Anything Tulsi does appears be deeply involved with a trend in Indian politics most Americans, including American Hindus, would find deeply repugnant.
The Hindutva vision seeks India as Hindu -- Hindu according to a version of history that excludes objective evidence.
Which is why adherants of Hindutva such as the BJP foster censorship policies that attack academic freedom and dislike scholars of Indian history who go by evidence and not by Hindutva ideology.
Hindustan Times
Hinduism vs Hindutva: The search for an ideology in times of cow politics
Apr 10, 2017 09:30 IST
[www.hindustantimes.com]
and
Which means Indian Hindus studying abroad may be especially vulnerable to the blandishments of groups such as Oversees Friends of the BJP which fosters
this Hindutva ideology.
The Hindutva vision seeks India as Hindu -- Hindu according to a version of history that excludes objective evidence.
Which is why adherants of Hindutva such as the BJP foster censorship policies that attack academic freedom and dislike scholars of Indian history who go by evidence and not by Hindutva ideology.
Hindustan Times
Hinduism vs Hindutva: The search for an ideology in times of cow politics
Apr 10, 2017 09:30 IST
[www.hindustantimes.com]
Quote
While some present-day Hindu nationalists have at times claimed to use the term Hindu to “denote all people who believe in, respect or follow the eternal values of life that have sprung up in Bharat” rather than a religion, they contradict that claim when those ‘eternal values’ are given a religious slant.
“Hindutva has nothing to do with Hinduism as a faith or a religion, but rather as a badge of cultural identity and an instrument of political mobilisation,” says author and Member of Parliament, Shashi Tharoor. “Hinduism is a religion without fundamentals – no founder or prophet, no organised Church, no compulsory beliefs or rites of worship, no single sacred book…What we see today as Hindutva is part of an attempt to ‘semitise’ the faith – to make Hinduism more like the ‘better-organised’ religions like Christianity and Islam, the better to resist their encroachments.”
The accuracy of Tharoor’s statement is reflected in an article on the website of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP).
“The Hindu nation as a mere community… was equated with the Muslims and Christians who came here as invaders and aggressors and the Parsis and Jews who came here as refugees being driven away from their respective homelands,” rues the article.
Another article on the website declares, “Hindu interest is national interest. Hence the honour of Hindutva and Hindu interests should be protected at all costs.”
A similar mission is espoused by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on its website: “Expressed in the simplest terms, the ideal of the Sangh is to carry the nation to the pinnacle of glory through organizing the entire society and ensuring the protection of Hindu Dharma.”
and
Quote
the Hindutva narrative, “in order to achieve its larger goal of Hindi, Hindu, Hindustan, has no appetite for multiple voices, schools of philosophy and even traditions from within the Hindu religion,” says Mukul, a thought that is shared by Tharoor. “They also do not recognise the resistance of lower-caste Hindus and adivasis against the dominant Brahmanical tradition,” adds Mukul. “The idea of Hindutva is to Hinduise everyone and make them read one history that glorifies the ancient Hindu past...”
It finds easy targets, feels Nandy, among “the substantial portion of Hindus who are now urbanites and out of touch with their roots. Many have very localised faiths. So, when they migrate they need a different version of Hinduism, a laptop version, that began in the 19th century. It helps the political needs of the RSS and the BJP”.
Which means Indian Hindus studying abroad may be especially vulnerable to the blandishments of groups such as Oversees Friends of the BJP which fosters
this Hindutva ideology.