Hindu and Hindutva Ideology in Indian Polity: Examining Modi’s Administration

Abstract

The idea of India as an inclusive and secular nation-state has been challenged by the rise of Hindu nationalist ideology known as Hindutva. Promoted by organisations like the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and political parties like the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Hindutva advocates for the establishment of a Hindu Rashtra (nation) in India by marginalising minority groups. It involves the “otherisation” of non-Hindus, especially Muslims and Christians, and promotes the Hindu-centric narrative in the country’s history, culture, legislative and administrative setup, which seeks to transform India from a secular democratic republic to an authoritarian Hindu-supremacist one. The paper aims to analyse the widespread resentment towards Indian Muslims arguing that the formation of Hindu identity is deeply intertwined with political processes influenced by the ideologies of the RSS and BJP. It examines various facets of Indian politics, especially under Modi’s government to gain insights into the normative implementation of Hindutva within the contexts of institutionalism and linguistic discourse. It posits that the BJP’s policies and the narrative of Hindus as the ‘sons of the soil’ contribute to the marginalisation of other identities, particularly Indian Muslims. The paper examines modes to understand Hindutva’s normative approach in Modi’s government within the framework of institutionalism and linguistic discourse, focusing on Indian polity.