A tendency to paint Arya Samaj as a one‐note revivalist movement springs from its uncompromising insistence on “Vedic purity.” Rejecting idol worship, the Samaj often found itself at odds with mainstream Hindu practices—sparking accusations of dogmatism. Its approach to reform could feel like swapping one strict orthodoxy for another: rituals trimmed down to the bare Veda leaves, leaving critics claiming nuance and regional traditions were bulldozed in the name of uniformity.

The Shuddhi campaigns of the early 20th century—that effort to “reconvert” communities thought to have drifted into Islam or Christianity—triggered real communal flashpoints in Punjab and Gujarat. Newspapers of the day reported heated clashes, and modern historians still debate whether those drives did more harm than good, stirring tensions rather than fostering genuine social harmony.

On gender, Arya Samaj’s early push for widow remarriage and women’s education was revolutionary. Yet some contend its vision of women’s liberation stayed firmly within a “Vedic ideal” framework—criticizing that true gender equity was sometimes sacrificed on the altar of textual literalism.

Class and caste present another paradox. While officially denouncing untouchability, local chapters occasionally perpetuated existing hierarchies, proving that ideology alone doesn’t topple deeply entrenched social norms. This gap between lofty declarations and ground‐level practice has drawn the ire of sociologists who point out that abolishing caste demands more than an appeal to ancient scripture.

More recently, Arya Samaj schools have come under fire for curricula perceived as sectarian—especially as debates over “educational pluralism” intensify in India’s digital classrooms. Social media voices have questioned whether a Veda‐only syllabus prepares students for a globalized world or merely reinforces insularity.

All these controversies underscore a central tension: championing a return to antiquity while navigating the messy realities of modern society. It’s a tightrope act that keeps Arya Samaj both influential and irresistibly, sometimes frustratingly, controversial.