MUSLIMS in India have endured incessant scrutiny of their nationalism. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s determination to impose Hindu-led majoritarianism on his country, which is visible in several instances of communal conflict, exploitation and divisive rhetoric, have placed great strain on the Indian social fabric. The clashes in Nagpur over rumours of desecration at a Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal protest calling for the tomb of 17th-century Mughal emperor Aurangzeb to be replaced with a memorial for Maratha rulers, confirm that the cycle of hate is strong. Over the last decade, the state’s tactics have become predictable with India’s political apparatus set on stoking friction through provocative agendas that divert attention from socioeconomic pressures and Mr Modi’s governance failures in order to influence electoral sentiments. The fact that the BJP’s hate-filled politics and the impression that Hindus are under attack has helped keep the party in power, clearly shows how prejudice poses a grave threat to India’s social stability.
India’s far-right rulers are once again casting Muslims as descendants of Mughals, and implying that the community should be penalised for past sins. In Mr Modi’s rule, the sociopolitical landscape has shifted dramatically; culture, history and religion are intertwined to the extent that films and festivals, such as Eid, Diwali, Holi and Christmas, have been communalised. But as hostilities heighten amid muscular Hindutva rampage, the muted response from the opposition parties and society is troubling. Their collective inability to protect social harmony, diversity and pluralism will bury Nehruvian social justice for good. At a time when calls for Muslim massacres and erasure of monuments and history are issued openly, the oil-rich Muslim fraternity and the global community must put their money where their mouths are, and stand by Indian Muslims. The deadly mix of fascism and Hindutva, if permitted to continue, will not spare other communities either.
Published in Dawn, March 21st, 2025
