Book: Hindu Rashtra
Author: Ashutosh
Publication: Westland Books
Price: Rs 599
Pages: 329

Sometimes, it is not the act of favouritism for the tyrannous rulers, who shocked the whole world with their torturous methods of leading a humongous army to massacre an entire mass of innocent humans and wipe out almost half the population off the globe. Rather it is the notion of “ideological conviction” that surprises us, especially of those people, who ruthlessly rule out their preferences for their favourite party or leader and say negative things against the minorities or the “un-Indian” dangerous communities, especially when it comes to the issue of politics in a country like India. And when it comes to the present scenario of the Indian politics, then it is well-known that the era of “Modi-i-sation” has been in operation along with his BJP party as the ruling government ever since it bagged its big win in the 2014 general election.

However, the question that arises with the current Prime Minister’s agenda and the support of his party co-workers, given the ultimate test of 2019 General election is round the corner is: Will the BJP make its big win twice, with its core ideologies of “Hindu” and “Hindutva” as its power gaining weapon, not to forget the full head start on the burning issue like “Ramjanmabhoomi” and the making of Ram temple? Even if the party wins its deserving crown, then to what extent will the same government be able to restore the irreversible disastrous damages it had brought upon the peace and unity of the Indian society in the last five years through its goal of making India as “Hindu Rashtra” and removing the so-called anti-nationalists from our country? These are some of the basic yet crucial questions that the former TV journalist-turned-politician and author Ashutosh has put out in his book Hindu Rashtra.

From covering important topics such as politics over Gau Raksha; the old Kashmir problem; surgical strikes operations held to counter-attack acts of terrorism; the art of statecraft in the hands of the ironman Prime Minister; and the propaganda of Hindutva and media, the author implies the concept of Hindutva as infinity insignia of historic justice for the forgotten forefathers, who sacrificed their lives in the pursuit of fighting for freedom and the right to spread unity and a sense of “Hinduistic” nationalism among Indian masses, and how this lead to the evolution of false religious consciousness, victimhood and “excavate artificial enemies” of the State.

For the author, “Democracy can’t survive if the rule of law is challenged in the name of faith.”

True to his words, he believes that the concept of secularism (after 2014 elections) has completely turned out to be a blunder makeover through the intermixing of religion and politics, leaving in its wake accelerated incidents of hate attacks, mob violence, lynching and hostile attitude towards religious minorities. Then to what extent will the ideology of a Hindu Rashtra be enough to face the ever-increasing turbulent unrest among the traumatised common Indians, who are getting crippled by the armed knights who, without knowing the cause of the situation, are killing the innocent ones? Now it has almost become impossible to stay neutral.

As a journalist and politician, the author has shared his experiences through his narrated accounts of the sociopolitical scenario of India for the readers to have an idea about the political reality of India with the BJP, RSS and roots of VHP as the ruling powerhouses, who are not only shaping a risky future, but are also forcing us to ponder whether this nation will succeed “in withstanding the onslaught this time too” or not.