Hindutva’s divide or local pride? Decoding TG’s Marwari backlash

The"Marwari Go Back" movement in Telangana, which began after a clash in a Secunderabad market, seems to be rapidly gaining momentum across the state. The campaign is not a spontaneous one but rather a manifestation of long-simmering tensions. It is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that, while appearing to be a local protest, it is deeply embedded in the national political landscape.

What started as a dispute over a parking space has escalated into a broader campaign against the Marwari community, exposing deep-seated economic, social, and political tensions.

In my three decades as a journalist covering India's volatile political landscape, I have seen movements rise and fall, often mirroring deeper societal fissures. A critical analysis of the movement reveals a clash between local interests, the national Hindutva agenda, and the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Indian Constitution. This movement, echoing separatist sentiments like Telangana statehood, challenges the BJP-RSS's Hindutva project while exposing fault lines in India's unity.

The economic and socio-cultural roots of the movement:

The core of the "Marwari Go Back" movement is economic resentment. Local traders, including the Arya Vysya community, accuse Marwari businesses of dominating markets in wholesale and retail trade, using unfair practices like undercutting prices with cheap, and sometimes counterfeit, goods. The protestors argue that this dominance harms local livelihoods and limits job opportunities for the people of Telangana.

This economic conflict is not isolated; it taps into a historical narrative of regional identity and a sense of being exploited by "outsiders."

The sentiments of the "Marwari Go Back" movement echo the grievances that fuelled the successful Telangana statehood movement, which protested the perceived economic and political dominance of people from Andhra region. The demand for legislation that reserves a significant percentage of jobs for locals and restricts land ownership by non-Telangana residents shows a clear parallel to the Mulki rules and other protections sought during the statehood movement. This historical parallel gives the current movement a strong emotional and political resonance. The protests are also a manifestation of linguistic and cultural friction, as many locals view the Marwari community as agents of a "north Indian" cultural imposition, particularly the Hindi language, further alienating local communities.

The Hindutva perspective-A conspiracy to divide Hindus:

Leaders from the BJP and the broader Hindutva movement have vehemently condemned the "Marwari Go Back" movement. They have framed the protests as a political conspiracy orchestrated by opposition parties like the Congress, BRS, and AIMIM to fracture Hindu unity. Their argument is that the Marwari community, as a key component of the Hindu community, is being unfairly targeted to undermine the Hindutva-led consolidation of Hindus under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

This narrative positions Marwari businesses not just as economic players, but as "pillars" of the Hindu community and "defenders" of Sanatan Dharma. Hindutva leaders claim that by attacking Marwaris, the protestors are harming the larger project of uniting Hindus on religious lines against Muslims and Christians. In a countermove, BJP leaders have also launched a "Rohingya Go Back" campaign, attempting to shift the focus from the intra-Hindu conflict to communal anxieties about illegal migrants, thereby using anti-Muslim rhetoric to rally Hindu support. This strategy aims to portray the opposition as anti-Hindu and pro-immigrant.

A fight against Hindutva-backed hegemony:

On the other side, progressive groups, Dalit organizations, Dravidian activists, and religious minorities are supporting the "Marwari Go Back" movement. They argue that the Marwari community, along with the Gujarati community, acts as a financial backbone for the BJP's Hindutva agenda. This includes allegations that they have funded films like The Kashmir Files and The Kerala Story, which are seen by critics as tools for religious polarization and anti-minority propaganda. The claim is that the profits earned by Marwari businesses are funnelled into these Hindutva-aligned projects, which further divide the country along religious lines.

For these groups, the movement is a platform to resist what they see as a two-pronged attack: economic exploitation by a business community and political manipulation by Hindutva forces. Dalit groups, in particular, find common cause with the movement, linking it to their ongoing struggles against caste-based discrimination and economic marginalization. The Dravidian activists see the movement as a resistance against the cultural and linguistic imposition of a North Indian, Hindi-centric identity. The support from these diverse groups transforms the movement from a simple economic protest into a broader struggle against what they perceive as a majoritarian and exclusionary political project.

Fears of fragmentation:

Both sides of the political spectrum warn against the social fragmentation that the movement might catalyse. BJP and Hindutva forces claim that the “Marwari Go Back” campaign divides Hindus, weakening a unified front against religious minorities and threatening the consolidation of Hindutva.

Progressive activists argue that in supporting business lobbies with deep Hindutva ties, the BJP perpetuates the exclusion of Dalits, Muslims, Christians, and linguistic minorities, furthering the polarization and weakening democratic institutions.

Repercussions on fundamental rights and social cohesion

The rhetoric of a "Go Back" movement, regardless of its target, poses a serious threat to the fundamental rights of all Indian citizens. The Constitution of India guarantees the right to freedom of movement, to reside and settle in any part of the country, and to practice any profession or business (Article 19).

The calls for boycotts, restrictions on land ownership, and job quotas based on regional identity directly violate these constitutional guarantees. The “Go Back” slogans, regardless of the community it targets, strikes at the very core of these constitutional guarantees and freedoms.

As Telangana negotiates its place within India’s turbulent political landscape, such movements highlight the precarious balance between local identity, national unity, and the rights of all citizens, especially in the face of rising majoritarian and exclusionary politics.

The political framing of this conflict is also a major concern. The Hindutva narrative, by labelling the movement as a conspiracy, risks inciting communal tensions and vigilantism. Similarly, the progressive argument, by painting the entire Marwari community as a monolithic financial force behind Hindutva, risks collective punishment and xenophobia. Both narratives, while having different motivations, contribute to social fragmentation and the erosion of a pluralistic society.

The "Marwari Go Back" movement in Telangana is thus a microcosm of the larger ideological and political battles being fought in India, where local grievances are often hijacked by national political agendas, posing a significant challenge to the secular and democratic fabric of India.

(The author is former Senior Editor, The Economic Times, and currently practising as an Advocate at the Telangana High Court)