Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath appears to be gunning for the support of the war-mongering wing of the Hindutva movement, saying “there is no reason” India “cannot take back Sindhu”. Adityanath was referring to the ancient Sindhu kingdom spanning an area stretching from modern-day Sindh Province to Multan, and as far west as the Sulaiman Mountains in Balochistan and Afghanistan before the Persian Achaemenid empire took over some 2,500 years ago. His astounding remark was attached to a comment about how Hindus were able to take back the Babri Masjid, which was demolished by Hindutva terrorists in 1992 and legally turned over to Hindus based on the claim that Ram, the Hindu warrior god, was born there 7,000 years ago. To Adityanath, everything that happened in between is irrelevant.
Indeed, Adityanath — through his political success and legislative record — is almost a caricature of the reasons that Jinnah and other Pakistani founding fathers believed that Muslims would not be safe in a united India. While some people may point to Modi and other far-right leaders of the past, these people were simply politicians who believe in a fascist ideology. Adityanath’s political rise was not through politics, per se, but because he is actually a monk and leads one of the most virulently extreme Hindutva subgroups.
Adityanath may be the top elected official in India’s most populous province, but, at least for now, he has no ability to deliver on his threat. However, as the man most experts believe will succeed Modi, whatever he says matters. This is because Modi is 73 and is probably heading into his final election as his party’s prime ministerial candidate. Adityanath is just 51 and could easily become prime minister while still in his late 50s if his political graph stays on the same line. This is why his comments should not be regarded as nonsense undeserving of a response, but an unprovoked threat of war meriting attention not just from Pakistan and its allies, but also sane-minded Indians.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 11th, 2023.
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