Hindu Samaj is at a cultural crossroads, as I see it. On the one hand, I find the Pran Pratishtha at Ayodhya Sri Ram Mandir has brought about some Dharmic revival and reawakening among Hindus. However, on the other, a substantial section is plagued by ‘secularism’ where Dharma is equated to religion. The problem is how secularism is being applied to the Bharatiya society.
The ‘secular’ mindset
I came across this exciting tweet that highlights how Hindus (rather HINOs – Hindus in Name Only) are hardwired to dismiss religion as a personal thing while hailing secularism. They also bring this false equivalence between Abrahamic religions and Dharmic faiths, which are poles apart in their thoughts, philosophies, and ritualistic application. Also, HINOs masquerading as atheists are, at best, indifferent and, at worst, harbour a deep-seated hatred for Dharma.
Interestingly, this group objects to Dharmic rituals but finds observing ‘Roza’, decorating Christmas trees, wearing Santa cap/dress and singing Christmas carols both ‘cool’ and secular. Their lack of Dharmic education and understanding is the main reason they are unable to analyse objectively the difference between Hindu Dharma and Abrahamic faiths. Their biased outlook makes it difficult for them to criticise these faiths without using the trope of all religions being the same. The bias also comes from a complete lack of understanding of Dharmic principles.
Indian Secularism
Indian secularism is a weapon introduced by Hindudveshi elements to cut off Bharatiyas from their Dharmic roots. Congress, leftists, and Abrahamics are complicit in this scheme where generations of Bharatiyas have grown up to be HINOs with an inferiority complex and deep-seated hatred for Dharmic rituals. Indian secularism is all about controlling Hindu Samaj.
Judiciary and State repeatedly interfere in Samaj’s Dharmic practices, from deciding the height of the handi during Krishna Janmashtami to that of Ganesh murtis during Ganeshotsav. In 2017, the Supreme Court (SC) specified the exact type of water that devotees could use to pour on the Jyotirlinga at the Ujjain Mahakaleshwar Mandir. In other words, instead of the Samaj, the Indian State decides what Hindu Dharma is and how it should be practised.
On the one hand, the Indian state exercises complete control over Hindu Dharma including Mandirs whose funds are taken over by the government and on the other, it funds Abrahamic institutions using money collected from Mandirs. In short, Dharmics have responsibility but no privileges and Abrahamics have unlimited privileges without any responsibilities.
Not only the judiciary and the state but the bureaucracy was and continues to be extremely anti-Hindu. The Civil Service in Bharat is a British legacy. Established to exploit the maximum revenue from Bharat in an orderly fashion, the service’s members came to enjoy immense power over time and became the “steel frame” of the British Raj. The officers of Indian Civil Services or ICS, initially exclusively British and later even Indians with a British outlook, were akin to the small Rajas that practically ruled their fiefdoms and had huge discretionary powers.
The arrogance with which IAS officer Ritika Jindal barged into Himachal Pradesh’s (HP) Shalooni Mandir indicates their deep-rooted Hindu hate and complete disregard for traditions. She apparently broke an “age-old parochial tradition” by performing ‘havan’ at the Solan Mandir. Her act was hailed by Hindudveshis who believed she “taught lessons of equality” to priests.
As such the role of administrators, including IAS officers, is not what they consider “social reform”, but to improve the governance and delivery of services to citizens. Many officers in recent years have taken it upon themselves to become celebrities and even have dedicated Public Relations teams. This points to their desire to be seen in the limelight, and often results in making a nexus with local media and politicians.
Hindu Samaj has been bearing the double burden of secularism and minority (mainly Muslim) appeasement. This resulted in a generation of Hindus, a majority of whom were cut off from their Dharma and looked down upon it. The shackles were loosened during the RJB movement in the eighties and broken on 22 January 2024.
A majority of Hindus kept their beliefs confined to themselves for fear of ‘hurting’ others’ beliefs. While they had to keep their religious beliefs private, it was acceptable for Muslims and Christians to openly display their religious beliefs without fear of being labelled ‘communal.’ Politicians are to blame for the plight of Hindus because their appeasement politics forced the so-called majority to go on the defensive.
Deculturisation and deracination of Hindus by activists is another reason for the defensive and defeatist mindset of a large section of Hindu society that unnecessarily bears the burden of secularism. An attempt has been made to subvert the Hindu society, particularly since 2014 and with renewed efforts since 2019 and 2024 when Bharat chose Hindu nationalism, on the lines of four stages of ideological subversion described by Yuri Bezemov.
The four stages are:
Stage 1 – Demoralization of the Hindu society begins right from our history textbooks that have been distorted at the hands of Marxist historians who were put in charge of the education system sometime in the 70s. Bezmenov says that it takes 15-20 years for the process of demoralization to set in. We have far exceeded that time limit which continues to be reflected in the way doctored history is taught to generation after generation.
It isn’t just through education but HINOs (Hindus in name only) and Marxist-Islamist grip is seen in the entertainment industry as well. Filmmakers aren’t just normalizing Hindu hatred but taking it to unacceptable heights in the name of ‘creative license.’
The aim is to make Hindus believe that there is something inherently inferior about their culture, religion and civilization.
Stage 2 – Once a society is demoralized and cut off from its roots as well as traditional values, it is destabilized using various means. In the context of the Hindu society, this is being done through movements such as Dravidianism, urban naxalism, and even insurgency movements that we are seeing in areas North East. The political ideology of neo-Buddhism is also on the rise which is being used to attack Hindu Dharma. Sub-nationalism is being normalized with the help of urban Naxals who have managed to capture important positions in academia and media. All of these anti-national movements are destabilizing the nation thereby weakening the society.
Stage 3 – A crisis can be triggered within 2 to 6 months. It also helps in creating a sense of disillusionment with the present form of government (read democracy). Ever since independence, the country has simply been limping from one crisis to the next. Pakistan-sponsored terrorism has been one of the biggest banes of Bharat. Add to that communist-sponsored terrorism that we have been dealing with for decades.
Stage 4 – Bezmenov says in the stage of normalization, the traditional values are replaced by Marxist-Leninist ideas that become the new normal. Once a society is cut off from its roots, as we are witnessing in the form of deracinated Hindus, it becomes easier to make them submit to the ‘new normal’ where traditional values are viewed as outdated and a burden. The after-effects of American left-wing ideas such as black lives matter and critical race theory will be seen in the next couple of decades.
How Hindu Dharma differs from Abrahamic faiths
The only anti-dote to such subversion of the Hindu society is rooting the country in Dharma. Deracination is at the root of all problems and tackling that is essential if everything valuable to the Bharatiya and Hindu civilization is to be saved. This can be done only when the Samaj is made aware of what Dharma is and how it differs from the Abrahamic religions.
Like everything else, Bharat’s politics aped Western secularism, which separated religion and state. However, Dharma is not the same as religion. Politics bereft of Dharma is a body without a soul. Dharma is the guiding principle that helps one be righteous and work for the greater good.
Many things set Hindu Dharma apart from other organized religions of the world. It is known as the eternal religion because it is not bound by time; it has always existed and was revealed to the Rishis and Maharishis who then passed it on to humanity through their students. Unlike other religions that have a single founder and one scripture, Hindu Dharma wasn’t ‘founded’ by anyone. Maharishis were only mantra-drashtas who accumulated the knowledge that was already in existence through spiritual practices. It would be more right to say that the spiritual practices of Rishis helped them to realize certain truths that formed the basis for our Dharma.
In Hindu Dharma, each being (both living and non-living) is considered divine. While Abrahamic religions consider humans to be born sinners, Hindu Dharma states that every individual is a divine being who has lost touch with one’s true self meaning the divinity within oneself. It accepts within its fold every being and believes that humans may commit errors but not sins.
There is no concept of blasphemy in Hindu Dharma as there is in Abrahamic religions. Each individual is free to raise questions. The spirit of inquiry is important and humans are encouraged to accept any tenet only after being thoroughly convinced that it is acceptable. Any tenet needs to appeal both to the intellect and one’s heart and only then will an individual be able to take full advantage of the said tenet’s benefit.
This doesn’t mean one can run amok and anything and everything can pass muster. Those things that are harmful to society and the larger good can never be acceptable. Individual rights are also bound by one’s Dharmic duties.
Hindus must ensure that the younger generation learns the difference between Dharma and Abrahamic religions. Only the correct Dharmic teaching can get rid of the ‘secular’ mindset of equating Dharma with other religions. This will help them get rid of the defeatist mindset that has been plaguing the Hindu Samaj for generations. This will instil a sense of self-pride in them and ensure they don’t make false equivalences.
Hindus have the right to be proud of their Dharma and wear it openly. If Hindus do not get ‘hurt’ when others practice their religion, then why should the so-called majority be pushed to be defensive of their own Dharma? The awakening has come long after ‘independence’ and through many struggles. It is now up to us to keep the Dharmic flame burning and hand it down to our future generations.
(Featured Image Source: Quora)
