There are some people who think that the concept of ‘strengthening Hindu ecosystem’ is a great concept and that it generally reflects the will of the hindus at large.
I think there are a few problems with such view:
Firstly, there have always been problems with any society that tried to build it on the basis of any religion. See the history of countries based on evocative slogans like “Islam khatre mein hai” or the Western countries that had to see the wisdom in separating Caesar and Church. Unlike other religions, Hinduism does not even have one Book.
Secondly, there are varieties and varieties of Hindus. You have people who ask you ‘garv se kaho hum hindu hain’. There are those who think ‘garv’ is one of the six internal enemies identified by ancient scriptures ‘kaama krodha lobha moha mada maatsarya’. Therefore you have to be self-effacing and cannot have any ‘garv’. And then you have people who think that the self-styled champions of hindutva do not represent so-called Hindu interests. According to them, they are not doing enough in taking temples free from Government control. There are also allegations that beef exporters have contributed in electoral bonds, whereas a rickshawpuller carrying beef in a closed gunny bag faces a threat of being lynched. There also people who push ordinary Hindus more and more into fear about losing their culture and losing their traditions, without any trouble to check facts. There are also saints and spiritually inclined Hindus who prefer to look within and allow Upanishadic quest in search of Truth. Ramana Maharshi advocated self-inquiry as the path towards self-realisation. J Krishna Murthy was fully initiated into all theosophical aspects of Hinduism but proclaimed that Truth is a pathless land. There are also work-oriented hindus who spread no hatred against others, but spend enormous amounts of energy silently in areas like promotion of ayurveda or maintaining gau shalas or annadan, with religious inspiration and help in promoting universal love and brotherhood.
Thirdly, Hindus have castes and have people outside the caste system, including scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. There are caste and regional bonds that are seen stronger in day to day lives to many, rather than bonds based on religion.There are also very disturbing instances of caste based discrimination and violence. There are several instances of the socially and economically privileged caste persons trying to promote their kith and kin in matters of business development or promotions or recommendations and of course, perpetuating power and influence through marriages within the same caste. The efforts to address these imbalances, either through reservations in government educational institutions and government jobs or through schemes like cash incentive for inter-caste marriages or by strict implementation of SC and STs (Prevention of atrocities) Act have seen limited success. Most disturbing instances of deaths and ill health due to inhalation of poisonous gases while cleaning sewage pipes or soak pits point towards need for technological innovations by urban local bodies and others as well as stricter implementation of Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013.
Fourthly, material facts can be checked and measured. Models can be built to quantify. But Hindu ecosystem defies easy measurement. Does one measure it on the basis of how many lynchings of people of other faiths been done or on the basis of how much hatred you are promoting about others? Is there a way to measure it on its own, without linking it with what we do with people of other religions ?
Fifthly, attempts to control any such system would always produce somebody who is better than you in the game. If Ayodhya is done, you have Kashi, Mathura left. If they are done, you have a temple that was demolished some centuries ago in my village or in yours. There is no end to this game. Meanwhile the law of the land gets dishonoured and institutions designed to act as checks and balances are made to fail.
Sixthly, one can always criticise Nehru or the British Government. But what alternative systems of governance are there to offer ? Can we build better computer chips using Vedic mathematics ? You can delete Mughal history pages from school text books. But, will that automatically generate engineers and technicians who can build stronger roads, bridges and buildings that withstand the vagaries of seasons ? Would that help children to inculcate values of team spirit and working together harmoniously ? Is it really possible to have a governance system based on Manu Smriti? What would be the role of women and dalits in nation building in such a framework ?
Seventhly, there are so many living elements of syncretic culture in every nook and corner of India, if you look at how various services in religious places are provided, how various art forms have developed, music, songs, movies and great pieces of literature celebrating the human spirit. Can we deny all this ?
Finally, who is a Hindu ? If one thinks belief in Vedas is an essential element in classifying somebody to be a Hindu, how many people have read the Vedas or understood what is in them before deciding whether they have belief in them or not ? There are no defined methods of worship. There are multiple Gods and Godesses. Charvaks, who advocated atheism, were also part of Hindus. There are no rigid controls. Individual choice is respected. If we accept the Census definition and classify as Hindu whoever claims to be one, it is not possible to prevent atheists or marxists from being Hindu. A vast majority of Hindus are satisfied with the freedom to worship whomever they want and in celebration of festivals, without any illwill towards people of other faiths ? The very nature of hinduism has roots in "Ekam Sat, vipraah bahudhaa vadanti", " Tat twam asi" and 'Vasudhaiva kutumbakam". How then would anybody consolidate the Hindu ecosystem ?
Therefore, I think any such projects are clever efforts in self-aggrandisement. They may give the rulers some temporary benefits. But, they cannot result in adding more glory to our great culture or in a harmonious, peaceful society or in building a competitive and egalitarian economy or in citizen-oriented, accountable governance systems. Consolidation of hindu ecosystem cannot be an excuse for politicians to attend religious functions in temples, with full media coverage. We as a nation, need to take concerted steps to see that religion is not mixed with politics and that people holding positions of authority must keep their religions at home, attend places of their choice of worship with family and close friends and without video or still cameras. It is also necessary for Governments to withdraw from nominating people in hindu religious boards, so that hindu endowments are managed by the hindus themselves, without relying on state machinery.
