Description

ABOUT THE BOOK
This book traces the history of Hindu nationalism with a special focus on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as its prominent flag bearer. Through an in-depth study of archival sources and more recent documents, the author challenges the claim of Hindu nationalism as being primordial. He argues that in addition to being a modern construct, it laid the foundation of Hindu separatism or a two-nation theory which was later adopted by Muslim separatists like Mohammed Ali Jinnah. This book describes the growth of Hindu nationalism and its appearance as Hindutva which glorifies Casteism, Racism and totalitarianism. This work also investigates how the book Hindutva authored by VD Savarkar (1923) and MS Golwalkars We or Our Nationhood Defined (1939) continue to determine the discourse of Hindu nationalism.
The author has spent more than three decades collecting and scrutinizing original RSS documents from different parts of the country, especially the ones relating to pre-Independence India. These documents are the foundation for the direction which RSS was destined to take as a sectarian Hindu separatist organization opposed to democratic, secular and egalitarian ideals.
This publication of Shamsul Islam’s study of the ideology of Hindu nationalism and RSS is very timely because the ideological challenge of Hindutva remains a potent threat to the Indian constitution and a pluralistic and harmonious ordering of Indian society.
Professor Richard Bonney
It is an in depth study of the origin of RSS and the two-nation theory and the evolution of Hindutva ideology in India. For the first time certain sources have been used and that makes it a unique work of scholarship.
Professor Manoranjan Mohanty
It is a careful and thought provoking study of the RSS. It seeks to carry the debate over the character of Indian nationalism forward and to locate it in the nature and character of the RSS both as an organization and as a movement. It is written after extensive research on the source materials and reflects a deep and long engagement with the subject.
Professor Imtiaz Ahmed

CONTENTS
Author’s Preface to the First Edition
Author’s Preface to the Second Edition
Preface
Emeritus Professor Richard bonney
Introduction
Emeritus Professor Richard Bonney
Annexure One
Leaders (Sasanghchalaks) of the RSS
Annexure Two
The Sangh is my Soul
Atalbehari Vajpayee
Annexure Three
Role of the RSS
Author’s Introduction
Chapter 1
The Origins of Indian Nationalism
The Birth of Nationalism
Impediments in the Growth of Indian Nationalism
The Origin of Racial Nationalism
How Natural is Nationalism?
Modernist Debate over the Nature of Indian Nationalism
The Making of the Hindu and Muslim Variants of Nationalism
Two Primordial Nations?
The Nature of ‘Muslim’ Rule
Composite Nationalism
Bifurcation of Nationalism: Rise of Hindu Separatism
Characteristics of Hindu Nationalism
Myth Making and Hero Creation
Constructing Muslim Nationalism
Chapter 3
The Institutionalization of Hindu Nationalism: The Origins of the RSS
Divide and Rule
Jallianwala Bagh Massacre and Hindu-Muslim Unity
Hedgewar: Early Years
Hedgewar’s Links with the Congress
Disillusionment with Hindu—Muslim Unity
The Formation of RSS
The Functioning of RSS
The Spread of RSS
The High Caste Bias
Anti-Muslim Activities
Participation in Politics
Opposition to the Designs of the RSS
The RSS under Golwalkar
Chapter 4
The Indian Freedom Movement and the RSS
The Search for a Role in the Freedom Movement
Problems of ‘Constructing’ a Role
Rewriting History
The RSS Confession of Keeping Aloof from the Freedom Movement
Hatred for the Revolutionary Tradition
Hatred towards the Tricolour
RSS’ Support to Hindu Princess; the Stooges of the British Rulers
The RSS Dilemma
Chapter 5
The Strategy of Hegemony: The Changing RSS Concept of Hindu Nationalism
The RSS Ideologues
Masters of Doublespeak
Part 1: Savarkar’s Hindutva
Savarkar: The Early Phase
Road to Hindutva
Hinduism and Hindutva
Only Hindus constitute Indian Nationality: Defence of Two-nation Theory
Fundamentals of Hindutva: Racism, Casteism and World Domination
Part 2: Golwalkar’s Nationhood
Definition of the Nation
Defence of Casteism
Defence of Racism
Idolizing Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy
Hindu Nationalist Ideology and Race Theory
The Superiority of the Hindu Race
Reasons for Standing Aloof from the National Movement
Controversy over We or OurNationhood Defined
Part 3: Deendayal Upadhyaya Revises Hindutva
Finding Fault with Composite Nationalism
Remodeling Hindu Nationalism
Imperialistic Ambitions of Hindu Nation
Attitude Towards Minorities
Defence of Casteism
Part 4: Madhok’s Idianization: Remodeling Hindutva
Chapter 6
Conclusion: Casteism at the Core
Constructed Myths Examined
The Real Design of Hindutva
Annexure One
List of Organizations Created by the RSS
Annexure Two
lustifying 1984 Massacre of Sikhs: Nana Deshmukh’s ‘Moments of Soul Searching’
Bibliography
Index