Citizenship (Amendment) Bill stands against the basic structure of Constitution, very foundation of the Republic. The challenge it poses was always there, in the fringes, sinister, over emphasizing on Hindu glory. As early as in 1923, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar spoke about a term that spelt out the dividing ideology explicitly. It was Hindutva, which Savarakar explained was not the same as Hinduism. Hindutva was a form of political Hinduism, that sought to politicise Hinduism and militarize the Hindus as a nationality. Savarkar went on to explain that this nationality provided a basis for nationalism in a vastly diverse society, and finally led towards nation state. Savarkar, strangely enough was an atheist, did not have faith in having sacred geographies, and yet claimed the entire country for the Hindus on the grounds of its being ‘sacred geography’.

Savarkar then brought his two nation theory. He was the first one to propound it in the country, sixteen years prior to Muslim League in 1940, taking up the formulation of Hindus and Muslims as separate nations, and asked for division of India. In 1923 only, Savarkar also wrote his monograph ‘Hindutva: Who is a Hindu?’ which reflected his efforts to lead the emerging strongly anti-British, anti-colonial spirit towards anti Muslim stance and then also action. It was obviously to serve the interest of the colonial rulers.

It was not only Hindu Mahasabha, of which Savarkar became a president, but also RSS (Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh), formed in 1925 with Dr Hedgewar as its Sarsanghchalak, who propagated the theory of separate nation for Hindus. According to a report on Rashtriya Swyam Sewak Sangh by Director, Intelligence Bureau, on Dussehra celebrations in Nagpur in 1932, Hedgewar claimed that Hindustan was for Hindus and after establishing the Hindu government, it was for the Hindus to decide what political rights and privileges would be given to non Hindus here. The same report also noted that Hindu Mahasabha leader Dr N V Khare presiding over another function in 1933, admitted that Sangh was a communal organization and also that Sangh was opposed to non-violence. Hindu Mahasabha leader Dr B S Moonje who was also present there, said in his address that aggression was always better than defence. Appreciating the Sangh for its activities, Hindu Mahasabha leader V D Savarkar praised Dr Hedgewar for his able leadership.

In 1937, V D Savarkar, after he was elected president of Hindu Mahasabha, said in the 19th session of the Mahasabha, “There are two antagonistic nations living side by side in India. Several infantile politicians commit the serious mistake of supporting that India is already harmoniously welded nation or that it could be welded if one just wished to do so... India cannot be assumed today as Unitarian and harmonious nation.”

He summed up,”On the contrary, there are two nations in the main, the Hindus and the Muslims in India”.

Despite a small chunk of our vast population propagating against the Unitarian ethos, the entire freedom movement was devoid of such divisive trends. Even after almost more than two centuries of captivation, forced partition, and the heinous murder of Mahatma Gandhi, our democratic structure could be built up on ideals of secularism, socialism and equality. Our Constitution with the unique feature of unity in diversity was taken up in 1950, and also space was there for dissent, suppression of which is denial of democracy. (IPA Service)