RSS: Marketing Fascism as Hindu Nationalism

Indian democratic-secular polity is passing through the most critical phase since its birth on August 15, 1947. It has been lately taken over by the RSS/BJP leaders committed to the Hindutva politics. This politics of Hindu separatism was neither part of modern India’s anti-colonial heritage nor has been faithful to the principles enshrined in the Preamble of the Constitution of India. The protagonists of Hindutva politics decried and continue to decry democracy, secularism, egalitarianism and an all-inclusive India. This book provides an insight into the philosophical moorings of the followers of Hindutva and their action plans to convert India into a theocratic Hindu State. This Hindutva project led by RSS is in full steam with the BJP victory in the last parliamentary elections held in 2014. It is no more a hidden agenda as the incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi identifies himself as Hindu nationalist. This study is based solely on the internal documents of the RSS/BJP and other fraternal Hindutva organizations. It is hoped that this RSS Reader will help researchers and common readers in getting acquainted with an ideology and its perpetrators who present the most lethal challenge to democratic-secular India. Shamsul Islam taught political science at the University of Delhi (1973-2013). As an author, columnist and dramatist he has been writing against religious bigotry, dehumanization, totalitarianism, persecution of minorities, Dalits and women. He is known for his work on the rise of nationalism, specially religion based nationalism and its development in India and the world. He writes in English, Hindi and Urdu.