All the Hindu Nationalist Movements, like the RSS, VHP, BJP, Shiv Sena, Bajrang Dal, and

ABVP are classified under the popular umbrella term the ‘Sangh Parivar’. The BJP (formerly
the Jana Sangh) and its allied Hindu organizations- the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), the
Bajrang Dal ( VHP youth organisation), the Hindu Mahasabha (HM) and the Rashtriya
Swayam Sevak Sangh (RSS) together called the Sangh Parivar and it represents the efforts by
the Hindu nation to Hindu nation-state based on India’s native culture. 1 Kushwant Singh also
upholds the same view. For him Hindutva being centralized and chauvinistic Hinduism has
been brought to the forefront by a group of political organizations called the Sangh Parivar
(‘Sangh Family”).

Hindu Mahasabha (HM):

The Hindu Mahasabha was founded in 1915 and is one among the oldest of the Hindu
communal parties.2 It may not be wrong to identify Hindu Mahasabha as synonymous to the
ideology of Hindutva of Savarkar since it was he, who guided the Hindu Mahasabha politics
by his activities and ideologies from 1923 as argued by Ram Puniyani. 3 Savarkar after his
release from the jail assumed the office of the Hindu Mahasabha from 1937 to 1943. Ram
Puniyani further says it was Savarkar who infused a new life into the Mahasabha and
reorganised it on the foundation of HinduRastra.4 The Hindu Mahasabha’s definition of
being a Hindu is in line with Savarkar’s Hindu race, Hindu Culture, and Hindu civilization.
Thus, it aims to establish a Hindu Rsatra.5 For the achievement of its aim, it adopted the
means such as ‘Shuddi’ (purification rite) and ‘Sanghathan’ (organisation) to consolidate all
sections of Hindu society into the organic whole and fight against foreign religions and
cultures, which malign Hindu religion and culture. 6 Thus, one can find close relationship
between Hindu Mahasabha and Savarkar’s ideology of Hindutva.

Rashtriya Swaymmsevak Sangh

Maharastra was a place, which was comparatively least affected by the rule of the Mugals,
but it was the place which had witnessed powerful anti-Brahmin movements of the backward
1
David Ludden, ed, Making India Hindu, (Delhi:Oxford University Press, 1996),5.
2
J. R. Chandran and M.M. Thomas, eds., Political Outlook in India Today (Banglore: Literature on
Social Concern, 1957),97.
3
Ram Puniyani, Fascism of Sangh Parivar, (Delhi: Media House, 2000) 37.
4
Ibid.37.
5
T.L Sharma, Hindu Muslim Relations in all Indian Politics, (Delhi: B.R. Publication, 1997), 147.
6
Tapan Basu et. al., khaki Shorts, Saffron Flag, (new Delhi: Orient Longman, 1993),8.
castes. It was the place where the Brahmin felt that heir hegemony over the lower caste is
slipping and they can no more replied for their subservient role. It was in the backdrop that
the upper caste Brahmins felt disheartened by the leadership of Gandhi, who introduced the
element of ‘Sarva Dharma Samabhav’ into a heavily Hinduized political scenario. They
conceived and founded an exclusively upper caste, male, dictatorial organisation, Rastriya
Swayamsevak Sangh (National Volunteer Corps).7 The Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is bases
of the various front organization of the saffron family. In the initial stage of its formation,
generally RSS kept aloof from the political activities and did not involve in welfare
operations. RSS was founded at Nagpur in 1925 by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar. The RSS and
HM had close ties, their goals were common and their social base was common. Their key
text was common, but their methods were different.8 Hedgewar adopted the basis of Indian
Nationhood, is a person’s acceptance of India with its cultural heritage, not only as his
fatherland but also as holy land.9 After Hedgewar’s death, Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar
(popularly known as Guruji by his followers) became leader of the Sangh. He widened his
ideology of Hindutva in his book, We or Our Nationhood Defined, published in the year
1947. The RSS along with the Hindu Mahasabha were ardent supporters of ‘Akhand Bharat’
(undivided India comprising today’s India, Paksitan, Bangladesh and Myanmar). Jaffrelot
also finds that the Hindutva ideology of the Hindu Mahababha was made more prominent by
the RSS and later movement.10

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)

The Bharatiya Janata Party is conservative Hindu political party. In India the most important
Hindu nationalist political party is the BJP. It was first developed as Jana Sangh, founded by
the Syama Prasad Mukerjee, to give voice to Hindu Nationalism and to oppose the congress
Party. During the 1950-1960 the Jana Sangh joined coalition of other anti-congress groups to
form the Janata Party-formally dissolving the Jana Sangh-which defeated by Mrs. Gandhi.
After defeat the defeat the Janata Party fragmented and April 1980 the Bharatiya Janata Party
was formed.

7
Puniyani, op.cit.,23.
8
Ibid., 42.
9
Yogendra K. Malik and V.B Singh, The Hindu Nationalists in India. The Rise of Bharatiya Janata
Party, (New Delhi: Vistaar Publication, 1995), 158-159.
10
Christophe Jafferlot, The Hindu Nationalist Movement and Indian Politics 1925 to 1990s, (New
Delhi: Viking, 1996),33.
The official philosophy of the BJP is "Integral humanism," a philosophy first formulated
by Deendayal Upadhyaya in 1965, who described it as advocating an "indigenous economic
model that puts the human being at center stage.It is committed to Hindutva, an ideology
articulated by Indian independence activist Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. The BJP is a Hindu
nationalist party which wishes to uphold the rights of Hindu and establish in India a Hindu
value system, as opposed to the secularist values dervied from the west, and supportd by the
congress party. BJP is the only party that openly talks about establishing a Hindu Rastra and
putting the minorities in their place (outside Hindustan). Sudipta Kaviraj, a popular political
scientist, calls BJP as communal because of its hostility towards Muslim and the Christians
and also because of its characterization of these communities as aliens to India and further
explains that the BJP is using the Hindutva card for its political gains.11

Shiv Sena

The Shiv Sena was founded in 1966 by Baal Thakre, a young Maharashtrain. He named it
after Shivji who was praised and glorified as an anit-Muslim ruler in some circle of
Maharastra.12 Though through regional political party, Shiv Sena is also a member of the
Sangh Parivar as it too upholds the Hindutva ideology and also aims to establish Hindu
Rashtra. Its thinking also goes in line with that of the Sangh Parivar. The organisationclaims
that it stands and safeguards the cause of Maharastrian. Amalendu De observes that the Shiv
Sena adopts methods familiar to Facist or Nazi organization to meet its aim.

Vishwa Hindu Parishad:

The VHP was founded in 1964 by M. S. Golwalkar and S. S. Apte in collaboration

with Swami Chinmayananda. Its stated objective is "to organize, consolidate the Hindu
society and to serve and protect the Hindu Dharma" 13 The VHP is a member of the Sangh
Parivar group, an umbrella of Hindu nationalist organizations led by the Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). It has been involved in construction and renovation of Hindu
temples, issues of cow slaughter, religious conversion, the Ayodhya dispute and its role in
the Babri Masjid demolition. In 2018 the CIA classified Vishva Hindu Parishad as
a militant religious organization. 14
11
Sudipta Kaviraj, ed., Politics in India (Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1999), 260-261.
12
Amalendu De, “ Religious and Secularism in Indian Historical Context, “ in Communalism in
Contemporary India, edited by Mridul Kanti Sen (Calcutta: University of Burdwan, 1990),79.
13
VHP main objective". Vhp.org. 29 August 1964. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
14
"https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/fields/print_2115.html". www.cia
.gov. Retrieved 20th February 2020
The VHP, which considers Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs as well as native tribal religions as part
of the greater Hindu fraternity, officially mentions that it was founded by the "Saint Shakti of
Bharat". The VHP was first mooted at a conference in Pawai, Sandipani
Sadhanalaya, Bombay on 29 August 1964. The conference was hosted by RSS chief M. S.
Golwalkar. The date was chosen to coincide with the festival of Janmashtami. Several
representatives from the Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist and Jain faiths were present in the meeting, as
well as the Dalai Lama.15 Golwalkar explained that "all faiths of Indian origins need to unite",
saying that the word "Hindu" (people of "Hindustan") applied to adherents of all the above
religions. Apte declared:

The world has been divided to Christian, Islam and communist. All of them view Hindu
society as very fine rich food on which to feast and fatten themselves. It is necessary in this
age of conflict to think of and organize the Hindu world to save it from the evils of all the
three.16

Its main objective is "to organize, consolidate the Hindu society and to serve, protect the
Hindu Dharma". It has been involved in social service projects and in encouraging the
construction and renovation of Hindu temples. It is against the caste system, and opposes cow
slaughter and conversions to other religions. Defending Hindus around the world and Hindu
rights has been one of its stated objectives.

Bajrang Dal:

The Bajrang Dal is a religious militant organisation that forms the youth wing of the Vishva
Hindu Parishad (VHP). It is a member of the RSS family of organizations. The ideology of
the organization is based on Hindutva (Hindu nationalism). Founded on 1 October 1984
in Uttar Pradesh, it has since spread throughout India, although its most significant base
remains the northern and central portions of the country.. The name "Bajrang" is a reference
to the Hindu deity Hanuman.

The Bajrang Dal's slogan is 'Sevā Surakṣā Sanskṛti' or "service, safety and culture." One of
the main goals of the Dal is to build the Ramjanmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya,
the Krishnajanmabhoomi temple in Mathura and the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi,
which are currently disputed places of worship. Other goals include protecting India's
"Hindu" identity from the perceived dangers of communism, Muslim demographic growth,
and Christian conversion, as well as the prevention of cow slaughter.
15
Long, Jeffery D. (2011). Historical dictionary of Hinduism, (Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press,2011),319.
16
Smith, David James, Hinduism and Modernity. (Blackwell Publishing,2003),189.
The Hindutva Movement:

The construction of Hindutva is to be seen in the backdrop of emergence of Hinduism as

homogenous religion. Anti- Muslim sentiments were consistently used to project a political
methodology of consolidating the Hindus. Starting from Bankimchandra Chatterjee, various
other Hindu national ideologues had whipped the fear psychosis with Muslims as the ones’
threatening the survival of Hindus. All fabrications were manufactured and propagated by the
ascendant, nascent, amorphous Hindu nationalist forces. The combination of ‘Syndicated
Hinduism’ with nationalism was brewed by Vinayak Damodar Savarkar who can be called
the first exponent of the doctrine of Hindutva. 17The mix of Brahminical Hinduism with
nationalism reflecting the interests of upper castes and part of upper class was defined and
later redefined on the exclusionist principles, which are so basic to the Brahminism. 18The
foundation of Hindutva is inculcated in the Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) which begins from
the local ‘shakhas-volunteers’ (cells), their works largely consists of spreading the ideology
and its politics undertaken through a network of organization. Sangh Parivar is a
classification which refers to the various frontal organizations that form part of the Hindutva
force. Hindutva ("Hinduness") is the predominant form of Hindu nationalism in India. The
term was popularized by Vinayak Damodar Savarkar in 1923. It is championed by the Hindu
nationalist volunteer organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Vishva Hindu
Parishad (VHP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other organizations, collectively called
the Sangh Parivar. The Hindutva movement has been described as "almost fascist in the
classical sense", adhering to a disputed concept of homogenized majority and cultural
hegemony. Some dispute the fascist label, and suggest Hindutva has been an extreme form of
"conservatism" or "ethnic absolutism". The Sangh parivar has created and propagated
organization in every facet of socio-political life in India, from political parties to children
centers, trade unions and militant camps. The Sangh Parivar is fully alive to this mobilizing
potential of culture, which accounts for the foregrounding to its politics.

Conclusion:

The Sangh Parivar is the modern expression of Hindutva ideology of Savarkar. Different
organization within the Sangh Parivar work collectively for the achievement of its goal of a
Hindu Rastra. Here the RSS is the driving force behind the Hindutva movement. There is lot
17
Puniyani, op.cit.,51.
18
Ibid.,51.
of commonalities between Hindutva ideology and of Sangh parivar. Hindism is only a part of
Hindutva. Sangh Parivar considers religious unity as the most important factor in Hinduva.
The Sangh Paivar wants to bring everybody under the umbrella of Hinduism.