amit madhur

Amitabh Tripathi
 

In last few months issue of terrorism has outplayed other issues in mainstream media along with political and academic circles in India but this time definition and nature of terrorism is very different the adjective behind terrorism has been replaced from “Islamic” to “ Hindutva( aka Hindu)”. This change in definition of terrorism with its face could bring jubilation in secular and liberal-leftist camp but as keen observer of Indian politics and Hindutva movement in India for a long time it does not enthuse me so much as this whole citadel of comparative perception of “ Hindutva “ terrorism is based on the long tradition of secularism in India to curb anti-Islamic feelings in nation with comparative perception of supposed communal Hindu forces who in some way feed each other as well breed competitive communalism.
 

This had been the way to deal with Hindu-Muslim   problem days since India was under colonial rulers and tying to come out of the clutches of imperial subjugation.

In this process of struggle for freedom several legs eclipsed the history of country and  when we got  independence few questions remain  unanswered and policy of dissolving to these problems rather than solving them was adopted and Hindu- Muslim problem was paramount in them. 
 

Before 1920’s when Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was not in hold of Congress party and freedom struggle several leaders from Congress from Arvind Ghosh to Chitranajan Das and later Lokamanya  Balgangadhar Tilak defined the freedom struggle as manifestation of long cherished dream of people of Barat to connect themselves with their  original spiritual, cultural continuity which has been disconnected once Muslim invaders ruled Bharat and tried to Islamize this country with plunders, destruction of temples and tried to impose Islamic values and customs on a tradition which  was totally alien to this new wave of forced conversion and institutionalized definition of religion. 
 

In the long history of Islamic rule in Bharat Hindus never give up and their struggle to save their values, territory, tradition and collective consciousness was always there.

It is other story to discuss how history    and academic institutions were distorted first to suit colonial and imperial masters and later this legacy was followed by Congress rulers even after independent country.. In this context only one thing could be said that  deliberate attempt to keep people in dark with disinformation and academic fraud as well as media and literary management allowed Congress to rule the nation having in   unprincipled pact with leftists for a long time.
 

Although Congress was successful in redefining the goal of independence during freedom struggle enthusing it with greater utopia of Hindu- Muslim unity but long cherished dream of crafting new Bharat with its own hand with its original soul and brick did not die and even Mahatma Gandhi was forced to borrow the technique of ancient Hindu tradition to communicate people in the name of “ RamDhun” and transforming  independent Bharat as “ Ramrajya”  .

Even though Mahatama Gandhi led the whole movement but as Bharat inches closer to the independence Mahatma Gandhi was unable to keep the flock together and new wave of ideologies romanticized youth of Congress party and some of them influenced with leftists and communists and few influenced with Mustafa KamalAtaturk model of secularism .

This chaos and anarchy of ideological confusion pave the way for indecision and fragmentation in Congress rank and file which ultimately made the whole freedom struggle direction less.

This double standard and ideological confusion in some way created a culture of hypocrisy in the whole movement and political system. This blatant example of hypocrisy was visible when Jawahar Lal Nehru admired Mustafa Kamal Ataturk for his efforts to abolish Ottoman Empire and transforming Turkey into a westernized secular state but this Congress leadership did not hesitate to oppose the khilafat movement in India to ignite the fundamentalist Muslims to achieve the goal of Jihad.
 

Since 1920 the whole movement for freedom struggle was a naked story of ideological confusion, weak leadership and hypocrite political culture.  This was the time when it was very much clear that India will get independence sooner or later and the whole movement of independence converted into Gandhi-Nehru saga.
 

The blunders, indecisiveness, hypocrisy and submission which took place in our leaders in this era were paradoxically later glorified as our achievements.
 

Pulling out ourselves from the pages of history if we talk in the context of contemporary situation of our country we can easily conclude few things. India is desperate to come out of the weak, indecisive, hypocrite culture of our political leadership and euphoria of Nehru-Gandhi duo is not unchallengeable.
 

India is trying to connect itself with its consciousness and unfinished long cherished dream of Bharatvarsh writing its destiny with its own hand is desperate to manifest it.
 

This conclusion is not based merely on gut feeling and sixth sense but it is result of extensive tour of several part of nation from north to South to north east to west. If you are a traveler of India without knowing the soul of the nation and influenced with propaganda of secular, liberal-leftists you will easily fall in their trap that India is changing. It is very much true that India is changing and aspirations of people from every class of people has multiplied more times in comparison to earlier days but what secularists with their leftist-liberal allies tried to prove is not accurate that new India is not cared for its identity and post modern India is totally disconnected with its heritage, ancestral consciousness and spiritual identity.
 

This propaganda heightened once last year’s result of general elections came out and euphoria of new post modern India eclipsed the whole debate from academia to political class.
 

What I transpired from my visit tried to verify at several levels before writing it into an article. In the whole country micro-level identity consciousness is gaining ground and aspiration to enhance the status is common phenomenon. In the whole country one other phenomenon is collapse of ideological fraternity. Communism, secularism and socialism don’t romanticize young people and they are guided by their self interest rather than ideological leanings. Is it a phenomenon which is going to stay there or it is temporary phenomenon? Which is result of long history of hypocrite political culture and ideological market in India?
 

Ideological collapse has exposed the real cultic and decentralized nature of India and micro-level identity based on region, caste , sub-caste is emerging and it has given a wrong impression to few political observers and political parties that post-modern India is heading towards a nation without identity consciousness and ancestral consciousness.
 

This phenomenon reflects one thing that artificial ideological imposition on the country does not work and at this point of time no leader in country has national character and appeal to bind the country with one goal and mission.
 

In this arena of political system some political parties are trying to enthuse a culture in country to institutionalize the corruption in the name of NGO activities. 

Post modern India is curious for its development and new middle class who seems under influence of consumerism and lavish life style is not so insensitive and irresponsible as we often think of it.  In this post-modern India this middle class has grown to this level from its lower middle class level with help of liberalization and it is taking time to fulfill its desires first which had attracted it since long time which were earlier monopolized by elite class.   In last few years approximately for one decade whenever social psyche was deciphered this transition was ignored.
 

It is up to the leadership and political system in country to think how this new middle class which is replacing traditional elite could be used in nation building. In last one decade communism and left ideology has been discarded and the fraud of mixing atheist communism with secularism has been brought down as public display of Hindu identity has not been a taboo and anti-modern at all. 
 

At the same time divide of village and city and metro city is there but there is one difference in the perception of this divide as it had been explained earlier and difference remains not to define it in leftist and communist way.  In last few decades several social groups in country had been able to get their share in political system and this has embolden the faith of all people in country in democratic structure as they think they are very much part of system and they will be listened.  It has been the basic reason behind my one conclusion that any movement in India will not get any support from common people which will talk of abolishing the system and destroy it. In this scenario chances are very low that nexalite terrorism would be able to overthrow the system and get mass support for its cause unless it gets international support and high political support within our own system and political parties.
 

But instead of this one interesting question remains how ideologies will react in India in near future. It would be naïve to believe that leftists, communists and socialists will easily believe that they are very much outdated. Definitely they will not and they are hobnobbing with anti-national forces and international fraternity to make them relevant even at the cost of dividing India.
 

The slogan of post-modern India has been circulated by secularist and leftist –liberal to undermine the Hindu identity of India to diminish its prospects to convert it into Bharatvarsh  but one phenomenon which these forces has not counted for is still India is bind by its spiritual consciousness and feeling of unity among its diversity. Few people can call it mere intellectual argument but I want to prove it in modern context.
 

In few years especially in last two years regional aspirations has been surfaced as Marathi maanush, clash of states on interstate issues, several mass movements to bring few casts in reservation category. In spite  of these issues one silent silver lining could be experienced that these consciousness for identity doesn’t contrast to its broader identity of Hindu and ancestral spiritual tradition of one broader HINDU family.

Even it is Marathi people he may raise hostile issues for its fellow countrymen of few states for political reasons but when it comes the issue of Ganpati Bappa he does not think him as a deity who is not part of Hindu family. It is the case with Bengal is also where Bengali language and Bengali culture is being treated as an independent entity but when in last few years infiltration of Bangladeshi Muslims has not only changed the demography of this state but these Muslims has also brought with them the wahabi brand of Islam and it has made Bengali people panicky and first time Benagalis  realized their culture and tradition is under attack.
 

In north Eastern states especially in Assam and Manipur where Hindus still matter are under threat of losing their identity and it has provoked them to call for Hindu unity.  The most populated state of India Uttar Pradesh has been considered as a failed state in terms of governance but tension on Hindus that they are under siege is very much visible in their action and frustration to manifest their identity in cast.
 

Bihar is also a classic case where governance and development has brought all section of people together but apprehensions are there for those policies which advocate for greater role for Muslims in political and social life.
 

One phenomenon is rampant everywhere that behind cultic and decentralized identity consciousness  there are strong aspirations to come out of artificial and imposed ideological bondage to connect themselves with their original ancestral tradition. The whole India in spite of its diversity has a common feeling that this country is their motherland and the values, institutions and system which they have developed are their own and they are not going to allow any force whether inside or outside to destabilize the system or  encroach its values.
 

It would be monumental blunder again if we think that India has lost its Hindu consciousness and post modern India only care for development not its values and identity.  The new India even presents more complicated picture where people tend to silent on various issues for being politically correct but did not forget who they are and how can they preserve themselves. 
 

Now we don’t find young revolutionary people of leftist and communist leanings who want to overthrow system with their utopian model of system but they want this system to function in more accurate and transparent manner.
 

India is going through a phase of churning where borrowed leaders, ideologies and faiths whose roots and goals are situated outside country  will no more be allowed to dictate terms in country.  In political terminology and those who love to define terms in western context could define it neo-conservatives of India but rather it would be defined as Neo-Hindu nationalists who want to assert themselves.
 

It is really unfortunate and depressing to see that polity and leadership in country is unable to understand the mood and psyche of country. To sum up India is waiting for a leader for a long time who can live up to the expectations of new India and cut itself from the legacy of weak, indecisive, hypocrite political culture. It may sound strange for people but any new phenomenon and change in itself sound strange initially but in few years we will witness lot of change in ideologies and politics in India and who will not maneuver   and update themselves will be thrown out in dustbin of history. India is destined to connect itself with its ancestral and spiritual tradition and discover it in new dynamic, assertive, aggressive and modern way to stun the whole world.   Leaders in county as soon as will realize that days of imposed ideologies and academic fraud are over it will be better for them and in their interest.  People would not believe in any way that so called “ Hindutva” terrorism is a threat to nation  as “Islamic” terrorism. It is manifestation of new Hindu nationalist wave which is in the offing.