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{{Short description|Book authored by Aakar Patel}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox book
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| name = Our Hindu Rashtra: What It Is. How We Got Here
| image = Our Hindu Rashtra book front cover.jpg
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| caption = Front cover
| author = Aakar Patel
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| publisher = Westland Books
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| pub_date = 2020
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| pages = 360
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'''''Our Hindu Rashtra''''' (transl. "Our Hindu Nation") is a book about Hindu [[majoritarianism]] in India by journalist Aakar Patel, published by Westland Books in 2020.<ref name="epw Perils of Majoritarianism">{{cite journal |title=Underscoring the Perils of Majoritarianism |journal=Economic and Political Weekly |date=5 June 2015 |volume=56 |issue=37 |pages=7–8 |url=https://www.epw.in/journal/2021/37/book-reviews/underscoring-perils-majoritarianism.html |language=en}}</ref><ref name="livemint built" /><ref name="Asian Age Banerji" /><ref name="Firstpost Samrat Rashtra" />{{refn|1=Book reviews<ref>{{cite news |title=Backflap |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/reviews/story/backflap-186987 |access-date=13 December 2021 |work=Tribuneindia News Service |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=The Lead: Aakar Patel on his book 'Our Hindu Rashtra: What It Is. How We Got Here' |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/national/the-lead-aakar-patel-on-his-book-our-hindu-rashtra-what-it-is-how-we-got-here-940338.html |access-date=13 December 2021 |work=Deccan Herald |date=18 January 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=And Where Do We Go From Here? |url=https://www.thebookreviewindia.org/and-where-do-we-go-from-here/ |access-date=13 December 2021 |work=The Book Review, Monthly Review of Important Books}}</ref><ref name="Ahmed newsweek">{{cite news |last1=Ahmed |first1=Khaled |title=A Portrait of Narendra Modi |url=https://www.newsweekpakistan.com/a-portrait-of-narendra-modi/ |access-date=4 January 2022 |work=newsweekpakistan.com |date=20 December 2021}}</ref>}} It surveys historical documents, government committee reports, court judgments, media archives, and records personal anecdotes on a range of issues.<ref name="epw Perils of Majoritarianism" /><ref>{{cite news |title='Hindutva, Hindu Rashtra Only About Persecution of Muslims; Modi Encourages This' |url=https://thewire.in/communalism/watch-karan-thapar-aakar-patel-hindutva-hindu-rashta-narendra-modi-anti-muslim |access-date=13 December 2021 |work=The Wire}}</ref> It argues that India is today a Hindu state in practice, and that the erosion of secularism began soon after [[independence of India|India became independent]], although the process accelerated after the election of [[Narendra Modi]] as [[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]] in [[2014 Indian general election|2014]].<ref name="epw Perils of Majoritarianism" /><ref name="livemint built" />

==Content==
''Our Hindu Rashtra'' draws from a variety of material, including legal documents, historical documents, government reports, and personal anecdotes.<ref name="epw Perils of Majoritarianism" /> The book is composed of 14 chapters. The first chapter explores the history of the [[partition of India]], and a few others examine the foundational texts of [[Hindutva|Hindu nationalism]] and their influence on the contemporary ideology of the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP).<ref name="epw Perils of Majoritarianism" /> The second and third chapters examine religious majoritarianism in Pakistan and the marginalization of religious minorities in that country.<ref name="epw Perils of Majoritarianism" /> The sixth chapter documents the marginalization of Muslims in India; the seventh, the debates in the [[Constituent Assembly of India|Indian constitutional assembly]] about religious conversion.<ref name="epw Perils of Majoritarianism" />

Later chapters examine the spread of Hindu majoritarian ideology into the government and the legal system, including via the criminalization of cattle slaughter.<ref name="epw Perils of Majoritarianism" /> One of the later chapters examines the marginalization of Muslims in Gujarat after the [[2002 Gujarat riots|riots of 2002]]. Drawing on his experience as a journalist in Ahmedabad, Patel examines how the government has used laws such as the [[Disturbed Areas Act]] to separate and [[Ghetto|ghettoize]] Muslim populations.<ref name="epw Perils of Majoritarianism" />

The book argues that India is today a ''[[de facto]]'' Hindu ''Rashtra'' (transl. "Hindu nation").<ref name="Frontline Modi shrank">{{cite news |last1=Salam |first1=Ziya Us |title=Aakar Patel: ‘Modi shrank India’s workforce by a fifth’ |url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/economy/interview-aakar-patel-modi-shrank-india-workforce-by-a-fifth/article37935600.ece |access-date=17 December 2021 |work=Frontline |date=31 December 2021 |language=en}}</ref> Patel argues that the Hindu majoritarian ideology of the BJP lacks substance beyond its disdain of Muslims and Christians and its support of the [[Caste system in India|caste system]].<ref name="epw Perils of Majoritarianism" /><ref name="livemint built">{{cite news |title=The Hindu Rashtra wasn't built in a day |url=https://lifestyle.livemint.com/news/talking-point/the-hindu-rashtra-wasn-t-built-in-a-day-111612517607610.html |access-date=13 December 2021 |work=Mintlounge |date=9 February 2021 |language=en}}</ref> Patel also posits that India began to move towards Hindu majoritarianism immediately after its [[independence of India|independence]], and that every government since has contributed to this process, although he adds that the process accelerated after the election of [[Narendra Modi]] as [[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]] in [[2014 Indian general election|2014]].<ref name="epw Perils of Majoritarianism" /><ref name="livemint built" />

==Author==
Aakar Patel is a journalist and columnist.<ref>{{cite news |title=Journalist and writer Aakar Patel joins as new head of Amnesty International India |url=https://m.economictimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/journalist-and-writer-aakar-patel-joins-as-new-head-of-amnesty-international-india/articleshow/47720323.cms |access-date=13 December 2021 |work=The Economic Times}}</ref> He has been the chair of [[Amnesty International India]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Columnist Aakar Patel to head Amnesty International India |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/columnist-aakar-patel-head-amnesty-international-india-31812 |access-date=13 December 2021 |work=The News Minute |date=18 June 2015 |language=en}}</ref> He is the author of ''[[Price of the Modi Years]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Chakravarty |first1=Praveen |title=Price of the Modi Years: A useful guide to Modi govt's track record |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/beyond-business/price-of-the-modi-years-a-useful-guide-to-modi-govt-s-track-record-121120400044_1.html |access-date=13 December 2021 |work=Business Standard India |date=4 December 2021}}</ref>

==Reception==
A review of the book in the ''[[Economic & Political weekly]]'' said it provided an honest analysis of "lurking majoritarianism in the Indian polity". The review praised Patel for his "courageous take down of patently unreasonable and biased court opinions", where Indian courts had compromised their commitment to [[secularism]].<ref name="epw Perils of Majoritarianism" /> It also praised the section on the history of partition, and called the analysis of the [[Sangh Parivar]]'s foundational texts "brilliant". The review argues that Patel falls somewhat short in examining the "distinctive malevolance" of Hindu majoritarianism in the present moment.<ref name="epw Perils of Majoritarianism" />

Ranjona Banerji of ''[[The Asian Age]]'' in her review of the book writes, "''Our Hindu Rashtra'' is more a presentation of our recent history from the perspective of democracy. It is also a warning and a reminder of where we are headed".<ref name="Asian Age Banerji">{{cite news |last1=Banerji |first1=Ranjona |title=How atavism became ideology and Hindutva ambushed India |url=https://www.asianage.com/books/270221/ranjona-banerji-how-atavism-became-ideology-and-hindutva-ambushed-india.html |access-date=13 December 2021 |work=The Asian Age |date=28 February 2021}}</ref>

Samrat wrote in ''[[Firstpost]]'' that the book was "lucidly written", and that it encompassed considerable research despite not being overly long. The review recommended the book to readers to both Indians and Pakistanis "interested in understanding how their countries got to where they are." Samrat writes that the book's narrative may sadden those who oppose the marginalization of minorities, but states that it ends with a hopeful message.<ref name="Firstpost Samrat Rashtra">{{cite news |title=Our Hindu Rashtra review: In new book, Aakar Patel charts India's descent into a majoritarian nation-India News , Firstpost |url=https://www.firstpost.com/india/our-hindu-rashtra-review-in-new-book-aakar-patel-charts-indias-descent-into-a-majoritarian-nation-9193101.html |access-date=13 December 2021 |work=Firstpost |date=13 January 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Hindu nationalism#Hindutva and Hindu Rashtra]]

==References==
{{notelist}}
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Books about Hindutva]]
[[Category:History books about Hinduism]]
[[Category:2020 non-fiction books]]
[[Category:Indian non-fiction books]]
[[Category:Books about the Modi administration]]
[[Category:English-language books]]

[[Category:Books about Narendra Modi]]

Our Hindu Rashtra - Revision history

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