Fascism in India

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Indian Fascism is a term that has been applied by critics, notably Marxists[1] or Muslims, to certain Hindu organisations based on the principle of Hindutva. Categorically, these organizations refute any such allegations. Also, several academics have argued against labeling them in this way.[2]

Fascism in India ranges from such organizations to Islamofascists, especially in Muslim majority states such as Jammu and Kashmir.

Contents

[edit] Hindutva

[edit] Accusations

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The most promiment Hindutva organization is the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (translated to 'National Volunteers Union' and also known as the RSS).

Its aim, according to some critics, is to remould the Indian polity into a stronger and more united inter-religious and intra-religious society. Its motto is Sangathit Hindu, Samaratha Bharat i.e. 'United Hindus, strong India'. Where Hindus is used to denote Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains as well as others whose religions were founded in India.

The RSS worldview looks at India as one of the most ancient civilizations. It supports the Out of India theory in relation to the Urheimat of Proto-Indo-European, which is associated with Hindutva.

[edit] Refutation against allegations

Academics such as Vince Kudukullam argue that labeling the RSS as fascist is inappropriate[3][4]. Also, David James Smith, Professor of Indian Religions at Lancaster University, writes that despite the organizations past links with fascist ideologies, it's decentralized nature and lack of emphasis with a supreme leader, and the central position that it awards to social system (rather than race), means that describing them as "fascist" is inappropriate[5].

Rajesh Tembarai Krishnamachari, a contributor to the South Asia Analysis Group, writes that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has shown persistent and steady growth, and that the views of the group expressed cogently in the text ‘A Bunch of Thoughts’ by M S Golwalkar has not been refuted by any of the Marxists, despite their largely unsuccessful smear campaign against Gowalkar[6].

In addition, accusations of "fascism" in the Hindutva movement coming from the left wing parties and western academics such as Christoffe Jaffrelot have been criticized by former professor of political philosophy[7] and Times of India commentator Jyotirmaya Sharma as a "simplistic transference has done great injustice to our knowledge of Hindu nationalist politics"[8].

[edit] Islamofascism

[edit] Allegations

Some elements of the Islamic community in Kashmir religiously cleanse Hindus (Kashmiri Pandits) in their belief of a pure Islamic Kashmir.

[edit] Refutation

However, some in the community oppose such thought and refute such allegations, instead stating that Hindus planned their own mass expatriation through Jagmohan Malhotra.

[edit] References

  1. ^ eg. Romila Thapar
  2. ^ eg. Koenraad Elst
  3. ^ [1]
  4. ^ [2]
  5. ^ Smith, David James, Hinduism and Modernity P188, Blackwell Publishing ISBN 0-631-20862-3
  6. ^ Decline of the Left in India,South Asia Analysis Group
  7. ^ Profile, Jyotirmaya Sharma
  8. ^ Hindu Nationalist Politics,J. Sharma Times of India
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