PM Modi in Israel: Is it The Alliance of Two Ideologies, Hindutva and Zionism?

June 06, 2017: Narendra Modi is visiting the utopia of his Guruji Golwalkar, who was the second Sarsangchalak (Supreme leader) of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and also a land where the RSS dream has come to fulfillment. Golwalkar, the Hindutva leader in his book titled "We or Our Nationhood Defined" wrote:

A number of Jews, finding it difficult to live in those conditions maintaining their old religion and culture, left then-country Palestine, and came to Hindusthan—the purest stock of the children of Israel—and to this day they are inhabiting the country of the Hindus (the BeneIsraels of Bombay Presidency). Later, the engines of destruction loose under the name of Islam, completely destroyed their power and the Jews, in order to save what was most dear to them,—their religion and culture, fled from the country and scattered, all the world over naturalising themselves in various parts of the globe. Thus scattered they still live and with them live their religion, culture and language. They are still the same old Jews. With them nothing has changed except that they are exiles from their country and have no place to call their own; and they are all without exception, a rich and advanced people. But they are a people in name and are not a nation, as the whole world knows. The recent attempt at rehabilitating Palestine with its ancient population of the Jews is nothing more than an effort to reconstruct the broken edifice and revitalize the practically dead Hebrew National life."

Zionism was the national movement of the Jewish people that was formed to promote the re-establishment of a Jewish homeland in the territory defined as the "Land of Israel". Following the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, Zionism continued originally to support on behalf of Israel and to address the threats to its existence and security.

A religious nature of Zionism promotes Jews buttressing their Jewish identity defined as adherence to Judaism, opposes the adaptation of Jews into other societies, and has bolstered the return of Jews to Israel as a means for Jews to be a majority nation in their own state.

On the similar lines, RSS provides character training through Hindutva discipline and unites the Hindu community to form a Hindu Rashtra (Hindu Nation). RSS leaders were supportive of the Jewish State of Israel and supported Israel during its formation. Golwalkar admired Jews for preserving their "religion, culture and language".

In Israel, RSS has found an ally and a role model who put their grand vision to success. The historical visit can also be discerned as the alliance of two ideologies, Hindutva and Zionism.

– by Naina Mishra of Newsgram. Twitter: @Nainamishr94