BY JOAN W. SCOTT
In response to the growing influence of Hindutva, a Hindu supremacist ideology supported by India’s prime minister Narendra Modi and a growing number of Indians both within and outside that nation, a conference has been organized to analyze and contest the ideology. “Dismantling Global Hindutva” will take place on-line September 10–12. The purpose of the conference is to bring together leading scholars in South Asian studies and public commentators on Indian society and politics from around the world in order to discuss the global phenomenon of Hindutva. The conference aims to expose the havoc Hindutva is currently wreaking in India for Muslims, Dalits, non-conforming women, and non-Hindus in general. More than sixty programs, departments, and centers, and forty-nine universities are co-sponsoring the event. More than 5,500 people have registered to attend.
In recent days, the conference has been subject to an all-out assault by Hindutva groups and trolls. Co-sponsoring universities have received tens of thousands of emails demanding the conference be canceled and asking universities to withdraw support. Individuals involved in the conference have been receiving violent threatening emails and phone calls. The attacks claim the conference is promoting hate speech about Hindus (not unlike the ways extreme Zionist groups claim that criticism of current Israeli politics is anti-Semitic). The attacks are not simply an attack on the conference, but on academic freedom more generally. They are attempts to silence the exercise of the critical thinking we associate with academic work.
A statement of support for the conference and its organizers, which defends the conference on the grounds of academic freedom and calls out disingenuous charges of Hinduphobia, is now available for signature. It is being widely distributed among academics both in the US and abroad. It is aimed at maintaining and increasing participation in the conference by individuals and universities, and at standing fast against all attempts at intimidation and censorship.
Academics Stand in Solidarity with Dismantling Global Hindutva Conference
As scholars and members of academic communities around the world, we strongly condemn the campaign of harassment and intimidation against the Dismantling Global Hindutva conference, and stand in solidarity with the 49+ universities and 60+ departments and centers sponsoring the event.
In recent days, cosponsoring institutions have been besieged by political extremists who have disingenuously sought to smear the conference as “Hinduphobic” or “anti-Hindu.” We firmly reject these misleading attempts to conflate Hindutva and Hinduism. Hindutva is NOT a religion, nor is it a synonym for Hindu cultural identity, or “Hindu-ness.” Hindutva is an authoritarian political ideology that historically drew inspiration from Nazi Germany and Mussolini’s Italy. Its guiding principle is to transform India from a secular democracy to a religious state where Muslims, Christians, and other religious minorities are relegated to second class citizenship or genocidally purged from the nation. In the name of Hindutva ideology, the current government of India has instituted discriminatory policies including beef bans, restrictions on religious conversion and interfaith weddings, and legislation designed to restrict immigration and citizenship pathways to Hindus. The result has been a horrifying rise in religious and caste-based violence, including hate crimes, lynchings, and rapes directed against Muslims, non-conforming Dalits, Sikhs, Christians, adivasis and other dissident Hindus. Women of these communities are especially targeted. Meanwhile, the government has used every tool of harassment and intimidation to muzzle dissent. Dozens of student activists and human rights defenders are currently languishing in jail indefinitely without due process under repressive anti-terrorism laws.
The purpose of the Dismantling Global Hindutva conference is to bring together leading scholars in South Asian studies and public commentators on Indian society and politics from around the world in order to discuss the global phenomenon of Hindutva. The conference is guided by an ethical commitment to protecting the rights of minorities, dissidents, and ordinary people whose very existence is under attack by Hindutva’s proponents. This agenda epitomizes the vital social and intellectual work that universities are designed to foster, and it must be protected by the principles of academic freedom. The campaign of intimidation carried out by Hindutva affiliates cannot be allowed to take root in the academy in the US, Europe, or around the world. Free speech must be protected. The attacks on academics, students, professors, and all conference participants must stop.
We affirm the principles of academic freedom and secular democracy. We stand in solidarity with the Dismantling Global Hindutva conference.
A list of signatories and a place to add your name can be found at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfKwnT197OFotWVo0W7hAYcX3qLpbBm_9B7PiuiMPdNWIN6DQ/viewform
Joan W. Scott is professor emerita in the School of Social Science at the Institute for Advanced Study and a member of the AAUP’s Committee A on Academic Freedom and Tenure.
Thank you for bringing this to readers’ attention, Joan. It is hard not to think of our own situation in the states, with the attacks on academic freedom when educators attempt to critique white supremacy (the anti-CRT and ‘divisive concepts’ legislation, the far-right trolls using encrypted email to send hostile and threatening emails to scholars committed to racial justice, etc.).
I am saddened to read your support for a terrible conference that is set to demonize Hindus under the guise of academic freedom. This “conference” is nothing but hate. For 20 years nearly, all I’ve heard is terror has no religion. But this conference does a 180 and states unequivocally that terror actually does have a religion and it is Hinduism. And Joan W. Scott agrees based on an academic freedom argument. As a Hindu who grew up in America I’m disgusted that you feel the need to demonize me and this minority in the US. Ask yourself if you would allow or support any other conference that did the same to another religion.
I whole-heartedly support this conclusion of Anup Kulkarni. The primary purpose of this kind of Conference titled as “Dismantling Global Hindutva” is the Abuse of the Power, demeaning the 1.2 billion followers of Hinduism in name of the Academic Freedom. The Supreme Personality of Godhead has given a minute freedom to every living entity that includes Human beings, Sub-human beings and the Super-human beings in our small globe and the Universe. We should use this minute freedom wisely for the “constructive purpose rather than the destructive purpose”. I am a follower of Hinduism born and raised in India half of my life and I am a practicing Psychiatrist and Physician in Michigan, USA for 30 plus years. Atul C. Shah, MD
Hindutva has nothing to do with the concept of Hinduism. The followers of Hindutva agenda are hate mongers.
Hinduism teaches about Sanatan Dharma and Vasudaiva Kutumbakam. Hindutva is just the opposite.
Oh, great! So, is this how you seek to silence others (read the ‘victims’) for merely expressing their opinion? Have you read the Calcutta High Court judgement on the recent post poll violence that took place in West Bengal which even acknowledges rape and ethnic cleansing? Do you think the one-sided academia or the so called ‘sickular’ media (including this forum itself) will ever demonize the CM of West Bengal for what happened there? Universities are supposed to bring out truth and only truth. This event is a sham only meant to deprive Hinduism its legitimate place in its own land of birth by seeking to ‘brainwash’ the younger generations. I am sure this comment will not be allowed under your ‘free speech’ principles. So go ahead and delete it.
Joan and the thousands of other minions!
Remember this – “Hate is a boomerang and hits back..at wrong time”
Thanks for waking up Hindus like me, well from when we wake up, we’re called Hindutvas anyways.
This campaign of hate is no academic conference. It is pure hate and demonize minority and people of color in USA. Racist conference under the garb of freedom of speech is grave injustice to anyone interested in genuine dialogue and exploration of truth. This effort is uncanny resemblance to what Nazis did in Germany on Jews. This efforts will lead to violence against Hindu minorities in USA. Thus is dangerous trend must be condemned.
Hinduism / Hindutava is the Mother of All Ideologies and the Only one that understands that that the world is one big family.
All other ideologies have the My Way of the Highway principle condemning each others since centuries galore; whereas Hinduism is the only one that has always said since the Beginning of Times, that All Paths if taken with goodness to All will lead to the same unchanging truth & god principle of coexistence & collaboration, of bringing out the good in humans, and ultimately of becoming a Human ; the journey of progressing from Untruth to Truth, of Darkness to Light / Ignorance to Knowledge & Ultimately of overcoming the Fear of Death by understanding that the Soul is Immortal!
Someone, somewhere seems to have Dropped into Deep Dark Ignorance to Plot such a Devious Movement attempting to speak ill about the All Encompassing, Altruistic Ideology of Hinduism aka Hindutava; and needs to first come out of the hole they are in to start seeing the light of Hinduism !
It’s about time that the world understand what is Hinduism; the Foundation of Civilization, The Eternal Way of Life!!
Yes I am for this conference. It is time that the true face of Hindutva agenda is exposed to the world.
Hindutva has nothing to do with the philosophy of Hinduism, which in its core preaches universal brotherhood, tolerance for other beliefs and peace.
But the practice of the ruling elites since 2014 has been just about the opposite to this philosophy. In the name of this ancient philosophy, the followers of the Hindutva agenda have wreaked violence against Muslims, Dalits, Christians and other non-believers of their agenda. Even journalists and activists have not been spared. Father Stan Swamy, a Jesuit priest who fought for the rights of the tribals, was incarcerated by the admin and died in jail. He was 84 years old.
Apart from this, there have been many other instances where innocent people who disagree with the ruling Hindutva elites have been persecuted.
Thank you for hosting this conference.
The word “Hindutva” has a referent that is independent of political parties. This referent takes notice of doctrine that is present in some sects of Christianity and Islam, and even in the social sciences: the Indian traditions are immoral a priori. “A priori” means “independent of Hindu nationalists.”
Hi I made a comprehensive review of this conference via a video with a shorter summary in an open letter to organisers. We are disappointed to see all Hindus who disagree with the ideological and ethical underpinnings of this project profiled as extremists and terrorists. It’s exactly how mistreatment of muslims has led to hatred on the streets and it really isn’t acceptable in 2021 among top institutions. I am calling this pure institutionalised Hinduphobia and yes, I am the one who found that it is from 1866, has been used ever since and my work got this word put into the English Dictionary this year. Denying Hinduphobia should be illegal. I am sure it will be soon. You can watch my thorough critique here where I share my experience of Hinduphobia just for asking one of the DGH conference professors for a reference. https://www.hinduhumanrights.info/kickhinduphobiaoutofaustralia/
Hinduism is humane hindutva is radical, violent, racist, medieval and inhuman.
Are you serious? Entire world is discussing on the Ismalization & its effect and you are shamelessly targeting Hindus and creating false propaganda. Health discussions and debates are always welcome but this is simply false diversion. How much you got paid in the back end. You should be ashamed of calling yourself an professor …
Hindutva and Hinduism are two entirely different things. Hindutva is a political doctrine based on hatred.
For the same reason Islam (Religion) Vs Taliban & Sharia (Politics) are also entirely different things. But they appear to be one due to mixing of religion in politics. How about these academia hosting the most crucial ‘scholarly conference’ on ‘Dismantling Taliban & Sharia’, now that our grand daughters are facing the prospect of deprivation of their privileges to health, education, free movement and also doomed to exist only as baby-making machines?
Universities are supposed to stand for truth and only truth. To them, unfortunately, it has become extremely urgent to brainwash the younger generation, using their monopoly on the one-sided media, to get rid of a once glorious, now a ‘slave religion’ that is dying a slow death in its own land of birth because that is the key to complete the conversion of the most peaceful Hindus or ethnically cleanse them from the map of this world which is already set in motion.
Thanks to CNN like ‘sickular media’ for playing an impeccable role in this game. At this rate it will be appropriate if CNN changed its slogan to “This is CNN, World Leader in Twisted News (especially when it comes to India)” as well.
Pingback: Hindu Supremacists Threaten Academic Freedom in the United States | ACADEME BLOG