Subramanian Swamy is a trained Harvard-educated economist, a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and a former Member of Parliament (MP) from Uttar Pradesh but born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. He is known for his Hindutva views, regularly making hateful comments about religious and sexual minorities, inciting violence against Muslims with calls to disenfranchise them and claiming that they are not equal citizens, calls to establish a “Hindu Rashtra” (Hindu nation), supporting hate speech and comparing Hindutva to Zionism.

In August 2011, Swamy wrote two incendiary articles against Muslims against the backdrop of the July 13 Mumbai blasts, where he asked for India to be declared a “Hindu Rashtra” and sought severe punitive measures against Muslims, including disenfranchisement if they did not acknowledge their Hindu ancestry. Following this, Harvard University dropped two economics courses taught by Swamy in December 2011, saying his views were “reprehensible” and “demonize” Islam.

In June 2015, Swamy challenged the laws on hate speech, saying they violated the fundamental right to freedom of speech.

In July 2018, Swamy asserted that Hindutva would help the BJP win the 2019 elections, adding that economic development would not bring in votes, during an event organized by the Virat Hindustan Sangam in New Delhi.

Also in July 2018, Swamy claimed that being homosexual was “not normal,” standing by his 2015 claim that homosexuality was a “genetic flaw” that must be punished if anyone wanted to “flaunt” or “celebrate” it. 

“It (homosexuality) is not a normal thing. We cannot celebrate it. It’s against Hindutva. We should invest in medical research to see if it can be cured.”

In August 2019, Swamy stated that there were many similarities between Zionism and Hindutva, including that both don’t believe in active conversion, during a discussion organized by The Indo-Israel Friendship Association in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

With reference to the Ram Mandir, Swamy claimed that “A mosque is not a place that cannot be demolished. It is a place to offer namaaz (Islamic prayers) and namaaz can be offered anywhere. It does not compare to the fact that Ram was born there,” adding that “Zion is today under attack from Islamic extremists, and therefore both of us should come together to fight the Islamic terror forces. During the November 2008 attacks, the terrorists made a special target of the Jewish people staying here.”

Swamy also asserted that “India already is a ‘Hindu Rashtra’ and going forward there will be changes made in school history books to incorporate more about the fights Hindus won against the Mughals.”

In January 2020, Swamy reiterated that India was already a “Hindu Rashtra” and that the Indian Constitution preaches Hinduism, adding that the “secularism bit” was added by Indira Gandhi, during an event in Chennai. He also criticized those who were protesting against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) which grants expedited citizenship to six religious minorities from India’s neighboring countries, except Muslims, additionally accusing terrorist organizations and Christian missionaries of funding the anti-CAA protests.

“This Bill has nothing to do with the Muslims of India. Pakistani Muslims aren’t coming to India saying that they’re persecuted,” Swamy claimed, adding “This is an anti-national protest. The CAA is a commitment that we have to fulfil.”

Swamy went on to say that Sonia Gandhi was the reason he did not join the Congress because, “I know their history, that is the problem. She is the daughter of a soldier in Hitler’s army. Her mother hasn’t disclosed where she worked from 1963 to 1968. Her corruption is unbelievable.”

In May 2020, Swamy attacked Under-Secretary-General Adama Dieng for saying that the former’s statements like “all people are not equal,” and “Muslims are not in an ‘equal category’ as others” were “extremely alarming.”

On his social media, Swamy regularly attacks other BJP members for not being Hindutva enough, peddles historically inaccurate propaganda against opposition members apart from promoting his talks and podcasts.