Strategy for united struggle against Hindutva 'fascism': Ideological silence is 'no option'

By Dr Bhabani Shankar Nayak*
Electoral alliance and opportunism of national and regional political parties, neoliberal economic marginalisation and soft secular Hindutva line pandering to Hindu majoritarianism laid the foundation of Hindutva fascism in post-colonial India.
It is in this context, Indians need to develop a broad front based on mass movements inside and outside the parliament which would ensure the defeat of Hindutva fascists and create effective political alternatives for the survival of the idea of India.
Hindutva fascism is not a movement for changing India towards peace and prosperity. It is a reactionary movement of the ruling and non-ruling elites in India. In the name of Ram temple, Hindu religion and cultural nationalism, it represents the interests of the national and international corporations.
The capture and dominance of state power by BJP, RSS and Sangh Parivar accelerates the process of establishing full fledge fascism in India. It is a matter of time before the bourgeois democratic methods; the electoral processes, rule of law and constitutional sanctities becomes irrelevant. Like secularism, democracy is going to be a dirty word in India soon.
The narrative of Hindutva fascism is based on the politics of hate and disdain for reason, science, secularism, democracy and rule of law. Modi-led BJP and RSS are working on making this as a pan Indian narrative.

Once this project is complete, Hindutva fascist will move from lynching Muslims and killing rationalists to everyday mass violence against any opposition to their politics and power. The democratic illusion, we see today will evaporate very soon.
The Hindutva fascists can brazenly represent monopoly capital and their control over Indian state and all natural resources. Violence is going to be a tool and new normal in everyday lives of Indians.
Can we fight this evil called Hindutva fascist effectively with old electoral methods? The answer is written on the wall and we have crossed that stage. We need an anti-fascist movement in India based on a clear and revolutionary manifesto.

United Against Hate campaign is a good beginning, but we have to create a united struggle against Hindutva fascism based on a manifesto

We can shape the manifesto based on anti-fascists movements in history and our current experiences with Hindutva fascists in India. United Against Hate (UAH) campaign is a good beginning but it is not enough. We have to create a united struggle against Hindutva fascism based on a manifesto which can include following ten programmes:

Fight against caste, communalism and capitalism is a common battle. We cannot fight Hindutva fascists without fighting the evils of caste system within and outside Hindu religion. Caste remains the foundation of Hindutva communal politics in India. Hindutva fascism is the life and blood of local, national and international capitalist class. Therefore, any attempt to fight Hindutva fascism depends on our commitment to fight caste, communalism and capitalism;
Ensure social, economic, political and cultural citizenships based on reason, science, and constitutionally guaranteed inalienable rights of one and all without any form of discrimination;
Ensure freedom and rights of the minority communities based on progressive values;
Militantly fight against regional and religious reactionaries from all communities and within religions;
A democratic system which is more than periodic elections. Let the local people decide the nature of their development policies and manage their resources;
Ensure gender and sexual equality and broad unity among people;
Ensure scientific education and isolate blind believes and superstitions of all kind;
Isolate and defeat Hindutva fascists in social, cultural and political sphere;
Form alliance between all democratic, secular and progressive forces in India;
Ensure social and economic justice for all; and
Promote peace, harmony and prosperity among all.

The strategies for united struggles against Hindutva fascism are about guiding the struggle to advance the cause of masses towards peace and prosperity. It is not about ideological puritanism of any political formation or party.
The organisational strategies against Hindutva fascism is an adultery between individual and mass consciousness and struggle to advance the interests of the working class masses (dalits, women, Muslims, tribals, farmers, minorities, workers, rural communities, students, unemployed youths, students, rural and urban poor).
Fighting Hindutva fascism is central to the class struggle in India. It is extremely important and urgent to forge broad unity and defeat fascist RSS/BJP. It would be a sheer illusion to build an egalitarian, peaceful and prosperous India without defeating Hindutva fascists.
The political and ideological silence is no longer a choice for us. History tells us as witness that defeat of Hindutva fascism certain and inevitable. Therefore, the only choice is to fight and defeat Hindutva fascists and their ideological narratives in India.
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*Senior Lecturer in Business Strategy, Coventry Business School, Coventry University, United Kingdom

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