Behind the saffron

Reality often holds up a mirror. What we see in it provokes responses and reactions.

This provides a reflection of where we stand as individuals and how deeply we hold our convictions. The positions we take reveal whether our responses are superficial or rooted in something deeper.

Can an individual transcend the pull of identity, particularly when religion becomes weaponised?

The contest between the saffron and the secular raises critical questions.

It is also deeply troubling when those who claim great religiosity show little regard for minorities from other faith traditions, be they Muslims, Christians, Adivasis or indigenous and tribal communities.

Occasions like the recent elections in several Indian states bring our own prejudices and biases into sharp focus. Those willing to confront these attitudes must ask searching questions about the depth of their faith experience.

Dogmatism, a sense of victimhood, prejudices inherited from elders, and grievances rooted in historical injustice all shape the positions we hold. These need careful inspection.

Vast and diverse

India is home to over 450 living languages (with 121 recorded in the official census). Its religious landscape is equally broad. Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism together account for roughly 83% of the population, alongside Islam, Christianity, Zoroastrianism and the belief systems of indigenous tribal communities – all within a population of around 1.4 billion.

This diverse landscape is held together by a Westminster-style federal democracy that devolves significant power to the states.

That secular foundation is now being challenged by those wielding the saffron banner of Hindutva, championed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), India’s ruling party.

Just as Zionism differs from Judaism, it is important to separate Hindutva, a political ideology, from the faith and spiritual tradition often described as Hinduism.

Weaponising Hinduism through ideological pressure confronts each of us with hard questions. How do I feel about rhetoric directed against Muslims? How do I feel about Hindutva and the hate speech of its leaders? Is my belief in Hinduism consistent with anti-Muslim slogans?

My conviction is that Hinduism is inclusive. Its great sayings, the Mahavakyas, point precisely to that reality.

Yet the positions we take reveal who we are. For those whose faith is primarily about prayer and ritual, temples and labels become the central symbols. When these are manipulated, many Hindus feel a sense of victimhood.

In a world quick to assign blame, it is easier to find external reasons for the state of one’s religion. History is full of examples of religious bigotry and violence. This cuts across all faiths, and at various points along our individual journeys, many of us may have contributed to such tendencies.

What Hinduism truly teaches

Hindu Dharma is not confined to race, language, caste, territory or party. At its depth, it speaks of the stillness of the Upanishads, the devotion of the Bhakti saints, the compassion of Gandhi, the reason of Swami Vivekananda, the non-duality of Adi Shankaracharya and the selfless service of countless ordinary people.

It is lived experience that helps us transcend our own limitations. Beyond prayer, we need today a good dose of reflection and introspection – the capacity to deepen our personal beliefs and sharpen our convictions. The absence of this remains a serious weakness in contemporary religiosity.

The challenge that Hindutva presents is also, in a way, an invitation. It is an opportunity to deepen our understanding. Beyond the saffron-clad figures, their scrutiny falls on temples, mosques, churches and houses of worship. It is fear, division and the wounds of the past that are continually stirred up.

When religion is weaponised, spiritual truths become slogans. Identity replaces inner transformation and faith becomes fear-driven. This harms everyone because religion is then defended not through virtue but through hostility.

One useful thing about politicians who weaponise religion is that they reveal themselves. They crave the public eye. On the one hand they invoke the virtues and symbols of Hinduism; on the other they deliver hate speech. Beneath the saffron, behind the RSS and BJP rank and file, there is a mindset that is not Hindu in spirit.

A simple test is to look at the character and conduct of those promoting such divisive causes. In the end, it is character and conduct that define who they are and what their long-term agenda truly is. The saffron may conceal a very different heart.

Faith and the political test

None of us should become a puppet in the hands of those with such an agenda. We must ask plainly whether Hindutva represents the Hinduism we believe in and practise. Tellingly, for the first time since Indian independence, the current Narendra Modi cabinet has no Muslim minister.

Are the means used to achieve political ends consistent with the values Hinduism actually upholds? A confident Hindu does not fear diversity but blesses it. Let us not reduce Hinduism to politics.

When we avoid this kind of thinking, reflection and honest exchange, we close off the possibility of clarity and growth. It is easier to be a follower than to think carefully and take a position grounded in genuine conviction.

The saffron has an agenda. The aim is a Hindu Rashtra, a Hindu state.

In a nation as diverse as India, is this appropriate? Secularism means the separation of religion and government, the very opposite of theocracy. If a Hindu state is achieved through political power, what does that mean for India and its extraordinary diversity?

Several southern Indian states are clearly opposed to the idea of a Hindu Rashtra. Many practising Hindus hold firmly to the view that every Indian –regardless of caste, origin or religious belief – deserves equal respect and dignity.

Love for India does not mean hostility towards Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, liberals or dissenters. The highest patriotism is to protect the dignity of everyone in the land.

Advaita Vedanta, one of Hinduism’s most profound philosophical streams, asks: who is the other? If the same Self dwells in all, whom shall we hate?

You may disagree with others because of caste, class, religion or ethnicity, but the secular umbrella extends to them the right to their own sovereignty. That we must respect.

When the dust settles, serious questions remain. Fundamental among them is this: what does Hinduism mean to me, and how does that affect my relationship with others?

Elections are ultimately about livelihoods, inflation, prices, employment and justice. They are about good governance, transparency and accountability. These are the issues that matter to ordinary voters.

When religion is pumped into that space, it obscures real issues and people get swept up by popular sentiment. Fear becomes easy to manipulate.

The most liberated outlook belongs to those who are inclusive, and this resonates with the deepest aspirations of genuine faith.

That kind of outlook is not born through prayer alone. It comes through silent reflection, introspection and realisation. The challenges reality throws at us should inspire positive responses and growth in all of us.

Can a faith as vast as Hinduism be captured by a single political ideology? We must ask ourselves whether we are defending Dharma or merely defending identity. Would Shankara, Ramana Maharshi, Vivekananda or Gandhi sanction hatred?

And are our true enemies outside us or are they anger, ignorance, hatred, greed and ego?

Incumbent governments being voted out is a healthy thing. It demonstrates the democratic spirit and reminds politicians that power ultimately lies with the electorate.

What is troubling is when populism crowds out bread-and-butter issues, when the ends justify any means, and when institutions of governance, such as the Election Commission, appear compromised.

The call of the moment is for clarity. We must evaluate issues on principle and ensure that we are not manipulated into serving an agenda that mobilises crowds but does not liberate consciousness.

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