Prof Ram Puniyani
THE report of the V-Dem Institute on India, as published in The Hindu, states that almost all components of democracy were getting worse in more countries than they were getting better. It singled out freedom of expression, clean elections, and freedom of association/civil society as the three worst affected components in autocratising countries.”
The report aptly summarises the ground reality in India. To cap it all India is seeing the worst treatment of its minorities. The RSS-BJP combine has lately resorted to using Hindu festivals/congregations as yet another tool to intimidate minorities. This was amply witnessed in the pattern of Ram Navami celebrations, the Holi festivities and the Kumbh Mela.
This rising pattern of authoritarianism of the ruling dispensation during the last more than ten years was the major factor in the coming together of most of the opposition parties to form the INDIA bloc, despite many inner contradictions. The overall impact of the coalition, with Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo and Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra and the social groups forming the platforms like Eddulu Karnataka and Bharat Jodo Abhiyan impacted the Lok Sabha results and the target of BJP to cross 400 seats in Lok Sabha was crushed.
It is true that the progression of the INDIA bloc did not go in the desired direction of forming an ongoing platform for state elections. This was one of the reasons for the setback to the INDIA bloc partners in the Maharashtra and Haryana elections. Another reason was that all organisations affiliated with the Sangh Parivar put their full force behind the BJP. This is not a new development, but it is noteworthy that during the Lok Sabha elections, BJP President JP Nadda stated that the BJP no longer needed RSS’s help because it had become strong enough to win elections on its own.
It seems that after the Lok Sabha elections, several constituent parties of the INDIA bloc have adopted a neglectful and indifferent attitude toward strengthening the alliance. Even the largest opposition party, the Congress, has not taken any major initiative in this regard. It is important to note that the ideologically strong component of this alliance, the CPI(M), is reconsidering its approach. Its acting General Secretary, Prakash Karat, has stated that the INDIA bloc was formed for the Lok Sabha elections, not for state elections, and he has called for a broader coalition of secular opposition parties.
He also emphasised that alliances should be viewed from a wider perspective so that electoral politics does not suffocate them. Left-leaning intellectuals express similar views, arguing that the BJP is not a completely fascist party. For instance, Prabhat Patnaik argues that neoliberal capitalism creates a “fascist-like” environment, which manifests as right-wing authoritarian movements, xenophobia, hyper-nationalism, and the erosion of democratic values, but it does not necessarily recreate the fully fascist regimes of the 1930s.
Several terms have been used for Hindutva nationalism; neo-fascism, proto-fascism, fundamentalism and radicalism. However, what is important to understand is that no political phenomenon repeats itself in the same way. Today, many characteristics of Hindutva nationalism resemble fascism. Fascism itself was the inspiration for RSS founders, especially MS Golwalkar. In his book We, or Our Nationhood Defined, he wrote:“To maintain the purity of our culture and race, Germany astounded the world by expelling the Semitic race — Jews — from its country. This is the highest expression of racial pride. Germany has also shown that it is nearly impossible for different cultures and races with fundamental differences to integrate. This is an important lesson for Hindustan, which we must learn from and benefit from.”
We are witnessing many of the fascist traits in India: Glorifying a mythical golden past; aspiration for Akhand Bharat (Undivided India); portraying minorities as enemies of the nation, authoritarianism; promoting corporate power; stifling the freedom of expression and dominating the social thinking.
Here we are witnessing the intolerance to freedom of expression as recently witnessed in the case of Tushar Gandhi, great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, saying that “…the RSS is poison. They are trying to destroy the soul of the country. We should be fearful about that because if the soul is lost, everything is lost.” Tushar Gandhi was asked to apologise and to take back his words. He did neither, and now he is facing death threats.
With the vast spread of RSS and hundreds of its organisation, thousands of its pracharaks and lakhs of its activists, it is threatening the idea of India which emerged from the freedom movement. The values of the freedom movement got expressed in our Constitution, which is based on the equal rights of all citizens and is inclusive to the core. RSS planted its ideology, which is opposed to the values of the freedom movement and the Indian Constitution, through its vastly growing network.
It initially created hatred for Muslims by abusing history, as witnessed in Maharashtra where razing the tomb of Aurangzeb has assumed top priority for the ruling BJP. Simultaneously it is also targeting the major leader of the freedom movement, Mahatma Gandhi, by propagating that he had no role in getting us freedom; many of its social media posts have even gone to the extent of claiming that Gandhi sabotaged our freedom movement.
The list is long. What is to be done today? Karat is right that a broader secular platform has to be created. The INDIA coalition was precisely the first step. The need is to strengthen this alliance much further. The rough edges in the coalition need to be sorted out and Karat’s party with over a million members can play a major role in boosting this alliance further, despite some contradictions among the coalition partners. For major reasons, small sacrifices are mandatory.
To further bolster this process, social organisations must continue their impactful work, just as they did during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. A national secular alliance can also be initiated. Whether the current ruling dispensation is fully fascist or exhibits fascist tendencies, the INDIA bloc must strategise to create a broad coalition infused with the same energy and momentum that was witnessed just before the last general elections.
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Prof Ram Puniyani is an eminent author, activist and a former professor at IIT Mumbai. The views expressed here are personal and Clarion India does not necessarily share or subscribe to them.
