International Journal of Contemporary Research in Multidisciplinary

Abstract:

The Constitution of India defines India as a sovereign, socialist Secular, democratic republic. The principle of Secularism is a part of the basic structure of our Constitution but, today, there is a lot of discussion about the idea of India as a Hindu Rashtra.

The word Hindu derives from the word Sindhu. Sindhu in Sanskrit refers to the sea as well as the river Indus. The word Hindu is not of Indian origin. It was in the early part of the medieval period when people of West and Central Asia started calling the inhabitants of the Indian sub-continent, particularly those who resided on the eastern coast of Sindhu as Hindus. Therefore, the word Hindu was not there in India before the advent of the Turks in India. With the passage of time, especially during the 19th century, the word was defined in a new and modern way by various social and religious reformers.

Today, it has become a symbol of the Hindutva ideology of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and Sangh Parivar. In this paper, we will try to explore various connotations of the word Hindu and Hindu Rashtra. How far the concept of Hindu Rashtra is suitable in modern Indian Democracy? Is it just an imaginary idea or myth to establish Hindu Rashtra in India or it can be turned into a reality? What are the challenges in the realization of Hindu Rashtra in India?

Keywords:

Hindu, Hindu-Rashtra Hindutva-ideology, Sindhu, sangh-parivar, Constitution, Secular, democratic, nation Turks

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