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Kerala priest says Hindutva is distorted Hinduism

D Jose in Thiruvananthapuram

A Christian priest in Kerala, who has researched the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh for a doctoral degree from Paris's Sorbonne University, sees elements of communalism, fundamentalism, fascism and totalitarianism in its ideology.

Father Vincent Kunudukulam of the St Thomas Pontifical Seminary, Aluva, expressed the fear that the nation envisioned by the protagonists of Hindutva can turn out to be fascist if the moderate and progressive sections in the organisation fail to assert themselves. He said the RSS was now guided by hard-liners who dream of building a Hindu nation on the basis of the ideals and strength of a bygone golden era.

Though there is a good number of progressive and moderate men in the organisation, Father Vincent doubts whether they would be able to assert their views.

The thesis on the RSS and the Church in India was published in the form of a book under the title RSS -- Enthe? Engott (What is RSS? Where is it headed to?). The priest, who studied the genesis of the party and its growth in Madhya Pradesh and Kerala from the Jana Sangh days in 1951, feels it is trying to impose its brand of Hindutva on low-caste Hindus and the minorities.

He said the RSS brand of Hindutva was a distorted version of Hinduism.

A practising priest, Father Vincent traces the birth of the RSS to the inferiority felt by the majority Hindu community on account of their failure to have a proportionate say in the governance of the country despite numerical superiority. The socio-political conditions prevailing in the country offered a fertile ground for the RSS to grow by leaps and bounds.

The priest said the protagonists of Hindutva were trying to unite the Hindus by misinterpreting the ancient teachings to establish socio-economic and political control. What is ultimate in their minds is power for upper castes, the thesis says.

The Hindu nationalism that the Sangh Parivar advocates, he says, is misguided. This is more close to ethenocentric nationalism, which in the European context serves only a particular group. The RSS, whose primary loyalty is to the Hindus, has no indebtedness to collective autonomy, collective individualism and pluralism, which are the features of true nationalism, known as polycentric nationalism, says Father Vincent.

Nationalism represents the collective consciousness of the people, transcending all barriers of caste, religion and creed. Religion has no place in nationalism. The book says that the Sangh Parivar aims at uniting the Hindus for their own social and political uplift.

Father Vincent feels the Hindutva ideology that the RSS pursues is communal. He argues that the party maintains its Hindu identity by taking stands against Christians and Muslims. He traces several features of fundamentalism in the functioning of the party. He said a substantial section in the organisation is for reviving Brahmin supremacy and the Chaturvarnya (four caste) system.

However, the author notes that the RSS has tried to imbibe the political, economic, social and cultural facets of the changing times. He argues that despite ideologically opposing both capitalism and socialism, the party is dominated by capitalists, who are trying to protect their interests under the cover of Hindutva.

The author also finds several features of totalitarianism. However, he refuses to brand the RSS as totalitarian as the sarsanghchalak does not enjoy the total authority.

Father Vincent admires the RSS for the dedication and discipline of its cadres and the moral teaching it imparts to the younger generation. He finds a certain degree of flexibility in the organisation, to move with the times. He said the BJP government at the Centre has so far not demonstrated any fundamentalist, fascisst or communal features of it parent organisation.

The priest was motivated to conduct his research as he felt the Catholic Church should study the philosophy, organisational structure and socio-political movements in the society to understand the milieu in which it operates. He was dissuaded by many from selecting the RSS as his topic, as they thought that any adverse remarks against the organisation would invite its wrath.

However, the reception the RSS gave to his book has belied their fears, the priest said.

The book has been received well not only in the Church but also in RSS circles. The priest said that in his assessment of the organisation, he had tried to be as objective as possible.

Father Vincent's conclusion is that the ancient Hindu culture can find a place in the global scenario if only the leadership tries to promote a secular India bereft of communalism. To achieve this, he feels that the moderate and progressive sections in the organisation should take up leadership.

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