Rise of the fringe
The Hindu
In recent years, several fringe groups have sprung up espousing the cause of a Hindu Rashtra. While some are gaining traction through social media platforms, others are courting controversies to remain relevant
In a narrow lane in an East Delhi locality is Vishnu Gupta’s makeshift office in a small residential property. The Hindu Sena chief keeps a Bhagavad Gita on his table, a religious poster behind his chair and a sword on the side next to the kitchen area.
Mr. Gupta claims that he gives a Bhagavad Gita and a sword to all new members of the outfit so that they can “protect their family” and “only scare people, if required, by wielding the sword”
Since the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014, phrases like “Hindutva”, “Hindu Rashtra”, “Jai Shri Ram”, “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” have become commonplace. One reason for this appears to be the mushrooming of fringe groups. Emboldened by the present regime, these outfits organise public gatherings and protests to propagate their beliefs.