Hindutva and development

Abstract

Development is a much abused term these days, thanks to the ‘Sangh Parivar’ government we have at the helm. I want to position myself as an observer - a class privileged, openly-gay, left leaning libertarian, law student and use my paper to unearth the methodology devised by the present-day government to marginalize vulnerable communities and repress people’s movements legitimately. By using the force of law, the government is trying to assert its domineering right-wing Hindu ideology over the people. I will assess how the government is trying to use law to legitimize its pro-development policies and to give it teeth. I believe in transgressing the conformist attitude of apologist law practitioners themselves and see the kind of legitimacy-seeking politics been played by the government. I will critique the definition that the Government has used to explain Development and its various processes. Also, I will connect how the use of law is a means to legitimize the cultural oppression, that in the end leads to marginalization and suppression of people’s movements. Finally, looking at the changing ways that Indian central governments have defined development, I wish to critique the idea of development that appears in the Indian context.