New York-based digital company traces Modi's meteoric rise to global Hindutva ecosystem over several decades

By Rajiv Shah  

A recent document, released by the Polis Project Inc.—a New York-based digital magazine and hybrid research and journalism organization—even as seeking to highlight the alleged rise of authoritarianism in India, has sought to trace Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meteoric rise since 2014 to the ever-expanding global Hindutva ecosystem over the last several decades.

Among the examples of this ecosystem's influence, the paper cites Modi's address to 20,000 people at Madison Square Garden in the U.S. in September 2014, his speech to 60,000 supporters at London’s Wembley Stadium in 2015, and a gathering of 50,000 supporters in Texas, U.S., four years later. It states that these were the largest gatherings for a foreign political leader in these countries. 

Titled "Transnational Funding in Hindu Supremacist Movements: Role of Corporates in Illicit Political Finance," the paper insists that these events—held after Modi became Prime Minister and his U.S. visa ban was revoked—serve as indicators of his diplomatic turnaround and popularity, not just in India but also among the Indian diaspora.

The paper argues that such large-scale events would not have been possible without the "vast funding" that this global ecosystem enjoys—something even a pamphlet of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which is described as being at the helm of this network, acknowledges. The pamphlet states: “The Sangh’s sphere of influence has been spreading far and wide, not only inside Bharat but also abroad, like the radiance of a many-splendored diamond.”

The paper highlights that this vast ecosystem has spread across six countries—the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, South Africa, and Kenya—where the RSS has established international branches registered as the Bharatiya Swayamsevak Sangh (BSS) or the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS). Additionally, it has created international counterparts for its affiliate organizations, such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Sewa Bharati, and Ekal Vidyalaya.

According to the paper, these "international Hindu nationalist organizations" operate through "numerous multi-million-dollar tax-exempt charitable organizations," with their activities rooted in the "overriding goal of pan-Hindu unification.” It adds that these organizations are largely funded by wealthy families, private foundations, public donations, crowdfunding, and government grants—all of which contribute to promoting "right-wing ideologies" and political campaigns supporting Modi.

The paper notes that these "international charities" have attracted legal scrutiny. For example, the British Charity Commission launched a statutory inquiry into HSS UK following an undercover investigation by the British production company Hardcash, which aired on ITV’s Charities Behaving Badly. The Commission later found that, during an event at a school attended by children, a speaker made “most offensive and inappropriate comments,” some of which were “particularly objectionable and anti-Islamic.” However, it concluded that there was "insufficient evidence to demonstrate that the speaker’s views were endemic in the charity and its activities."

Regarding its operations in the UK, the paper states that HSS UK was established in London in 1966 and registered as a charity in 1974. As of December 2023, it had 98 branches across 59 cities and towns in the UK, with an average weekly attendance of 2,246. In 2022–23, its total income was GBP 406,459, with total funds amounting to GBP 2,262,339, including a GBP 9,000 government grant and GBP 200,000 in donations.

Although no formal links exist between the RSS and HSS UK, the paper claims that their direct ties are well-documented. It asserts that the RSS maintains control by sending emissaries from Nagpur to oversee HSS camps and conduct standard training sessions.

A similar situation exists with HSS USA, which was founded and registered as a charity in 1989. It operates 235 shakhas across 164 cities in 34 U.S. states, with 5,000 to 7,000 regular attendees. According to the paper, individuals are sent to India—including the RSS headquarters in Nagpur—for "higher training." In 2022, HSS USA reported a total revenue of USD 1.42 million, net assets of USD 5.50 million, and total expenses of USD 1.41 million.

American Sangh financials of last five reported years

The paper also details the financials of other organizations within this ecosystem:

• VHP UK, founded in 1972, operates ten centers across the country and reported an income of GBP 298,260, with total funds of GBP 3,560,253.
• VHP of America, founded in 1971, recorded net assets of USD 5.19 million in 2022, with total revenue of USD 2.36 million and expenses of USD 1.80 million. The paper claims the VHP-A has been involved in events ranging from the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992 to the 2002 Gujarat riots, the 2008 Odisha violence, and the 2020 Delhi riots, alleging that its members have justified these acts of violence.
• Sewa International UK, initially a service project of HSS UK in 1991 and registered as an independent charity in 2009, raised GBP 4.3 million for earthquake relief in Gujarat in 2001. However, the paper cites reports claiming that over one-third of these funds were used to build sectarian schools.
• Sewa USA, which reported a total revenue of USD 47.24 million in 2021—a sharp rise from USD 5.59 million in the previous year—received USD 45.66 million in "gifts, grants, and contributions" that year. It also obtained federal relief loans during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The paper also examines the Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation, which it describes as central to the RSS’s ideological mission of transforming India into a Hindu nation. Ekal USA, registered as a charity in 2000, now has over 70 chapters in the U.S. Its statutory filings indicate a goal of establishing 100,000 one-teacher schools in remote and rural India to assimilate tribal and Dalit communities into the Hindutva movement. Between 2001 and 2019, Ekal USA reportedly spent USD 70.1 million, with USD 39.4 million—more than half—spent in the five years after Modi came to power.

Regarding corporate financing, the paper acknowledges that publicly available data on transnational Hindutva movements in the U.S. and UK is limited, as non-profits are not required to disclose their donors. However, it cites reports identifying two corporate houses whose family foundations are significant funders of American Sangh charities:

1. Bhutada Family Foundation, established in 2005, has donated over USD 2.19 million to organizations like HSS, Sewa International, and Ekal Vidyalaya.
2. Aggarwal & Gupta Family Foundation, registered as a tax-exempt charity since 2001, has donated at least USD 8.11 million to various American Sangh groups.

In conclusion, the paper argues that transnational Hindutva networks, backed by substantial funding from family foundations, private donors, and government grants, play a crucial role in supporting Modi’s political influence and advancing the Hindutva ideology globally.