Insecurity and Exclusivism

“Hindu khatare mein hai.” This was one of the first slogans that accompanied the emergence of Narendra Modi on the national scene. It means Hindus are in Danger. It reveals a deep-rooted feeling of insecurity. Hindus constitute an overwhelming majority in India – 80%. All the high positions in governance, judiciary, academics, any significant place, are occupied by Hindus. Yet the slogan was born. Strange?

It will be facile to argue that Modi used this slogan and its concomitant hatred of Muslims and Christians as a political weapon for winning votes. True, he was successful in that; he rose to the highest political post in the country using minority-bashing. But the hatred did not end with that achievement; rather it spread outward and became more exclusive. Muslim and European rulers of India were booted out from the country’s history books and wherever else possible like the names of roads and institutions. With vengeance. Now there is a concerted effort going on to place India on top of the world, particularly of the godless West.

Exclusivism. That is what Hindutva ultimately is about. And exclusivism always smacks of insecurity feelings.

Hinduism was always an inclusive philosophy until some very insecure leaders hijacked it in the name of Hindutva nationalism. The pre-Modi version of Hinduism was inclusive and there were many attempts to attain an Indian version of what the West would call Enlightenment in the late 19^th century. That pre-Modi Hinduism treated various philosophical schools of thought and religious traditions as not erroneous or false but as falling short of the fulness of the ultimate truth known only to the Advaitic tradition of Hinduism. In other words, pre-Modi Hinduism was inclusive though condescendingly so.

That condescension had an air of security which emerged from the intrinsic feeling that Hinduism was the supreme religion because it was more philosophy than religion and it lent sanctity to everything at least in theory.

Modi Inc has no such awareness and hence their insecurity feeling. Such insecurity gives rise to hatred. Hatred that rises from deep-rooted fear of the other. If you have ever paid attention to the way Modi laughs when he meets leaders of Western countries, you will understand how insecure, how inferior he feels before them. The paradox is that this same man who expresses such camaraderie in the presence of those leaders in their countries wants to “decolonise the Indian mind” by feeding Hindu sciences and philosophy intravenously into all levels of education, from primary schools to “centres of excellence” universities. 

Modi’s public speeches, eloquent and persuasive, are all emotive rather than intellectual. He dreams of taking India to the position of the Viswaguru, Teacher of the World. That sounds very inclusive: wanting to embrace the whole world. But Modi’s actions back home are totally contradictory. The reason is clear enough by now, I hope. Modi has to deal with his own insecurities first and foremost.

Inclusion is not just a social affair. More than that, it is psychological. Its roots lie in feelings of security. Only those who feel secure within themselves and within their communities can truly be open-minded and accepting of others.

A person who feels safe does not see differences as a threat. When individuals are confident in their own identity and worth, they can afford to be generous with others. In contrast, exclusion arises from fear: Hindu khatare mein hai. Fear leads one to hatred, violence, exclusion. The psychology of inclusion, on the other hand, is marked by confidence, empathy, and emotional maturity.

Inclusivism creates environments where people can thrive without the burden of constant comparison or prejudice. In such environments, diversity becomes a source of learning rather than division. There is no question of One Religion, One Language, etc in that environment. When you want everything to be just one – your language, your religion, your food, your God – you are revealing the littleness of your heart, your mind, your soul. Exclusivism is littleness.

Inclusion is not a favour done to the minority or the marginalised. It is a psychological necessity for a healthy, balanced society. The more secure individuals and communities become, the more open they are to others. Openness, in turn, reinforces security. It engenders an environment of trust, respect, and growth.

To conclude, inclusion is not just a political goal or ideal. It is an inner discipline. It begins with feeling safe in our own identities and extends outward in empathy to and acceptance of the other.

PS. This post is a part of ‘Currents of Kindness Blog Hop’ hosted by Manali Desai and Sukaina Majeed under #EveryConversationMatters blog hop series.