Book Review: Hostile Homelands – Drawing Parallels Between Hindutva and Zionism in Historical and Present Day Context
As events unfold across India, Pakistan, and Kashmir, the region remains a cauldron of tension and historic grievances. Recent occurrences, such as the Pahalgam attack that claimed the lives of 28 civilians—predominantly Hindu tourists—have deepened the region’s wounds. India’s subsequent retaliatory strikes across strategic areas and contested territories have not only intensified conflict but also underscored its growing reliance on a military approach reminiscent of tactics employed by Israel. This evolving dynamic has sparked widespread debate, with commentators drawing parallels between the ideological and operational strategies of Hindutva and Zionism.
A Survey of Zionism and Hindutva Parallels
The book begins by tracing the ideological roots of both Zionism and Hindutva. Each movement emerged from a desire to shape a national identity that is intrinsically linked to an ethno-religious conception of the nation. In Israel, a system of military occupation works in tandem with bureaucratic measures and land policies, all of which contribute to undermining Palestinian identity. Meanwhile, although India once opposed the recognition of Israel at the United Nations as part of its anti-colonial strategy, changes in global politics during the 1990s led to a significant shift. As India began to forge closer ties with Israel, including increasing its purchase of Israeli weaponry, it also embraced a more overtly pro-Israel stance that altered its longstanding policies and symbolism regarding Palestine.
Even amid India’s decades of nuanced positioning toward Palestine, the ideological foundations of the Hindutva movement were taking shape internally. Influential figures within the movement proclaimed visions of a renewed nation—one devoid of what they deemed non-native influences. These early ideas find echoes in early Zionist thinkers, whose writings discussed the necessity of securing an ethno-national state by any means necessary. The similarities are most evident in the demographic engineering both ideologies have endorsed through policies, reinforcing a hard-edged vision of a homogenized nation.
Palestine, Kashmir, and Dissent
The book draws a compelling comparison between India’s policies in Kashmir and Israel’s approach in Palestine. Tactics such as revoking longstanding accords, introducing laws that favor new settlers, and deploying military power in densely populated areas illustrate a common method of control. Civilians are frequently cast as potential threats, and state-sanctioned violence is justified under the banner of national security and sovereignty. The parallel extends to legal and extralegal measures: India’s utilization of stringent laws to detain activists and dismantle dissent mirrors similar practices in the Israeli context. Both strategies are designed to suppress opposition and deter collective resistance, thereby embedding a framework of control that normalizes harsh state practices.
Beyond military tactics, the ideological narrative is also carefully managed and shaped by state institutions. Media outlets often echo government narratives that downplay the human cost of military operations, presenting them as precise and essential measures. In these circumstances, incidents that result in civilian casualties are reframed as unfortunate yet necessary steps in a broader strategic realignment that favors a radical right-wing agenda.
The Precarity of Indian Muslim Identity
An incisive part of the analysis focuses on the internal dynamics within India, particularly concerning Muslim communities. While different political regimes have, at different times, influenced the nation’s policies toward both its Jewish and Islamic minorities, the evolution of Hindutva has gradually marginalized these groups. The transformation of historical policies—from cautiously normalized international relations to an unabashed embrace of a hardline, majoritarian vision—illustrates that anti-Muslim sentiment is not tied to a single political party but is enmeshed in the nation’s ongoing evolution.
This internal contestation is further complicated by the misinterpretation of Indian Muslim identity. Some observers have criticized Muslims by suggesting they align with state power, thereby betraying their own communities. Such simplifications ignore the very real challenges that Indian Muslims face amid a state apparatus increasingly inclined toward majoritarian nationalism. Their struggles, which include loss of livelihoods and systematic disenfranchisement, are underpinned by an ideological project that casts internal diversity as a threat to national purity.
Conclusion
The ceasefire, brokered under international auspices, has done little to dispel the simmering tensions in the region. Recent violent events are part of a broader, historical pattern—a convergence of ideologies that legitimizes authoritarian measures under the guise of national security. The analogy between Zionism and Hindutva is not merely theoretical; it reflects an ongoing shift toward policies that sacrifice human rights at the altar of state power.
In a context where narratives of progress and modernization are used to mask underlying repressive policies, it becomes increasingly important to distinguish between state control and fundamental human rights. The challenge remains to support those who resist the normalization of such practices, ensuring that principles of justice and equity are not sacrificed in the name of national interest.
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