Judicial opinions on Hindu religion and Hindutva

March 20: Definition of Hinduism has confounded the Indian judiciary. Hindu nationalists and Hindu religious institutions benefit from this confusion. The pendulum of judicial opinions swing from defining Hinduism as a religion, albeit one that embraces a multiplicity of gods, texts and religious rites in Commr. Of Wealth Tax, Madras Vs. Late R. Sridharan, to “Hindutva is the way of life”, as in Manohar Joshi’s judgment, and “Hinduism is neither a religion, nor Hindus constitute a religious community”, as in the recent judgment by the Income-Tax Appellate Tribunal in Nagpur. The former interpretation suits religious establishments and temples while the latter suits Hindu nationalists as they...