XIV Congreso Internacional sobre Religi?n y Espiritualidad en la Sociedad

Abstract

I analyze the utilization of “bio-divinity” and “rights of nature” in advancing sustainability goals. Through a case study of India, where the High Court granted legal personhood to the river Ganges in 2017, I focus on public activism in the name of the Ganges in Varanasi. I show how regional activism gave rise to the ‘Save the Ganga’ and the ‘Ganges Action Plan.’ However, I argue that due to government inaction, these movements to combat the pollution of the river have not advanced sustainability goals. Because women are the most affected by climate change and pollution in the Ganges, women have been highly involved in these movements. However, their action plans have not been included or implemented in policy planning. In addition, the legal personhood of the Ganges has also been exploited by Hindu nationalists across India to promote exclusionary and racist policies. In the case of Varanasi, I show how the “greening” of Hindu nationalism has increased awareness of environmental challenges but has not generated governmental action. I argue that, because the river has been legally acknowledged as a sacred Hindu deity under PM Modi’s leadership, then Modi can claim legitimacy in Hindu nationalist terms and focus on other environmental considerations while ignoring the rights of the river. Because the Ganges is so central to Hindu action, ethics, and religious practice, ceding the river divine personhood risks the Ganga becoming a symbol of Hindu nationalism rather than a platform for action and democratic accountability for all Indian citizens.