The (Im)possibilities of a Hindu Left in Contemporary India

Abstract

This chapter describes the Indian Communist left and their struggle to maintain a discrete distance between their Marxism and the increasingly dominant role played by Hindu beliefs in Indian politics, associated with the hegemony of the governing BJP. While in previous decades it was productive for Indian Marxism to emphasise its secular character, since this comported well with the dominant trends of post-independence political discourse, the rise of Hindu nationalism has made this separation appear as a source of tension and led some Communist politicians to disclose their religious affiliations and beliefs as part of their political and electoral strategies. Reflecting on the challenges of this situation, Bradbury concludes that a progressive Marxist articulation of Hinduism along the lines of movements discussed elsewhere in this collection may be out of reach.