Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) organized a book launch on February 20, 2019 titled “Rising Hindutva and its Impact on the Region” authored by Group Captain (Retd) S.M. Hali. The Chief Guest and the keynote speaker at the occasion was former Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJSC) General (Retd) Ehsan ul Haq. Other speakers at the occasion included Senator (Retd) Nisar Memon and Ambassador (Retd) Ashraf Jehangir Qazi.
Welcoming the guests, Director General ISSI Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry lauded the efforts by the author on a very special topic. He said that the societal march towards a narrow, extreme and hate-filled ideology in India needs greater analysis and focus which this book presents. Elaborating on the book, he was of the view that it explains how a radical Hindu right would exacerbate existing fault lines within India and cautions that this would lead to increased violence and hatred against all other religious minorities, especially Muslims. He said that there are huge implications of the Hindutva phenomenon and it is important to understand the genesis, evolution and the impact of Hindutva within India, Pakistan and the broader region. He said that the author has offered valuable suggestions for both India and Pakistan to counter the phenomenon and its dangerous implications for the region.
