Hindutva

Again, a message was sent to me about the growing menace of ‘Militant’ forms of Hindutva which is not ready to ideologically confront its opponents but uses violence another means.  Of course, only the fringe elements in Hindutva camp indulge in such activities. Other mainline Hindutva intellectuals never approve of them, but secretly endorse it.  The solution is not that much simple or easy for those who never agree with such ‘militant’ Hindutva.

The first fact that we need to recognize is that ‘Hindutva’ emerged as a ‘reaction’ instead of ‘response’ of communal politics that began in the middle 1920.  We need not dwell on who sowed the seed and how it took a dominos effect in our Indian politics first and then society next.  Now many are facing the effect of it both positively and negatively.

Positively Hindutva checked the growing menace of all kinds of assaults from outside and inside, particularly in the area of ‘religious’ conversion on our Indian civilization.  But for their fight against it in every form, India would have faced different kinds of challenges to face all the time.  People like me who never agree with these kinds of religious conversion will endorse this positive contribution.

Now how to face it, particularly every Hindu bhakta of the Lord.  The first step is don’t try to keep a double identity as Hindu to Hindu and Christian to Christian.  If you have strong conviction that Mukti Veda never agrees with such religious conversion, keep your birth identity as a Hindu and in your sadhana remain a bhakta of Mukti Nath.  If this message is conveyed with much humility to them, particularly to the military wing of Hindutva, though they might not change their strategy easily, at least we can live with the conviction that we try our best to remain humble and even ready to pay the cost for this in Gandhian way of non-violence.  Even if we are confronted and physically attacked, we should remain humble and remain strong in our non-violence not only physically but also in our spirit and mind as MV clearly teaches that the meek shall inherit the earth. 

Of course, it is easier said than done.  But unless the seed falls and dies it cannot bring a new harvest.  We should understand that now they are observing closely how the Missions use all kinds of methods to ‘convert’ even in the name of ‘contextualization’ which only as a means but not with the true spirit of allowing the Good News to incarnate in our Indian soil.  In this sense, the militant Hindutva also safeguard our rights as Hindu bhaktas of the Lord.  This might shock all or many, but when we see only their negative side, refusing to understand their point of view, then we can never find a solution.  Which Hindu will oppose you if you follow the Lord as your guru or Ishta Devata by remaining as Hindu in every sense—even as a religious Hindu respecting our deities as they are part of our heritage.  The followers of several staunch sampradayas among the Hindus won’t follow other deities other than their own, but they will never revile them or show disrespect to them.  We also need to do this.  Already I have written a lot about this and I need not repeat them again here.

Though there is no simple solution for the militant Hindutva, when the opportunity comes then we should be ready physically and mentally added with spiritual force to have our deep conviction to remain as a Hindu bhakta of the Lord.  Of course, they won’t easily accept or believe us. Because what the Mission has done in the past is still looming over our head and we are carrying the cross for them.  As the problem was deep rooted and developed over several decades it cannot be removed overnight and we need long patience with self-determination that I will do what I can do and ought to do, leaving this legacy to the next generation to carry.  So, we need not give up with disparity but with the help of God we can overcome this in His own time.

Db, Gurukulam, 11-06-2023