Hindutva as Anti-Gender Ideology: Mechanics of Mobilization

This study outlines how the Hindu nationalist project of constructing an ‘ideal’ political subject intersects with anti-gender ideology. It traces the shifts in the historical foundations of the gendered ideology of Hindu nationalism to make sense of the contemporary focus on anti-gender ideology and how it is inextricably linked to anti-minority sentiments. The study draws attention to two cases: first, the role of right-wing vigilante groups in political mobilisation driven by anti-gender political thought; and second, the politics around trans ‘inclusion’ by the Hindu Right. I trace how anti-gender rhetoric is mobilised by examining the role of the Hindu Right in pushing for regressive legislation, cultivating ideological support, and encouraging boundary-making to isolate ‘undesired’ minorities. I argue that understanding anti-gender ideology in the Hindu nationalist context requires a focus on the role of increasing economic precarity, upper-caste violence, and collective religious anxiety as underlying conditions that further anti-gender rhetoric and action. The chapter highlights how gender-based ideological mobilisation builds political power and reinforces Hindu nationalism in India.