BJP
...ithin the Hindu nationalist movement on the Ayodhya issue. To some extent these decisions are balanced by a renewed aggression towards Pakistan. Both the heightened tensions along the LoC and the previous nuclear tests were by many seen as calculated moves to strengthen nationalist sentiments. Although the issue of Hindu-Muslim relations may not temporarily be pushed by the BJP, the Hindu nationalist ideology of the party strongly indicates a role for the BJP in future conflicts between the two communities. While claiming full respect for the political and civil rights of all citizens, the BJP has in its political practice throughout the years demonstrated that its version of Hindu nationalism often clashes with generally acknowledged features of Indian democracy, especially minority rights. This article analyses the ideology of the BJP and relates it to a general theoretical discourse on nationalism, but also to a contemporary debate on citizenship within political theory. Hindu nationalism is ideologically a combination o...