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Nationalism blots India's copybook
By Daniele Grassi
The world often views India as one of the few examples of thriving democracy among emerging countries. This is an uncritical and simplistic vision which fails to grasp the shadows and contradictions that characterize Indian society.
It is undoubtedly true that it was the democratic system that made the survival of an ethno-religious kaleidoscope such as India possible, but it is equally undeniable that this same system of values and institutions appears today on the way to a slow and progressive deterioration. At least in one of its most important pillars: freedom of expression.
On February 11, the publisher Penguin Books India, which is among the largest in the country, announced that it had reached an out-of-court agreement with the "Shiksha Bachao Andolan" (Save Education Movement) to withdraw from the market and destroy copies still in circulation of the book The Hindus: An Alternate History by American scholar Wendy Doniger.
This book approaches the myths of Hinduism as human creations and submits them to Freudian analysis, also throwing light on the contribution made by women and "Dalit" (the untouchables) to the development of this religion. According to the leader of this Hindu nationalist group, the ex-teacher Dinanath Batra, the book relates a distorted and heretical version of Hinduism that is offensive to its the followers.
Particularly defamatory are the overly sexual interpretation of sacred texts and the hypothesis that even Mahatma Gandhi, considered the Father of the Nation, accepted the consumption of beef by Hindus, according to the group. Finally, a map of India between 600-1600 AD, does not mention Kashmir as an integral part of Indian territory.
The decision of Penguin Books India has fueled a heated debate involving many intellectuals, including writer Arundhati Roy, who has harshly criticized the publisher's decision to withdraw the book despite the fact that no court had yet ruled on the matter and a fatwa had not been issued by any religious authority.
The publisher has responded to the allegations by referring to the restrictions imposed by Indian law on press freedom. Article 295 of the Indian Penal Code considers any intended insult or outrage to religious feelings as a crime, thus offering a legal basis to all types of recrimination.
Unfortunately, this is only the latest in a growing series of cases of censorship. In the last ranking on press freedom published by "Reporters without Borders", India was ranked 140th out of 180 countries, thus confirming the difficult conditions.
However, rather than aiming to protect the safety of its employees, many people suspect that Penguin Books India's decision was dictated by the desire to adapt to a policy framework that in a few months could undergo significant changes.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a nationalist group led by Narendra Modi, one of the most controversial figures on the Indian political scene, is favorite to win next May's general election. In 2002, when he was at the helm of the state of Gujarat, one of the darkest episodes of recent Indian history occurred - the killing of 790 Muslims in clashes with Hindu nationalist groups.
Although he has been cleared of complicity in the pogrom by Indian courts, many people still believe that Modi turned a blind eye while the massacre was perpetrated. The incident also cost Modi a visa to enter the United States, a decision that likely will be revised should he taste victory at the elections in May.
Modi has since built his image on supposed economic successes achieved as head of Gujarat. Because he often glazes over any mention of his political views, his rise to power is a source of great concern for certain sections of the population, particularly the large Indian Muslim community.
These fears seem to have found further legitimacy in recent statements by Swami Aseemanand, a former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activist in jail on charges of plotting at least three attacks against Muslims between 2006 and 2008, which together killed 82 people and injuring dozens.
In an interview released to the Indian monthly The Caravan, Aseemanand said that the leaders of the Hindu nationalist RSS were not only aware of his intentions, but that they had also given him their support - provided they did not become directly involved.
The BJP is the RSS's political arm and the majority of party members, including Modi, completed a period of militancy within its ranks. Both groups are part of the "Sangh Parivar", an umbrella under which several nationalist groups are gathered. A fundamental pillar of the Hindu nationalist ideology is the "Hindutva", a concept that is not reducible to the religious sphere, thus putting loyalty to the homeland and to the Indian Hindu traditions above anything else.
Having said that, there is the fear that an electoral victory by the BJP may coincide with a further worsening of human rights. However, this does not seem to worry the majority of the Indian population.
An economic crisis affecting New Delhi, in fact, has shed light on a political class that is incapable, fractious and deeply corrupt. The current Indian parliament will be remembered as the one that approved the fewest laws, in a situation that, on the contrary, required prompt action and political courage.
As often happens in such situations, the population ends up putting their hopes in almost messianic figures, leaders and decision-makers sometimes authoritarian, able to speak to an electorate which is frightened and therefore more sensitive to nationalist rhetoric. A figure such as Modi.
Although his victory is far from obvious, his rapid rise and the enthusiastic support of a part of the population is the gauge for the state of mind with which India is approaching the general election. All that seems to legitimize, at least partially, the fear of dangerous nationalist tendencies.
When he discovered that Wendy Doniger's book had been withdrawn, a satisfied Dinanath Batra told reporters, "The good times are coming, believe me", referring to the possible electoral success of the BJP. These are words that sound like a threat that no one can afford to underestimate.
Daniele Grassi is a writer based in Rome.
By Daniele Grassi
The world often views India as one of the few examples of thriving democracy among emerging countries. This is an uncritical and simplistic vision which fails to grasp the shadows and contradictions that characterize Indian society.
It is undoubtedly true that it was the democratic system that made the survival of an ethno-religious kaleidoscope such as India possible, but it is equally undeniable that this same system of values and institutions appears today on the way to a slow and progressive deterioration. At least in one of its most important pillars: freedom of expression.
On February 11, the publisher Penguin Books India, which is among the largest in the country, announced that it had reached an out-of-court agreement with the "Shiksha Bachao Andolan" (Save Education Movement) to withdraw from the market and destroy copies still in circulation of the book The Hindus: An Alternate History by American scholar Wendy Doniger.
This book approaches the myths of Hinduism as human creations and submits them to Freudian analysis, also throwing light on the contribution made by women and "Dalit" (the untouchables) to the development of this religion. According to the leader of this Hindu nationalist group, the ex-teacher Dinanath Batra, the book relates a distorted and heretical version of Hinduism that is offensive to its the followers.
Particularly defamatory are the overly sexual interpretation of sacred texts and the hypothesis that even Mahatma Gandhi, considered the Father of the Nation, accepted the consumption of beef by Hindus, according to the group. Finally, a map of India between 600-1600 AD, does not mention Kashmir as an integral part of Indian territory.
The decision of Penguin Books India has fueled a heated debate involving many intellectuals, including writer Arundhati Roy, who has harshly criticized the publisher's decision to withdraw the book despite the fact that no court had yet ruled on the matter and a fatwa had not been issued by any religious authority.
The publisher has responded to the allegations by referring to the restrictions imposed by Indian law on press freedom. Article 295 of the Indian Penal Code considers any intended insult or outrage to religious feelings as a crime, thus offering a legal basis to all types of recrimination.
Unfortunately, this is only the latest in a growing series of cases of censorship. In the last ranking on press freedom published by "Reporters without Borders", India was ranked 140th out of 180 countries, thus confirming the difficult conditions.
However, rather than aiming to protect the safety of its employees, many people suspect that Penguin Books India's decision was dictated by the desire to adapt to a policy framework that in a few months could undergo significant changes.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a nationalist group led by Narendra Modi, one of the most controversial figures on the Indian political scene, is favorite to win next May's general election. In 2002, when he was at the helm of the state of Gujarat, one of the darkest episodes of recent Indian history occurred - the killing of 790 Muslims in clashes with Hindu nationalist groups.
Although he has been cleared of complicity in the pogrom by Indian courts, many people still believe that Modi turned a blind eye while the massacre was perpetrated. The incident also cost Modi a visa to enter the United States, a decision that likely will be revised should he taste victory at the elections in May.
Modi has since built his image on supposed economic successes achieved as head of Gujarat. Because he often glazes over any mention of his political views, his rise to power is a source of great concern for certain sections of the population, particularly the large Indian Muslim community.
These fears seem to have found further legitimacy in recent statements by Swami Aseemanand, a former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activist in jail on charges of plotting at least three attacks against Muslims between 2006 and 2008, which together killed 82 people and injuring dozens.
In an interview released to the Indian monthly The Caravan, Aseemanand said that the leaders of the Hindu nationalist RSS were not only aware of his intentions, but that they had also given him their support - provided they did not become directly involved.
The BJP is the RSS's political arm and the majority of party members, including Modi, completed a period of militancy within its ranks. Both groups are part of the "Sangh Parivar", an umbrella under which several nationalist groups are gathered. A fundamental pillar of the Hindu nationalist ideology is the "Hindutva", a concept that is not reducible to the religious sphere, thus putting loyalty to the homeland and to the Indian Hindu traditions above anything else.
Having said that, there is the fear that an electoral victory by the BJP may coincide with a further worsening of human rights. However, this does not seem to worry the majority of the Indian population.
An economic crisis affecting New Delhi, in fact, has shed light on a political class that is incapable, fractious and deeply corrupt. The current Indian parliament will be remembered as the one that approved the fewest laws, in a situation that, on the contrary, required prompt action and political courage.
As often happens in such situations, the population ends up putting their hopes in almost messianic figures, leaders and decision-makers sometimes authoritarian, able to speak to an electorate which is frightened and therefore more sensitive to nationalist rhetoric. A figure such as Modi.
Although his victory is far from obvious, his rapid rise and the enthusiastic support of a part of the population is the gauge for the state of mind with which India is approaching the general election. All that seems to legitimize, at least partially, the fear of dangerous nationalist tendencies.
When he discovered that Wendy Doniger's book had been withdrawn, a satisfied Dinanath Batra told reporters, "The good times are coming, believe me", referring to the possible electoral success of the BJP. These are words that sound like a threat that no one can afford to underestimate.
Daniele Grassi is a writer based in Rome.
