Senior advocate J. Sai Deepak presented a robust defense of Hindutva during a major intellectual event in Kolkata, framing it as a necessary and indigenous reaction to historical colonialism. The event, The Debate 2026, was organized by the Calcutta Debating Circle on Sunday, January 12, 2026, and centered on the provocative motion "Hinduism Needs Protection From Hindutva."
Hindutva and Hinduism: A Unified Front, Not a Conflict
Countering the very premise of the debate, Deepak argued that the primary threat to Hinduism does not come from Hindutva. Instead, he positioned secularism as the concept requiring scrutiny. He emphatically stated that Hindutva and Hinduism are not separate or opposing forces. According to his argument, they are deeply interconnected, with Hindutva representing a modern political and cultural articulation of Hindu civilizational consciousness.
"I don't see what is wrong with Hindutva becoming a political tool," Deepak declared during the proceedings. He defended the politicization of the ideology, suggesting it is a legitimate means for the Hindu community to assert its interests and identity in the contemporary democratic landscape of India.
An 'Organic Shakta Response' to Colonialism
One of the most striking definitions offered by Deepak was his characterization of Hindutva as an "organic Shakta response to the colonial invasion of Bharat." This phrasing roots the ideology in a specific theological tradition within Hinduism—Shaktism, which venerates the divine feminine as the ultimate creative power. By using this term, he framed Hindutva not as a foreign or modern construct, but as a native, powerful, and instinctive civilizational defense mechanism activated against colonial subjugation.
The debate featured a panel of other prominent figures, ensuring a multifaceted discussion. Participants included former diplomat and politician Mani Shankar Aiyar, BJP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi, and Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra. Their presence guaranteed a clash of perspectives from across the political and ideological spectrum.
The Broader Context of the Discourse
The event highlights the ongoing and intense national conversation in India about the relationship between religion, identity, and politics. Debates like these in major cultural capitals such as Kolkata underscore how these themes resonate in the public intellectual sphere. Deepak's arguments position Hindutva as more than just a political ideology; he presents it as a form of civilizational self-preservation with deep historical and theological roots.
This defense challenges critics who view Hindutva as a majoritarian or exclusionary project. By calling it an "organic" and "Shakta" response, the narrative is shifted towards one of indigenous resilience and recovery. The Calcutta Debating Circle, by hosting this topic, provided a significant platform for this critical examination of one of the most influential ideologies in modern Indian politics.
