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Is India arming itself to become a Hindu State?

Credit: NBC
India, the second most populous country in the world, is host to a multitude of cultures and identities. 80% of the population identify as Hindus, the largest religion by far in India, whilst a respectable 14.2% of the population identify as Muslims. The large gap in population has slowly begun to lead to an ever larger gap in political inequality, with the current BJP government pushing a Pro-Hinduist sentiment across the country. This has raised the question - Is India slowly transforming into a Hindu State, and what are the risks of this?


The History
The Muslim minority had become a focal point of Modi’s campaign, with his goals of promoting secularism and ‘Indian’ identity for civillians, regardless of their descent or religion. Historically, Hinduism is the largest religion in the country - but this began to change with the advent of mass migration from surrounding Muslim countries into India. These immigrants consisted of Muslims seeking both economic opportunities, and shelter from persecution (such as Rohingya Muslims).


Yet, this secular narrative began to change when Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party, the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) rose to power . Their imposition of a lockdown on Kashmir marked the beginning of the BJP’s attempts to create a Hindu state. This act was motivated to protect Kashmiri civilians and strengthen Indian territorial claims over the disputed land, as well as instill a strong sense of Hindu/Indian nationalism over this region. This consequently led to a rise of Hindu supremacy, enforcing a strong sense of Hinduism across the sub-continent. Notably, there has been a dramatic increase in crimes against Muslims, as well as the onslaught of cow vigilantes on Muslim cow farmers. 


Finally, the Citizenship Amendment Bill signified to India Modi’s strong intent for a unified, Hindu state. The bill makes it harder for Muslims to gain citizenship in one of the four possible ways, and register in the National Register of Citizens. Many claim this is to curb mass immigration that is changing the demographics of the country, whilst many others, especially students, speculate this is to drive out Muslims who have immigrated to India from neighboring countries, and create a Hindu nation-state. https://aglobalinjustice.blogspot.com/2020/02/the-citizenship-amendment-bill-cab.html This article offers a detailed explanation of the impacts and motivations of the landmark bill. 


The Opinions
Supporters - Supporters of Modi’s Hindu regime claim that not only is a majority of Hindu in politics and decision-making branches important, but the most stable in terms of catering to the needs of civilians. Students and Indians in rural areas have expressed strong support for Modi’s intent of a Hindu rashtra, as they claim it will pave the way for a more unified and stronger India. Needless to say, Islamophobia and Xenophobia play a big role in this mindset. 


Critics - Critics of Modi’s Hindu Rashtra speculate that this will be a direct attack on secularism and diversity in the country - something that Modi’s predecessors have worked hard to build and establish. Moreover, they fear that this growing Hindu supremacy will indicate a revival of discrimination and segregation similar to the Caste System.


The Answer
Identity is a controversial part of politics - it is why there is no right or wrong answer to the question of “Is this course of action ethical?” However, it is undeniable that Modi intends shape the demographics of his country, whether it be for a more unified/stronger country, or to reduce the inflow of Muslim immigrants and refugees into India. 


However, the controversial laws passed have caused many to take to the streets to demand reforms or express support, and led to heavy civilian loss and massive lockdowns. Covid 19 has changed this, but the narrative remains the same. 


The largest fear by far has been the xenophobic and hindu supremacy these BJP actions might imply - however more concerning is the effect of this on the legality system in India. Experts fear that government and societal pressure could sway Judicial Systems in India regarding the validity of the Citizenship Amendment Act, and perhaps compromise on secularism in the country. However, only time can tell the real impacts of this change in Indian domestic policy.

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