Seeds of Hindutva (Hindu Nation) were sown on Indian soil in first quarter of last century when people around the world were standing on threshold of change in their socio-political and religious outlook. Those were the times when powerful Czar of Russia was overthrown in a revolution by working class and the power passed over into the hands of workers, a phenomenon unusual, unheard and unthinkable at the time. A world War between European nations to extend their colonies had been fought and clouds of the Second one were gathering around. Fascism was taking roots in Italy and Germany. Imperialist nations were ruling their colonies with iron fist and the restive natives were unifying themselves to overthrow such rules.

Urge for India’s Freedom

Punjabi Indians unleashed their movement against British colonial rule and came under rulers’ attack. To continue their struggle, they landed in Canada and US and founded the Ghadar Party with activists drawn from all Indian communities. For example, Lala Har Dayal, Sohan Singh Bhakna, Abdul Hafiz Mohamad Barakatullah, Kartar Singh Sarabha and Rashbehatri Bose were its leading lights. That led to birth of some of the future Revolutionary struggles that brought Martyr Bhagat Singh and others to the forefront of Independence fight. A non violent freedom movement led by Mahatma Gandhi however, became the focal point of freedom movement.

Idea of a Hindu Nation

At such a juncture the founders of RSS (Rashtrya Sweam Sewak Sangh) a Hindu far Right organization planted the idea of Hindutva (Hindu Nation) in minds of the urban Hindu youth that was ill-timed because it deviated people mind from a united battle against British Rule.

Wherefrom they got idea to make India a Hindu Nation is quite interesting to explore. Keeping distance from the ongoing Freedom movement in India and siding with the British, RSS looked towards Europe where Fascism had taken its firm roots in Italy and Germany with Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler respectively glorifying past and superiority of their race. RSS was impressed by their Racist ideology and desired to make India a Hindu Rashtra. Second RSS chief Guru Golwalkar paid glowing tributes to Fascist dictators in his various writings.

VD Savarkar, another leading light of RSS defended Fascism and censured Jawaharlal Nehru for his criticising the same. “Surely Hitler knows better than Pandit Nehru does what suits Germany or Italy has so wonderfully recovered and grown so powerful as never before at the touch of Nazi or Fascist magical wand is enough to prove that those political ‘isms’ were most congenial tonics their health demanded.” Said Savarkar. Interestingly after European Fascist Rulers’ empires crumbled and they perished at end of Second World War, RSS stopped eulogising them in their discourses. Evidently, political freedom wasn’t RSS recipe, a sectarian slogan “Hindustan for Hindus” therefore had emerged from their head quarters.

Journey towards Hindutva

On September 25, 1990, LK Advani, a veteran BJP leader took off from Somnath Temple on a 10,000 Km Rath Yatra to build Ram Mandir, changing the course of BJP and country’s politics that 25 years later brought Narendra Modi an RSS Parcharak (propagator) to Delhi’s throne. Modi however, sidelined Advani and other senior BJP leaders and brought Amit Shah, his buddy from Gujarat to take over as President of the ruling party. In view of the present political set up available in Delhi, experts opine, it isn’t the BJP but RSS that govern India from Nagpur (RSS Head Quarter) through remote control. Media often describe Mohan Bhagwat the current RSS chief as one of the most powerful persons in India today.

Soon after Modi took over as India’s PM, RSS affiliates under protective umbrella of his government implemented program of Ghar Wapsi (forcible conversion to Hinduism), “Love Jihad” (inter religious marriages) or imposed ban on beef eating implemented forcibly by violent crowds of RSS & affiliates. In the process some innocents lost their lives and minority communities got scared in India like never before. Such events followed by instances of injustice meted out to Dalit students in higher education and with corruption charges against BJP ministers springing up at all levels, people’s love for Modi regime was losing its charm. BJP miserably lost Delhi and Bihar Provincial polls. Now recalcitrant voices are being raised from within.

Dissention from within

While Opposition to BJP at federal and provincial level has become jittery and rudderless, dissention and disapproval has raised its head from within because of domineering nature of the new leadership on the top. The players are not strangers but BJP’s senior most leaders like LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Jaswant Singh who have been sidelined by Modi-Amit Shah duo.  There are number of other middle and lower level leaders who have become vocal enough to express their differences publicly against Government working.

Shatrughan Sinha an Indian film actor turned politician is BJP member parliament from Bihar who much to the discomfiture of BJP said that JNU student leader, Kanhaiya Kumar from Bihar was “wrongly arrested” similarly Kirti Azad cricketer turned politician a BJP MP from Bihar criticised Federal Finance Minister Arun Jaitly’s for his handling affairs of DDCA (Delhi and District Cricket Association) as its former President.

Navjot Singh Sidhu a former cricketer and BJP MP from Amritsar and his wife, Dr. Navjot Kaur Sidhu, BJP MLA and chief parliamentary secretary in Punjab coalition government nurture grudge against Party and news of their joining Aam Admi Party has appeared in media.

Similarly, in Rajasthan criticism of BJP government in legislative assembly instead of opposition, came from BJP Senior leader Ghanshyam Tiwari who criticised government on account of mines scam, disinvestment plans in power sector etc. in the ongoing Budget Session.

Recently three office bearers of Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) unit of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) resigned on Wednesday in solidarity with the ongoing students’ protests against Centre’s handling of the row after Kanhaiya’a arrest.

In the end

Luckily, most of the Indian masses, majority of Hindus included, have disapproved measures taken by RSS and its affiliates to make India a Hindu Rashtra (Nation). RSS chant of ‘Bharat mata ki jai’ look ridiculous because they failed to do so when rest of the country was fighting for independence. Overnight they have become patriots and term any democratic opposition voice as sedition.

Critics have accused RSS Guru Golwalkar as a fascist for promoting disastrous agenda of Hindutva which if implemented by Modi’s BJP regime may push country towards a tragedy worst than that of 1947, many apprehend!