South Central

Christophe Jaffrelot on CJP, RSS, BJP and the future of Indian democracy | South Central 99

South Central examines the changing relationship between the BJP and RSS, the transformation of India’s democratic institutions, and the spread of Hindutva. The discussion explores caste and regional identity as counterforces, the BJP’s challenges in South India, and what it would take to restore India’s secular foundations.

Dhanya Rajendran, Pooja Prasanna

Published:30th Oct, 2026 at 7:20 PM

In this week’s South Central, hosts Dhanya Rajendran and Pooja Prasanna are joined by political scientist and scholar Professor Christophe Jaffrelot for an extended conversation on the RSS, the BJP, the rise of Hindutva and the changing nature of Indian democracy.

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Dhanya begins by asking Jaffrelot about the student-led protests against the government, which have shifted from demands for better governance and education to concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the alleged exclusion of millions of voters.

Jaffrelot describes this as a transition “from policies to politics”, arguing that the convergence of student movements and opposition parties could be significant. However, he says a larger social movement would need to bring together farmers, workers and Dalit groups, drawing parallels with the JP movement.

The conversation then examines the weakening of democratic institutions under the BJP government. Jaffrelot argues that the institutional changes initiated in Gujarat under Narendra Modi were replicated at the national level, pointing to the functioning of the police and judiciary, the diminishing role of parliamentary committees and concerns surrounding the Election Commission.

The discussion moves to the relationship between the RSS and Modi. Jaffrelot says Modi has established himself as a national populist leader with a direct relationship with voters, often bypassing the BJP’s traditional organisational structures and the RSS. While the RSS has benefited from the government’s policies and continued to expand its grassroots presence, he warns that it also risks being held accountable for the government’s failures.

Jaffrelot also argues that defeating the BJP electorally would not necessarily mean that Hindutva has lost its influence in society. He points to the normalisation of anti-Muslim sentiment and rising hostility towards minorities, saying that reversing these changes would require a broader social movement that goes beyond electoral victories.

The conversation then turns to caste politics and the RSS’s attempts to bring different caste groups under the umbrella of Hindutva. Jaffrelot argues that caste-based inequalities remain entrenched, despite efforts to build a broader Hindu identity. He says a caste census could become a significant political issue, particularly amid growing economic inequalities and limited employment opportunities.

The discussion also examines why the BJP has struggled to expand its electoral presence across southern India. Jaffrelot points to strong regional identities, particularly Tamil Nadu’s Dravidian identity, as potential obstacles to the spread of Hindutva.

Towards the end, Jaffrelot cautions against using the term fascism loosely to describe the RSS. He argues that the organisation’s focus extends beyond capturing state power to transforming society through its ideology, institutions and networks.

Tune into this discussion here.

Audio timecodes:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:36 - Headlines

00:08:20 - The BJP, RSS and the spread of Hindutva

01:10:34 - Recommendations

References

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