Why Modi’s support to Israel in its war with Palestine 'shouldn't surprise' anyone

By Shamsul Islam* 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s support to Israel in its current war with Palestine should not surprise anyone, as ideologically Hindutva and Zionism are natural partners.
Those who believe in a world free of hegemonic ethno-nationalism, racism, religious bigotry and hatred have rightly taken note of Zionism and its ally Christian Zionism, major perpetrators of ethnic cleansing of ‘Others’. However, the civilized world with its core belief in multi-culturalism and peaceful co-existence is oblivious to a no less dangerous threat to the present human civilization: the Hindutva Zionism.
As the term reads it is part of the Hindutva world-view which stands for an exclusive Hindu India minus Muslims and Christians. The other religions like Sikhism, Buddhism, and Jainism will have no independent status but treated as part of Hinduism. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is the most prominent flag-bearer of the Hindutva politics whose cadres presently rule India, the largest democracy in the world.
The RSS was founded by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar (1889-1940) in 1925 who was disillusioned with the Indian freedom struggle led by Gandhijiagainst the British rule for believing that Indian nation was a composite entity consisting of Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and followers of other religions living in India.
Hedgewar and his associates aggressively claimed that India was an exclusive nation of Hindus. For the RSS the real enemies were not the British rulers but Muslims and Christians, as they belonged to foreign religions. Thus RSS represented the militant Hindu nationalism, termed as Hindutva opposed to Gandhi’s all-inclusive Indian nationalism.
According to the most prominent ideologues of Hindutva, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar (1883-1966) and Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar (1906-73), the Hindutva is true ‘Hinduness’ which should not be reduced to what is understood as Hinduism. Hindutva is aggressive commitment to the belief that India is the Father-land and Holy Land of Hindus who are Aryans, speak Sanskrit language and believe in Casteism. All others are foreign races who...
“must either adopt the Hindu culture and language, must learn to respect and hold in reverence Hindu religion, must entertain no idea but those of the glorification of the Hindu race and culture…must lose their separate existence to merge in the Hindu race, or may stay in the country, wholly subordinated to the Hindu Nation, claiming nothing, deserving no privileges, far less any preferential treatment not even citizen’s rights.” (Golwalkar, MS, “We Or Our Nationhood Defined”, Nagpur, 1939, p. 48.)
Golwalkar’s another book for the RSS cadres “Bunch of Thoughts”, has a long chapter titled as ‘Internal Threats’ in which Muslims and Christians have been described as threat number 1 and 2, respectively. (Golwalkar, M.S., “Bunch of Thoughts”, Sahitya Sindhu, Bangalore, 1996, p. 177.)
Importantly, RSS and its leading cadres presently ruling India are the most vocal supporters of Zionism and the Zionist Israel after the West. The renowned Indian author, Khushwant Singh noted that RSS “supported Zionism and the Jewish state of Israel for no other reason but that it was forever waging wars against its Arab neighbours who were Muslims”.
The current RSS chief, Mohan Bhagwat, like his predecessors has been calling upon the RSS cadres to emulate Israel to tread “the path of Israel while serving the cause of nationalism.” A leading English daily of Israel, the "Jerusalem Post" too underlined the fact that “whenever a BJP government comes to power, the vibrancy in India-Israel relations reaches new heights." 
At the government level Modi, also a leading ideologue of the RSS, was the first Prime Minister to visit Israel in mid-2017 [almost 70 years after founding of the Indian Republic] with the then Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visiting India in early 2018. Both continue to enjoy close friendship despite Netanyahu no more being the prime minister of Israel. India is one the largest consumers of the surveillance and intelligence-related equipment.
The latest disclosures about the Israel made Pegasus spyware make it clear how India made large purchases of it for use against lawyers, journalists, politicians and activists who were suspected to be opposed to the Hindutva politics. On the surveillance front the ganging up of Zionist Israel and India is proved by the fact that India remains the only democracy not to share any information about the purchase of Pegasus spyware which has been described as the ‘world’s most powerful cyber weapon’.
Concerned by the abstruseness of the Modi government, Supreme Court had to constitute a committee to find out the truth in October 2021. The report was submitted in a sealed cover on August 25, 2022. The Bench comprising Chief Justice of India NV Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli while accepting the report informed that the Government of India did not cooperate with the committee.
It was a sad scenario for Indian democracy that rulers of India even refused to respond to a committee appointed by the highest court of justice whose deliberations were confidential. For reasons known to the Court only it did not pass any judgment.
In the meantime, two renowned investigate journalists; Ronen Bergman and Mark Mazetti relying on official papers of Israel confirmed that India did buy the Pegasus courtesy Netanyahu. According to the report:
“In July 2017, Narendra Modi, who won office on a platform of Hindu nationalism, became the first Indian prime minister to visit Israel. For decades, India had maintained a policy of what it called ‘commitment to the Palestinian cause,’ and relations with Israel were frosty. The Modi visit, however, was notably cordial, complete with a carefully staged moment of him and Prime Minister Netanyahu walking together barefoot on a local beach. 

"They had reason for the warm feelings. Their countries had agreed on the sale of a package of sophisticated weapons and intelligence gear worth roughly $2 billion -- with Pegasus and a missile system as the centerpieces. Months later, Netanyahu made a rare state visit to India. And in June 2019, India voted in support of Israel at the U.N.’s Economic and Social Council to deny observer status to a Palestinian human rights organization, a first for the nation.”

Dealing with Muslim Kashmiris

With the beginning of the 2nd term of Modi [2019] India witnessed brazen execution of the old anti-Muslim agenda of the RSS. Article 370 which provided special provisions to guarantee its distinct character to Jammu & Kashmir State [the only Muslim majority State in India] was abrogated [August 5, 2019]. A day later, renowned political thinker, Pratap Bhanu Mehta, could not help writing:
“There are times in the history of a republic when it reduces itself to jackboot. Nothing more and nothing less. We are witnessing that moment in Kashmir. But this moment is also a dry run for the political desecration that may follow in the rest of India. The manner in which the BJP government has changed the status of Jammu and Kashmir by rendering Article 370 ineffective and bifurcating the state is revealing its true character. 

"This is a state for whom the only currency that matters is raw power. This is a state that recognises no constraints of law, liberty and morality. This is a state that will make a mockery of democracy and deliberation. This is a state whose psychological principle is fear. This is a state that will make ordinary citizens cannon fodder for its warped nationalist pretensions.
“For, fundamentally, what this change signals is that Indian democracy is failing. It is descending into majoritarianism, the brute power of the vote; it will no longer have the safety valves that allowed inclusion...Not a single one of us can take any constitutional protections for granted. Parliament is a notice board, not a debating forum."
The Indian State under Modi has been religiously following the Zionist Israel in persecuting Muslims and human rights’ defenders of the region. According to Fernand de Varennes, Special Rapporteur on minority issues, and Ahmed Shaheed, Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, in a statement said:
“The loss of autonomy and the imposition of direct rule by the Government in New Delhi suggests the people of Jammu and Kashmir no longer have their own government and have lost power to legislate or amend laws in the region to ensure the protection of their rights as minorities”.
The following report carried by UNO new site proved once again that Kashmir looked like Palestine under Zionism:
“Since the Indian Government’s 5 August announcement revoking Kashmir’s special status, tighter central Government control has resulted with access to information and peaceful protests quashed.
“Reports have described a near total communications blackout in Jammu and Kashmir since the evening of 4 August, with internet access, mobile phone networks, and cable and Kashmiri television channels cut off.
“The experts expressed concern that the measures, imposed after the Indian Parliament revoked the Constitutionally-mandated status of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, would exacerbate tensions in the region.
“‘The shutdown of the internet and telecommunication networks, without justification from the Government, are inconsistent with the fundamental norms of necessity and proportionality', the experts said in a statement.
“‘The blackout is a form of collective punishment of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, without even a pretext of a precipitating offence.’
“The Government has also imposed a curfew across Jammu and Kashmir, with massive numbers of troops brought in to enforce movement and peaceful assembly restrictions, particularly in the Kashmir Valley.
“‘We remind the Indian authorities that the restrictions imposed by the Indian Government are intrinsically disproportionate, because they preclude considerations of the specific circumstances of each proposed assembly,’ the experts stated.
“At the same time, information received suggests an increase in the arrest of political figures, journalists, human rights defenders, protesters and others.
The experts expressed deep concern over reports that security forces were conducting night raids on private homes leading to the arrests of young people.”
The Amnesty International released many reports of the impunity with which Indian State was following the Zionists in persecuting Kashmiris. In one of these released in July 2015 titled “DENIED: Failures in accountability for human rights violations by security force personnel in Jammu and Kashmir" described in details how Kashmir had turned into killing fields.

Affinity between Zionism and Hindutva

1. God’s ‘Chosen People’: According to Zionism the Jewish people were chosen by God as His true worshippers and to fulfill the mission of proclaiming his truth among all the nations of the world. The Hindutva flag-bearers proclaim the same status. According to them Hindu race...
“professes its illustrious Hindu Religion, the only Religion in the world worthy of being so denominated, which in its variety is still an organic whole, capable of feeding the noble aspirations of all men…enriched by the noblest philosophy of life in all its functions, and hallowed by an unbroken, interminable succession of divine spiritual geniuses, a religion of which any sane man may be justly proud. Guided by this Religion…the [Hindu] Race evolved a culture, which despite the degenerating contact with the debased ‘civilizations’ of the Mussalman and the Europeans, for the last ten centuries, is still the noblest in the world.” (Golwalkar, MS, “We Or Our Nationhood Defined”, Nagpur, 1939, pp. 40-41.)
Speaking a language similar to the Zionists, Golwalkar went on to declare that the world soon will “tremble with fear” before the ‘Chosen People’; upholders of the Hindutva.
It is to be noted that MK Gandhi described as Father of Indian Nation without mincing word stated as early as 1938 (Gandhi, MK, ‘The Jews in Palestine’, “Harijan”, November 26, 1938.):
“Palestine belongs to the Arabs in the same sense that England belongs to the English or France to the French. It is wrong and inhuman to impose the Jews on the Arabs... Surely it would be a crime against humanity to reduce the proud Arabs so that Palestine can be restored to the Jews partly or wholly as their national home”.
2. Religion as basis of nationality: Both believe that religion is the determining factor for nationality. Both are against inclusive nationalities.
3. Religious scriptures as authentic history: For Zionists and Hindutva protagonists, religious scriptures narrate actual history and any other narrative is unacceptable. Myths are truths.
4. Genocidal: Zionist organizations and Zionist Israel have been widely condemned for the genocide of Palestinians and other opponents. Israel is the only state which has been condemned both by the General Assembly and the Security Council of the United Nations through more than 200 resolutions since its founding in 1948.

World has not bothered to take notice of network developing fast in India and elsewhere between RSS and ultra-nationalist groups

In India we have witnessed a major genocide of minorities almost every decade in which Hindutva cadres have been found involved. In these genocides victims have not been only minorities but lower Castes of Hindus also. It is important to know that RSS which claims to be a cultural organization is fond of worshipping arms. It celebrates its foundation day as ''shastr pooja" (worship of the arms) in which RSS leaders/cadres participate in large numbers. Recently following into the foot-steps of Zionist Israel RSS-BJP rulers have made bulldozers as a symbol of punishing Muslims.

5. Demonization of opponents: An important commonality between the two is the demonization and persecution of anti-Zionists as Anti-Semitic and anti-Hindutva as anti-Hindu. The renowned researcher of Zionism, Yoav Litvin, wrote:
“In fact, anti-Zionists were targeted from before the foundation of the state of Israel. Today, Jewish pro-Palestinian activists who support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement are detained, punished and even deported.”
In India, Gandhiji, anti-Hindutva intellectuals/journalists namely Govind Pansare, MM Kalburgi, Narender Dabholkar and Gouri Lankesh were allegedly assassinated by  Hindutva zealots for being anti-Hindu.  Here have been arrest of anti-Hindutva intellectuals like Anand Teltumbde, Fr Stan Swamy (who died during incarceration), Gautam Navlakha, Varavara Rao, lawyer Sudha Bharadwaj, activists Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves, Hany Babu, Umar Khalid and hundreds others under terror laws.
6. Racist: Zionists ruling Israel may harp on the divine unity of the Jews of the world but in reality Israel is ruled by and for superior Ashkenazi [European] Jews. In Israel hatred for dark-skinned African Jews, Sephardi [Spanish speaking Jews] and Mizrahi Jews [Jews from Central and West Asian countries, many of them Arabic-speaking] is too glaring to be missed.
In India, the RSS is known to have sought the abrogation of the democratic-secular-egalitarian Constitution and promulgation of the Manu code [Manusmriti] as law of the land. Manusmriti is declared to be most worship-able after Vedas. It decrees sub-human status to women and Sudras [lowest caste in the caste system]. Moreover, the RSS reportedly treats dark-skinned South Indians as inferior.

RSS' international linkages

The world has not bothered to take any notice of a network developing fast in India and its neighbourhood between RSS and the two ultra-nationalist Buddhist groups of Myanmar and Sri Lanka against minorities, specially Muslims in the region. An editorial in "The International New York Times" [‘Deadly alliances against Muslims’, October 16, 2014], said, Galagodaththe Gnanasara, the leader of the radical Sri Lankan Buddhist group Bodu Bala Sena [Buddhist Power Force], announced this at an international convention in Colombo in September 2014. 

The editorial disclosed that at the convention:
“The guest of honor was Ashin Wirathu, a Buddhist radical whose picture Time magazine put on its July 1 [2013] covers as ‘The Face of Buddhist Terror’…Mr. Gnanasara claimed he was in discussions ‘at a high level’ with the right-wing Indian Hindu group Rashtriya Swayam Sevak to form what he called a ‘Hindu-Buddhist peace zone’ in South Asia.”
The NYT editorial also carried Facebook and Twitter congratulatory messages of Ram Madhav (who kept on shuffling as spokes-person of RSS and general secretary of BJP) to Bodu Bala Sena. These must be read to know the depth of linkages between Buddhist terrorist organizations and RSS.
The neo-Nazi mass murderer of Norway, Anders Behring Breivik, reportedly had linkages with the RSS. On 22 July 2011 Breivik massacred 77 youth belonging to the Norway’s ruling Labour Party at a youth training camp on the island of Utøya. It was no sudden carnage by some mad person. Breivik had planned it for years. Just before the attack he had released on line ‘A European Declaration of Independence’ which declared war against the devils -- cultural Marxism, multi-culturalism, feminism, emotionalism, humanism, and egalitarianism.

In this case, too, the world took almost no notice of the critical fact that Breivik’s manifesto laid down a plan of co-operation between the neo-Nazi movements of Europe and “Hindu nationalist” organizations of India. Out of 1515 pages of Breivik’s manifesto 102 pages dealt with the glorification of the Hindutva movement of India.
It emphasized that it was essential that these two “learn from each other and cooperate as much as possible” as “Our goals are more or less identical.” This manifesto specially mentioned the name of the fountain head of the Hindutva politics, RSS and its appendages like BJP, ABVP (Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad; student appendage of the RSS) and VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad; RSS appendage to bring the world under Hindutva hegemony) as partners.
Importantly, the manifesto pledged military support “to the nationalists in the Indian civil war and in the deportation of all Muslims from India” as part of a larger campaign to “overthrow of all western European multi-culturalist governments”.
How critical is the danger of RSS becoming a rallying point of all the neo-fascists of the world can be gauged by the fact that the former according to its own admission was active in 39 countries with the nomenclature Hindu Seva Sangh. The RSS has not uploaded data after 2015 in this regard. There must be many more countries where it could be functioning covertly. The civilized world can risk overlooking this most lethal danger on its own peril.
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*Political scientist formerly with Delhi University. For in-depth study of RSS click here, and here for his writings and video interviews/debates. Facebook: https://facebook.com/shamsul.islam.332. X: @shamsforjustice. Blog: http://shamsforpeace.blogspot.com/