There is an "argument" going around that has to do with why the BJP, and more specifically Narendra Modi, is necessary. It says that in order for Hinduism for not to be completely destroyed, he must remain in power and people must vote for the BJP. In short, this is the "Hindu party" argument whereby voters are not only asked to vote on the basis of religion, but also told that to not do so would spell doom for their religion.

Here's why that argument is ultra-stupid, or at least disingenuous.

I am not sure what the makers of this argument think of themselves. They probably imagine they are loyal to their religion or that they are fighting to protect it. But they are actually doing none of those things. They are in fact doing the exact opposite. They are disrespecting their religion, proving it to be fragile and weak.

Nothing can be more disrespectful to Hinduism than to say that the fate of Hindus and Hinduism is completely dependent on the reputation of one man or one political party. Those who say this will one day be responsible for the destruction of Hinduism because they couldn't tell the difference between what is good for their religion and what they are actually doing - getting exploited by a political party that is using their religion to keep them from thinking independently.

On one hand they'll insist their religion is millennia old and is so strong that it has survived countless attacks and invasions. On the other they'll say it is so feeble that it won't survive one measly little political party facing electoral losses. Make up up your minds please! I'll believe whatever you say but make up your minds and arrive at one conclusion because your religion can't be both mighty and feeble at the same time.

What's happening here is politicians using gullible fools to further their petty, personal, pocket-filling agendas. And sure enough, they find hordes of such devotees only too willing to wag their tails for them. As a result, even as they say they are defending their religion, this "argument" (which puts a single windbag above the highest gods of their pantheon) only serves to show it in a desperately poor light.

If you asked anyone who knows anything about Hinduism, they might tell you that it is older than the BJP. And if they are hopeful about the future, they might even tell you that the religion will last for ages after the BJP and the RSS have disappeared from memory. Anyone who says that a single political party or leader is their religion's last hope, is essentially putting the political entity above their religion. And I for one don't understand how anyone can mistake these geniuses for "proud Hindus".

As for what the BJP is trying to do by presenting itself as Hinduism's last hope, we have a word for creatures that feed off bigger creatures (hurting them in the process) in order to survive. Wanna guess what the word is? I'll give you a hint. The prime minister has used this word for protesters.