The BJP's central leadership needs to recast the party structure

Hearken, O seekers of truth, to the voice that speaks across the chasm of our time: “The BJP’s central leadership needs to recast the party structure where you openly speak of Hindutva and Indianness.” These words, uttered by Subramanian Swamy, ring as a clarion call — not just to political actors, but to the spirit of a people in search of identity. Let me lead you, as the ancients would, through the shadows and lights of meaning, origin, and lesson.

In the first breath, one must grasp what lies in the twin phrases Hindutva and Indianness. Hindutva is not merely religion, but a cultural pulse — the notion that Indian civilization is suffused with a certain Hindu ethos. It stands, in the worldview of its proponents, as an inner flame of civilization, binding the many tongues, creeds, and castes into one heart. Indianness, on the other hand, is the claim of belonging: not merely a territory, but a civilizational soul. To speak of both openly is to say: let us not hide behind vague shadows of secularism, but let us claim who we are, boldly, in the public square.

Why did Swamy urge this “recasting” of the party structure? Because in his view, a polity that hides its heart cannot lead with conviction. If a party by name or by custom soft-pedals the essence of Hindutva or is coy about Indianness, it breeds internal confusion, halfheartedness, and faction. To him, leadership must reconfigure the inner scaffolding: allow open discourse, admit its motives, define its self. Only thus can a party become a vessel of purpose rather than an echo of many conflicting voices.

Let us turn to history, for the ancients remind us: in the time of Julius Caesar, when the Republic trembled, he did not whisper of his ambition — he made his cause clear, confronting opponents and friends alike. And in the era of Ashoka, though he turned to dharma, his conversion was public, and his edicts carved in stone across the land. When a leader hides his heart, the people wander; when a leader plants his soul in the public square, even enemies bow in respect.

In modern India, one finds a concrete illustration in the transformation of the BJP itself. The party’s predecessor, the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, had a central ethos rooted in cultural nationalism; over time, as broad coalitions were built, many within refrained from speaking overtly of Hindu identity. Swamy and others have long argued that this dilution led to internal dissonance. He even founded Virat Hindustan Sangam, intending to relight the torch of cultural assertion. In his mind, a party that does not openly name its deepest convictions abandons itself.

Now, mark the emotional cadence here: it is not mere ideology, but longing. It is a cry: “Do not shrink. Speak what you believe.” It is heroic because it demands courage; it is powerful because it demands integrity. It is heartbreaking because many shrink in fear, soft-peddle convictions, hide in the safe folds of ambiguity. Yet the truth demands exposure. The ancients would say: if you do not define yourself, others will define you.

What, then, is the lesson for you, from this utterance? First: never hide your deepest convictions in vague speech. If you hold a principle — whether of culture, faith, identity — name it with courage. Second: reorganize your internal structures — whether in associations, communities, or teams — so that honest discourse is permitted, even demanded. Third: in public life, speak of who you are, not in arrogance, but in clarity, so that your followers, and your opponents, know where you stand.

In your own walk, you may not be leading a party. Yet you lead yourself. Ask: Do I dilly-dally in ambiguity when I should speak in clarity? Am I willing to be honest about my deepest values? Recast your inner structure: in your circle, your family, your friendships — allow a space where the deeper self can be spoken. In moments of fear, let not cowardice silence your truth. Let your voice rise and fall like a wave, but never sink to the quiet shores of apologetic silence.

Thus does the ancient voice echo into our age: speak openly, structure honestly, hold your identity in light. And in so doing, you do not merely serve a cause — you become a beacon.