Hindutva is a way of life - Supreme court

Hindutva or any religion for that matter is a way to life and should not used for any political gain. Religion is a personal choice and personal faith. It can not be preached or neither can be forced. It is unethical to use religion for political gain. Development and only development should be used as an agenda to fight elections.

@ rambabu what kind of a crap response is that? Parroting what I have already given in my post..

Religion should be a personal issue, now after communalising  it for personal gains, it is difficult to think or say  that religion should not be made an issue in politics or electioneering,while actually it is one of the main issues for our politicians 

usha manohar wrote:

@ rambabu what kind of a crap response is that? Parroting what I have already given in my post..

Religion should be a personal issue, now after communalising  it for personal gains, it is difficult to think or say  that religion should not be made an issue in politics or electioneering,while actually it is one of the main issues for our politicians 

That is the sad part of being in a secular country. Our politicians lack other grounds to ask for vote. They fail to govern or fulfill the promises and so every now and then fall back to the age old crutches of religious sentiments of people. They also directly or indirectly promote the fanatic religious groups who very well know how to create communal disharmony and use it for vote bank.

I hope the politicians take the message seriously- not to politicize religion.

I was adding about Setelwad's petition . Congress is afraid that BJP may use Hindutva in the forth coming elections. In the mean time there was an interruption in my Computer. I read the Article. SC will decide whether the Hindutva can be used in the elections or not

Rightly or wrongly we get to see Hindu groups retaliating quite strongly now because they are fed up of years of step motherly treatment meted out to them by the political parties and other related groups. 

Hindutva may be way of life but this is religion as well. Otherwise when somebody changes to Islam, why you call this conversion. One may convert from one religion to another and not from way of life to religion.  also in official documents, people write their religion as Hindu or Muslim or something else. If Hindu is simply a way of life and not religion, why this should be written in column meant for religion. Like a typical religion, Hindus have a way of worship, marriage routine etc.  

Here the focus is on Hindutva and not on Hinduism...Hindutva is a,wY of life followed by people living in Hindustan. If we see even Christians and other minorities follow many Customs and traditions because it has become inherent to people living in this region. I am sure the Supreme court has looked at the broader context while giving it's verdict.

Hindu word never used in Veda, Upnished, Ramayana, and others. Indeed religion which people of India are following before reaching other religion here are Santam Dharma. Hindu word is Pharsi word.

When Supreme court mentions Hindutva, it clearly discriminates it from the religion Hinduism. It has made clear that it is a way of life for people living in Hindustan and it should not be used for political gain. I totally agree that none of our holy books mention the term Hindu

Arunima Singh wrote:

When Supreme court mentions Hindutva, it clearly discriminates it from the religion Hinduism. It has made clear that it is a way of life for people living in Hindustan and it should not be used for political gain. I totally agree that none of our holy books mention the term Hindu

British who used this word for the original People, who are living here before 7th AD, residence of this piece of Land. 

The Supreme Court is not the last word as many of its judgments are suspect. Having said that, the interpretation of the Supreme court is not a gospel truth. Hindutva is certainly a way of life but its ethos is Hinduism. 

We need to have some regulatory body on the society and by far Supreme court fulfills that aspect. No doubt they have come up with some absurd judgments , although such cases are few . I too would agree that now Hindutva and Hinduism get merged together. But here in this judgment, what is important is the context that has been referred.

Hinduism and Hindutva can't be different. Hindutva is purely Sanskrit or Hindi term whereas 'ism' used as a suffix to 'Hindu' is an English word meaning nothing but 'Hindutva'.  This is an attempt to confuse people.  Can there be non Hindu or Muslim bersion of so called Hinduva. Can 'Hindu' be separated from 'Hindutva'. If not, Hindutva is nothing but Hinduism or Hinduness or Hindugiri or any other word you may conceive by adding some prefix or suffix to 'Hindu'. 

Since everyone knows that Hindu and Hindutva are inter related, I wonder who wants to confuse whom? In a country that is predominantly Hindu, if there is need for stressing ones religion , one can imagine to what level our previous leaders have side lined the Hindus dividing them at every level possible , through religion and caste just so that they continue to divide and rule. Now no wonder it has become pay back time for which one single party is responsible all the way and the other like minded communal parties only follow their example without giving a thought to Nationalism or betterment of the country.

India and Hinduism and Hindutva are  linked together and to separate one from the other is impossible. this should be realized, though the Congress  from the time of Nehru tried its best to make it a crime to think of Hindutva. Its good the Setalvad has got a rap on her knuckles from the Supreme Court, but people like her ilk are too many who will be the doom of India. Incidentally, this lady who runs an NGO is siphoning away crores from the funds along with her husband and only the Supreme Court has stayed her arrest. Why the SC did it it is another mystery.

usha manohar wrote:

Since everyone knows that Hindu and Hindutva are inter related, I wonder who wants to confuse whom? In a country that is predominantly Hindu, if there is need for stressing ones religion , one can imagine to what level our previous leaders have side lined the Hindus dividing them at every level possible , through religion and caste just so that they continue to divide and rule. Now no wonder it has become pay back time for which one single party is responsible all the way and the other like minded communal parties only follow their example without giving a thought to Nationalism or betterment of the country.

Who wants to confuse! very simple. Those who insist that Hindutva is mere way of life and nothing to do with Hindu are confusing others.  They want to polarize Hindu population in name of Hindutva and yet claim this is mere way of life! 

MG Singh wrote:

India and Hinduism and Hindutva are  linked together and to separate one from the other is impossible. this should be realized, though the Congress  from the time of Nehru tried its best to make it a crime to think of Hindutva. Its good the Setalvad has got a rap on her knuckles from the Supreme Court, but people like her ilk are too many who will be the doom of India. Incidentally, this lady who runs an NGO is siphoning away crores from the funds along with her husband and only the Supreme Court has stayed her arrest. Why the SC did it it is another mystery.

It was again due to lack of proper evidence and not having a water tight case. Although not confirmed they have huge investments abroad as well..

Politics sans  religion is being secular. All developed countries practice it. However some forum members want India to become like Pakistan officially favor one religion. It has been repeatedly demonstrated that religion is not a binding factor but still some want it. India is United because of its Constitution. In history India was thousands of kingdoms although religion was one and sitting duck for invadors. Do not propagate a cause which will damage unity of India.

vijay wrote:

Politics sans  religion is being secular. All developed countries practice it. However some forum members want India to become like Pakistan officially favor one religion. It has been repeatedly demonstrated that religion is not a binding factor but still some want it. India is United because of its Constitution. In history India was thousands of kingdoms although religion was one and sitting duck for invaders. Do not propagate a cause which will damage unity of India.

I agree. Religion cannot be cementing force. If this were true, East Pakistan would not separate from Pakistan and come in existence as Bangladesh.  The two nation theory of Iqbal and Jinnah on one hand and the Hindutva Rashtra theory of Hindu Mahasabha and RSS are two sides of the same coin.  

Gulshan Kumar Ajmani wrote:

vijay wrote:

Politics sans  religion is being secular. All developed countries practice it. However some forum members want India to become like Pakistan officially favor one religion. It has been repeatedly demonstrated that religion is not a binding factor but still some want it. India is United because of its Constitution. In history India was thousands of kingdoms although religion was one and sitting duck for invaders. Do not propagate a cause which will damage unity of India.

I agree. Religion cannot be cementing force. If this were true, East Pakistan would not separate from Pakistan and come in existence as Bangladesh.  The two nation theory of Iqbal and Jinnah on one hand and the Hindutva Rashtra theory of Hindu Mahasabha and RSS are two sides of the same coin.

I do not think the two nation theory is dead. It basically means that Hindus and MUslims cannot live together. Do not have a narow defination. Even in Bangldesh Hindus are routinely attacked and in India also the Muslims want a seperate identity.  If you will recollect the demand for Pakistan started in a similar manner when Iqbal changed his views. He earlier wrote " sara Jahan se acha Hindustan hamara.... " and then it was Pakistan.