Name: - Syed Talha Ahmad

Subject: - Introduction to Political Science

Submitted to: - Sir Uzair Hashmi

 NEO-FASCISM

Fascism is a political ideology or movement that exalts nation or race above the

individuals and stands for a centralized autocratic government (Fascism ). This political

ideology that opposed democracy and liberalism dominated Europe (Hitler and Mussolini

being the prime examples) and Japan between the first and second world wars; resulting in

widespread destruction and human calamity. The adherents of this ideology which is

characterized by xenophobia, racial supremacy, disregard of human rights, expansionist

nationalism and intolerance still exist. These people are known as neo-fascists, and they have

started to gain strength and prominence in many parts of the world.

The most prominent example of neo-fascism is the current RSS-BJP government in

India, led by Narendra Modi. RSS was formed in 1925, and this organization was inspired by

the ideology of Adolf Hitler (JHA). This organization along with its political arm BJP has

openly advocated for the expulsion and conversion of non-Hindu population of India,

claiming Hindu-Indian civilization to be superior to all other civilizations which was

damaged by barbaric “Islamic” invaders (RSS Chief Asks Hindus to Pledge to Ensure 'Ghar

Wapsi' of Those Who Have Converted). Although democratically elected, the BJP-RSS

government has a strong contempt for dissent, which is characterized by decreasing press

freedom in India. (Hussain, 2021). The current Indian PM Narendra Modi was instrumental

in the Gujarat riots of 2002, which resulted in the banning of his entry into Western countries

till his election to the office of Prime Minister in 2014 (UK government ends boycott of

Narendra Modi, 2014). Yogi Adityanath, the current Chief Minister of India’s most populous

state Uttar Pradesh who is widely considered to Modi’s successor, has openly advocated

violence and discrimination against minorities, particularly Muslims (From love jihad,

conversion to SRK: 10 controversial comments by UP's new CM Yogi Adityanath. , 2017).

By idealizing Hitler’s ethnic cleansing of Jews, promoting and instigating violence against
minorities (particularly Muslims) and intolerance of differing opinions classifies the current

BJP-RSS government of India as neo-fascist.

Fascism was born in the Western World and as in the previous century, this

ideology’s revival is more intense in the Western world. Donald Trump also openly

demonstrated neo-fascist tendencies when he advocated for a ban on Muslim and Mexican

immigration along with character assassinating media houses disagreeing with his policies.

Le Pen of France too openly demonstrates these policies in an even more crude form as

compared to Trump, also classifying in this class of neo-fascist politicians. The same is the

case with British PM Boris Johnson, who has openly endorsed Islamophobic ideas prior to

his election as the Prime Minister. Recently, Hungarian PM Viktor Orban opposed Bosnia’s

entry into the EU on the basis of being a Muslim majority country (Adorján, 2021).

Perhaps the biggest example of neo-fascism is the Israeli politician Bezalel Smotrich

of the Religious Zionist Party. Although Israel has been practicing racism and apartheid since

its foundation in 1948, Smotrich has openly advocated for the separation of Jews and Arabs,

ban on Jewish Arabs weddings and expulsion of Arab Israelis from Israel; even to the extent

of disapproval of many Israeli politicians (Harkov, 2015). Recently, he threatened Arab

lawmakers of the Israeli parliament with second Nakba (Palestinian genocide by Jewish

paramilitary groups during 1948 Arab-Israel war), remarking that Israel’s founder David Ben

Gurion didn’t complete his job (Arab MK: Smotrich threatening a ‘second Nakba’, 2021).

His party is inspired by the racist American rabbi Mayer Kahane and Smotrich openly brags

about his goal of implementing Kahanist ideology in Israel.

In many countries, neo-fascists are emerging and gaining positions of power. The

main reasons for the emergence are the failure of the state to articulate nationalism, failure of

the state machinery to deal with elements of ideologies having disregard for human rights and
failure of the governments to pass on the benefits to the middle and lower classes of the

country.

In many countries, half-baked left-wing intellectuals like Pervez Hoodboy etc. are

given airtime in media without being challenged with true and alternate facts. This is

exploited by the extremist neo-fascists who successfully convince society that the only people

who can strongly safeguard their social values and national pride are them, who deal with

“anti-state” and “anti-national” elements with iron hands. Similarly, the states have not dealt

the people with extremist ideologies in a tough manner. The survival of RSS in India, TLP in

Pakistan, etc. are prime examples of it. Another important but often ignored factor is the

failure of passing the benefits of economic progress to the society to the masses. India

managed to make economic strides during the tenure of Dr. Manmohan Singh (tenure 2004-

14) but despite this, the conditions of the masses remained poor which was characterized by

the non-availability of basic facilities like food, housing, toilets etc. to a large number of

masses. As a result, BJP managed to create the impression that only a specific class close to

INC is benefiting from economic progress. Similarly, Boris Johnson and Donald Trump

successfully convinced a large number of people that immigrants rather than locals are

benefiting from economic development. Hence, the only way to stop the rise of neo-fascists is

to ensure articulation of nationalism, adopt strict policies against those who disregard human

rights and adopt a bottom-up economic approach.

REFERENCES: -

1.Fasism https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fascism

2.Guruji’s Lie The RSS and MS Golwalkar’s undeniable links to Nazism DHIRENDRA K

JHA https://caravanmagazine.in/history/rss-golwalkar-links-nazism
3.India's Media Face Increasing Hostility, Experts Say ,May 05, 2021 12:48 PM , Bilal

Hussain https://www.voanews.com/a/press-freedom_indias-media-face-increasing-hostility-

experts-say/6205462.html

4.UK government ends boycott of Narendra Modi. 22 October 2012. Archived from the

original on 14 September 2013. Retrieved 20 December 2016.

5. From love jihad, conversion to SRK: 10 controversial comments by UP's new CM Yogi

Adityanath. Hindustan Times. 18 March 2017. Archived from the original on 18 March 2017.

Retrieved 19 March 2017.

6. Hungary’s PM Viktor Orbán denounced for anti-Muslim rhetoric, Barbara Adorján,

26/12/2021 dailynewshungary.com https://dailynewshungary.com/hungarian-pm-

denounced-for-anti-muslim-rhetoric/

7. Bayit Yehudi MK: God commanded Jews not to sell homes to Arabs, Harkov Lahav, (16

July 2015), The Jerusalem Post, Retrieved 7 January 2021 https://www.jpost.com/Israel-

News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/Bayit-Yehudi-MK-causes-uproar-by-saying-God-

commanded-Jews-not-to-sell-homes-to-Arabs-409241

8. Arab MK: Smotrich threatening a ‘second Nakba’, 13 October 2021,

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/arab-mk-smotrich-threatening-a-second-nakba/