Rise of Hindutva Mind-Set and Saffronisation of Indian Society

ISSN 2309-0081 Hayat, Khan & Abbasi (2021)

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www.irss.academyirmbr.com February 2021

International Review of Social Sciences Vol. 9 Issue.2

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Rise of Hindutva Mind-Set and Saffronisation of Indian

Society

Dr. MUHAMMAD UMER HAYAT Head of Department Humanities and Social Sciences, Bahria University, Islamabad.

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +92-334-8641234

NIDA KHAN MS International Relations Scholar

Bahria University, Islamabad.

SAIRA NAWAZ ABBASI PhD Scholar QAU, Assistant Professor, Department of Humanities & Social Sciences,

Bahria University Islamabad.

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +92-333-5395830

Abstract

Populism in twenty first century has found its way into the political arena of Indian politics. Historical

outlook of Indian society suggests that identity crisis and radicalization in India has been persistent. Under

the concept of populism, it is suggested that right wing populist ideologies have played an important role in

building up the majority’s identity. Since 2014 Indian politics has been under a rule of religious ideals of

Hindutva which has led to the Saffronisation of India at educational, societal and public level that has

resulted in a dangerously volatile socio-political scenario.

Keywords: Hindutva, Saffronisation, Radicalization, Populism, India.

Introduction

Indian politics today is a combination of liberal democracy and religious sentiments that has resulted in

religiously rooted nationalism. This blending in India has been observed since pre-partition. Sentiments for

nationalism emerged in twentieth century against British rule with non-cooperation of 1920 and other

religiously motivated movements. It started in 1890s with Bal Gangadhar Tilak who took his inspirations

from orthodox Hinduism for his nationalist movements, alienating Muslims in process generating a cause

for communal violence.(Ludden, 2013) After that British played a game of divide and rule by educating

young Hindus and employing them on prominent positions in British Indian setups undermining other

minorities. Which is why when first congress party meeting was held in 1885 there were only 2 Muslim

representatives and 54 were Hindus, who were educated and Brahmans, out of total of 73 members (Sisson

& Wolpert, 1988).

It is assumed that twenty first century is marked by the rise of right wing populism and this kind of

populism is considered to be dangerous for the international relations. Right wing populism is much stern in

its nature as it focusses more closely on the cultural backlash of the globalized world. For these radical

rights nativism and nationalism are their core concerns where anti-immigrant sentiments get hyped and take

the form of xenophobic form of nationalism. Cas Mudde argued that for right wing populist their core

concept would lie in nation (The Rise of Populism: From Le Pen to Trump with Cas Mudde - YouTube,

n.d.) where “the pure people” will stand against “the corrupt elite,” Mudde also says that in right wing

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


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populism practice is based on the ethnic and chauvinistic definition of the people.(Mudde & Kaltwasser,

2017) Right wing populist tends to prioritize the cultural and ethno-national sentiments of the population

that would emotionally hit the public and the establishment on focal point. Therefore in this fight between

people and elite, fight get more intense towards the significant other (Pappas, 2016) that results in the

politics of expulsion, where a particular group of minority is excluded from the definition of the pure

people.

The people in populist ideology will always be against everything that wouldn‟t satisfy their ideological

prerequisites. Similarly rise of BJP in India is working for Hindu nationalism that makes the politics more

islamophobic and situation even more favourable for Hindu population to rise. The thinking behind a

populist up rise is that it considers society to be impure amalgamation of multiple castes that has caused an

erosion of the nation state. Ethnopluralism and multinationalism becomes the core cause for right wing

populist to gather a racist public opinion without being identified as a racist.

A divide in society was instigated, that got fired up with the first partition of Bengal in 1905. British

contended that Bengal is too big a region to be consider as a single province, therefore they divided

Bengal.(Ludden, 2013) Giving politically less active Hindu areas of Bihar to intellectual Hindu political

leaders of Calcutta and a new Muslim majority of eastern Bengal and Assam was created with Dacca as its

capital. After the partition a new wave of vindictive nationalism was ascended by intellectual of Calcutta,

the bhadralok, staunch Bengali Hindu believer, asserted that this was an attempt to divide the mother

province, a home of Hindu goddesses “Kali Mata and Durga Mata,” resulting in the new slogan of Bande

Mataram that became Congress‟ new anthem (Menon, 2013).

Political agitation after partition of Bengal became intense as Congress decided to move on with the

swadeshi movement, that was a boycott of British goods.(Partition of Bengal, 1905, 2018) Muslims

opposed this movement claiming that they wanted to have a mark in business.(Partition of Bengal (1905-

1911), n.d.) Congress felt embarrassed and betrayed of partition by the British rule, although 1911 Bengal

unified again but radical sentiments in Hindus had already been prompted and unification also made

Muslims feel betrayed. It was for the very first time that Hindu and Muslim elite realized there was an

irreconcilable conflict of interest between them and British for which they mobilized a cause for separate

states (McDermott et al., 2014, p. 386).

Amidst the political unrest of Bengal partition, the first leader of Indian independence movement surfaced,

Bal Gangadhar Tilak. He was a man who opposed liberal trend and had special dislike for lower castes and

Muslims. He also came to be the first right populist leader in India; Tilak was known as “lokmanya” which

means “accepted by the people as their leader.”(Pati, 2011) He was leader who initiated the swadeshi

movement and thus became the reason for polarizing the Indian Congress. Tilak along with Lala Lajpat Rai

and Bipin Chandra Pal, known as the Lal-Bal-Pal were Hindu nationalists that transformed political

discourse of Indian Independence Movement.(A. K. Sharma, 2007) They were known as the extremist

Hindus and were considered as populist because of their fight for the Hindu population against the British

Raj. Populism in India was not always targeted towards Muslims but eventually it got diverted towards

them. Lal-Bal-Pal were the first radical right populists in India that politically raised their voices against

British in favour of Indian Independence. They mobilized masses in their cause under the flags of Kesari

due to which Muslims got estranged. Their belief on Ramayana and Gita made them resent the lower castes

and other religions in their subconscious.

Lajpat Rai among them was influenced by Arya Samajh, which was a Hindu moment believing in reviving

Hinduism to its formal glory. For this purpose, they initiated a Shuddhi movement in 1920s, targeting

Christians and Muslims to either convert or reconvert them to Hinduism. Movement cemented Hindu

Majoritarianism in Congress(Adcock, 2014) that crystalized the notion of Hinduism in Indian society. Tilak

also favoured Vedas teachings and alienated Muslims in many fronts. Both of them considered India to be a

home to Hindus and Muslims but polarization in Indian society had already been prompted. It was only

matter of times, populism in India that is being observed today took its form in 1920s, as many today


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compare Hindu nationalism of twenty first century with the Hindu Nationalism of Lal-Bal-Pal (Habib,

2017).

In early 1900s when Muslim league was formed under the fear of Muslims being the minority, subverted

off of their rights, another radical right Hindu was also nourishing Hindu believes under the Hindu

Mahasabha, a sub-party lobbying under Congress, was Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.(Jaffrelot, 2010, pp. 38–

41) During this time situations aggravated in a very hasty manner multiple historically important events

were shaping the future of South Asia we see today. When on one hand Indian nationalist like Tilak were

Fighting for India other radical right groups like Hindu Mahasabha were fighting a religious battle for

Hinduism and Hindu Rashtriya. End of World War 1 has left Indian Hindus and Indian Muslims both in

betrayal. Hindus started non-cooperation in 1920 due to Rowlatt anti-Sedition bills of 1919 and Muslims

initiated Khilafat movement to favour the Caliphate of Ottoman Empire.(Jaffrelot, 2010, pp. 32–51) Both

religious groups stand against the elite i.e. British for each of them the other were Muslims and Hindus

respectively.

As we know of Hindu nationalism today, it was born in wake of the Khilafat movement, in form of

Hindutva by Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. Hindu Mahasabha along with Arya Samajh was convinced that

Muslims have started to pose Hinduism a greater threat, which is why the initiated their Shuddhi Tehreek in

1923 that turned controversial, damaging Hindu Muslim relations even more.(Thursby, 2018) Shuddhi

Tehreek was followed with Sangathan movement, deepening Hindu grandeur posture of themselves

creating problems for other religions.(Gould, 2004, pp. 153–157) Concept of Hindu Nationalism now was

expanding its grasp. Fight which initially was against British became wide spread into the thought of Hindu

Rashtriya. Idea of Swaraj presented by Lal-Bal-Pal became vastly accepted by radical right Hindu masses.

Gandhi in 1920s also got against British and a divide in Congress also got intensified with two distinct

factions, faction related to Gandhi wanted a secular democratic state. Tilak and his faction, on the other

hand had his inclination upon different ideology regarding Indian nationalism, his idea was of Hindus ruing

India as divine majority.(Gould, 2004, pp. 126–133) The ideologies of Tilak and Savarkar gave birth to

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and rise of right in India today is due to BJP that is an offspring to

sentiments that were generated a century ago.

In 2014, right in India came to power. BJP‟s Narendra Modi was elected as Prime Minster. Modi is

affiliated with RSS and has firm Hindu believes. He used populist rhetoric of Hindutva, promising a state

for the people of Hindu nation, thus setting off a frustrated nation into a religious muddle. He moved the

society in order to change the character of India and targeted his policies towards making India a Hindu

Rashtriya (Shibli, 2018).

An Outlook of Indian Society

India is considered to be world‟s foremost democracy comprising of almost 1.3 billion people that

constitute multiple ethnic identities, diverse linguistic, religious and caste division. (India Demographics

2020 (Population, Age, Sex, Trends) - Worldometer, 2020.) Indian society, thus becomes one of the most

pluralistic society with complex social structure. The distribution of different social structure in one country

has a huge impact on its political structure. India being a state with huge population of Hindus, Muslims,

Sikhs, Buddhist and Christians faces problem of complex political structure since its independence.

History of Indian society is very old, starting from the Indus valley civilization to rules by multiple rajas

and maharajas, of which some where Hindu, some Muslims from whole Asian region and in the end rule

went under the British Empire. Result of all this historic amalgamation was a complex and mixed Indian

society in the contemporary era. India now is not just of Hindus but over centuries diverse racial

connections have developed into the Indian society and they have become an important part of Indian

politics as well.(„Essay on Indian Society‟, 2017) Having a long history of multiple religious, ethnic and

cultural society, caste and casteism („Essay on Indian Society‟, 2017) has become a dominant factor in

Indian social structure and politics. Presence of communal tensions are exploited even further in name of


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religion and this pose a greater danger to the integrity of the Indian nation. All this has limit the capability

of India social and political system.

Regionalism, on the other hand, is also playing its part in Indian socio-political system, this regional

diversity led different political likings and ideologies that comes in way of stable government. At time of

independence congress was the sole political party that had the faith of all India, but with time

underdevelopment and inequality in India rose. Religion, caste and language became main determinants of

Indian political and social order, regional political parties up surged amid the concern for wellbeing of their

own states of U.P, Bihar, Rajasthan Tamil Nadu and many more.(Regionalism and Effects in Indian Polity

| IAS Planner, n.d.) Feeling of regionalism is furthered due to religion also, for instant Laddakh as Buddhist

dominated region and Jammu and Kashmir as Muslim dominated region (Do You Know the Reasons behind

the Birth of Regionalism in India, 2018).

Casteism in India is also a problem. Hindus have been divided in a hierarchical order for past thousand

years based on their karma and dharma. Mainly there are four castes but there are the outcastes of Hindu

dharma known as the Dalits.(Biswas, 2019a) These are the people that are facing discrimination and

violence even today at hands of high caste Hindus. They have faced cruelty in terms of education, health,

job and overall rights. After India‟s independence reforms were made to make Dalits welcome in the

society but it failed. Dalits along with Muslims have been lynched by the cow vigilantes of Hindu extremist

groups. Even today these outcastes of India are facing major challenge in Indian community, institutionally

and socially.(Kandasamy, 2019) Hindu radical rights have often picked up a saffron flag and attacked these

lower castes who are merely trying to make a living for themselves and their families, who just want to be

treated as humans that they are born to be.

India is second largest populated country in the world, with 80% population being Hindus, almost 13%

being Muslims and rest other minorities.(Live India Population Clock 2020 - Population of India Today,

2020) With this census India becomes the country with largest Muslim population as minorities that have

been the cause of religiously motivated political discourse. Religious sentiments have always in one way or

the other has been the part of Subcontinent‟s politics but in 1947 Indian constitution adopted a secular

stance following the western democracy. Secular India was not accepted by some of the Hindu clergy so

they stepped up against religious minorities and their atrocities against them took the shape of sectarian

violence.

Radicalization in Indian Society

Radicalization is a process that is considered to adopt a radical political stance mostly depending upon the

religious ideas that work against the status quo, modern ideas and expression of the state as whole.(Borum,

2011) Radicalization is also considered to be violent, where the proponents may also resort to forceful

methods to achieve their ideological goals.(Borum, 2011) Right wing populism is also considered as radical

right who support ethnocentrism and have anti-immigration stance. In recent years, international politics

has seen a rise in radical rights and South Asia is one of them. Rise of BJP under Narendra Modi in India is

the advent of a politically right ideology that follows the radical rights of Indian society.

Indian democracy today is facing deeper challenges because of the radicalization of Indian society. A

prolonged clash between religious, ethnic diversity and caste has shaped Indian socio political order today.

Radicalization is also known as an emotional process that motivates a group to assume a violent behaviour.

Hindus and Muslims are two most prominent religions of South Asia and India is home to both these

religions, whereas twenty first century has observed a heightened radial right in India. Nevertheless,

radicalization in Indian society is age old, traces of it could also be observed in an era pre-partition when

some prominent Hindu leaders refused to take part in freedom fight on bases that real fight should be

between Hindus and Muslims and not the British (Chattopadhyay, 2019).


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India, also a home to multiple other religions like Sikhism, Buddhism and Christianity, faces a problem of

polarized society. This religion are other minorities that have delinquent relation with Hinduism. Sikhism is

fourth largest religion in India having a huge diaspora, but relation between Hinduism and Sikhism are

troubled. Their disagreements started in 1980s when Khalistan movement was struck down with the

operation blue star,(Aziz, 2015) but in its essence the disagreement was that Hindu Extremist would urge

that Sikhism is similar to their dharmic religion i.e. Hinduism.(„Where Hinduism and Sikhism Meet‟, 2019)

On multiple occasions Sikhs have denied this relation of Hinduism with Sikhism and Sikh diaspora in

Canada and UK would assert that they may be proud Indians but they are not Hindu. Sikhs on many

occasions have put emphasis on issue that hatred is not with all Indian or Hindus but with those right

radical populist Hindus that are forcing Sikhism to be sub-part of Hinduism.

Christianity, similarly faces problems in India. For years Christianity has also suffered at hands of Hindu

radicalisms. Radical right Hindus have carried out many unspeakable acts against Christian. As Christianity

is the third largest religion in India they have suffered equally as that of Muslims. Hindu extremist militants

in 2007 and 2008 burned churches, houses and markets of Christian community leaving 91 dead, wounding

18000 and making more than 60000 homeless.(Cunningham, 2017) Danger for them increased with time, in

2016 All India Christian Council recorded almost 40% increase in violence against Christians and that is

after BJP came to power (National Christian Council, n.d.).

Extremist tendencies in Indian society were evident since past, radical poles in India had been working pre-

partition. Although, all these years‟ Indian government has played its part as a secular government very

well, but globalization hit them hard and inequality, underdevelopment and economic deprivation put its

claws into the society and it became easy for the radical rights to integrate their rightest ideologies into the

Societal needs. People of India being frustrated of the capital economy and already present Hindu Muslim,

Hindu Sikh and Hindu Christian riot became easy for radical rights, and right wing populism in India rose

to power.(Hasan et al., 2019) Indian radical rights won when Modi assumed power in 2014. Modi was

already famous in India for his Gujrat model and 2002 Gujrat riots. He very cleverly used the religious

rhetoric in an already polarized society.

The Hindu-Muslim Divide

Hindu Muslim divide in subcontinent is found way before British arrived, and with every passing decade

this historic dissention got fuelled. In 1947, one reason for subcontinent to get divided was the two nation

theory. After partition India became the country with largest population of Muslims as minorities. Religious

violence became part of India‟s socio-political structure. However, this religious violence was not targeted

just towards Muslims but Hindus were also faced with anti-Hindu violence.

On multiple occasions Hindus have suffered a similar backlash from other religious group. There has been

attacks on numerous Hindu pundits, temples and places of religious importance. Most prominent among

them are 1998 Chamba massacre, 2002 temple attacks and Godhra train burning,(Berenschot, 2009) but

these are much less in compare to what right radical Hindus have perpetrated against them. This confirms

that hatred on both sides is justified and long build. It‟s just now that all that was veiled has been unleashed

and a divide in society that was maintained due to democracy has derailed.

Hindu Muslim relation in India has always been marked by continuous use of violence against each other.

Muslims in India have suffered at multiple forums like economics, education, health and life itself. This

divided relationship is also very much visible between India and Pakistan. Since independence hatred

between these two states have proven to be a threat for regional peace and security.(Pillalamarri, 2019)

Thus the rise of a radical right populist government in India means more religious fierceness. For ages

radical Hindus have carried out their share of atrocities against Muslims of India and now after they were

successful in making place in Indian government their out spill can be observed in the policies within state

and interstate.


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Historically, radical Hindus have always made their point clear of impure infiltrations in Hindu society,

which means that other religions are impure fractions of the society and as world Hindu council made it

clear that they won‟t tolerate Hindus becoming a minority in their own country.(Cunningham, 2017) As

Islam being second largest religion in India, Hindus fear for their religious identity and supremacy. For

centuries Radical Hindus have acted against Muslims carried out vicious attacks that has resulted in mutual

antagonism between Hindus and Muslims (Brass, 2003).

Major Hindu Muslim antagonism is observed in Kashmir that, is said by Pakistani Prime minister Imran

khan as, unfinished agenda of partition. Kashmir is a haven on earth that is home to majority Muslim

population but at times of partition this princely state maharaja sided with India and Kashmir got divided in

its own territory. Today Muslims in Indian occupied Kashmir are suffering greatly. Other than Kashmir,

major mutiny between these two Indian factions begun in 1948 with the assassination of Gandhi and 1992

the demolition of Babri Masjid (Brass, 2011).

These two events were the initial warnings that Hindu radical right in India are mobilizing although trace of

these radical rights are pre partition and after that it was series of different and mutual acts against each

other. The year 2014 was when radical rights won and secular state of India did not remain secular after all.

After BJP assumed power situation deteriorated, the divide between Hindus and Muslims has become

unbridgeable. Modi after winning re-election with landslide victory Hindu rights became more powerful

and violence against Muslims also rampaged the Indian society. Many Indian Muslims are asserting that for

sometimes now they are living in fear (What’s Next for India’s Muslims After Delhi Riots?, 2019).

Fears in these Indian Muslims were instigated when Modi order to put a lock down on the only Muslim

state of India, Jammu and Kashmir, and it also stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its semi-autonomous status.

He also imposed a citizen law amendment that is believed to violate the secular principle of Indian

democracy.(Biswas, 2019b) Then again Modi has also welcomed the proposed idea to build a temple on the

location of Babri Masjid.(What’s Next for India’s Muslims After Delhi Riots?, 2019) Signs of populism gets

visible when hardliners adopted Hindu first agenda at the cost of country‟s Muslim minority. In light of

these events Muslims in India have become open target of Hindu vigilantes. They have been attacked by

hardliners for buying and selling of cows. Situation worsened when in February 2019 riots took its course

to the streets of Delhi, a mob ran down the streets chanting Hindu slogans burning and vandalizing

Muslims homes and businesses (What’s Next for India’s Muslims After Delhi Riots?, 2019).

Polarization of Hindus and Muslims was eminent at the start of the twentieth century generated by the

British and fuelled by the radical Hindus.(Ashraf, 2017) By mid-twentieth century both sides believed that

coexistence of these two religions are impossible. The current divide between Hindus and Muslims in India

conjectures the history of world largest democracy. The divide was eminent in history; many religious

violence would break out but intensity of these attacks has taken a new imbalanced dimension under Modi.

Staunch Hindu believes are supported by Modi, while he also represents the ideas propagated by Right

Hindus Nationalist of Hindu Nation. As a result of this support and belief Muslims and other minorities are

suffering the wrath of Hindu nationalism and populism.

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Hindutva

Right wing populism in India today is deep rooted in past. Every actor and event in early twentieth century

has played a role in originating a radical right in Indian society. Savarkar and Tilak may have die but their

ideologies lived on and India today has been engulfed by these ideas that were presented almost a century

ago. In 1925 major radical rights group was formed that changed Hindu radicalism, was known as

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, RSS. An intermix accession of Swaraj and Hindu Rashtriya made politics

more complexed and future more dangerous.

Incidents related to communal violence in India after independence, like Babri Masjid, were conducted

through forces of RSS who were inspired by Hindutva ideology of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. Savarkar in


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his early life was very much inspired by Lokmanya Tilak and his idea of Hindu nationalism under the

essence of Swaraj.(Rana, 2016) His love and idea for Hindu Rashtriya development and strengthened every

time he met with Tilak. He started writing inspirational poems trying to bring about the feeling of Hindu

Nationalism in his fellow friends. With time he got more inspired by Vedas, teachings of Hinduism.

Acceptance of British slavery was daunting for Savarkar, frustrated with progressing British hold and

infiltration by firangi, Savarkar vowed to free his Dharti Mata, motherland, off of its infiltrates.(Rana,

2016) In 1923, being part of Hindu Mahasabha, he propagated the term Hindutva which grabbed an essence

of Hinduness, giving Hindu nationalism firm ground to embellish. Hindutva developed into a dynamic and

spirited ideology for radical rights of Indian Independence movement. It became a religious identity

encouraging Indian culture exhibiting pure Hindu values for sole purpose of uniting Hindus as a

nation.(Savarkar, 2019) Savarkar in his book mentioned three essentials vital to Hindutva that were

Rashtriya, Jati and Sanskrit, that translates into common nation, common race, and common cultural

civilization.(Chitkara, 2003, pp. 2–20) Initially concept was presented as a cultural ideology where

Savarkar pleaded that he is an atheist and his idea is for all religion, Hindu for him was a person living in

subcontinent but the radical right of Indian society, i.e. RSS, turned it into a political ideology. Anthony D.

Smith, a famous historical sociologist also asserted that Savarkar‟s Hindutva became foundation for Hindu

Nationalism leading to communal violence in twenty first century (Adcock, 2014, p. 156).

Savarkar‟s Hindutva was gaining its popularity and ideology reached Keshav Baliram Hedgewar. Being a

disciple of Tilak and inspired by Hinduness of Hindutva of Savarkar, Hedgewar in 1925 formed Rashtriya

Swayamsevak Sangh, RSS. Populist call to Hindus were made under the conception of Akhand Baharat

where Christians, Muslims and British were considered as aliens to Hindu nation rooted in Hindu

motherland. With time RSS grew stronger and more devoted towards the thought of Akhand Baharat. By

1980s RSS had become obsessed with Hindutva‟s ideology of Hindu nation, as a result of which they

developed a displeasure for Congress. Savarkar lived for nineteen year after the independence and during

those years he advocated rule of congress as weak and ineffective (J. Sharma, 2011, pp. 174–175) but

didn‟t participated in politics actively.

As RSS, also, remained estranged from Indian politics it got itself different organizations that were

associated with its ideology of Hindutva. A Sangh Parivar was born, affiliated to the RSS‟s cause, most

prominent of them were VHP, BJP and Bajrang Dal, that helped RSS in forwarding its cause because a

populist party will never expect to form a government but would influence different parties that would form

a government for them(Populism Is Reshaping Our World | The Economist, 2017). RSS related violence

progressed right after Independence with the assassination of Gandhi, for he was too good to Muslims.

They also fought for India‟s Saffron flag, which would depict the Hinduness of newly independent state.

They started Saffronisation of India society by gathering volunteers, one joining with free will, to promote

their ideology (The Powerful Group Shaping The Rise Of Hindu Nationalism In India, 2019).

Today BJP under the influence of RSS holds power of India and many radical Right Hindu scholars are

chanting that Modi will turn India into, their long lived dream of, Hindu Rashtriya. RSS nowadays has a

wide spread reach with it being a world largest volunteer group poses more danger to democracy of India

and peace in South Asia. Ghosts of past has caught up on religious difference in India, with Modi in power

India put up with more communal violence than in past. Right wing populism in India is much visible and

challenging for India itself and region as well.

Contemporary Indian Politics and Saffronisation

India currently has its 23rd

government in power headed by BJP‟s Modi. Narendra Modi had has his first

term served as prime minister of India in 2014, which marks the rise of right wing in India.(Jain, 2018) As

we maintained that populism is not new to India but its advent to state government is first. Before BJP,

India was under a dynastic rule, a democracy that got corrupted and hit hard by globalization. Hindus being


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the majority and large Hindu population living in poor circumstances, chants of development and Hindutva

among frustrated Hindus fed Indian population with just what BJP needed to gain success.

Success of BJP is more of a win for Modi, a personality based win, which was possible because of wide

spread Indian media and social media. They have used fear as a weapon in order to emotionally jag the

imagination of Hindu population, combining religion with politics and answering complex question with

simple answers. Like all the populist, BJP called to the people, Hindu people, to answer their complex

question with providing them a narrative of Muslims as a security threat and soft handling of the others by

the elite. Victory of BJP and Modi has forced India towards a non-secular and saffronised state. Wearing

saffron robes and scarves RSS volunteers have had Indian minorities ripped off of their Placidity.

BJP is a political wing of RSS, which is why after it‟s ascend to power there has been an increase in

activities against religious minorities. Saffronisation in India begun just after Modi‟s electoral win.

Aggressive and hasty decisions were made without considering the consequences. History is repeating itself

an incident that instigated and cemented Hindu Muslim divide leading to major communal violence in past

was Shuddhi Tehreek and today its known as the ghar wapsi. Just after BJP assume power in 2014 began a

discourse towards religious conversions of Muslims and Christians to Hinduism, followed by anti-cow

slaughter campaign that became reason for the murder of many Muslims and Dalits. In past few years

Muslims and other minorities have become an official “other” of the India society.

Landslide victory of BJP and Narendra Modi also proves that Indian society polarization is vital to its

politics and policies. Long lived dream of Hindu Rashtriya still is part of majority of Hindu population,

while many still oppose Hindu Muslim divide. At this moment BJP is emotionally targeting the Indian

population. But now concept of Hindu Rashtriya is impacting regional security. Standoff with neighbouring

states, lockdown in Kashmir, military advancement and more importantly two right wing populist leaders

mirroring each other, i.e. Modi and Trump. Saffronisation in India these days is a new reality, based on

Hindutva, as many Hindus assert that now is the time that they do not live as a minority in their Hindu

Rashtriya (Syed, 2019).

Contemporary Indian politics is plagued by the right of Indian society. Historical dissensions related to

Muslims within state and Pakistan creates a rift between liberal democracy and liberal diplomacy. Yogi

Adityanath a Hindu nationalist and current chief minister of Uttar Pradesh is also affiliated with BJP, he is a

very prominent figure serving as the right wing populist.(Barry & Raj, 2017) Only his selection by Modi is

prove enough of right turn in Indian politics. Yogi is a hardliner Hindutva supporter; on many occasions he

has made public assertions that minorities are to be blamed for communal violence in India. His open

defection against Indian minority and Modi‟s support for him shows clear focus towards religious politics

rather than development (Singh, n.d., pp. 102–103).

Currently India is in progress towards a change in perception to cope up with the prevailing Hindutva

ideology. Reshaping of India is persistent with BJP and Modi, Saffronisation in India is open and poisoning

the very gist of liberal democracy and secular Indian state. Equilibrium in Indian society is disrupted and

saffron terrorism is on rise. Reports in 2017 by UK based minority right group suggested that 700

communal outbreaks were reported in just that year.(Modi’s Party Stokes Anti-Muslim Violence in India,

2017) Indian population is being polluted by the saffron vigilantes in order to achieve the dream of Akhand

Bharat. Saffronisation at public level in India has been observed since pre-partition but today has become a

policy of main stream politics.

Saffronisation at Institutional Level

In liberal world order institutions are most prominent part of political discourse and a state would crumble

if institutions are corrupted. They are the face of a state and a change at institutional level instigates a

change at public level. Therefore, institutions need to stay strong and resolute for liberal ideas to flourish

and society to remain in harmony. India, on the other hand, faces a saffron transformation set off from


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institutional level to public sphere. After BJP, some major changes happened and it has effected India as a

state.

Appointment of Yogi as chief minister is one decision that indicates Modi‟s support of Hindutva and an

institution of political importance is now run by a Hindu nationalist pandit. His open support for ghar wapsi

and claiming that camping will only stop when conversion to other religions is also banned shows that

institutions are being engulfed in saffron cause. Yet Modi is quiet, appealing that actions are taken without

his knowledge, which is a baseless claim is considering him being the prime minister of the state (Ghar

Wapsi Is Tarnishing Narendra Modi\’s Image, 2016).

At same time atrocities against minorities and specially Muslims has increased, 2020 Delhi riots occurred

and Delhi police force did nothing to stop the mob wearing saffron scarves and chanting slogans for Hindu

Rashtriya.(What’s Next for India’s Muslims After Delhi Riots?, 2019.) Instead when they arrested people

responsible for the riots many among them were Muslims. Eyewitnesses to the riots claim that not only

Delhi police remained blinded but whenever they would use force the brutality would be targeted towards

Muslim masses.(Ellis-Petersen & Rahman, 2020) It‟s shocking enough that riots took place in an area that

was about hundred meters away from two closest police stations, yet Muslims remained unprotected and

vulnerable. Delhi police is under direct command of state government and is also the capital of Indian state,

an event like this clearly shows the Saffronisation of institutions in India.

Preferential treatment is also being steered in institutions like government offices and universities. Supreme

Court of India ordered the construction for ram temple on the site of demolished Babri masjid. Decisions

like these would hurt secular sentiments of very essence of Indian democracy. Amit shah, Indian home

minister, also promises to deport infiltrator off from India.(What’s Next for India’s Muslims After Delhi

Riots?, 2019.) Question here is who the infiltrators are. As at moment largest group of immigrant found are

Rohingya Muslims, and Muslims have had no place in Hindu Rashtriya. Similarly a student in India

Institution of Technology committed suicide for being harassed on bases of religious discrimination by the

professors.(Krishna Ajoy, 2020) After six years of BJP Indian institutions have not remained secular, the

discrimination that existed before but remained hidden are now open and more dangerous.

Saffronisation of Education

India is not all about non-secular people, Professors like Prabhat Patnaik, (working at Jawaharlal Nehru

University are also part of Indian community, who recognize the danger BJP and RSS poses to mind-sets of

young Indians. He understands that impact of current Indian government is going to be generational

creating radical intellectual forces full of RSS‟s favoured ideology(Saffronisation and Imperialism in

Indian Education, 2019) that would be difficult to contain. Education is what makes a person differentiate

between right and wrong, bringing a sense of responsibility and encourages people to raise voices, but what

if education itself gets flawed.

India today is faced with flawed education, from science to history education has been saffronised. Religion

has been made part of education, where value-based education be taught where the source of value be

religion,(Saffronisation and Imperialism in Indian Education, 2016.) but in a state with multiple religions,

which religion would dominate Indian curriculum. Saffronisation of education has been done since

independence, 1987 RSS opened largest chain of private school under Vidya Bharati and Akhil Bhartiya

Shiksha Sansthan network, where facts like Qutub Minar being built by emperor Samudragupta whose real

name was Vishnu Stambha (The Problems With Systemic ‘Saffronisation’ Of Education In India, 2014) and

not by Qutubuddin Aibak shows the transformation of history to favour Hindutva. Similarly history of

partition has also been changed where quit India movement is devoted with just half a page, Jinnah is a

villain, Muslims are blamed for partition and RSS being central to freedom movement (Saffronisation of

Indian Education, 2019).


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From textbook blunders to religious values be part of Indian educational system, is creating a generation

that would have an inbuilt hatred for minorities. Hearts and minds will be filled with false accusations and

same generation would grow up to represent India in world, repercussion of that would be beyond

imagination. In world technologically, militarily advanced and economically dependent, India with its

conservative ideology would suffer and will also plunge the region into an environment of distrust and

insecurity.

Saffronisation of Public Sphere

After the win of Modi in 2019, it is believed that Indian society has accepted Modi‟s India and they do not

consider Indian secularity being damaged or is any kind of danger to state or region. Worrisome fact is that

public volunteer with RSS and around India millions are supporting it. RSS affiliated organisations and

groups are multiplying in number and surprisingly people also are investing time in it. An argument be

generated that not all Indians are part to this ideology because they still believe in unity but majority are

slipping away.

RSS and BJP is waging an asymmetrical warfare by producing foot soldiers who would wear saffron

scarves and chants slogans of Hindu Rashtriya. Million have already been trained and have lynched the

minorities in name forceful conversions, ghar wapsi, cow vigilantes, pink revolution, and destruction of

business and holy places of other religious people, Delhi riots. All these acts have been carried out by the

public that favours RSS and government stays clean.

Religion is a personal matter, which always jogs a person emotionally. RSS and BJP used religion as a tool

to morally hit people where it would really matter. They have given the people answer they wanted and

mobilized a public opinion. 2014 it was economy and flawed congress government, 2019 it was Pulwama

attack and Pakistan all leading to one common other that is Muslims. Public already frustrated and

economically deprived found hope and thought that they are minority in their own state which they now

want to change, but reality differs because India as a secular and world largest democracy has been

endangered by the radical rights of their society. Accompanied with the charismatic personality of Narendra

Modi, India has been psychological mesmerized by his charms.

Conclusion

Populism in twenty-first century has become a new normal in international politics, this reality has found its

way into modern political affairs of Indian under Modi‟s Rule. Rise of BJP under Modi has marked a final

rise of right wing populism in India as traces of populism were found in past among leaders like Lokmanya

Tilak who had their ideological base embedded in Hindutva of Savarkar, which today are main ideology of

current Indian government.

Modi‟s idea of Hindutva exceeds his ideological bases and becomes part of his practical daily life political

dealings. He, when Chief Minister of Gujrat, worked against Muslims and supported chants against them.

Today open Saffronisation of Indian community is visible through atrocities against Muslims during Delhi

riots, Kashmir annexation and citizen amendment act, CAA. A discontent between Hindus and Muslims

was already part of Indian community since before independence, revisiting history shows that Hindu

Muslim divide present between these communities was immense and resulted in a massacre on both side.

After independence Christians, Sikhs and Buddhist also suffered at hand of RSS and its religious

fundamentalism. The divide that got instigated a century ago is burning like a hot fire in Indian politics

today Under Modi‟s regime.


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Rise of Hindutva Mind-Set and Saffronisation of Indian Society

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