Dr. Charudatta Pingale, a medical practitioner, is a Hindu extremist ideologue from the state of Goa who is revered among his followers as a saint. He is the ‘National guide’ of the Hindu militant organisation-Hindu Janjagruti Samiti (HJS), the organization that claims to work for the ‘Hindu renaissance’ and seeks to transform India into a Hindu rashtra (nation).

Pingale is known for his extreme views on minorities and his penchant for Hindu nationalism.

In 2013 Pingale laid the ‘roadmap’ for his organization to achieve the objective of transforming India into a ‘true Kingdom of (Hindu) God’ by 2023. He announced that he was going to raise an army of four lakh warriors to start the ‘religious war’ that would involve tackling ‘minorities’ and ‘the police’ or whoever would be blocking their path towards the realization of the goal-Hindu rashtra (nation).

In 2014 Pingale accused Prime Minister Modi of ‘minority’ appeasement when the latter met Archbishop Fr. Filipe Neri Ferrao on a state visit.

“During his visit to Goa, Modi found time to meet the Archbishop but not the Shankaracharya of the region or any Hindu religious head. This is nothing but minority appeasement,” said Pingale.

In the 6th All India Convention of Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS), a resolution was passed demanding that India be declared a Hindu rashtra (Nation).

“Various pro-Hindu and patriotic organizations all over India and abroad are striving to establish Hindu Rashtra. Declaring India and Nepal Hindu Rashtra was one of the many resolutions passed at the convention,” said Pingale.

In 2022 extending the deadline for Hindu Rashtra to 2025, Pingale changed his tone and started invoking the Constitution of India to justify his demand. He said, “ the demand for Hindu Rashtra is a valid one and is permitted by the constitution.”

HJS, under the guidance of Pingale, has contributed substantially to fomenting communal unrest in Goa and bordering states. Notably, the members of the HJS have been accused of several terror plots, including the 2009 Diwali-eve Margao bomb blast. The organization is also suspected of plotting the killings of rationalists Govind Pansare, Narendra Dabholkar, and journalist Gauri Lankesh.

One need not be surprised by these accusations, as the ideology and activities of the HJS are self-indicative. The HJS website mentions in the ‘About’ section,

“O Hindu Brothers! The Holy land of Bharat is a self-materialised ‘Hindu Nation’. However, the unrighteous rulers have maligned the Hindu Nation by declaring it a secular Nation. Since the present Democracy does not have the support of Hindu Dharma, the Hindu society and the Nation are facing a grave decline. To arrest the decline and to bring back the past glory to the Holy land of Bharat, it is imperative to reinstate Dharma in Bharat.”