Republic of Hindutva: How the Sangh Is Reshaping Indian Democracy

by Badri Narayan

AN EXPLOSIVE ACCOUNT OF HOW THE RSS HELPS THE BJP WIN ELECTIONS

The RSS is like the tip of an iceberg, exerting its influence much beyond what is visible. Beginning with the choice of Narendra Modi as the forerunner for the 2014 general election up to the campaign for the 2019 election, RSS cadres have been a formidable force behind the staggering rise of the BJP in national politics.

In this eye-opening, necessary book, Badri Narayan offers an intimate glimpse of how the Sangh and its vast network of educational, cultural and social outfits have been digging deep roots in the Indian psyche. By refashioning its modes of mobilization as well as assimilating Dalits, OBCs, tribals and other marginalized communities, the RSS has made the Hindutva metanarrative appealing to a large section of Indians. During elections, the BJP—instead of wiping out caste from electoral politics—reaps rich political dividends from this social appropriation.

Drawing on extensive field research in the heartland of India and interviews with RSS volunteers, Narayan reveals how a new public is being forged at the grassroots, which will determine the course of Indian democracy.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, India

129 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 15, 2021

About the author

बद्री नारायण गोविन्द बल्लभ पन्त सामाजिक विज्ञान संस्थान, इलाहाबाद में सामाजिक इतिहास/सांस्कृतिक नृतत्वशास्त्र विषय के प्रोफेसर तथा सामाजिक विज्ञान संस्थान, मानव विकास संग्रहालय एवं दलित रिसोर्स सेन्टर के प्रभारी हैं।

यू.जी.सी., आई.सी.एस.एस.आर., आई.सी.एच.आर., तथा इंडियन इंस्टीटयूट ऑफ एडवांस्ड स्टडीज, शिमला (1998-99) के अलावा इंटरनेशनल इंस्टीटयूट ऑफ एशियन स्टडीज, लाइडेन यूनिवर्सिटी, द नीदरलैंड (2002), मैसौन द साइंसेज द ला होम, पेरिस के फेलो रहे हैं। फुलब्राइट एवं स्मट्स फेलोशिप (सितम्बर 2005-अप्रैल 2007) भी आपको मिल चुकी है।

हिन्दी के महत्त्वपूर्ण कवि के रूप में स्थापित। तीन कविता संकलन 'सच सुने कई दिन हुए’, 'शब्दपदीयम’ व 'खुदाई में हिंसा’ चर्चित रहे।

सम्मान : साहित्यिक औरी अकादमिक उपलब्धियों के लिये विभिन्न सम्मानों से सम्मानित किया गया है जिनमें भारत भूषण अग्रवाल स्मृति पुरस्कार, बनारसी प्रसाद भोजपुरी सम्मान एवं 'केदार सम्मान’ प्रमुख है। तीसरे कविता संकलन 'खुदाई में हिंसा’ के लिए स्पन्दन कृति सम्मान, राष्ट्रकवि दिनकर सम्मान से सम्मानित। वर्ष 2011 में कविता के लिए प्रतिष्ठित शमशेर सम्मान व मीरा स्मृति पुरस्कार (2012), से सम्मानित।

अंग्रेजी पुस्तकें : 'कांशीराम : लीडर ऑफ द दलित्स’, 'द मेकिंग ऑफ द दलित पब्लिक इन नॉर्थ इंडिया : उत्तर प्रदेश 1950-प्रेजेंट’, 'फैसिनेटिंग हिन्दुत्वा—सैफरान पालिटिक्स एंड दलित मोबलाईजेशन’, 'विमेन हिरोज एंड दलित एसरसन इन नार्थ इंडिया’, 'मल्टीपल मार्जिनेल्टिज : एन एंथोलॉजी ऑफ आइडेंटिफाइड दलित राइटिंग्स’, 'डाक्युमेंटिग डिसेंट : कंटेस्टिंग फेबल्स, कंटेस्टेड मेमोरिस् एंड दलित पॉलिटिकल डिस्कोर्स।

हिन्दी पुस्तक लोक संस्कृति में राष्ट्रवाद, लोक संस्कृति और इतिहास, संास्कृतिक गद्य।

Reviews

[Nallasivan V. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The devil is in the details. The critics of BJP paint the party and its tactics with broad brushes of fascism and communalism. Very few academics have looked at the day to day tactics of how the Sangh Parivar works and why it is successful. While others have tried to give a much more nuanced understanding of RSS (Damle and Anderson's RSS: A view from the inside) or BJP's rise (Vinay Sitapati's Jugalbandi), there was never a in-depth study of how RSS-BJP operates. This book does that to a large extent.

Badri Narayan draws from his decades of research in Central India and his own experience growing up in UP. The work is academic in every sense - methodical and comprehensive. A casual reader might even think it is too academic. Sometimes, you wish Narayan would draw more stories and anecdotes from his field notes and add colour to his brilliant analysis.

[E.T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a rooted account of the Sangh - RSS in the past few years. According to the author, the RSS has evolved and modernised itself. He has described the activities of the RSS without demonising it. Some of the information on the RSS's tireless social work was quite interesting.
He has kept his ideology and opinions largely silent and let the facts speak for themselves. The interpretation has been left to the readers. After completing the book too, I am unable to hazard a guess as to his political leanings. Only wish that the book had been longer and more in-depth.

[Harshil Mehta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Believe it or not, caste is a dominating factor in Indian elections.

Simply written, this book explores the complexity of castes in the Hindi belt, politics around them, and how Hindutva organisations are using them to bring them in the Hindutva narrative.

The BJP and the RSS are playing various cards—ranging from samajik samrasta baithak to reservation policies to appropriating caste histories—to fulfil the task of what Amit Shah calls ‘Samagra Hindutva’.

Read it if you are interested behind the rise of Hindutva organisations.

[Dixit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Deep insights based on fieldwork in UP and Bihar on evolution of the RSS, its ideology, its strategies and tactics while it is expanding itself throughout India. The RSS serves as mentor to a network of loosely affiliated organisations that take inspiration from it's ideology and work in various fields. One of them is BJP. The book explores the special relationship that RSS shares with BJP and how it's instrumental in BJP electoral victories.

The author describes in detail how social outreach programmes like 'Samajik Samrasta Campaign' are being undertaken by RSS help widen its sphere of influence in long term and is also benefits BJP politically. BJP's strategy of consolidating non-Yadav OBCs and non-Jatav SCs to counter SP and BSP is reinforced by social work that the Sangh has been carrying out among them. Its a long drawn out process with mix of perseverance and innovative strategies.

Innovative 'social politics' as practiced by BJP provides it an edge over regional caste based parties in Hindu heartland. In this venture it has support of the Sangh which works on long term ideological project than being limited by constraints of electoral politics.

[अभिषेक मुण्डेल · Rating 4 out of 5]

Without being Apologetic or Dismissive of 'Sangh Parivar' and its core ideology, Author - Badri Narayan - through his extensive field research, has rightly assessed RSS's various activities and outreach programs in reshaping the larger 'Hindutva consciousness' not only among the UC's but also amongst the tribals and the Dalits.

[Nagarajan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book on Hindutva, helped me to understand how they operated especially in UP, Bihar region. Must read for anyone who needs to join hands in resisting the rise of right-wing extremism in our country.

[Hilal Ahammed c c · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though the observations are limited mostly to UP and to a very small extent to Bihar, this book provides up-to-date and useful insights towards the inner workings of Sangh Parivar. The book explains how the mainstream idea of the Sangh, which is supposed to be dependent on the upper cast idea of Indian traditions, is outdated. It also explains how the BJP was able to penetrate the Bahujan and OBC vote base of SP and BSP through the work of RSS cadres at the grassroot level, addressing the less addressed casts and their aspirations towards equality and recognition in religion, society and politics.

[Divya Pal · Rating 2 out of 5]

Badri Narayan generally writes well-researched and insightful articles. This book, disappointingly, though promising a lot, delivers nothing.
The author bases his knowledge of the ‘machinations’ of the RSS on his tenuous connection to the organization in his childhood. His ‘field-work’ reveals nothing new. The modern tech-savvy, brown-pant clad avatar of the RSS is known to all, through posts on the ‘little blue bird.’ Most of the book is about the BJP and the Modi/Shah election winning duo – this is common knowledge.
The inner workings of the RSS still remain wrapped in an enigma despite this over-priced book.
Unrelated to the substance of the book, the epilogue offers a glimpse of the breaking down of cast-barriers during the COVID-19 pandemic - hence one more star added to the rating.

[Aruna Kumar Gadepalli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Research-based book on the politics that changes in 2014, 2019. Well-written book about the complexity of Indian politics.

[Tarun · Rating 1 out of 5]

No research or deep study done before writing the book. I can better information reading a bunch of news articles

[Khurram Shehzad · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book is about Sangh Parivar and its support to BJP, and the subsequent rise of BJP in Indian politics. It aptly identified the presence of such staunch support at grassroots level, which helped Mr. Modi climb to the highest post in India. And that's the first and last thing the book identifies truthfully. Some of the mantras used rather wrongfully are:

Inclusion: Friction, fractures, ruptures in political body is said to be avoided through inclusion while giving space to inner / outer contradictions and oppositions by the Sangh and BJP - the assertion is naive, as evident from the CAA / NRC which totally excludes Muslims from the citizenship of the State of India, especially from the states bordering Bangladesh. Many Muslims and Dalits have lost their citizenship overnight, for which 'camps' have been formulated; all with active support and patronage of BJP. The unilateral change of Kashmir's status through abrogation of articles 350 & 35A, and subsequent draconian lockdown for over a year is yet another example of 'inclusion'.

Fringe Element Blunt the Edge of Social Politics, Modi's Tool of Choice: The fact of matter is that complete machinery of BJP / RSS are working hand in gloves to subdue minorities. In 2019, head of BJP and Modi's right hand man Amit Shah termed Muslims as 'termites'. The only thing which the writer could come out was to abandon 'triple talaq' to 'impress' Muslims, which is again against their wishes and religious obligations. The daily lynching of Muslims by cow vigilante and their impunity from law is what is defining India of today. He also forgot that Modi's 'tool of choice' in Gujrat was the pogrom which killed over 2000 Muslims followed by destruction of Babri Mosque - headed by Modi, which infamously made him Butcher of Gujrat.

Appropriating National Icons: While Hindu icons such as Ambedkar, Sardar Patel, Chandra Bose, Lal Bahadur Shastri etc have been revered, those of 213 Million Muslims residing in India have been defamed and posed as villains. Even Bollywood has taken steps fo support the assertions. Terming a number of mythical Hindu heroes as saviours has put the general society in a rather unrealistic sense of superiority.

Polarisation Act Opposed by BJP Leaders during Pandemic: The truth of matter is that pandemic advanced the process of Islamophobia in India rapidly, wherein, physical, verbal and psychological warfare against Muslims was launched by the BJP to appropriate them the sole responsible community for the spread. No wonder, the term 'Corona Jihad' appeared in hashtags and Muslims were outcasted in their own country. The poor handling of Covid by the leading BJP was blamed on Tablighi Jamat which was later proved misleading by a leading behavioral and developmental economist Saugato Datta.

To summarise, it seems that the book is written by an RSS apologist, which willfully twists fascist Hindutva ideology, its Nazi inspiration and extremist undertakings, well documented and evident from what is happening to the minorities in India, every passing day; albeit with active support of BJP's Modi, Shah and UP's Yogi amongst many others. Once 'secular' India (at least in constitution) is reduced to Hindu India now and that's what 'Republic of Hindutva' should actually mean.

[Yashovardhan Sinha · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is very informative about the RSS and its role not just in politics but also in society. The author attended shakhas as a young boy, but joined the leftists in college. He now belongs to neither camp and his reporting is quite free of bias.

Narayan, who is from Arrah in Bihar, toured UP extensively before writing this book. He also interacted with RSS functionaries in Bihar. The book therefore carries not just what the top leaders of the Sangh Pariwar say, but also the thoughts and observations of ground level workers of the Pariwar.

If you are not so prejudiced that the name RSS itself raises red flags for you, reading The Republic of Hindutva should improve your understanding both of the Sangh Pariwar and the current politics of India.

[Bahulya Rishi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Digs through the ground work of RSS. Also tells you how the insinuation of 'Fascism and Brahminical Tyranny' is based on truth and how much of it is a social science imagination.
The ideology of RSS also hurts the actual casteist people who talk of "nature - nurture" principles and obviously won't see the so called Lower Jaati or Varnas having a political heft!


I would hope that Indian left and opposition would engage and present a counter view that is acceptable to masses, in reality and not forced down to them via power sharing agreements with Feudal Landlords, while themselves living under the facade of a 'Liberal' polity.

[AmAn Patni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Caste plays an important role in Indian elections.

The poet has conducted significant field research in North India, primarily in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, to determine what factors contributed to the RSS's success. How RSS evolved from an orthodox organisation to a modern organisation, and how it is assisting other socially disadvantaged groups.

[kaushik · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very unbiased emprical analysis of sangh's work in Indian society and how that work is charging , BJP's electoral vehicle in india. Must read if one wants to understand the evolving sociology of North Indian societ vis a vis right

[Vijay Krishnan A · Rating 3 out of 5]

What lies in RSS beyond the media narrative of being Hindutva Bigots? How is RSS reshaping the social structure in India, particularly in UP & Bihar? The author addresses these points in this book. For an unbiased version of how RSS works, this is an excellent read.

[Gopakumar · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nothing in this book that you couldn't have gleaned by reading newspapers daily. Although it gives you a sense of happiness when someone from the 'other' side grudgingly credits the RSS for its reformative work in the hinterlands.

[Vipul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very simple and a quick read. Author has dealt well with the reasons of support for RSS. The reason why opposition is failing to fight back are also well discussed.

[Anand · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good material, but very poorly written.

[Sarthak Bhatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author gives all the reasons for the rise of bjp but conveniently leaves out things such as the full-fledged attempt by bjp to punish non-godi journalists and the rise of the communal virus invoked by Mr Modi and his acolytes, he barely touches on these subjects other than that the book was good enough. He also says that fringe fascist elements are trying to hijack the benevolent bjp's objective of inclusion and communal harmony, Umm....... We have a home minister who compared Muslims to termites and wanted them to be thrown inside the indian ocean. So according to my amateur analysis, this fringe is the new mainstream of my beloved country. The only reason I gave this book 4 stars is that the author understands why bjp wins, yes communal poisoning gets a lot of votes but these party workers work all day long and they have provided for the poor welfare schemes, they pander to sc/st sentiments. They believe in their fascist ideology that's why they win for the opposition to win they need to go to the streets now and work twice as hard or this virus will progress unabatedly.

Ps- the author may be a Sanghi but I am not calling him a fascist they are two very different things.