Why soft Hindutva, 'opportunistic' electoral alliance can't replace Hindutva fascism

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak*
Hindutva fascism is no more an imaginary political depiction of reactionary and right-wing Narendra Modi led BJP/RSS government in India. These reactionary forces are the original anti-nationals of India. Any serious analysis of forward march of Hindutva fascism in India needs to understand Indian social and economic conditions where caste, tribe, gender and class interact within a Brahmanical order both in rural and urban areas. It is the life and blood of Hindutva fascism.
The social fascism emanating from Brahminism within exploitative Hindu caste order continues to be the foundation of propertied class that controls the state and political apparatus of the government. In spite of exceptionally favourable political environments, the liberals and progressive forces have failed to shake the authoritarian social and religious structures that enables Hindutva fascism in India today.
The electoral defeat of liberal and progressive forces is inextricably linked with electoral opportunism, revisionist ideological policies and their earlier political association with regional reactionaries. Soft Hindutva cannot replace Hindutva fascism. In such a context, defeatism is a product of ideological ambiguity and political compromises of forming opportunistic electoral alliances. The result is gloomy.
From Gujarat 2002 to Delhi 2020, India witnesses continuous deterioration of the constitutional, secular, liberal values of a democratic state. The social, political and cultural normalisation of violence against Muslims and silence of the Supreme Court is unprecedented in independent India.

The processes of law, order and justice were subverted to defend the organisers of pogrom as a patriotic act and depict the victims as anti-nationals. The mainstream media, judiciary, executive, police and other pillars of modern democracy are crumbling and working as the type writers of Hindutva fascist power.
The magnitude of capitalist crisis and electoral victory of Hindutva fascists in last two parliamentary elections in India is neither unique nor surprising. It is the repetition of history in the rise of fascism.

Hindutva fascists provide cultural logic to apartheid caste order and capitalist crisis. There is absolutely no surprise in the policies and actions of BJP led fascist RSS government in India. They are following their playbook of anti-Muslim pogrom in letter and spirit.

Unity and integrity of India depends on how we build up a mass movement in defence of Muslims and against the hate factory of RSS/BJP

In the long run, it is not only a threat to Muslims but also a threat to lives and civil liberties of all Indians. The unity and integrity of India depends on how we build up a mass movement in defence of Muslims and against the hate factory of RSS/BJP.

The sporadic movements and opposition to Hindutva fascism in India are not enough. The task is to overcome this defeatism by reclaiming radical promises of Indian constitution based on universal citizenship and democratic rights of Muslims in India.
Indian resistance against Hindutva fascism led by students and women that threatens the very foundation of old and new political cretins who consider themselves as aficionados of electoral democracy and parliament. But people are spontaneously forming their own resistance movements in different parts of India against Hindutva fascism.
It is important to bring them together as a mass movement with alternative politics of hope, peace and justice. It is only possible by forming united front of Dalits, students, youths, women, Muslims, minorities, workers and all other progressive forces in the society. The priority of such a united front is to stand unconditionally in defence of Muslims.
The Hindutva fascists' deceptive narrative of nationalism needs to be exposed. History is the witness to Hindutva betrayal of Indian independence struggles. It is important to highlight the sacrifice and significant role of Muslims in anti-colonial struggle and in shaping the secular character of postcolonial India.

These ideological praxis needs to be the foundational principles of India’s resistance to Hindutva fascism. The broken republic of India needs such a resistance project which can help to nourish the social harmony and economic stability.
---
*With Coventry University, UK

Comments

truthaboutislam said…

The religion of peace named Islam is one among the mightiest religion in this world. And also, the one that is misunderstood a lot for several reasons. Be it a propaganda of political or of economical unfolded at all times. Our mission is to spread Truth about Islam by clearing entire misconceptions and to disseminate virtuous good deeds that the Muslims actually practice. Islam, one among largest religions in the world also the one that is misunderstood all time. There are several sources including political, economic & media, framed Islam as misleading religion. And the Truth about Muslims are always hidden from the light.

October 06, 2020

Academics urge Azim Premji University to drop FIR against Student Reading Circle

By A Representative A group of academics and civil society members has issued an open letter to the leadership of Azim Premji University expressing concern over the filing of a police complaint that led to an FIR against a student-run reading circle following a recent incident of violence on campus. The signatories state that they hold the university in high regard for its commitment to constitutional values, critical inquiry and ethical public engagement, and argue that it is precisely because of this reputation that the present development is troubling.

Was Netaji forced to alter face, die in obscurity in USSR in 1975? Was he so meek?

By Rajiv Shah This should sound almost hilarious. Not only did Subhas Chandra Bose not die in a plane crash in Taipei, nor was he the mysterious Gumnami Baba who reportedly passed away on 16 September 1985 in Ayodhya, but we are now told that he actually died in 1975—date unknown—“in oblivion” somewhere in the former Soviet Union. Which city? Moscow? No one seems to know.

UAPA action against Telangana activist: Criminalising legitimate democratic activity?

By A Representative The National Investigation Agency's Hyderabad branch has issued notices to more than ten individuals in Telangana in connection with FIR No. RC-04/2025. Those served include activists, former student leaders, civil rights advocates, poets, writers, retired schoolteachers, and local leaders associated with the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Indian National Congress.

The ultimate all-time ODI XI: A personal selection of icons across eras

By Harsh Thakor* This is my all-time best XI chosen for ODI (One Day International) cricket: 1. Adam Gilchrist (W) – The absolute master blaster who could create the impact of exploding gunpowder with his electrifying strokeplay. No batsman was more intimidating in his era. Often his knocks decided the fate of games as though the result were premeditated. He escalated batting strike rates to surreal realms.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Aligning too closely with U.S., allies, India’s silence on IRIS Dena raises troubling questions

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The reported sinking of the Iranian ship IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka raises troubling questions about international norms and the credibility of the so-called rule-based order. If indeed the vessel was attacked by the American Navy while returning from a joint exercise in Visakhapatnam, it would represent a serious breach of trust and a violation of the principles that govern such cooperative engagements. Warships participating in these exercises are generally not armed for combat; they are meant to symbolize solidarity and friendship. The incident, therefore, is not only shocking but also deeply ironic.

Asbestos contamination in children’s products highlights global oversight gaps

By A Representative A commentary published by the International Ban Asbestos Secretariat (IBAS) has drawn attention to the challenges governments face in responding effectively to global public-health risks. In an article written by Laurie Kazan-Allen and published on March 5, 2026, the author examines how the discovery of asbestos contamination in children’s play products has raised questions about regulatory oversight and international product safety. The article opens by reflecting on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that governments in several countries were slow to respond to early warning signs of the crisis. Referring to the experience of the United Kingdom, the author writes that delays in implementing protective measures contributed to “232,112 recorded deaths and over a million people suffering from long Covid.” The commentary uses this example to illustrate what it describes as the dangers of underestimating emerging threats. Attention then turns...

The kitchen as prison: A feminist elegy for domestic slavery

By Garima Srivastava* Kumar Ambuj stands as one of the most incisive voices in contemporary Hindi poetry. His work, stripped of ornamentation, speaks directly to the lived realities of India’s marginalized—women, the rural poor, and those crushed under invisible forms of violence. His celebrated poem “Women Who Cook” (Khānā Banātī Striyāṃ) is not merely about food preparation; it is a searing indictment of patriarchal domestic structures that reduce women’s existence to endless, unpaid labour.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Rajiv Shah Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

Search This Blog