Secularism Vs Hindutva

Irrespective of whichever party you support, all of us do possess some awe for the magnitude of NaMo charisma that spreads over this country day by day like an epidemic. The man has got power undoubtedly. Even if he dons on and off various veils time to time depending upon the audience he is facing, still his every mask has got a group of admirers. He talks like he knows what he is doing and what you are going to do. Day by day, one can see elevating confidence in his statements, propaganda and interviews. His mike goes off and he spontaneously makes a cunning statement winning the applause.  The dark knight of Indian media (read Arnab Goswami) asks him about his critics who claim Namo’s is not an inclusive growth and he replies like a roaring tiger thrashing the prime ministerial most-coveted address from Red Fort with such  an astute analogy that the viewer will never understand that actually he didn’t answer the original question. A nobel laureate says he wouldn’t want NaMo as PM and he is asked to return his Bharatratna.  This arguably the most formidable leader of recent times enjoys stupendous support from his party colleagues who are of the strong opinion that only NaMo can bring BJP to the power. Adding meaning to their assumption is the recently concluded survey poll by CNN-IBN, which reflects the national sentiment swaying away from UPA!

The man debates over the issue of development and growth, defends with the proved and lauded examples of his own state, asserts that he can do it all the same on national level and claims that he deserves one chance! At the other side, his opponents have their plate full of scandals, scams, embezzlements, misappropriation of public money, dishonoring people’s favorite ‘Anna’ by deferring Jan Lokpal, resigning corrupt ministers, overpowering industrial lobbyists, tumbling stock exchanges, burgeoning fiscal deficits, exiting foreign investors, depreciating rupee, appreciating oil, victorious litigants spanking taxman, porn-watching senators, ‘CAG’ed PSUs and Digvijay Singh!

That’s why, NaMo’s critics are left with only one punch- secularism! They claim that NaMo is far from being secular. Moreover, they insist that NaMo is actually a sponsor of Hindutva. I read a lot on this in newspapers and see many individuals / agencies pushing the same on multi-faceted noisy and unprofessional televised debates often anchored by equally unpalatable reporters. I feel sad at how the concept of Hindutva is being downtrodden so mercilessly in this all gamble of TRPs and money. Amongst all those perpetrators of anarchism, how many actually know the meaning of ‘Hindutva’?

Veer Savarkar, the pioneer of the concept of Hindutva, regarded it as an ethnic, cultural and political identity. Hindus, according to Savarkar, are those who consider India to be the land in which their ancestors lived, as well as the land in which their religion originated. He advocates the creation of a Hindu state in that sense. He includes all Indian religions in the term Hindutva and outlines his vision of a "Hindu Rashtra" (Hindusthan, as our country used to be known at that time) as "Akhand Bharat" (United India), stretching across the entire Indian subcontinent. I reproduce extracts from one of his notable works that offers a categorical distinction, which is a common misconception in masses cherished so carefully for decades by our shameless political leaders.

“Hindutva is not a word but a history. Not only the spiritual or religious history of our people as at times it is mistaken to be by being confounded with the other cognate term Hinduism, but a history in full. Hinduism is only a derivative, a fraction, a part of Hindutva. Unless it is made clear what is meant by the latter the first remains unintelligible and vague. Failure to distinguish between these two terms has given rise to much misunderstanding and mutual suspicion between some of those sister communities that have inherited this inestimable and common treasure of our Hindu civilization.”

In fact, even Hinduism is not a narrow word. Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, in one of their landmark verdicts in 1995, has quoted following-

“Hindutva is indicative more of the way of life of the Indian people. It is not to be understood or construed narrowly. It is not Hindu fundamentalism nor is it to be confined only to the strict Hindu religious practices or as unrelated to the culture and ethos of the people of India, depicting the way of life of the Indian people. Considering Hindutva/Hinduism as hostile, inimical, or intolerant of other faiths, or as communal proceeds from an improper appreciation of its true meaning.”

There are three contemporary judgments of Supreme Court on this issue. Interested may refer legal literature on these cases- Dr. Ramesh Yashwant Prabhoo Vs Shri Prabhakar Kashinath Kunte and Others; Manohar Joshi Vs Nitin Bhaurao Patel & another; and Prof. Ramachandra G. Kapse Vs Haribansh Ramakbal Singh.

Of course, our so called ‘leaders’ are simply unaware of this knowledge in public domain. Hence, they don’t understand the meaning of the word and they use it the most inappropriately, exactly contrary to what Supreme Court has asserted.

To be very frank, I am least bothered about what NaMo actually thinks or supports. I don’t even have a slightest interest in the all sensational media melodrama that unfolds almost daily on every news channel in this country and watched by billions everyday in million households. Yet I care, as not all of the audiences know the truth behind what they are watching. Use of NaMo’s strong media appeal to propagate the so called ‘murder of secularism’ theories by his opponents / critics may be ok considering the free press and fundamental rights of expression conferred upon Indian citizens by the constitution of India. But bullying Hindutva as ‘anti-secularism’ is absolutely wrong and in fact illegal, considering the dashingly clear SC verdict on the same.

A judgment of Supreme Court is treated as the law of the land and is coveted with much respect as it becomes a precedent for subsequent similar cases. Yet, in this case, NaMo’s charisma (available readymade to the perpetrators of this heinous crime of demeaning the sacred word Hindutva) is being exploited to sell extremely radical and anti-national sentiments. The mood of the nation is not so good currently to digest these unethical mockeries so easily. Such provoking appeals only produce IMs, LeTs & JeMs. Terrorists are not made in factories, they are made so by the way they are made to live.

Will any of my friends out there in those NGOs please file a PIL in Supreme Court for banning the use of word Hindutva is wrong context?