Mohan Bhagwat’s Baptism

In his famous novel, Lady Chatterley’s Lover, D H Lawrence predicted the death of the human race where “vitality” is concerned.  He compared the human race to “a great uprooted tree, with its roots in the air” and suggested that “we must plant ourselves again in the universe.”

Hinduism is a religion which ardently believed in the cosmic roots of the human race.  The cosmos is a sacred place and we are its vital parts, according to Hindu scriptures like the Vedas and the Upanishads.  Philosophically Hinduism is one of the most profound views on the meaning of human existence.  It was never exclusive.  On the contrary, it could easily incorporate anything into its cosmic vision.  The Grand Canyon is as sacred as Mount Kailash in that vision.  The Thames is as holy as the Ganga philosophically. 

Mohan Bhagwat’s repeated assertion that all Indians are Hindus is right philosophically.  But then, why only Indians?  In fact, if we go by the logic of Hindu philosophy, all people in the world are Hindus – Tat Tvam Asi. 

The problem is that neither Bhagwat nor any advocate of Hindutva has understood the profundity of Hindu philosophy.  Hindutva has nothing to do with Hinduism.  Hindutva is born of plain hatred.  V D Savarkar who coined the term Hindutva defined a Hindu as one who was born of Hindu parents and regarded India as his motherland as well as holy land.  This definition narrowed down the cosmic vision of Hinduism to a small geographical area and a very limited religious identity. 

Savarkar’s contemporary M S Golwalkar made a religion out of xenophobia and hatred in general by advocating “race pride.”  He asserted that “The non-Hindu people of Hindustan must either adopt Hindu culture and language, must learn and respect and hold in reverence the Hindu religion, must entertain no idea but of those of glorification of the Hindu race and culture ... In a word they … may stay in the country, wholly subordinated to the Hindu nation, claiming nothing, deserving no privileges, far less any preferential treatment—not even citizens' rights.” [We, or Our Nation Defined]

Thus the all-inclusive, all-sacred profound vision of Hinduism was subverted into an exclusive and hatred-based religion. 

Mohan Bhagwat is a high priest of that religion.  He has been trying to baptise all Indians into that religion. 

I wonder why anyone would like to migrate to a religion of hatred.  I would still stick to cosmic sanctity of the Vedas and the Upanishads.  Why not?  I would go to the extent of asserting that I am more Hindu than Bhagwat and his type.  Lady Chatterley is as divine as Kunti Devi in that vision.