The BJP’s rise, driven by Hindutva ideology, has redefined India’s political landscape, deepening societal divides and altering its regional relations.

Inspired by Hindutva ideology, the rise of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) transformed the political landscape of Indian politics. Following its initial surge during the 2014 elections, the BJP consistently secured victories in the 2019 and 2024 elections. Competing against the heavyweight Congress Party, the BJP based its political struggle on two key agendas: anti-Muslim violence and a development-oriented approach. Exploiting the internal conflicts within Congress, the BJP aggressively pursued an anti-Pakistan policy, adopted a hostile stance towards regional states, and promoted Hindu nationalism during its tenure. Domestically, it undermined secularism by implementing discriminatory policies against minorities, particularly Muslims, and incited anti-Muslim violence. This study examines the influence of Hindutva ideology on Indian policies and its impact on India’s regional and international orientation. It concludes that, given the BJP’s continued electoral success, violent political discourse is likely to remain relevant.

RSS members were recruited from the grassroots level and trained in Shakhas, where they received education, anti-Muslim indoctrination, and physical training aimed at inciting violence and mass killings. Currently, millions of RSS members are enrolled in over 50,000 Shakhas (branches), funded centrally by the organization. 

Hindutva emerged as a political ideology in India in 1923. Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, a Hindu politician inspired by Hitler's Nazi philosophy, published his 'Hindutva' ideology, which aimed to transform India into a Hindu Rashtra (state). It was driven by the Brahmin sect as a Hindu nationalist movement, seeking to preserve their identity in response to the dominance of Islam. Hindutva also promoted Hindu majoritarian politics with the goal of inheriting control of India after the British departure.¹ The objectives of the Hindutva ideology were manifold. However, two elements were focused primarily on the unity of the Hindu nation and the forced expulsion of the 'others', including the Muslims. Religious and cultural common grounds were projected to unite the myth-based divided Hindu society. The establishment of 'Sabha' in different regions to secure Hindu interests was later united into ‘Hindu Mahasabha' in 1914 for the establishment of the Hindu nationalists' government in post-British India.² The second aspect of Hindutva was anti-Muslim discrimination to subjugate them in post-British India. 
To achieve its objectives and turn India into a Hindu state, Keshav Baliram Hedgewar created a paramilitary organization, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), in 1925.³ The organization was trained to create an environment of insecurity and deterrence for the Muslims and Christians having conflicting ideologies and cultures. Hindu nationalists subjected Muslims and Christians to frequent riots and killings apart from relegating their fundamental rights. 
The discriminatory environment in the country compelled Muslims to demand a separate state where they could freely practice their religious beliefs. The RSS never accepted the creation of Pakistan through the division of India and remained resolute in its anti-Pakistan stance. Domestically, it opposed India’s secular framework and consistently advocated for the establishment of a Hindu Rashtra by marginalizing Muslims. The escalation of mandir-masjid politics and anti-Muslim riots facilitated the RSS in advancing its Hindutva agenda. Furthermore, the BJP was founded to politically challenge Congress and further pursue this ideological and political agenda.
With the support of the Hindu majority, the BJP formed a coalition government following the 2014 elections, enabling it to accelerate its Hindutva agenda. In addition to implementing discriminatory policies against Muslims, the BJP pursued a policy of disengagement with Pakistan, contributing to regional instability and a fragile security environment. By promoting misleading development statistics and fostering an anti-Muslim narrative, the BJP consistently maintained its majority support in the 2019 elections and later in 2024. Its political successes encouraged RSS and BJP to suspend Muslims from their fundamental rights while antagonizing Pakistan in different timeframes. The suspension of Article 370 and revoking the special status of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) in 2019 provoked regional instability and diplomatic rupture in bilateral engagement. 
The BJP has emerged as a dominant political force in India and is likely to continue its winning streak. However, its policies are undermining national cohesion and regional stability, which could adversely impact its future trajectory. The Hindutva ideology, with its discriminatory policies, risks leading to regional isolation and further deteriorating the country’s internal security situation.
Expansion of RSS and its Hindutva Ideology
Inspired by Nazism, Hindutva ideology was formed over the conceptual elements based on deprivation, pursuing national identity, and revenge for the past from the Muslims.⁴ Conceived by Savarkar, Hindutva ideology further strengthened in India after the departure of the British in 1947. Perceived as a 'threat' to Hindu identity, the Muslims' enmity remained at its peak in post-independent India, garnering progressive support for the RSS ideology.⁵ Muslims were relegated to second-class citizenship due to their religious beliefs and cultural differences.⁶ Hence, the focus remained on 'one nation, one goal' for guaranteed security and peace.⁷
Savarkar believed that Hindus could be unified through shared interests and by identifying a common enemy, namely Muslims. The Muslim rule in the past was portrayed as the primary cause of Hindu decline and economic hardships. Emphasis was placed on myth-based history, religious alignment, fabricated heroes, and the notion of a superior culture to consolidate the Hindu majority.⁸
Hindu nationalists employed violence and anti-Muslim riots as tools to rally Hindus against Muslims. Actions such as playing music in front of mosques during prayer times and orchestrating terror acts became routine, fueling Hindu-Muslim tensions. This environment of hostility led to the creation of the RSS in 1925, aimed at orchestrating such violence and safeguarding Hindu rights through coercive means. The RSS was entrusted with the mission: “Our one supreme goal is to bring to life the all-round glory and greatness of our Hindu Rashtra.”⁹
RSS members were recruited from the grassroots level and trained in Shakhas, where they received education, anti-Muslim indoctrination, and physical training aimed at inciting violence and mass killings. Currently, millions of RSS members are enrolled in over 50,000 Shakhas (branches), funded centrally by the organization.¹⁰ The organization expanded to all sectors of society, including women, farmers, lawyers, and the business community, and is collectively known as the 'Sangh Parivar.' Today, the Sangh Parivar coordinates the activities of the RSS, BJP, VHP, Bajrang Dal, Shiv Sena, and many other organizations.¹¹ BJP was formed in 1980 after Bharatiya Janata Sangh's (BJS) collapse to safeguard RSS' political interests. BJP's political leaders are selected from the RSS ranks, and its decisions are always influenced by Hindutva ideology. 
After regaining its strength in the 1990s, the Sangh Parivar organized rallies to show its force and projected its political presence in India by inciting controversies. It raised the issue of institutionalizing Hindi as the official Indian language and the revival of Sanskrit. It influenced Hindi movies to portray Muslims as their enemies and provoked Hindu-Muslim riots.¹² The Muslim massacre in Gujarat in 2002, orchestrated by the RSS, shifted the Hindu orientation towards the total marginalization and genocide of Muslims. Narendra Modi gained popularity among Hindu nationalists due to his staunch support for the Gujarat massacre while serving as the Chief Minister of Gujarat. His unwavering allegiance to the RSS propelled him to become the Prime Minister of India following the 2014 elections, with consistent victories in the 2019 and 2024 elections.
Hindutva Ideology and the Future of India
Hindutva ideology perceives Muslims as the enemy of Hindus and a threat to their identity and survival.¹³ Muslims have been allegedly blamed for the division of India in 1947, and their growing population is seen as a potential threat to national unity. To address this perceived threat, the RSS-BJP nexus is committed to marginalizing Muslims and ensuring their eviction from the country. They justify their coercive tactics, violence, and extrajudicial killings of Muslims as part of a national security strategy. Additionally, they have restricted Muslims' religious rights through mandir-masjid politics, the burning of mosques, a ban on cow slaughter, and other measures.¹⁴ Their discrimination in business, education, employment opportunities, etc., are successfully managed through judiciary, media and law enforcement agencies. The destruction of Babri Masjid in 1992 and the construction of Ram Mandir clearly reflect Indian social orientation in the future. 
Since taking political control of India, the BJP and RSS have enjoyed increased freedom to act against minorities, particularly Muslims, who now feel more insecure and vulnerable. BJP leaders have openly expressed anti-Muslim sentiments and a clear intent to pursue a harmful agenda. Muslim children are being forced to sing the Indian national anthem in schools. In addition to rewriting the history of Hindu civilization, the government has renamed several cities, roads, and airports named after Muslims, replacing them with names of Hindu figures. Muslims continue to face religious insecurity as the BJP targets more mosques to fuel anti-Muslim sentiment and gain majority support. The RSS claims that the mosques in Kashi and Mathura are disputed places of worship, arguing that temples were demolished during the Mughal era to build these mosques.
The BJP government has adopted a stern and inflexible foreign policy towards Pakistan. In addition to disengaging Pakistan from any future dialogue, it took unilateral actions regarding Jammu and Kashmir in 2019 by revoking Article 370 of the Indian constitution. The arrest and confession of Commander Kulbushan Jadhav exposed India's sabotage activities and its links with terror groups aimed at promoting instability in Pakistan. The BJP government also collaborated with anti-Pakistan elements in Afghanistan to undermine regional connectivity and provoke territorial and water disputes between the two countries. While its objective to isolate Pakistan globally and weaken its economy through measures like the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) did not succeed, it remains a persistent aspect of its foreign policy.
Failing in its covert intimidation operations, India resorted to direct interference through airstrikes in February 2019 inside Pakistan. However, the response from Pakistan was swift and steadfast, in which Pakistan targeted Indian military targets, shot down two aircraft and arrested one Indian pilot. BJP twisted the facts and used them to its advantage during the 2019 elections for another victory. 
Hindutva has diverged from the secular nature of Indian society and does not advocate for coexistence with minorities, particularly Muslims. For the RSS, secularism is seen as a tool that masks the Hindu identity and provides equal opportunities to minorities. The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the Hijab controversy have further polarized Indian society, deepening the divide between communities. Planned anti-Muslim riots often receive tacit or even explicit support from BJP leaders and RSS members, which reflects the frequency and persistence of such issues.¹⁵
Such an environment could prove disastrous for the unity and stability of India, with far-reaching negative repercussions. The "Hindu-only" approach is likely to trigger instability, hatred, and division within society, potentially leading to more armed conflicts. In pursuit of political objectives, the Indian Congress may also resort to similar violent policies, further deepening the divide. These policies are consistently criticized and condemned by Islamic countries and neighboring Muslim communities; thus, their continuation could lead to India's regional and global isolation. On the other hand, India's rapidly growing economy may face setbacks if a volatile situation emerges under these policies. Marginalized communities may be forced to turn to armed liberation movements in response to social injustice and the violent treatment they endure from the RSS, with increased backing from the government.
Hindutva has evolved into a revolutionary movement with a socially radical doctrine that rejects rationalism, liberalism, democracy, secularism, the rule of law, and fundamental human rights for Muslims. It advocates for the rule of the strong and the majority over the weak and politically suppressed. While Hindutva has made significant progress, its future is likely to mirror the disaster faced by its inspiration—Nazism. The suppression of Muslims, the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the suspension of Article 370, and anti-Muslim riots are elements of Hindutva borrowed from Nazism. Additionally, the aggressive foreign policy and territorial subjugation through expansionism are common traits shared by Hindutva and Nazism. Consequently, the fate of both ideologies may be the same. The Hindutva ideology is unlikely to endure for long, as opposing forces are rising from suppressed movements in India, many of which are supported by the Congress.

The author works under the Ministry of Defense.

1. Eviane Leidig (2020) Hindutva as a variant of right-wing extremism, Patterns of Prejudice, 54:3, 215-237, DOI: 10.1080/0031322X.2020.1759861 (accessed January 28, 2022).
2. Ibid.
3. Kalim Siddiqui; A Critical Study of ‘Hindu Nationalism’ in India; Journal of Business & Economic Policy; Vol. 3; June 2016.
4. Ibid. 
5. Eviane Leidig (2020) Hindutva as a variant of right-wing extremism, Patterns of Prejudice, 54:3, 215-237, DOI: 10.1080/0031322X.2020.1759861 (accessed January 28, 2022).
6. Milan Vaishnav; The BJP in Power: Indian Democracy and Religious Nationalism; Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; 2019.
7. Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Nazism". Encyclopedia Britannica, November 12 2020, https://www.britannica.com/event/Nazism (accessed January 28, 2022). 
8. Eviane Leidig (2020) Hindutva as a variant of right-wing extremism, Patterns of Prejudice, 54:3, 215-237, DOI: 10.1080/0031322X.2020.1759861 (accessed January 28, 2022).
9. Ibid.
10. Kalim Siddiqui; A Critical Study of ‘Hindu Nationalism’ in India; Journal of Business & Economic Policy; Vol. 3; June 2016.
11. Eviane Leidig (2020) Hindutva as a variant of right-wing extremism, Patterns of Prejudice, 54:3, 215-237, DOI: 10.1080/0031322X.2020.1759861 (accessed January 28, 2022).
12. Ibid.
13. Ibid.
14. Ibid. 
15. How the BJP promotes Hindutva through a Nationalist Agenda; Economic and Political Weekly; May 6, 2019; https://www.epw.in/node/154321/pdf (accessed January 29, 2022).