Overview: In a lecture titled “Unmaking the Republic”, N. Ram, director of The Hindu Group Publishing, warned that the RSS and the BJP-led Union government are trying to erode the basic structure of the Indian Constitution. He linked this effort to the broader Hindutva project of creating a Hindu Rashtra.
Key Developments
- The lecture was delivered on Monday, 2026 in memory of filmmaker Chinta Ravindran.
- Ram said the RSS views the Constitution as unsuitable for a Hindu‑majoritarian state, making the basic structure a target for amendment.
- He cited the abrogation of Jammu & Kashmir’s special status as a precedent of constitutional change driven by the RSS‑BJP nexus.
- Ram highlighted a study by academic Felix Pal that identified about 2,500 organisations with traceable links to the Sangh, showing its expansive network.
- He condemned the police response to the CJP protests, calling it brutal and urging democratic parties to support the movement.
Important Facts
The basic structure is not a fixed list but a “judicially administered standard”. Its protection depends on an independent judiciary that can resist executive pressure. Ram argued that Hindutva authoritarianism is relentless and seeks to dismantle the Constitution in stages, not in a single move.
The RSS’s ideological spread includes cultural, educational, labour, developmental, and political fronts. The 2,500 affiliated organisations act as a “semi‑fascistic” network that can mobilise large sections of society.
Exam Relevance
Understanding the clash between the basic structure doctrine and political attempts to amend the Constitution is crucial for GS2: Polity. Aspirants should study:
- The origin and judicial interpretation of the basic