How India came to embrace the politics of Hindutva

15 March 2024

Published in: Al Jazeera

As Modi religiously prepares for India’s elections, Sreenivasan Jain examines the tussle between Hindutva and secularism.

The politics of Hindu nationalism have played a central role in the dramatic rise of the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. As the elections have neared, the Modi regime has turbocharged its Hindu-first agenda – best exemplified in the inauguration of the Ram Temple in the city of Ayodhya.

Veteran journalist Sreenivasan Jain explains how the opening of this temple – and the whitewashing of its controversial past – illustrates how Modi and his party have made their brand of Hindu supremacism not only acceptable, but a key part of Narendra Modi’s appeal to Indians.