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Hindu American Foundation publishes guide on Hindu nationalism and Hindutva
While there are already guides available for reporters on Hindutva, most of them have been authored by individuals and activists who approach the topic of Hindu nationalism from a standpoint of opposition, HAF said.
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The Hindu American Foundation is an American Hindu non-profit advocacy group founded in 2003. / Hindu American Foundation
The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) has recently released a guide on Hindutva and Hindu nationalism, aiming to provide a concise explanation of the origins of Hindutva, and the beliefs held by its supporters. This guide also addresses common accusations and misunderstandings about Hindutva.
As India has emerged a significant global power in the past decade, and especially following the conclusion of the 2024 elections, journalists in the West have shown a heightened interest in exploring the ideological underpinnings of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and several of its prominent advocates, HAF said in a statement. At the core of this foundation lies Hindutva, commonly known as Hindu nationalism.
Hindutva explicitly emphasizes the uniquely pluralistic nature of Indian culture and civilization, as well as the diverse religious traditions that have emerged in the Indian subcontinent over the past centuries.
“It explores how this inclusive ethos can influence the governance of a diverse modern nation. This guide offers a timeline of key moments in the history of the term, organizations, events, and notable individuals involved in the approximately 150 years of the usage of the term 'Hindutva',” the HAF statement said.
The organization’s goal is to provide readers with a better understanding of the origins of the civil ideology of Hindutva.
While there are already guides available for reporters on Hindutva, most of them have been authored by individuals and activists who approach the topic of Hindu nationalism from a standpoint of opposition, HAF said. They often portray it solely as a negative force in Indian society. Some even equate Hindutva with supremacist ideologies such as white supremacy, Christian nationalism, and European fascism, it added.
These authors often use terms like 'Hindutva' or 'Hindu nationalist' as pejorative labels against any Hindu who, at best, expresses support for certain policies of the BJP, or at worst, speaks openly and positively about their Hindu identity, HAF said in a release.
Hindu American politicians in the US, for instance, have been wrongly characterized as Hindu supremacists, and their loyalty to America has been questioned simply because they support a strong US-India relationship, have spiritual ties to India, openly express their Hindu identity, or don't primarily focus on criticizing the BJP.
“Once labeled, denial of being a Hindu nationalist is only taken as further evidence of being so,” HAF said.
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