The world community is waking up to the reality of the increasing intensity of extremist and discriminatory policies targeting Indian minorities, especially the Muslims at the hands of Narendra Modi, “The butcher of Gujrat.” Modi was elected in 2014 with the top agenda item of following his “Gujarat Model” of strong economic growth rates by giving a leading role to the private sector. “The Gujarat model threw in words like governance, roads, electricity, women’s safety, peace, industry, and education, supported by statistics.” The Gujarat model, however also included the encouragement of a dangerous right-wing populist rhetoric that aimed to establish the superiority of Hindus in the socially and religiously diverse population of India. It was intended that a powerful block of Hindu voters be created for Modi’s BJP. Minorities and secular liberals were to be portrayed as a single adversary in this approach. And this approach even entailed resorting to brutal force in a discrete but strategic manner to radicalize and harass populations in places where the BJP encountered stiff political opposition.
While Modi appeared to engage the public on governance and economic prosperity throughout his election campaign in 2014, critics cautioned that his right-wing ‘populist politics of division’ – lurked under the surface – waiting to erupt if the BJP wins the majority. The criticism was proven accurate, to religious and political polarization. The lynching of Muslims and Dalits is a routine practice of Hindu extremists in the guise of safeguarding their so-called religious affiliation with cows. Charges of ‘treason or provocation to violence charges’ have been filed against Muslim students, human rights campaigners, politicians in opposition parties, and demonstrators who opposed the BJP government. Oppression of minorities (Muslims, Dalits, Sikhs, and Christians) is a ‘new normal’ in Modi’s India. Modi’s regime has proven to be a jinx for minorities as predicted.
In a nation where Hindus account for 84 percent of the population and Muslims for only 14 percent, Modi’s BJP has succeeded in instilling a profound sense of misplaced Hindu superiority, rekindling Muslim alienation and Islamophobia through disinformation, fake news, hate speech, reigniting old political and religious contentions, attempting to manipulate state-sponsored media, quashing liberal thoughts, and arming Hindu extremist factions. As a consequence, large numbers of Hindus are now convinced that India’s key target is its minorities, especially Muslims.
Prior to Modi’s emergence in 2014, most Indians placed poverty, sluggish economic growth, and corruption as their primary concerns. However, as the economic situation has deteriorated with a corresponding increase in unemployment and poverty in the last decade, the BJP has resorted to fascist politics to distract public attention and avoid blame. To consolidate its political position for future elections, BJP has continued to polarize Hindu electorates against Muslims and concoct even more outlandish anti-Muslim propaganda. Anti-Muslim discourse is now well-entrenched.
The Hindu extremists under the patronage of PM Modi are indoctrinating and cultivating a narrative of hate against Muslims. Muslims have been generalized to have a thirst for Hindu women, procreating quickly in order to overtake the Hindu majority and create an Islamic state, which necessitates new legislation against “love jihad.” Similar laws prohibiting religious conversions and the cows’ sacrifices have considerably fueled mob violence. Hindu nationalist groups have been increasingly targeting Muslim vendors and employees, pushing for a ban on Muslim companies or doing any business which involves Muslims.
Social media platforms in India are flooded with recordings of self-proclaimed Hindu defenders advocating the killing of Muslims — an act so prevalent that it barely enters the headlines due to biased media outlets. Even the Modi government and media have not condemned the Hindutva Summit (17-19 Dec 2021) which openly called for killing minorities and attacking their religious spaces. Hate speech charges are rarely brought against high-profile Hindu nationalists, whereas, deliberate assaults on Muslims are frequent for “crimes” such as carrying animals or being in the companionship of Hindu women. Sometimes the trigger is merely the fact that someone seems to be Muslim. Even Christians and Dalits are not safe in Modi’s India.
The high point of Modi’s extremist policies is Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), where the Muslim majority is living under the constant fear of demographic change after the BJP’s revoking of the special status of IIOJK in 2019. This apprehension of demographic change is further intensified by Hindu right-wing groups openly calling for a change in the demography of Kashmir. Modi has initiated a planned strategy to enforce hegemonic designs by replicating the West Bank pattern of Israeli colonization in Kashmir i.e. displacement of local citizens, particularly Kashmiri Muslims through new settlers. In complete disregard to international laws and UN resolutions, India’s unconstitutional and undemocratic reforms in IIOJK are creating a serious breach of human rights – by far the biggest concentration camp brutally controlled by 0.75 million Indian armies and police.
A number of international leaders and human rights activists have already shown serious apprehensions regarding rising Hindu extremism in India. But the BJP’s extremist policies and attitude, which are getting entrenched in its Hindu supremacist ideology, are unlikely to change if these are not firmly opposed by the UN and powerful democracies. The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) should also demand an immediate end to extremist policies being pursued by Modi’s BJP government.
