To adjudicate that the term Hindutva is related more to the way of life of the people in the subcontinent is to define it without reference to the circumstances of its genesis and the language of its exponents (“Hindutva at the hustings”, Oct. 27). How can the word Hindutva represent the multiplicity of faiths, cultures and languages of the people in the subcontinent? If it simply means Indian-nes, as it is often claimed, then ‘Hindustaniyat’ is the right word. The real intention behind the coinage of the term can be seen through despite the sophistication employed in the naming. Elections should not be fought on a religious plank, but on social, political, and economic issues instead. Justice B.P. Jeevan Reddy’s observation that fighting elections on the plank of religion is tantamount to eroding the country’s secular fabric is in keeping with the living spirit of our Constitution.
Syed Sami Ullah,Hanamkonda, Telangana
