Hindutva is a right wing ideology that says that India is meant for Indians, (read Indians who follow Hinduism). Hindutva reminds of the genocide committed by muslims rulers 100’s of years ago, and asks young Indians to bring back old Indian traditions back to our country, and to reverse the effects caused by muslim rulers back in the medieval times. Hindutva decrys the changes in the Indian society caused by the British colonization of India.
Why am I writing now about Hindutva? Today i read an article in the internet about one writer from Kerala, and i thought i would tell You a few words about this phenomenon called Hindutva
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/threatened-by-hindutva-groups-kerala-writer-s-hareesh-withdraws-novel-5269433/
A writer from Kerala had his novel banned by Hindutva groups because he wrote in his novel that a woman who goes to temple 5 days a week, is showing that she is officially ready for sex. When she is not going to the temple for three or four days, she is showing her abstinence to sexual relations with men. Hindutva groups couldn’t digest it. ‘’Woman and Sex? Temple? Are You crazy?’’ Many of these men had threatened the writer that if he wont stop writing these articles, they will chop his hands off. One famous politician from India called Shashi Tharoor started comparing Indian Hindutva groups to Taliban in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Hindutva groups threatened to kill him too for comparing India to Pakistan.. I mean it is true that Hindutva is becoming ridiculous. Hindutva has become sort of a counter responsive mechanism to Muslim radicalism in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. ‘’If You muslims can be radical and do what You want, let us show You what we Hindus can do!’’
Now I told You about how much magazines i had the chance to read because of my grandfather right? I remember reading short novels written by small and big writers around Kerala. There were mentions of sex, sexual desires of men, women. I remember how many short novels contained topics which were taboo in many other parts of India. We Keratites always were much more open to topics which were taboo in other parts of India, and we were proud of this artistic freedom. And there are so many Muslim, Christian writers in Kerala who write openly about sex, women’s sexuality etc. There was a famous writer in Kerala called Punathil Kunjabdulla. He chose women as his main characters in most of his novels. He openly talked about sex, passion. Women were strong characters in his novels. And He was a muslim!!!
I myself has read many of these short novels, and i am very proud of the artistic freedom that we enjoyed in Kerala. We had no religion or caste when it came to artistic expression. The platform was available for anyone who wants to write. Small aspiring writers would publish their novels in magazines and it was a great medium to be heard in society.
So what happened to this artistic freedom?
Hindutva groups are now attacking Kerala. Why? Because of the current ruling party BJP. This will go on as long as the current political party BJP will rule India. They dont want us to write about sex and women in association with the temple. ”God Rama will not like it”. Hindutva groups existed in India even before BJP came into power. They have raised their heads now, because they feel that nobody will question their actions. They know that the ruling government will fully support it. Right wing Hindutva supporters dont like this artistic freedom because it questions the morality of innocent Hindus. What if we loose kerala to the Muslims?(maybe Muslims will start to misuse the freedom they have in Kerala? What if they become a political majority in Kerala?) Kerala will become a muslim state. No way!
Hindutva in India, and in Poland?
Do You know what is the equivalent of Hindutva in Poland?
Have You seen young Poles wearing t-shirts with the logo ‘Pamiętamy’? or ‘Żołnierze wyklęci’ in Poland? That is exactly what is Hindutva in the Polish context. Young Polish people who don’t like the Western ideology of Liberalism and multiculturalism wear t-shirts like that. They even have some sympathy towards groups like ONR. Meanwhile in India HIndutva is against ‘Muslim invasion’ and the purported threat of India becoming a muslim or Christian country. I wrote Muslim invasion in brackets, because groups like RSS and Shiva Sena who support Hindutva believes that if we are not vigilant, Islam will invade India. 'We can’t let that happen!’ Hindutva groups wants to secure their ideology of India for Hindus. Polish groups wants to protect their ideology of Poland for Polish people. Not for Immigrants or other Europeans!
Do I support Hindutva? What do i think about it?
I was born Hindu, and was raised to be fearful of god. Dont do anything bad to others. Be nice. My Parents had christian friends, maybe not too many muslim friends. My Father’s best friend was Johny, where my brother’s best friends were Jose and Sharon(muslim). It took me a couple of years until i realised that Sharon was a muslim! Young Indians never look upon anyone’s caste or religion. Really! We couldn’t care less.
I dont support Hindutva, but i believe in one thing. Values of India. We are a secular country. Yes now days cow vigilantism has been on the rise. Muslims who are caught with cows are immediately beaten to death. I am so ashamed talking about it sometimes. Cow vigilantism? (Oh my god. Face Palm) How do i explain this to my friends? So embarassing.
I am sad that my India came to such a state of non tolerance towards muslims and other minorities. India is for muslims, christians and Hindus. No one is better than the next one. Remember India is a country with more than 2000 years worth of history and culture. So everyone has to respect its values and secularism. Therefore sharia laws or triple talaq has no place in India. It’s not my idea of an ideal India. Sharia and triple Talaq can be practiced in the desert, not in India. It is meant for the mullahs from arabic countries in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan(No offense intended). I am a little cautious when it comes to radical Islam, but it doesn’t mean that I am against Islam or Christianity. Indian muslims are generally good hearted people.
I dont believe in full fledged Liberalism. But there is a middle ground. Maybe it’s that middle ground that we have to find, and pursue?
Maybe the right wing hatred propaganda in India and Poland will come to an end one day? I hope so!