Calcutta Debating Circle Organised “Hinduism Needs Protection From Hindutva”.

Kolkata; January 2026: The Calcutta Debating Circle (CDC) hosted a debate on the topic “Hinduism Needs Protection From Hindutva” at the Lawns, Calcutta Club on 11th January 2026 (Sunday). The event aimed to foster discussions on the complexities of justice and was attended by several prominent figures, including J. Sai Deepak, Mani Shankar Aiyar, Mahua Moitra, Ruchika Sharma, and Sudhanshu Trivedi. In their respective speeches the distinguished speakers highlighted the trajectory of the great religion encompassing humanity, and the present geopolitical scenario.

Mani Shankar Aiyar of Indian National Congress has sharply criticised the ideology of Hindutva, describing it as Hinduism in a state of paranoia, where 80% Hindus are made to quiver before 14% Muslims.

“Hindutva is Hinduism is paranoia. It asks 80% Hindus to quiver in front of 14% Muslims. Hindutva is a BJP leader slapping a blind, hungry tribal girl because she attends a Christmas lunch in a Church. Hindutva raids shopping malls to tear down Christmas decorations… Savarkar described Buddhism as an existential threat to all Hindus. He described it as the ultimate negation of Hindutva, bearing the opiate of universalism and nonviolence. He said it was disastrous to national virility and even the existence of the Hindu race”, said Aiyar.

The Congress leader also drew a clear distinction between Hinduism and Hindutva. He stressed that Hinduism is a great spiritual religion, while Hindutva is a political tract. He also asserted that Hinduism faced trials and tribulations yet managed to survive and flourish without any need for Hindutva’s protection.

“Hinduism is a great spiritual religion. Hindutva is a political tract. Hindutva came only in 1923; for thousands of years before Hindutva, Hinduism faced trial and tribulation and yet survived, flourished, with no need of Hindutva protection… There is no way Gandhi’s and Swami Vivekananda’s Hinduism can be protected or promoted by Savarkar’s Hindutva”, he said.

“While Savarkar wrote, Hindus understand themselves as Hindus through acts of violence. The Mahatma wrote the Hindu has an old age civilisation He is essentially wrote; the Hindu has an old age civilisation. He is essentially non-violent. You’ve seen that Hindutva vigilantes beat up and even kill anyone suspected of hoarding, eating or transporting beef. While Gandhiji wrote, it is a denial of Hinduism and of Ahimsa to kill a human being to protect a cow”, Mani Shankar Aiyar said.

BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi on the otherside has emphasised the complementary connection between Hinduism and Hindutva while speaking on the occasion. Sudhanshu Trivedi said that Hindutva represents ‘Hindu tattva,’ which forms the core essence of Hinduism. He further argued that Hinduism is unique among religions in granting its followers the authority to debate, even on its sacred texts.

“Which culture gives you the authority to debate even on religious texts. It is only Hindu! I would like to ask why the term Hinduism? Why is ‘ism’ associated with all the religions which originated in India? Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism. You have never heard of Islamism and Christianism. The ‘ism’ world is being associated just to demean, and what Hindutva is, ‘Hindu tattva’. The basic immunity of Hinduism is Hindu tattva. Another thing I would like to say, when you cherish Hinduism, it is called Hindutva”, said Trivedi.

Mahua Moitra Trinamool Congress MP established a distinction between Hindutva and Hinduism as separate ideologies on the coveted podium. She said that Hindutva, as a political platform, believes that its ideology is the only correct path, whereas Hinduism, as a religion and spiritual path, allows space for multiple interpretations. While, participating in the debate on the theme “Hinduism Needs Protection From Hindutva”, Moitra further argued that while a Hindu practitioner in Hinduism can envision love between Hindus and Muslims, a Hindutva adherent would dismiss it, labelling it as “love jihad”.

“Hindutva believes that as a political platform, mine is the only way, and Hinduism believes as a religion and a spiritual platform, that there is room for a lot of others along the way. A Hindu practitioner in Hinduism can imagine love between Hindus and Muslims, but a Hindutva practitioner will say, No, this is love jihad. A Bengali Hindu eating meat will offer meat to Maa Kaali, but a practitioner of Hindutva will say that’s not on; so, the core question here is, does Hinduism need to protect itself from Hindutva? I would say that the best way to continue to protect Hinduism is to continue to realise that Hindutva is there because Hinduism was there”, said Mahua Moitra.

Team Maverick.