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The Essentials Of Hindutva And Hindu Rarkar By Savarkar

Decent Essays

Throughout the text, Savarkar is subtley pushing for a politically charged Hindutva and Hindu Rashtra as opposed to a diverse, polymorphous Hinduism. With reference to his perception of India or as would have called it, Hindustan, Savarkar claimed that “Hindus formed a nation that had existed since antiquity”6 Romila Thapar in her essay “Perceptions of the Past”, talks about how one's notion of race influences their ideology. Max Mueller, for instance, while studying Sankrit tried to explain that race has given birth to caste and the four major varnas represent four major racial groups. This is in contrast to the unity advocating Savarkar who says that we all have a common race and in all castes, the same blood runs. Also, the section of Thapar's …show more content…

The present government, much like Savarkar, is subtley, or not-so-subtley, trying to create a Hindu rashtra. This leads to many asking the question – “is mainstreaming Savarkar as a national hero and propagating his work a part of the BJP's unfinished agenda?”9 Echoing Savarkar's thoughts, the BJP claims that “Hindutva is not a religious concept, but rather, it is cultural nationalism.”10 However, it is evident that the phrase “cultural nationalism” is a mere euphenism to cover the ideology of promoting a Hindu rashtra. Ghar Wapsi – an attempt to re-Hinduize converts, or convert non-Hindus to Hinduism is rampant, even more so after the new rightist government came to power. Consumption and posession of beef has been criminalized in a bid to protect the Hindu 'gow mata', and please the elite Hidutva propagating Hindus who form a considerable share of the vote bank. Government officials have been caught saying that all non-Hindus are 'illegitimate children', bringing to mind Savarkar's claim that all Hindus have common blood. Intolerance today is not as subtle as Savarkar's disregard for those who converted to Islam and Christianity. Rationalists such as Kalburgi are being killed for offending 'Hindu sentiments.' Education is being saffronized in order to indoctrinate the Hindutva ideology into young minds. Despite critisicm from rationalists, the government continues to do so and defends their actions by stating that “we must value everything that is 'Indian', as it is our inherent strength.”11 History is being re-written to glorify the Golden Age of Hinduism. This re-written history, talks about how 'outsiders' (Muslims and Christians) infiltrated the land, diluting the purity of the nation. This goes hand-in-hand with Savarkar's explanation of a Hindu being one who considers the land to be his pitrubhumi and punyabhumi, and that once upon a

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