Hindu Rashtra Controversy: India is also called Hindustan. Hindustan is made up of two words – Hindu + place. Means the place where Hindus live. Many historians have their own views regarding the origin of the words Hindustan or Hindu, but there is a common belief among certain sections of the majority of India that the people living in Hindustan are Hindus and where Hindus live, it is a Hindu nation. Since there is no documentation of this tag, the demand for making ‘Hindu Rashtra’ gets louder from time to time.
Why is the issue of Hindu Rashtra in discussion these days?
Presently the issue of Hindu Rashtra is very much discussed and heated up. There are many reasons behind this. Recently, Peethadhishwar Dhirendra Krishna Shastri of Bageshwar Dham, who has been in the headlines, is performing a seven-day yagya regarding the pledge of Hindu Rashtra, in which many big leaders of BJP and Congress have been seen participating. Dhirendra Shastri has said that “India will become a Hindu nation. Hindustan means Hindu nation.”
The followers of Dhirendra Shastri believe that Baba has done the work of uniting the Hindu public through his alleged miracles or activities. And recently the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath Said that India was, is and will remain a Hindu nation. In Rajasthan, he declared Sanatan Dharma as the national religion. At the same time, Bhopal MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur has supported the formation of Sanatan Board by targeting the Waqf Board. According to him, Sanatan Dharma is the national religion.
Many factions are also included in those who reject the concept of Hindu Rashtra. Mainly, AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi is often seen questioning the issue. According to Owaisi, if a Hindu nation is formed then what will happen to Ambedkar’s constitution, will it be burnt and a new constitution will be made? He has questioned the silence of the government on the matter.
Difference between ‘country’ and ‘nation’
Before understanding the idea of ’Hindu nation’ it is necessary to know the difference between ‘country’ and ‘nation’. Generally people understand nation as country but in reality there is a difference between them. Experts say that a group of people having a similar cultural identity is called a nation, while a country means a piece of land, which has its own autonomous and political identity. Regarding the identity of India as a nation, an example is given related to the rule of the British. It is said that the British people ruled the whole of India, in this way the whole country was united in one thread, then the people of the whole country united against the British, due to this a ‘national movement’ against the British rule was formed.
Where did the idea of Hindu Rashtra come from?
There are different opinions among the experts about where the idea of Hindu Rashtra came from. Some call it the product of the purpose of the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh, while many consider freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, who gave the idea of ’Hindutva’, responsible for it. Savarkar had written two books on Hindutva – one ‘Hindutva: Who are Hindus’ and the other ‘Essentials of Hindutva’. He defined Hinduism as a philosophy. According to Savarkar, only Hindus do not come under the ambit of Hindutva, Muslims and Christians born in India are part of Hindutva. His argument was that Muslims and Christians born in India do not have a separate nation, race or culture, so they come into Hinduism.
There is an allegation on the RSS that since its inception (1925) the organization has been working to implement the agenda of Hindu Rashtra. Along with this, the demand for making India a Hindu nation from many right-wing ideologies or Hinduist organizations and institutions often keeps gaining momentum.
What does the constitution say?
The Constitution of India does not mention Hindu Rashtra. The word Hindu is found in Article 25 (2B) of the Constitution. It states that nothing in this article shall provide for the opening of “Hindu” religious institutions of a public character “for social welfare and reform” to all classes and sections (different groups within the larger group) of Hindus. (Provision) does.
Let us tell you that in 1976, the 42nd amendment was made in the constitution, then the word ‘secular’ was added to its preamble. Panth means path. People of many sects live in the country. Secular is generally considered to be secular. In such a situation, it can be understood that the constitution does not run on the basis of any creed or religion.
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