As They See It

Then there is Sanjay Nirupam, 33, a muscular young politician from the Shiv Sena, the Bombay-based shock-troop outfit notoriously known for anti-Islamic activities such as sabotaging cricket matches with Pakistan and provoking anti-Muslim riots. These days, while insisting he is still committed to promoting Hindu causes, Nirupam is also following orders andcampaigning on a solidly secular platform, speaking out for paved roads and literacy programs for rural areas outside Bombay.

So what has happened to Hindutva, the emotionally charged crusade for 8220;Hindu-ness8221; that once defined Vajpayee8217;s Bharatiya Janata Party BJP and its allies like Shiv Sena? As the BJP broadens its audience beyond its traditional power base, are the forces of Hindu nationalism fading into history 8212; or are they just waiting for the right moment to return with a vengeance?