As decided by the Central Committee in its meeting held on January 17-19, 2025, the Polit Bureau has issued a Note on the use of the term `Neo-Fascism’ to be reported along with the Draft Political Resolution.  Since some incorrect interpretations of the note have appeared in the media, the text of the note is being published below.

1. In the Draft Political Resolution it is stated “the push to impose a reactionary Hindutva agenda and the authoritarian drive to suppress the opposition and democracy displays neo-fascist characteristics.” This is the first time we have used the term ‘neo-fascist’ in the national situation of the Political Resolution.

2. Earlier in the 22nd Congress, we had stated that the authoritarian and Hindutva communal attacks exhibit ‘emerging fascistic trends’. In the 23rd Congress we had said that the Modi government is carrying out the fascistic agenda of the RSS. 

3. What does the term neo-fascism mean? ‘Neo’ means new or a contemporary version of something older. The term neo-fascism is being used to distinguish it from the classical fascism which rose in the inter-war years in Europe, like in Italy under Mussolini and Germany under Hitler. This was an era when the world capitalist crisis resulted in the great depression between 1929 and 1933. Inter-imperialist contradictions were sharpening. Both the First World War and the Second World War were an outcome of inter-imperialist contradictions. Fascist forces after capturing power abolished bourgeois democracy and utilised war as a method to increase arms production and overcome the economic crisis.  Monopoly capital in these countries fully backed the fascist forces and relied upon them to take extreme measures to overcome the crisis.

4. Certain elements of neo-fascism are the same as in the fascism in the early period of the 20th century. Ultra-nationalism is based on perceived feelings of historical wrongs and injustice; targeting the ‘other’ – racial, religious or ethnic minority and support of the big bourgeoisie for the far-right/neo-fascist parties or forces. In India, neo-fascism is shaped by the RSS and its Hindutva ideology, which is fascistic according to our Party Programme, being able to exercise levers of power under BJP rule. The combination of the Hindutva sectarian ideology, the neo-liberal crisis and the imposition of authoritarianism to serve the interests of the big bourgeoisie, are all ingredients of a proto neo-fascism.  

5. Neo-fascism is a product of the crisis of neo-liberalism and is a global phenomenon. Neo-fascist forces have emerged in different countries and in a few they have come to power. But unlike in the 1930s, inter-imperialist contradictions are muted with the rise of global finance capital, so neo-fascist regimes do not go to war due to imperialist rivalries. The neo-liberal crisis and the resulting discontent among the people is sought to be exploited by the far-right and neo-fascist forces using populist rhetoric. But when they come to power they do not break with the neo-liberal policies but on the contrary continue to pursue the same which is in the interests of big capital. The other difference with classical fascism is that neo-fascist parties utilise elections to advance their political project and even if they come to power they do not dispense with the electoral system. They maintain the electoral system but use authoritarian methods to suppress the opposition and gain advantage. They seek to bring about changes in the State structure for a longer period of time by working from within.

6. We have stated that the present political set-up under the BJP-RSS is a Hindutva-corporate authoritarian regime which “displays neo-fascistic characteristics”. We are not saying that the Modi government is a fascist or neo-fascist government. Nor are we characterising the Indian State as a neo-fascist State. What we are pinpointing is that after ten years of continuous rule by the BJP, which is the political wing of the RSS, there has been a consolidation of political power in the hands of the BJP-RSS and this is resulting in the manifestation of “neo-fascist characteristics”. The word ‘characteristics’ means features or trends, but they have not developed into a neo-fascist government and political setup. So, the Political Resolution is talking about the danger of Hindutva-corporate authoritarianism going towards neo-fascism, if the BJP-RSS are not fought back and halted. 

7. This position is different from that of the CPI and the CPI (ML). The CPI has characterised the Modi government as a fascist government and the CPI (ML) has stated that an Indian fascism has been put in place.