (branch), which indoctrinates the
young in its ideology. Picking from there, this is carried forward by
many RSS swaymsevaks in different sections of society, media being one
of the powerful one and educational institutions and history books being
another.
The occupation of
the seats of power by BJP enhanced these processes to no end. Whatever
was just accessible to small section now became a part of official strategy,
through all the mechanisms available to the state. This is how the communal
divide, the emotional distance between religious
communities started widening during last six years at a rapid pace.
The social space made available to the Sangh combine by the central
Govt., govt. of its allies in states and already existing mechanism
added fuel to the fire of communal hatred, the result came forward in
the form of burning of Pastor Stains, anti-Christian violence during
BJP led NDA regime, the horrific Gujarat violence on the pretext of
Godhra and the incidents like Marad in the otherwise secularized Kerala
community, indicated that communal forces are on the rampage at the
social level all over.
With such a fertile
situation coming into being how far away can the Hindu Rashtra be? One
more stint in power, the central governments resources and policies
tilting for the RSS agenda and the helpful hand of NRIs would have done
the job and many more such Hindutva laboratories would join Gujarat.
Fortunately that was not to be. Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have joined
Gujarat in creating an atmosphere, which is very intimidating. Meanwhile
it seems the social engineering, which could co-opt Adivasis into RSS
fold, is showing the signs of cracks. It is likely that the same Adivisis
who were made to act as the foot soldiers for the Hidnutva rampage in
Gujarat may be getting disenchanted and drifting away. This may be one
of the factors due to which BJP could not make the sweep, which it was
expecting in Gujarat. Social scientists need to burn the midnight oil
to tell us how far can the deprived sections remain with the emotive
issues of Lord Ram or Mother Cow?
In the light of
this the VHP has again intensified its campaign against conversions.
Terrorists wanting to kill the Hindu Hriday Samrat (Emperor of Hindu
Hearts-II) Narendra Modi are being projected on the
faintest of pretext. As all this comes under POTA and draconian acts
like that the opposition to the illegal acts of the state machinery
are not easy to challenge, and the state machinery does act with impunity
in places where swayamsevaks rule the roost.
The coming times
seem to be full of bigger challenges for those trying to uphold democratic
values, secular spirit and national integration on the basis of Indian
constitution. Deprived of the control on state power the RSS and its
progeny is likely to assume most rabid forms of offensive against minorities
in particular. The Hate spewing machines may step up their activities
and the result of such activities is well known to the society by now.
The defense of Modi by the Hindutva outfit will have severe repercussions.
Already Modi is on the overdrive to harass the Human rights activists
in Gujarat. Those who have voiced their concern against the dwindling
liberal and democratic space in Gujarat are being targeted.
While the differences
within the Sang combine are out in the open, it is also clear that it
is RSS and its cohorts who call the shots at any point of time. The
flip-flop Vajpayee is given importance only when needed for electoral
calculation, especially when the liberal and minority votes are to be
sought after. Rest of the times the so-called Hindutva agenda will be
asserted and brought to the fore. Now there is also a fear that as Ram
temple issue no more yields results, one is yet to see how much electoral
milk
holy cow can deliver, what will be the strategy of BJP? One is yet to
see how intimidation of minorities will assume newer and newer forms.
Already there is a talk that BJP lost as it abandoned the Hindutva
agenda, that it became a poorer version of Congress. The indications
are stark and clear that in coming times BJP will resort to hardcore
Hindutva.
For social movements
the task is clear. One cannot depend only on the state machinery, which
so ever government be in power, for preservation of communal amity.
Communal amity in turn is the core value, which provides the space for
struggles for just society. Time is overdue for social groups to combat
the communal poison at the level of society; the need for demolition
of myths against minorities, the need for intercommunity committees
to promote amity. And this is paramount if we want to preserve the democracy
and associated principles. The worsening of the condition of the weaker
sections does call for urgent measures to stem the tide. The international
scenario is not very heartening with US putting up all the fig leaves
to cover its agenda to control the raw materials and for that purpose
to demonize Islam and Muslims.
In that sense the
Hindutva's anti Islam and US's anti Islam merge in their goals. Modi
and George Bush share a lot in common. Democracy at home can be strengthened
only by the democracy between the Nations of the World. The big brother,
the big tyrant calling the shots is a shame for the civilized world
per se. The challenges for peace movements, democratic movements are
there for all to see, the point is how do these movements cope with
to ensure that the imperialism globally and Hindutva nationally are
fought against within the liberal and democratic space available to
us.