A controversial new constitution set to be unveiled a
t India’s Maha Kumbh festival would restrict the right to contest elections exclusively to followers of Sanatan Dharma, effectively barring members of several major religious communities from seeking public office in the proposed Hindu nation.
The 501-page document, to be presented on 3 February during Basant Panchami at Prayagraj, outlines a system where only adherents of Hinduism and Indian-origin faiths such as Jainism, Sikhism, and Buddhism would be permitted to vote in elections, whilst limiting candidacy strictly to followers of Sanatan Dharma - a term increasingly used by Hindu right-wing groups to refer to Hinduism, emphasising what they consider its eternal and ancient nature.
The announcement comes despite India already having a constitutional democracy in place since 1950, which establishes the nation as a sovereign, secular democratic republic. The religious leaders, who have no constitutional authority to draft governing documents, say they have spent 12 months and 12 days preparing what they term as the constitution for an ‘Akhand Hindu Rashtra’ (United Hindu Nation). The document has been prepared by a committee of 25 scholars drawn from various institutions across north and south India, including Banaras Hindu University, Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, and Central Sanskrit University.
Shambhavi Peethadheeshwar Anand Swaroop, one of the key figures associated with the constitution’s development, defended the controversial provisions by noting, “There are countries of Christians, Muslims and Jews but there is no country of Hindus.” However, he insisted that the constitution would not impinge on religious freedoms, stating that people from all faiths would be able to live freely in the country.
The proposed governance structure centres around a unicameral legislature called the ‘Dharm Sansad’ (Religious Parliament), where representatives must be graduates of Vedic Gurukulas. The constitution sets the voting age at 16 years, while candidates must be at least 25 years old to contest elections. The Dharm Sansad would comprise 543 members, who would be required to submit regular progress reports alongside their basic duties. The document stipulates that parliamentarians would receive only basic provisions, including constituency allowance, security, and a vehicle.
Beyond its restrictive electoral provisions, the constitution introduces several sweeping changes to current governance structures. It mandates compulsory military service for all citizens, completely exempts agricultural income from taxation, and includes a ‘Right to Recall’ provision allowing 50,000 constituents to trigger a plebiscite to remove their representative.
The document also proposes significant educational reforms, calling for the conversion of all English-medium schools into Gurukulas and the closure of state-funded madrasas. Additional provisions include the abolition of the caste system, promotion of joint family systems, and enforcement of monogamy.
The timing of the constitution’s unveiling coincides with the presence of influential religious figures at the Maha Kumbh, including Bageshwar Dham chief Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, who arrived in Prayagraj expressing support for the concept of a Hindu nation. “We want to awake Hindus and to make Hindustan a Hindu Rashtra,” Shastri declared upon his arrival for a holy dip in the Sangam.
The constitution’s presidential selection process would require candidates to demonstrate expertise in Dharmashastra and Rajashastra, along with five years of practical governance experience. During wartime, the president would assume direct command of the armed forces.
The religious leaders plan to submit this alternative constitution to the central government after receiving approval from the four Shankaracharyas, who hold significant religious authority. The document reportedly draws inspiration from ancient Hindu texts including Ram Rajya, Manu Smriti, and Chanakya’s Arthashastra, with its creators aiming to establish the proposed Hindu nation by 2035.
While the religious leaders maintain that their constitution would allow people of all faiths to live freely in the country, its provisions would effectively replace India’s existing secular constitution with a system that restricts political participation based on religious identity. The proposed document would fundamentally alter the current framework where all citizens, regardless of faith, enjoy equal political rights under the law.
