Hindus for Human Rights was founded in the US in the wake of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s second-term win in the summer of 2019. Those of us who cared about human rights and secular democracy were despondent. How was it possible that after five years of Hindu nationalist rule, bookended by several mob lynchings of Muslims and Dalits and the Islamophobic Citizenship Amendment Act, Modi could have won with a bigger mandate than in 2014?
Five years later, Indians course-corrected. On the morning of 4 June, I woke up to the news of change, hope, and the promise of justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity. The BJP still won the most votes compared to other parties, but it wasn’t the landslide majority that they were banking on.
Over the last few months, Modi spouted hateful rhetoric about Muslims, calling them infiltrators and jihadis with too many children. He accused the Congress of stealing wealth from Hindus to give to Muslims. Politicians in the Opposition were thrown in jail. Many left the electoral race out of fear because their families were threatened. The Congress had its bank accounts frozen and other parties also faced threats from the Income Tax department.
Despite the BJP’s best efforts, the Indian people have voted for democracy and the human rights of all citizens. If the elections had been truly fair, perhaps the BJP would have been roundly trounced. “We The People” are awake, and the Indian democracy envisioned by its founders, MK Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, BR Ambedkar, and so many others, is alive and kicking.
The sweetest news was that the BJP lost Ayodhya, the site of the demolition of the Babri Masjid by Hindutva mobs in 1992, and the inauguration of a Ram temple by Modi on 22 January this year. Hindu voters have told us that their Lord Ram is Gandhi’s Ram. Switching Gods like designer outfits, Modi’s election result day speech replaced his usual “Jai Shri Ram” chant with “Jai Jagannath”.
The past 10 years have seen a sharp Right-ward shift in the Hindu diaspora community, with Islamophobic views being expressed openly. We have seen a bulldozer featured in an India Day parade in New Jersey, communal clashes in the streets of Leicester, UK, a fundraiser by a Texas Hindu organisation for the demolition of churches in India, and accusations of “Hinduphobia” thrown at all of us who oppose Hindutva.
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Big win for democracy, community
Hindutva groups in the Indian diaspora have entrenched themselves in a network of hate in the West. As elections approach in the US, we must be cautious of the treacherous alignment of White nationalists, Zionists, and Hindu nationalists, which threatens democracy here.
We’ve already had repeated warnings of this far-Right allegiance. For instance, former US President Donald Trump and Modi’s embrace at the “Howdy Modi” extravaganza in 2019; the fact that White supremacist Steve Bannon is a co-chair of the Republican Hindu Coalition; and an Indian flag raised at the 6 January 2021 attack on the US Capitol. Next month in July, we can look forward to a Washington DC conference titled “National Conservatism.” It will feature former national general secretary of the BJP and a member of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Ram Madhav, Hindu nationalist Swapan Dasgupta, alongside far-Right leaders like Bannon, Suella Braverman, and Christian nationalists who have called for banning Hindu Americans from holding public office. Hindutva is so invested in hate that it is willing to sacrifice Hindus for its agenda.
For Hindus for Human Rights, the 2024 Lok Sabha election result is a validation of our sincere and tireless efforts to build a Hindu movement rooted in love, which opposes caste discrimination and Hindutva.
Even if Modi remains India’s Prime Minister for the next five years, Indians’ spectacular puncture of his Hindutva hate force will enable us to deepen our community organising in the Hindu community, which we hope will be less fearful of difficult conversations. Indians have shown those of us in the diaspora what it means to be Hindu while rejecting Hindutva.
Now, we can connect the Hindus in the West with the groundswell of Hindus in India who turned away from casteism and Islamophobia. We hope the philanthropic community will understand the importance of supporting Indian diaspora organisations like us, which combat far-Right forces. We also hope that interfaith organisations and spaces will become more aware of the casteism and Hindu nationalism of some of their partners, and will welcome us as an alternative, more egalitarian, and representative Hindu movement.
We must not become complacent with what feels like a big win for secular democratic values. We must leverage the win to ensure that our Hindu community understands how dangerous it is to allow hate into our hearts and let fear paralyse us. When we court far-Right ideologies like Hindutva, we stand at the edge of the abyss. The general elections’ results are a lifeline we must grab and hold onto with all our might. Hindus in India just used their power as informed voters to deflate the power of Hindutva, even in strongholds like Ayodhya.
Secular and religious Hindus in the diaspora must follow their example, and come together as a force unassailable by those who want to divide us and spread hatred and violence.
Sunita Viswanath is the executive director and co-founder of Hindus for Human Rights. She tweets @SunitaSunitaV. Views are personal.
(Edited by Ratan Priya)
A true Hindu, and not a Hindutvadi!
Who is this idiot? Obviously i islamic fundamentalist using hindu word to target hindus..everyone is extremist others than muslims is the most funniest joke..Print and their wild muslim fans
No voters there have just voted on the local issues which they had faced, and BJP didn’t get time to sort them out due to the recent opening of the temple. Otherwise, if tryleu this is what it is, then Hindus have just prepared for another Pakistan in the next 2-3 decades. Historically we have supported voted and stood by for more secular ideas, but what has that got the Hindus?
We have faced rampant Hinduphobia all across the globe, and within India as well. Hindus need to learn the lesson from Muslims for whom what matters is only their whims and religion. We need a stronger PR not more secular ideology as that will get our culture killed, out faith finished.
As long there is far-left there will be far-right.Appeasement politics will be countered by polarisation.The top leadership on both factions knows that but they have to keep a check on their followers who can go overboard at times.