Strategy for united struggle against Hindutva 'fascism': Ideological silence is 'no option'

By Dr Bhabani Shankar Nayak*
Electoral alliance and opportunism of national and regional political parties, neoliberal economic marginalisation and soft secular Hindutva line pandering to Hindu majoritarianism laid the foundation of Hindutva fascism in post-colonial India.
It is in this context, Indians need to develop a broad front based on mass movements inside and outside the parliament which would ensure the defeat of Hindutva fascists and create effective political alternatives for the survival of the idea of India.
Hindutva fascism is not a movement for changing India towards peace and prosperity. It is a reactionary movement of the ruling and non-ruling elites in India. In the name of Ram temple, Hindu religion and cultural nationalism, it represents the interests of the national and international corporations.
The capture and dominance of state power by BJP, RSS and Sangh Parivar accelerates the process of establishing full fledge fascism in India. It is a matter of time before the bourgeois democratic methods; the electoral processes, rule of law and constitutional sanctities becomes irrelevant. Like secularism, democracy is going to be a dirty word in India soon.
The narrative of Hindutva fascism is based on the politics of hate and disdain for reason, science, secularism, democracy and rule of law. Modi-led BJP and RSS are working on making this as a pan Indian narrative.

Once this project is complete, Hindutva fascist will move from lynching Muslims and killing rationalists to everyday mass violence against any opposition to their politics and power. The democratic illusion, we see today will evaporate very soon.
The Hindutva fascists can brazenly represent monopoly capital and their control over Indian state and all natural resources. Violence is going to be a tool and new normal in everyday lives of Indians.
Can we fight this evil called Hindutva fascist effectively with old electoral methods? The answer is written on the wall and we have crossed that stage. We need an anti-fascist movement in India based on a clear and revolutionary manifesto.

United Against Hate campaign is a good beginning, but we have to create a united struggle against Hindutva fascism based on a manifesto

We can shape the manifesto based on anti-fascists movements in history and our current experiences with Hindutva fascists in India. United Against Hate (UAH) campaign is a good beginning but it is not enough. We have to create a united struggle against Hindutva fascism based on a manifesto which can include following ten programmes:

Fight against caste, communalism and capitalism is a common battle. We cannot fight Hindutva fascists without fighting the evils of caste system within and outside Hindu religion. Caste remains the foundation of Hindutva communal politics in India. Hindutva fascism is the life and blood of local, national and international capitalist class. Therefore, any attempt to fight Hindutva fascism depends on our commitment to fight caste, communalism and capitalism;
Ensure social, economic, political and cultural citizenships based on reason, science, and constitutionally guaranteed inalienable rights of one and all without any form of discrimination;
Ensure freedom and rights of the minority communities based on progressive values;
Militantly fight against regional and religious reactionaries from all communities and within religions;
A democratic system which is more than periodic elections. Let the local people decide the nature of their development policies and manage their resources;
Ensure gender and sexual equality and broad unity among people;
Ensure scientific education and isolate blind believes and superstitions of all kind;
Isolate and defeat Hindutva fascists in social, cultural and political sphere;
Form alliance between all democratic, secular and progressive forces in India;
Ensure social and economic justice for all; and
Promote peace, harmony and prosperity among all.

The strategies for united struggles against Hindutva fascism are about guiding the struggle to advance the cause of masses towards peace and prosperity. It is not about ideological puritanism of any political formation or party.
The organisational strategies against Hindutva fascism is an adultery between individual and mass consciousness and struggle to advance the interests of the working class masses (dalits, women, Muslims, tribals, farmers, minorities, workers, rural communities, students, unemployed youths, students, rural and urban poor).
Fighting Hindutva fascism is central to the class struggle in India. It is extremely important and urgent to forge broad unity and defeat fascist RSS/BJP. It would be a sheer illusion to build an egalitarian, peaceful and prosperous India without defeating Hindutva fascists.
The political and ideological silence is no longer a choice for us. History tells us as witness that defeat of Hindutva fascism certain and inevitable. Therefore, the only choice is to fight and defeat Hindutva fascists and their ideological narratives in India.
---
*Senior Lecturer in Business Strategy, Coventry Business School, Coventry University, United Kingdom

Comments

राजस्थान, मध्यप्रदेश, पश्चिम बंगाल, झारखंड और केरल फिसड्डी: जल जीवन मिशन के लक्ष्य को पाने समन्वित प्रयास जरूरी

- राज कुमार सिन्हा* जल संसाधन से जुड़ी स्थायी समिति ने वर्तमान लोकसभा सत्र में पेश रिपोर्ट में बताया है कि "नल से जल" मिशन में राजस्थान, मध्यप्रदेश, पश्चिम बंगाल, झारखंड और केरल फिसड्डी साबित हुए हैं। जबकि देश के 11 राज्यों में शत-प्रतिशत ग्रामीणों को नल से जल आपूर्ति शुरू कर दी गई है। रिपोर्ट में समिति ने केंद्र सरकार को सिफारिश की है कि मिशन पुरा करने में राज्य सरकारों की समस्याओं पर गौर किया जाए।

How the slogan Jai Bhim gained momentum as movement of popularity and revolution

By Dr Kapilendra Das* India is an incomprehensible plural country loaded with diversities of religions, castes, cultures, languages, dialects, tribes, societies, costumes, etc. The Indians have good manners/etiquette (decent social conduct, gesture, courtesy, politeness) that build healthy relationships and take them ahead to life. In many parts of India, in many situations, and on formal occasions, it is common for people of India to express and exchange respect, greetings, and salutation for which we people usually use words and phrases like- Namaskar, Namaste, Pranam, Ram Ram, Jai Ram ji, Jai Sriram, Good morning, shubha sakal, Radhe Radhe, Jai Bajarangabali, Jai Gopal, Jai Jai, Supravat, Good night, Shuvaratri, Jai Bhole, Salaam walekam, Walekam salaam, Radhaswami, Namo Buddhaya, Jai Bhim, Hello, and so on. A soft attitude always creates strong relationships. A relationship should not depend only on spoken words. They should rely on understanding the unspoken feeling too. So w...

Aurangzeb’s last will recorded by his Maulvi: Allah shouldn't make anyone emperor

By Mohan Guruswamy Aurangzeb’s grave is a simple slab open to the sky lying along the roadside at Khuldabad near Aurangabad. I once stopped by to marvel at the tomb of an Emperor of India whose empire was as large as Ashoka the Great's. It was only post 1857 when Victoria's domain exceeded this. The epitaph reads: "Az tila o nuqreh gar saazand gumbad aghniyaa! Bar mazaar e ghareebaan gumbad e gardun bas ast." (The rich may well construct domes of gold and silver on their graves. For the poor folks like me, the sky is enough to shelter my grave) The modest tomb of Aurangzeb is perhaps the least recognised legacies of the Mughal Emperor who ruled the land for fifty eventful years. He was not a builder having expended his long tenure in war and conquest. Towards the end of his reign and life, he realised the futility of it all. He wrote: "Allah should not make anyone an emperor. The most unfortunate person is he who becomes one." Aurangzeb’s last will was re...

PUCL files complaint with SC against Gujarat police, municipal authorities for 'unlawful' demolitions, custodial 'violence'

By A Representative The People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) has lodged a formal complaint with the Chief Justice of India, urging the Supreme Court to initiate suo-moto contempt proceedings against the police and municipal authorities in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The complaint alleges that these officials have engaged in unlawful demolitions and custodial violence, in direct violation of a Supreme Court order issued in November 2024.

Incarcerated for 2,424 days, Sudhir Dhawale combines Ambedkarism with Marxism

By Harsh Thakor One of those who faced incarceration both under Congress and BJP rule, Sudhir Dhawale was arrested on June 6, 2018, one of the first six among the 16 people held in what became known as the Elgar Parishad case. After spending 2,424 days in incarceration, he became the ninth to be released from jail—alongside Rona Wilson, who walked free with him on January 24. The Bombay High Court granted them bail, citing the prolonged imprisonment without trial as a key factor. I will always remember the moments we spent together in Mumbai between 1998 and 2006, during public meetings and protests across a wide range of issues. Sudhir was unwavering in his commitment to Maoism, upholding the torch of B.R. Ambedkar, and resisting Brahmanical fascism. He sought to bridge the philosophies of Marxism and Ambedkarism. With boundless energy, he waved the banner of liberation, becoming the backbone of the revolutionary democratic centre in Mumbai and Maharashtra. He dedicated himself ...

Censor Board's bullying delays 'Phule': A blow to India's democratic spirit

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* A film based on the life and legacy of Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule was expected to release today. Instead, its release has been pushed to the last week of April. The reason? Protests by self-proclaimed guardians of caste pride—certain Brahmin groups—and forced edits demanded by a thoroughly discredited Censor Board.

State Human Rights Commission directs authorities to uphold environmental rights in Vadodara's Vishwamitri River Project

By A Representative The Gujarat State Human Rights Commission (GSHRC) has ordered state and Vadodara municipal authorities to strictly comply with environmental and human rights safeguards during the Vishwamitri River Rejuvenation Project, stressing that the river’s degradation disproportionately affects marginalized communities and violates citizens’ rights to a healthy environment. The Commission mandated an immediate halt to ecologically destructive practices, rehabilitation of affected communities, transparent adherence to National Green Tribunal (NGT) orders, and public consultations with experts and residents. The order follows the Concerned Citizens of Vadodara coalition—environmentalists, ecologists, and urban planners—submitting a detailed letter to authorities, amplifying calls for accountability. The group warned that current plans to “re-section” and “desilt” the river contradict the NGT’s 2021 Vishwamitri River Action Plan, which prioritizes floodpla...

Beyond his riding skill, Karl Umrigar was admired for his radiance, sportsmanship, and affability

By Harsh Thakor* Karl Umrigar's name remains etched in the annals of Indian horse racing, a testament to a talent tragically cut short. An accident on the racetrack at the tender age of nineteen robbed India of a rider on the cusp of greatness. Had he survived, there's little doubt he would have ascended to international stature, possibly becoming the greatest Indian jockey ever. Even 46 years after his death, his name shines brightly, reminiscent of an inextinguishable star. His cousin, Pesi Shroff, himself blossomed into one of the most celebrated jockeys in Indian horse racing.

CPM’s evaluation of BJP reflects its political character and its reluctance to take on battle against neo-fascism

By Harsh Thakor* A controversial debate has emerged in the revolutionary camp regarding the Communist Party of India (Marxist)'s categorization of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Many Communists criticize the CPM’s reluctance to label the BJP as a fascist party and India as a fascist state. Various factors must be considered to arrive at an accurate assessment. Understanding the original meaning and historical development of fascism is essential, as well as analyzing how it manifests in the present global and national context.

Implications of deaths of Maoist leaders G. Renuka and Ankeshwarapu Sarayya in Chhattisgarh

By Harsh Thakor* In the wake of recent security operations in southern Chhattisgarh, two senior Maoist leaders, G. Renuka and Ankeshwarapu Sarayya, were killed. These operations, which took place amidst a historically significant Maoist presence, resulted in the deaths of 31 individuals on March 20th and 16 more three days prior.

Search This Blog