Hindutva, Hindunasjonalisme og Bharatiya Janata Party En ...

Deendayalji's basic impulse in developing his discourse was humanistic, and not political
in the narrow sense of party politics. In words that resonate with the anguish felt by
every right-thinking person in the world, he writes: "Man, the highest creation of God, is
losing his own identity. We must re-establish him in his rightful position, bring him the
realisation of his greatness, reawaken his abilities and encourage him to exert for
attaining divine heights of his latent personality."
Every philosophy carries with it the birthmarks of the times in which it originates. Since
the great debate in the early decades after India's independence revolved around the
theme of "capitalism vs communism", Deendayalji developed "Integral Humanism" partly
as a counter to both. He presents persuasive arguments to show the pitfalls of both
systems. "Both capitalism and communism have failed to account for the Integral Man,
his true and complete personality and his aspirations. One considers him a mere selfish
being hankering after money, having only one law, the law of fierce competition, in
essence the law of jungle; whereas the other has viewed him as a feeble lifeless cog in
the whole scheme of things, regulated by rigid rules, and incapable of any good unless
directed. The centralisation of power, economic and political, is implied in both. Both,
therefore, result in dehumanisation of man." How true, considering the global
developments of the last four decades.
However, Deendayalji was anything but doctrinaire in his approach. Though a strong
critic of aping the Western way of life, he accepts that "Western principles are a product
of a revolution in human thought and it is not proper to ignore them". His critique of the
Western political and economic thought does not call for its total rejection; it only
highlights its inadequacy. Referring to "nationalism, democracy, socialism, world peace
and world unity", which were the hotly debated "Big Ideas" in India and elsewhere in the
1960s, he says, "All these are good ideals. They reflect the higher aspirations of
mankind." But the manner in which the West has voiced them shows that "each stands
opposed to the rest in practice."
It was Deendayalji's deeply held belief that "Bharatiya Culture" (it is notable that the
word "Hindu" or "Hindutva" does not appear in his treatise even once) was capable of
harmonising and realising these great ideals for the common good of mankind. What was
the basis of his belief? It is the "integral" approach of our culture - the "keynote of
Bharatiya Sanskriti" - which views every aspect of human life not in isolation, but
holistically in light of the universal and enduring principles of man, as applied to the
specific conditions of each society. In contrast to the theory of class conflict (as in
communism), Indian culture posits inter-dependence between various sections of society
working together for the common weal of all. Similarly, rejecting notions of any inherent
contradiction between the individual and society (as in capitalism), it underscores the
essential concord between the two. "A flower is what it is because of its petals, and the
worth of the petals lies in remaining with the flower and adding to its beauty."
The great merit of "Integral Humanism" lies in its successful attempt to deal with a
problem that has defied so many political philosophers of our age: how to conceptualise a
practical approach to achieve peace and harmony within the individual man and society.
Deendayalji persuasively describes how the Bharatiya way of life seeks the simultaneous
progress of the body, mind, intellect and soul. He also explains how a balanced
observance of the four-fold responsibilities - Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha (the four
Purusharthas or desirable human efforts) guarantees all-round development of both the
individual and society.
This may sound like a restatement of the well-known principles of Indian philosophy.
Some of "Integral Humanism" is indeed an inspiring elucidation of that. However, what is
new in this treatise is Deendayalji's intellectually audacious leap in applying these
principles for the goal of India's national resurgence. First, he resurrects, from the works
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