6. HINDU RASHTRA – the need

 6.     HINDU RASHTRA – the need

                                 (Continued from the last post – Hindu Rashtra, the meaning)

The question is why we need India to be a Hindu Rashtra. A protagonist of Hindu Rashtra will give the following reasons in support of his belief:

1.     The genesis of Hindu Rashtra has its roots in the “Ramayana and Mahabharata Era”, which maintained that whole of ‘Jambu-dweep’ or Bharat Versha, though divided into independent states or kingdoms, was united in a unified culture, language and Dharama. It had a unified social and political value system codified in various scriptures including Vedas, Ramayana and Mahabharata. Though the system was never called Hindutva, nor the residents were called Hindu, because probably, nothing else existed requiring differentiation. The protagonist wants this glory to be restored.

2.     During ancient times, also, the culture of Bharat Versha sustained its unity and also that of social and political value system. A number of Kings were able to bring larger areas into their hegemony. In the Ashoka era, his empire consisted of almost whole of modern India extending upto Afghanistan. This was a golden era of Hindu Rashtra, though the emperor himself took up Buddhism, it had no impact on the Hindu culture of people. In fact, Hindus consider Mahatma Buddha as the 9^th incarnation of Bhagwan Vishnu. Again, the glory of this golden era requires to be restored.

3.     During medieval period, the divided Bharat Versha could not thwart the onslaught of foreign invaders due to some intrinsic weaknesses and its failure to stand united in the face of foreign aggression. These invaders spread Islam by subjugating kingdoms and committing endless atrocities on the people of this country. Thousands of Hindus were slain, particularly in the North-West areas of Bharat-Versha, now known as Hindu-kush Range (‘Kush’ in Arabic means ‘Killing of’).  But owing to strong cultural affinity, Hindutva survived except for a small number of weaklings who got converted. Thus Islam is essentially foreign to this land and Hindu hegemony is required to be restored.

4.     On the eve of independence, India was partitioned on the premise that Muslims were to be given a homeland, namely Pakistan, and they harboured no delusion of secularism and declared Pakistan to be an Islamic republic. However, leaders of Indian National congress, particularly Mahatma Gandhi and Nehru, under the megalomaniac aura of greatness, showed unprecedented large-heartedness but equally big short-sightedness and declared India to be a democratic Republic with no state religion. Gandhi even undertook fast to dissuade Muslims from migrating to Pakistan and Hindus from resorting to violence. Unfortunately, there was no such Gandhi across the borders, who could dissuade Hindus from migrating to India. Consequently a large population of Muslims not only stayed back in India, but also a great number returned to India when the dust of partition settled down. As if not enough, the Congress (INC) added the word ‘Secular’ to the Preamble of Constitution of India in 1976, thereby, pandering to its irresistible desire to appease the Muslim minority. Therefore, the demand for Hindu Rashtra is justified on the two nation theory.

5.     Hindutva, the third largest religion of the world, with more than a billion followers, does not have a ‘homeland’ known by its name. The only Hindu Kingdom of Nepal, too, turned secular under the Maoist influence. All other faiths can boast of their homeland. Yes, even Jews, who, after a long and sustained struggle with endless sufferings and surviving near extermination, succeeded in carving out a homeland – Israel, for themselves. Don’t a billion Hindus deserve a homeland …..? How long are you going to remain a minority majority in your own land?

6.     As already explained Hindutva is secular by nature and gives liberty of faith and worship to minorities. This implies that minorities can peacefully co-exist with Hindutva, unlike under Islamic regimes where they are fast evaporating. Therefore, India can smoothly transform into a Hindu Rashtra without affecting the interests of minorities adversely.

Now we look at the other side of coin. The talk of Hindu Rashtra is not only redundant, but also, irrelevant in the modern times. It will be interesting to explore reasons put forth by the status quo-ist.

                                                     

(To be continued…)