The problem with RW intellectuals waxing eloquent about colonialism and the need to cleanse modern India of its impact is that they appear to be under the impression that if you remove "Western" influence, what you will be left with is some kind of raw, pristine, native purity.

And to them, this raw native compound is Brahminism. They won't take the next step and acknowledge that before this Western influence they so hate, Brahminical social practices had been colonising large parts of the sub-continent for ages. To them, that's not colonial influence that needs to be removed from the Indian mind.

India's cultural right wing is not a civilisational resistance towards colonialism. It is just another colonising power that is fighting to once again occupy the minds of the people of this part of the world, like it had done before cultural influences from the West came along and mucked things up for it.

Don't get me wrong. Decolonising the Indian mind is a worthy goal. But getting rid of one occupier and replacing it with another equally oppressive system is not wisdom. Seek diversity and acceptance. Don't fall for smooth-talking NRIs Hindus when they claim to want to take India "back to its roots". The roots they speak of are not the roots of many of us. Our roots are tribal, diverse, and democratic. Not saffron, discriminatory, and beholden to a singular cultural identity.