India, known for its pluralism and secular democracy, is undergoing a profound transformation under the influence of Hindutva politics. The forces driving this ideology seek to reshape the country into a Hindu nation-state, disregarding the constitutional guarantees of religious freedom and equality. This essay critically examines how Hindutva-driven policies and actions systematically dismantle secular democratic institutions, promote religious intolerance, and suppress minority communities through violence, legal manipulation, and socio-political coercion.
The Hindutva Agenda and the Subversion of Constitutional Guarantees
The ideological foundation of Hindutva politics rests on the belief that India should be a Hindu nation, thereby sidelining the secular principles outlined in the Constitution. The Hindutva regime has undertaken a systematic effort to erode the rights of religious minorities, targeting their legal protections and freedoms. This includes the gradual revocation of constitutional guarantees for marginalised groups and the implementation of policies that promote Hindu majoritarianism.
One of the primary strategies employed is the enactment of anti-conversion laws, which are framed as measures to curb religious conversions but are, in reality, designed to criminalise religious minorities, particularly Christians and Muslims. These laws serve as a legal tool for state-sponsored oppression, allowing for widespread harassment and persecution of those practising faiths other than Hinduism. The states implementing these laws have witnessed a sharp increase in violence against religious minorities, reinforcing the assertion that such legal measures are primarily aimed at preserving Hindutva nationalism.
Religious Violence and the Suppression of Minorities
Religious violence has escalated across India, with Hindutva groups targeting Christian and Muslim communities through physical attacks, vandalism of places of worship, and social ostracisation. Dalit and tribal Christians in states like Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Odisha have been particularly vulnerable to these assaults. Hindutva extremists, often with tacit governmental support, engage in organised violence, destroying homes, churches, and livelihoods under the guise of protecting Hindu culture.
These acts of aggression are complemented by institutional discrimination, where the state apparatus fails to act against perpetrators and, in many cases, implicitly supports their actions. The police and judicial systems often exhibit a bias that favors Hindutva groups, allowing the perpetrators of violence to escape legal consequences. The rise of hate crimes and mob lynchings against Muslims and Christians underscores the extent to which religious intolerance has been normalised in contemporary India.
The Historical Construction of Hindu Identity and the Marginalisation of Dalits and Adivasis
The notion that India has always been a Hindu nation is a historical construct rather than an empirical reality. The classification of all non-Islamic and non-Christian individuals as Hindus, particularly during the British colonial period, played a significant role in consolidating Hindu identity. However, many Dalits and Adivasis historically lived outside the Hindu social order, following Indigenous religious practices distinct from Brahminical Hinduism.
Hindutva forces have sought to assimilate these historically marginalised groups into the Hindu fold through coercion and socio-political incentives. The imposition of Scheduled Caste (SC) reservations exclusively for Hindus, a policy rooted in the 1950 Presidential Order, has been used as an instrument to force Dalits to remain within the Hindu religious structure. Dalit Christians and Muslims have been denied these constitutional benefits, reinforcing religious and caste-based discrimination.
State-Sponsored Religious Coercion and “Ghar Wapsi” Programmes
The Hindutva movement has aggressively promoted “Ghar Wapsi” (homecoming) programmes, which aim to reconvert Muslims and Christians to Hinduism. These initiatives, often supported by state machinery, exploit socio-economic vulnerabilities to pressure Dalits and Adivasis into renouncing their faiths. The re-conversion campaigns are accompanied by threats, violence, and social boycotts, reinforcing the Hindutva agenda of establishing Hindu hegemony.
Furthermore, the destruction of non-Hindu places of worship and the forced conversion of churches into Hindu temples illustrate the extent to which religious minorities are being denied their right to religious freedom. These actions reflect a broader strategy to erase religious diversity and enforce a monolithic Hindu identity across India.
The Role of Political Power in Hindutva Expansion
Since 2014, the rise of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) under the leadership of Narendra Modi has accelerated the institutionalisation of Hindutva politics. The government’s silence or tacit approval of communal violence has emboldened radical groups, leading to a fourfold increase in attacks on Christians, as documented by various fact-finding reports. The political leadership’s promotion of Hindu nationalist rhetoric, combined with legal frameworks that discriminate against religious minorities, has fostered an environment where anti-minority violence is both tolerated and encouraged.
The state has also played an active role in enforcing religious conformity through policy measures that incentivise Hindu identity. The deprivation of reservations for Dalit Christians and Muslims, the promotion of cleanliness movements tied to Hindu religious practices, and the legal suppression of religious conversions all contribute to the overarching goal of establishing Hindu supremacy.
The Threat to Secular Democracy
The trajectory of Hindutva politics in India poses a serious threat to the country’s secular democratic fabric. The increasing violence against religious minorities, the manipulation of legal frameworks to suppress non-Hindu identities, and the systematic marginalisation of Dalits and Adivasis highlight the dangers of an exclusionary nationalist ideology. To preserve India’s constitutional values, it is imperative to resist the encroachment of Hindutva forces and reaffirm the principles of religious freedom, equality, and democratic governance.
The survival of India as a pluralistic and secular nation depends on upholding the rights of all citizens, irrespective of their religious affiliations. Only through collective resistance and legal safeguards can the country prevent the complete erosion of its democratic institutions and ensure justice for its marginalised communities.
Joy Thuruthel is a Dalit activist and writer from Adimaly, Idukki district, Kerala.
