The Real Threat to Hinduism Comes from Within
I am inclined to think that a perceived threat to Hinduism forms the bedrock of support for the current political regime, and that the supporters who subscribe to this view are predominantly upper-caste Hindus. I agree with them to the extent that there is indeed a threat to Hinduism as it is practiced today, but not with their diagnosis that the threat comes from Islam, Christianity, or Buddhism.
The threat - which they tend to deny vehemently - comes from within. Our unwillingness to unequivocally discard the caste and Varna systems as anachronisms, coupled with the pretense that such divisions no longer exist, is the foremost reason. This is the push factor. The pull factor comes from the reality that no other major religion maintains a similar hierarchical structure for its followers. While denial can mildly alleviate the push factor, the pull factor is met with reactionary measures: legislation against conversion, vigilantism, and the systematic maligning of other faiths.
The Burden of the Caste System and the Rise of Offshoots
Hinduism has historically clung to the caste system with all its might. In contrast, its own offshoots - Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, and more recently, Lingayatism - explicitly rejected the caste system while retaining philosophical roots in Hinduism, particularly the Upanishads and post-Vedic literature. These offshoots generally deprecate the Varna system, excessive idolatry, and elaborate karmakand (ritualism). To take Buddhism as an example: while it features statues of the Buddha, practitioners do not treat them as living entities requiring bathing, feeding, and resting.
Because upper castes have been reluctant to dilute their privileged status, mainstream Hinduism - which was once progressive and gradually shedding its archaic practices - began viewing these reformist offshoots as a threat. To distance itself, it turned regressive and atavistic, adopting the label Sanatan (the eternal dharma). The word "eternal" implies an unchanging nature, signaling a refusal to evolve. This underlies Hinduism's historical antagonism toward Buddhism, even while paradoxically treating the Buddha as an avatar of Lord Vishnu.
The Political Alignment and Internal Polarization
The RSS and its political ally, the BJP, champion this traditionalist form of Hinduism, making them the natural refuge for threatened caste Hindus, who will go to any length to support them regardless of the cost. Ironically, this demographic likely also contains the largest concentration of secular-minded individuals simply because it is the most educated and exposed to diverse ideas. This duality frequently manifests as deep polarization within families.
Adherence to the Varna hierarchy is also reflected within the organizational wings of these political entities:
- The Student Wing (ABVP): Membership is drawn predominantly from the upper castes.
- Militant Wings (Bajrang Dal, Sri Ram Sena, etc.): Membership is heavily composed of OBC and SC/ST groups.
- The IT Cell: Tellingly headed by a Brahmin. When it comes to crafting narratives to justify a cause, Brahmins have historically been prolific, a skill put to effective use in modern digital operations.
Reactions Across Social Strata
How do groups outside the upper castes react to this rigid stratification?
- OBCs: Less inclined to convert to other religions, OBCs primarily struggle for parity with the upper castes. Having made significant strides in education and financial standing, they generally avoid the overt social degradation faced by the less fortunate.
- SC/STs: As the most oppressed group, they are far less averse to religious conversion if it offers a way to cast off the yoke of a detested lower-caste identity. Politically, they are also most likely to align with Muslims, as many former members of their communities have converted to Islam or Christianity.
This flight from the fold is the real threat Hinduism faces is driven not by aggressive proselytizing from outside, but by its own internal discriminatory practices.
Redefining Secularism and the Path Forward
Reforming a religion is squarely the task of its followers. The state's role is simply to govern in a strictly secular manner. I feel that "secularism" has been incorrectly defined as equal respect for all religions; instead, it should mean equal indifference to all religion by the state.
To achieve this, the government should:
- Ensure free, secular education for all children up to the 12th standard while refraining from financial aid to madrasas or any institutions imparting religious instruction.
- Implement a Uniform Civil Code based on modern values of equality and free from gender bias. Those who wish to follow distinct personal laws could be permitted to do so unless challenged in a court of law, with the judiciary refraining from taking suo motu action. This measured approach would help assuage apprehensions regarding the UCC.
Ultimately, we must recognize that a theological or sectarian government has never benefited any society; progress belongs to secular nations or those that keep religion in its proper place. At one time, it was believed that the tolerant Hindu majority could gracefully accommodate other faiths and foster a robust secular state. It hurts to see that assumption proven wrong.
