Rise of Hindu Authoritarianism
Subtitle: Secular Claims, Communal Realities
Publisher: Verso Books
Published: 2017
Language: eng
Number of pages: 432
ISBN-13: 9781786630728
Subjects: Hindus, india; India, religion
Description: With the Hindu nationalist BJP now replacing the Congress as the only national political force, the communalization of the Indian polity has qualitatively advanced since the earlier edition of this book in 1997. This edition has been substantially reworked and updated with several new chapters added. Hindutva{u2019}s rise necessitates a more critical take on mainstream secular claims, ironically reinforced by liberal{u2013}left sections discovering special virtues in India{u2019}s {u2018}distinctive{u2019} secularism. The careful evaluation of the ongoing debate on {u2018}Indian fascism{u2019} has resonances for the broader debate about how best to assess the dangers of the far right{u2019}s rise in other liberal democracies. A study follows of how Hindutva forces are pursuing their project of establishing a Hindu Rashtra and how to thwart them through a wider transformative struggle targeting capitalism itself.