Scholars have debated the political character of the RSS, especially after the BJP and Narendra Modi came to power in 2014. A new book, The Politics of Corporations in ‘New’ India, argues for labeling the RSS-BJP as quintessentially fascist. The book, featuring 13 essays from various academics, outlines the dominant features of fascism that have emerged in India over the past decade.
Rohit Varman, the book’s editor, distinguishes fascism from autocracy, emphasizing that fascism is driven by a preoccupation with community decline and humiliation, leading to a victimhood mentality. This results in chauvinistic nationalism and violence against targeted groups, justified as redemptive. While authoritarianism prefers a passive populace, fascism imposes societal codes and norms through coercive means.
Fascism thrives on economic crises and is supported by a discontented middle class, often exploiting lower classes via nationalism and violence against marginalized groups. The book argues that the contemporary portrayal of Hindus as oppressed fuels aggressive actions against religious minorities, particularly Muslims, through various means of propaganda and law.
Varman connects the rise of fascism in India to the corporate support for the BJP during a period of political and economic turmoil. Notably, legislation has favored corporate interests, causing wealth inequality, with the top 1% in India holding a significant portion of the wealth. Although today’s government hasn’t created concentration camps like historical fascists, it exhibits fascist traits in its political behavior.
In essence, the book contends that Hindutva, while not identical to fascism as seen in historical contexts, exhibits characteristics that align with fascistic behavior, creating a “slow bleeding process” of oppression in Indian politics.
