Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founder | Madan Mohan Malaviya |
| Founded | 1915; 110 years ago (1915)(as organisation) 1933; 92 years ago (1933)(as political party)[1] |
| Split from | Indian National Congress[1] |
| Headquarters | New Delhi |
| Ideology | Hindutva[2][3] Hindu nationalism[2][4] Ultranationalism[5][6] Social conservatism[7][8] National conservatism[9] Economic nationalism[10] Right-wing populism[11] |
| Political position | Far-right[12][13][4][14] |
| Colours | Saffron |
| ECI Status | Registered Unrecognised[15] |
| Seats in Rajya Sabha | 0 / 245 |
| Seats in Lok Sabha | 0 / 543 |
| Seats in State Legislative Assembly | 0 / 4,036 |
| Seats in State Legislative Council | 0 / 426 |
| Number of states and union territories in government | 0 / 31 (Collectively28 States &3 UTs) |
| Election symbol | |
 [16] | |
| Party flag | |
 | |
| Website | |
| abhm | |
Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha (lit. 'All-India Hindu Grand Assembly'), simply known asHindu Mahasabha, is aHindutva political party inIndia.[2][17][18]
Founded in 1915 byMadan Mohan Malviya, the Mahasabha functioned mainly as a pressure group advocating the interests ofOrthodoxHindus before theBritish Raj from within theIndian National Congress.[2] In the 1930s, it emerged as a distinct party under the leadership ofVinayak Damodar Savarkar, who developed the concept ofHindutva (lit. 'Hinduness') and became a fierce opponent of the secular nationalism espoused by the Congress.
During theWorld War II, the Mahasabha supported the British war effort and briefly entered coalitions with theMuslim League in provincial and central legislative councils. They opposed the integration of theprincely states into India.[19] Theassassination of Indian leaderMahatma Gandhi was perpetrated by the Hindu Mahasabha memberNathuram Godse. The Mahasabha's fortunes diminished in post-Independence Indian politics, and it was soon eclipsed by theBharatiya Jana Sangh. Its incumbent president isChakrapani.
The organisation was originally calledSarvadeshik Hindu Sabha ("Pan-Country Hindu Assembly"). In 1921, it changed to the present nameAkhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha ("All-India Hindu Grand Assembly").[20]
Local forerunners of the Hindu Mahasabha emerged in connection with the disputes after thepartition of Bengal in 1905 in British India. Under the then viceroyLord Curzon, the division of the province of Bengal was into two new provinces of East Bengal and Assam, as well as Bengal. The new province of Bengal had a Hindu majority, the province of East Bengal and Assam was mostly Muslim. The British administration justified the division for religious reasons.
The formation of theAll India Muslim League in 1906[21] and theBritish India government's creation of separateMuslim electorate under theMorley-Minto reforms of 1909[22] was a catalyst forHindu leaders coming together to create an organisation to protect the rights of theHindu community members.[21]
In 1909, Lal Chand and U.N. Mukerji established the Punjab Hindu Sabha ("Punjab Hindu Assembly").[23] The Sabha stated that it was not a sectarian organisation, but an "all-embracing movement" that aimed to safeguard the interests of "the entire Hindu community". On 21–22 October 1909, it organised the Punjab Provincial Hindu Conference, which criticised theIndian National Congress for failing to defend Hindu interests and called for the promotion of Hindu-centered politics. In this conference, Sabha leaders strongly proposed that Hindus need a separate nation and that Muslims should not be given any rights in that nation. The Sabha organised five more annual provincial conferences in Punjab.[24]
The development of the broad civic framework for Hindu unity that started in the early 20th century inPunjab was a precursor for the formation of the All India Hindu Sabha. Over the next few years, several such Hindu Sabhas were established outside Punjab, including in United Provinces, Bihar, Bengal,Central Provinces and Berar, andBombay Presidency.[25]
A formal move to establish an umbrella All-India Hindu Sabha was made at the Allahabad session of Congress in 1910. A committee headed by Lala Baij Nath was set up to draw a constitution, but it did not make much progress. Another conference of Hindu leaders in Allahabad also took the initial step to establish an All India Hindu Sabha in 1910, but this organisation did not become operational due to factional strife. On 8 December 1913, the Punjab Hindu Sabha passed a resolution to create an All India Hindu Sabha at itsAmbala session. The Conference proposed holding a general conference of Hindu leaders from all over India during 1915Kumbh Mela in Haridwar.[24]
Preparatory sessions of the All India Hindu Sabha were held atHaridwar (13 February 1915), Lucknow (17 February 1915) and Delhi (27 February 1915). In April 1915,Sarvadeshak (All India) Hindu Sabha was formed as an umbrella organisation of regional Hindu Sabhas, at the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar. Gandhi andSwami Shraddhanand were also present at the conference and were supportive of the formation of All India Hindu Sabha.[24] The Sabha emphasised Hindu solidarity and the need for social reform.[24]
At its sixth session in April 1921, theSarvadeshak Hindu Sabha formally changed its name toAkhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha on the model of the Indian National Congress. Presided over by Manindra Chandra Nandi, it amended its constitution to remove the clause about loyalty to the British and added a clause committing the organisation to a "united and self-governing" Indian nation.[26]
Amongst the Mahasabha's early leaders were the prominent nationalists, educationalists and four-timeIndian National Congress president PanditMadan Mohan Malaviya, who founded theBenaras Hindu University, the Punjabi populistLala Lajpat Rai and Lajpat Rai's mentorNavin Chandra Rai[27][28] of theHindu Samaj who chaired the special Congress session of 1920 held at Lahore which gave the call for non-cooperation. Under Malaviya, the Mahasabha campaigned for Hindu political unity, for the education and economic development of Hindus as well as for the conversion of Muslims to Hinduism.
The Hindu Mahasabha did not unconditionally support theIndian independence movement against British rule in India.[29] However, it became part of the movement on its conditions and with regards to protecting the interests of the Hindus. For example, it boycotted theSimon Commission. In the aftermath, it was part of the all-party committee, which came out with the Nehru Report. However, it did not accept the Report as according to Mahasabha, it gave too many concessions to Muslims. Similarly, when Mahatma Gandhi observed a fast against the Communal Award, Mahasabha worked with Gandhi and other parties to ensurePoona Pact was signed and Depressed Classes were given a fair representation.
Hindu Mahasabha opposed theQuit India Movement.[30] Under Savarkar's leadership, the party organisedHindu Militarisation Boards which recruited for the British Indian armed forces inWorld War 2.[31]
Under the leadership ofMahatma Gandhi, the Congress led several nationwide campaigns ofnon-violentcivil disobedience. The Mahasabha officially abstained from participating in the Civil Disobedience Movement of 1930.[29]
TheIndian National Congress won a massive victory in the1937 Indian provincial elections, decimating the Hindu Mahasabha. However, in 1939, the Congress ministries resigned in protest against Viceroy Lord Linlithgow's action of declaring India to be a belligerent in the Second World War without consulting the Indian people. This led to the Hindu Mahasabha joining hands with the Muslim League and other parties to form governments, in certain provinces. Such coalition governments were formed in Sindh, NWFP, and Bengal.
InSindh, Hindu Mahasabha members joinedGhulam Hussain Hidayatullah's Muslim League government. In Savarkar's own words:
Witness the fact that only recently in Sind, the Sind-Hindu-Sabha on invitation had taken the responsibility of joining hands with the League itself in running coalition government...[32][33][34]
In March 1943, Sindh Government became the first Provincial Assembly of the sub-continent to pass an official resolution in favour of the creation of Pakistan.[35] Despite the Hindu Mahasabha's avowed public opposition to any territorial division of India, the Mahasabha Ministers of the Sindh government did not resign, rather they simply "contented themselves with a protest".[36]
In the North West Frontier Province, Hindu Mahasabha members joined hands withSardar Aurang Zeb Khan of the Muslim League to form a government in 1943. The Mahasabha member of the cabinet was Finance MinisterMehr Chand Khanna.[37][38]
In Bengal, Hindu Mahasabha joined theKrishak Praja Party led Progressive Coalition ministry ofA. K. Fazlul Huq in December 1941.[39] Savarkar appreciated the successful functioning of the coalition government.[32][33]
The Hindu Mahasabha openly opposed the call for theQuit India Movement and boycotted it officially.[30]Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, the president of the Hindu Mahasabha at that time, even went to the extent of writing a letter titled "Stick to your Posts", in which he instructed Hindu Sabhaites who happened to be "members of municipalities, local bodies, legislatures or those serving in the army...to stick to their posts" across the country, and not to join the Quit India Movement at any cost.[30]
Following the Hindu Mahasabha's official decision to boycott the Quit India movement,[30]Syama Prasad Mukherjee, leader of the Hindu Mahasabha in Bengal (which was a part of the ruling coalition in Bengal led byKrishak Praja Party ofFazlul Haq), wrote a letter to the British Government as to how they should respond, if the Congress gave a call to the British rulers to Quit India. In this letter, dated July 26, 1942, he wrote:
Let me now refer to the situation that may be created in the province as a result of any widespread movement launched by the Congress. Anybody, who during the war, plans to stir up mass feeling, resulting in internal disturbances or insecurity, must be resisted by any Government that may function for the time being.[40][41]
Mookerjee in this letter reiterated that the Fazlul Haq led Bengal Government, along with its alliance partner Hindu Mahasabha would make every possible effort to defeat theQuit India Movement in the province of Bengal and made a concrete proposal as regards this:
The question is how to combat this movement (Quit India) in Bengal? The administration of the province should be carried on in such a manner that in spite of the best efforts of the Congress, this movement will fail to take root in the province. It should be possible for us, especially responsible Ministers, to be able to tell the public that the freedom for which the Congress has started the movement, already belongs to the representatives of the people. In some spheres, it might be limited during the emergency. Indians have to trust the British, not for the sake for Britain, not for any advantage that the British might gain, but for the maintenance of the defence and freedom of the province itself. You, as Governor, will function as the constitutional head of the province and will be guided entirely on the advice of your Minister.[42]
Even the Indian historianR.C. Majumdar noted this fact and states:
Syama Prasad ended the letter with a discussion of the mass movement organised by the Congress. He expressed the apprehension that the movement would create internal disorder and will endanger internal security during the war by exciting popular feeling and he opined that any government in power has to suppress it, but that according to him could not be done only by persecution... In that letter, he mentioned item-wise the steps to be taken for dealing with the situation...[43]
Hindu Mahasabha took funding from theprincely states and supported them to remain independent even after theindependence of India. Savarkar particularly hailed the Hindu dominated states as the 'bedrock of Hindu power' and defended their despotic powers, referring to them as the 'citadels of organised Hindu power'. He particularly hailed the princely states such asMysore State,Travancore,Oudh andBaroda State as 'progressive Hindu states'.[19][44]
During the time when discussions surrounding the creation of Pakistan were coming to a head, some leaders of the Hindu Mahasabha advocated dividing Bengal for a second time(first was thepartition of Bengal in 1905) on religious grounds, arguing that in a unified Bengal, Hindus would remain vulnerable to the dominance of the province's Muslim majority.[45]
Dr B.R. Ambedkar writes in his bookPakistan or the Partition of India,
Strange as it may appear, Mr. Savarkar and Mr. Jinnah instead of being opposed to each other on the one nation versus two nations issue are in complete agreement about it. Both agree, not only agree but insist that there are two nations in India—one the Muslim nation and the other the Hindu nation. They differ only as regards the terms and conditions on which the two nations should live. Mr. Jinnah says India should be cut up into two, Pakistan and Hindustan, the Muslim nation to occupy Pakistan and the Hindu nation to occupy Hindustan. Mr. Savarkar on the other hand insists that, although there are two nations in India, India shall not be divided into two parts, one for Muslims and the other for the Hindus ; that the two nations shall dwell in one country and shall live under the mantle of one single constitution; that the constitution shall be such that the Hindu nation will be enabled to occupy a predominant position that is due to it and the Muslim nation made to live in the position of subordinate co-operation with the Hindu nation.[46]
Dr. Ambedkar ends up calling the idea illogical, even if bold and clear.[46]
On January 30, 1948,Nathuram Godse assassinated Mahatma Gandhi inNew Delhi. Godse and his fellow conspiratorsDigambar Badge,Gopal Godse,Narayan Apte,Vishnu Karkare andMadanlal Pahwa were identified as prominent members of the Hindu Mahasabha. Along with them, police arrested Savarkar, who was suspected of being the mastermind behind the plot. While the trial resulted in convictions and judgments against the others, Savarkar was released due to lack of evidence.[47] The Kapur Commission said:
The Hindu Mahasabha considersNathuram Godse to be a "real forgotten hero"[49][50] of the independence struggle of India and criticisesMahatma Gandhi for not having prevented the partition of India.[51] In 2014, following theBharatiya Janata Party's rise to power, the Hindu Mahasabha continued attempts to rehabilitate and portray him as a patriot. It requested Prime MinisterNarendra Modi to install the bust of Nathuram Godse. It created a documentary filmDesh Bhakt Nathuram Godse (PatriotNathuram Godse) for release on the death anniversary of Gandhi on 30 January 2015.[52]There were attempts to build a temple for Nathuram Godse and to celebrate 30 January as aShaurya Diwas ("Bravery Day").[53] A civil suit was filed in Pune Court asking for a ban on the documentary film.[54]
In September 2021, the state general secretary for Hindu Mahasabha in Karnataka, Dharmendra, threatened to kill Karnataka Chief MinisterBasavaraj Bommai over the demolition of an unlicensed temple inNanjangud, Mysuru, along with comments about killing Mahatma Gandhi. For these threats, he and two other associates, Rajesh Pavitran and Prem Poolali, were arrested.[55]
Although the Hindu Mahasabha did not call for the exclusion of other religious communities from government, it identified India as aHindu Rashtra ("Hindu Nation") and believed in the primacy ofHindu culture,religion, andheritage.[2] The Hindu Mahasabha was opposed to theIndian caste system and policies that endorseduntouchability, and used to organise all caste dinners in Nagpur and Kanpur.[56]
The Hindu Mahasabha promotes the principles ofHindutva, a Hindu nationalist ideology developed by its pre-eminent leaderVinayak Damodar Savarkar.[2] The Mahasabha identifies India asHindu Rashtra ("Hindu Nation").[2]
In 2015, Vice President of All India Hindu Mahasabha, VP Sadhvi Deva Thakur stated thatChristians andMuslims must undergoforced sterilisation to restrict their growing population in India, which she considered a threat to Hindus.[57][58] She declared: "The population of Muslims and Christians is growing day by day. To rein in this, Union will have to impose emergency, and Muslims and Christians will have to be forced to undergo sterilisation so that they can't increase their numbers".[57][58]
| Year | Legislature | Seats won | Change in seats | Outcome | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 1st Lok Sabha | 4 / 489 |  4 | Opposition | [59] |
| 1957 | 2nd Lok Sabha | 2 / 494 |  2 | Opposition | [60] |
| 1962 | 3rd Lok Sabha | 1 / 494 | 1 | Opposition | [61] |
| 1967 | 4th Lok Sabha | 1 / 520 |  | Opposition | [62] |
| 1971 | 5th Lok Sabha | 0 / 518 | 1 | - | [63] |
| 1977 | 6th Lok Sabha | 0 / 542 | | - | [64] |
| 1980 | 7th Lok Sabha | 0 / 542 | | - | [65] |
| 1984 | 8th Lok Sabha | 0 / 533 | | - | [66] |
| 1989 | 9th Lok Sabha | 1 / 545 | 1 | Opposition | [67] |
| 1991 | 10th Lok Sabha | 0 / 545 | 1 | - | [68] |
| 1996 | 11th Lok Sabha | 0 / 545 | | - | [69] |
| 1998 | 12th Lok Sabha | 0 / 545 | | - | [70] |
| 1999 | 13th Lok Sabha | 0 / 545 | | - | [71] |
| 2004 | 14th Lok Sabha | 0 / 543 | | - | [72] |
| 2009 | 15th Lok Sabha | 0 / 543 | | - | [73] |
| 2014 | 16th Lok Sabha | 0 / 543 | | - | [74] |
| 2019 | 17th Lok Sabha | 0 / 543 | | - | [75] |
| 2024 | 18th Lok Sabha | 0 / 543 | | - | [76] |
| Year | Seats contested | Seats won | +/- | No. of Votes | Voteshare (%) | +/- (%) | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uttar Pradesh | |||||||
| 1969 | 1 / 425 | 1 | 67,807 | 0.29% | Other | ||
| 1974 | 1 / 424 | | 81,829 | 0.30% | Other | ||
| In1977,1980,1985,1989,1991,1993,1996 Hindu Mahasabha contested but didn't win any seats | |||||||
| 2002 | 1 / 403 | 1 | Other | ||||
| In2007,2012,2017,2022 Hindu Mahasabha contested but didn't win any seats | |||||||
| Karnataka | |||||||
| 1999 | 1 | 0 / 224 | 0 | 253 | 0.001% | None[77] | |
| 2004 | Not contested | ||||||
| 2008 | 6 | 0 / 224 | 0 | 2320 | 0.01% | None[78] | |
| 2013 | 1 | 0 / 224 | 0 | 345 | 0.001% | None[79] | |
| 2018 | 7 | 0 / 224 | 0 | 2840 | 0.01% | None[80] | |
| 2023 | 6 | 0 / 224 | |||||
The Hindu Mahasabha, a far-right Hindu nationalist political party
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)Other parties were happier with what they got – the Hindu Mahasabha had a suitably aggressive horse and rider..