BJP-RSS have Talibanized Hinduism, Eroded India's Pluralism, Harmony and Rule of Law—Pavan Varma

Note: Due to a technical error, Karan Thapar’s mic is muted in this segment (34:20-34:45).
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The following is the question:
And in fact as a result - this is what you write in the book - of the BJP & RSS leadership.
‘The top BJP & RSS leadership have been complicit and conducive in seriously eroding India’s commitment to pluralism, religious harmony, respect for all faiths, civilised dialogue and rule of law.’ That’s a pretty damning thing to say.
In an interview to mark the publication of his new book ‘The Great Hindu Civilization’, Pavan Varma has launched one of the strongest criticisms of the BJP and RSS claiming: “The top BJP and RSS leadership … have been complicit and collusive in seriously eroding India’s commitment to pluralism, religious harmony, respect for all faiths, civilized dialogue and rule of law.” He says the BJP and RSS have “talibanized hinduism”. In the same interview Pavan Varma is also sharply critical of India’s elite who he says are both ignorant of and unconcerned about India’s great Hindu culture and civilization. He also sharply ‘attacks’ Amartya Sen and Romila Thapar on the grounds they do not accept that India’s great past is a product of its hindu faith and, therefore, refuse to accept the term hindu civilization. Finally, Pavan Varma is also deeply critical of Jawaharlal Nehru. In Varma’s interpretation Nehru’s understanding and appreciation of India’s culture and civilization was more romanticised than based on actual knowledge. He says: “Nehru’s view of India’s past was of dismissal and impatience”. He says Nehru showed “a deliberate disdain of Indian culture and specifically of hindu civilization”.
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