Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, an Indian nationalist, had coined the term ‘Hindutva’. It first appeared in the book he wrote in 1923 (Hindutva: Who Is a Hindu?) while imprisoned. The book explained Hindutva to be a terminology for ‘Hinduness’, a concept to define the Indian culture as a representation of the combination of Hindu values. It grew to become one of the most important beliefs of Hindu nationalists.

Even today, almost 100 years later, this word is used in a similar fashion. It has now become the staunch ideological principle on which is based the beliefs of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The ideology has been advocated by the BJP ever since its inception. The difference is that today it is more of a political term, rather than a definition of a religious lifestyle.  

The BJP has not only sought to establish Hindutva as the way for Indian culture but upholds Hindu ideology to be supreme with respect to secular policies that have been practised by other political parties in India as well.

The easiest established example of these non-secular believes can be seen from the famous Babri Masjid case. It was a political agenda of the BJP to gain more supporters and votes by inculcating anti-Muslim feelings. It even worked in 1989 for them to have electoral success. It captured 117 seats in the Lok Sabha in 1991 and taken power in 4 states with this methodology.

Hindutva is to uphold Hindu values strictly. It has a modern meaning that all citizens of India must not only respect the Hindu way of living but also live in accordance to the Hindu lifestyle. Eating or selling beef, for example, in localities with Hindu population are seen as a mark of immense disrespect. The system is so rigid that it has even led to riots before and continues to do so with every passing day.