![Modi's India shifts from secular democracy to Hindutva-driven state, marked by rising anti-Muslim violence and systemic repression. [Image via Financial Times]](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/http___com.ft_.imagepublish.upp-prod-eu.s3.amazonaws.webp)
In Modi’s India, the first Jammu and Kashmir Assembly session in six years convened on November 4, 2024, amidst significant political turbulence related to the controversial revocation of Article 370. However, this new session is far from a cause for celebration; it symbolizes a continuation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s repressive political tactics following the illegal removal of the region’s special status in 2019.
A Nation Divided: Modi’s Repressive Tactics
The Jammu and Kashmir assembly’s reopening has come with chaos, as on November 7, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members erupted in protests against a resolution calling for the restoration of special status for the erstwhile state, highlighting the ongoing tensions surrounding Jammu and Kashmir’s legal and political status.
Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather was compelled to temporarily adjourn the session as tensions escalated. During the debates, BJP members raised strong objections to the resolution passed the previous day, which called on the central government to devise a constitutional means for reinstating the region’s special status. The situation intensified when Awami Ittehad Party leader Sheikh Khursheed displayed a banner advocating for the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A, prompting BJP members to rush the well of the assembly, forcibly seizing and tearing the banner.
This recent turmoil in Jammu and Kashmir is reflective of broader tensions simmering across India, where the political landscape under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP has increasingly marginalized religious minorities, particularly Muslims. The BJP’s Hindutva-driven agenda has not only cemented a culture of intolerance but has also fostered an environment rife with ethnic and religious strife, serving as a troubling backdrop to the conflict in Kashmir.
The echoes of the November 7 uproar underscore a long history of discord, tracing back to the Gujarat riots of 2002—an event that indelibly shaped Modi’s political ascent.
The Decline of Democracy in Modi’s India
India, the world’s biggest democracy, has long been recognised for its rich cultural diversity, pluralism and peaceful cohabitation of different religions. However, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the country’s reputation has taken a downward path. Many independent data analysts forecast a troubling pattern of ethnic cleansing, particularly against Indian Muslims.
From the bloodshed of the 2002 Gujarat riots to the repeal of Article 370 in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and the repression of press freedom, Modi’s Government has repeatedly proved its dedication to a Hindutva-driven agenda that marginalises religious minorities, notably the Muslims.
The violence and repression in Kashmir, the systematic targeting of Muslims, and the culture of impunity fostered by the BJP Government are not isolated events—these are indicative of a broader strategy of ethnic cleansing.
The Roots of Ethnic Violence: Gujarat 2002
The Gujarat riots of 2002 left an indelible mark on Narendra Modi’s political career. As the state’s Chief Minister, Modi was accused of turning a blind eye to—or worse, actively enabling—mass violence against the Muslims. The riots killed more than 1,000 people, most of whom were Muslims, and displaced hundreds of thousands. India’s courts exonerated Modi of direct participation, but the BBC documentary “India: The Modi Question”, has highlighted serious charges which prove that the massacre was part of a bigger effort to marginalise Muslims. It argued that the violence could not have escalated without the State Government’s impunity. The widespread and systematic rape of Muslim women, the demolition of houses and mosques, and the relocation of thousands were all characteristics of ethnic cleansing, a phrase that refers to the forceful expulsion of ethnic or religious groups from certain areas using fear and violence.
The Gujarat riots were more than just a spontaneous outbreak of sectarian violence. Those were examples of how religious divisions may be used for political benefit. Modi’s involvement in those crimes helped catapult him to national prominence, which is a troubling reflection of India’s political atmosphere. The BJP has effectively utilised Hindu nationalism to cement power, portraying Muslims as the everlasting ‘other’—a threat to the Hindu nation’s perceived purity.
Also See: Five Years On: The Realities of Kashmir Post-Article 370
Kashmir: A Laboratory of Repression
The BJP’s agenda of disenfranchising and marginalising Muslims continued with the loss of autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir in 2019. The territory, which houses a Muslim-majority population, received special status under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. By eliminating that clause, Modi’s Administration essentially brought Kashmir under direct authority from New Delhi, resulting in mass arrests, curfews, and a months-long communications blackout. The lockdown, along with the presence of tens of thousands of Indian forces, generated an atmosphere of dread and repression.
Human rights organisations including Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Amnesty International (AI) have recorded widespread breaches of basic freedoms in Kashmir, including extrajudicial murders, torture, enforced disappearances, and arbitrary detentions. The Public Safety Act (PSA) is frequently utilised to hold people without charges for lengthy periods, adding to what opponents refer to as a ‘revolving open door’ of state persecution. The victims are predominantly Muslim, and the area has become a testing ground for the BJP’s larger aim of religious and ethnic dominance.
The international world has consistently demanded accountability in Kashmir, but the Indian Government remains inflexible.
The United Nations Security Council’s (UNSC) resolution asking for a plebiscite to decide the destiny of Jammu and Kashmir was never implemented. In this environment, Kashmir has become a symbol of unmet democratic promises, as well as a clear indicator of Modi’s Government’s attitude towards Muslim-majority regions—one of distrust, hatred, and an unwavering willingness to quash dissent by any means necessary.
Impunity and the Normalization of Anti-Muslim Violence
India’s march into majoritarianism under Modi is characterised by the normalisation of violence against Muslims. Lynchings of Muslims accused of ingesting or carrying beef, which is banned in Hinduism, have become all too regular. Vigilante gangs, encouraged by the Government’s implicit support, prowl the streets in search of Muslims to brutalise, with no regard for legal ramifications. The growth of cow protection squads (gau rakshaks) is a concerning illustration of how religious fanaticism is becoming mainstream in India. Rather than cracking down on these vigilante organisations, BJP officials frequently openly endorse those, leading to an environment of impunity.
The court, too, has been involved in the erosion of the rule of law. Cases of violence against Muslims are regularly stalled or rejected, and police investigations are frequently biased. Meanwhile, those who speak out—journalists, activists, and human rights defenders—face intimidation, arrest, and, in some cases, torture. The arrest of Khurram Parvez, a famous Kashmiri human rights advocate, serves as an example. His work recording atrocities by Indian security personnel made him a target of the National Investigation Agency, which imprisoned him on terrorist allegations. His detention, along with those of many others, exemplifies how the Indian government utilises anti-terrorism legislation to silence dissent and Muslim voices.
The Role of Media and Propaganda in Modi’s India
The Indian media, which was formerly a strong check on the Government’s authority, has become more co-opted by the BJP’s nationalist narrative.
The 53-page media policy passed in 2020 empowers the Indian government to determine what constitutes “anti-national” information, thereby granting the state the right to stifle critical voices.
Journalists, who dare to report on human rights crimes, particularly in Kashmir, risk detention, intimidation, and even physical harm.
The media’s role in promoting religious intolerance is undeniable. BJP-aligned news networks routinely air incendiary propaganda depicting Muslims as aggressive, backward, and disloyal. The rewriting of textbooks to minimise the accomplishments of Muslim rulers, such as the Mughals, while emphasising alleged historical wrongs against Hindus is part of a larger campaign to delegitimise Muslim presence in India’s cultural and historical narrative. By dominating both the media and education, the BJP guarantees that future generations grow up in an environment of distrust and hostility for Muslims.
The Global Implications
Modi’s India is a litmus test for the global community’s commitment to human rights and democracy. Many world leaders, particularly in the West, are deafeningly silent. While some, such as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, have expressed concern about India’s human rights record, major powers like the United States and the United Kingdom have mostly turned a blind eye. Given China’s rise in Asia, many people have prioritised economic and geopolitical interests over human rights concerns. This tacit acceptance of Modi’s government’s behaviour is more than simply a moral failing; it sets a dangerous precedent that permits authoritarianism to develop unabated.
India, under Modi, is dangerously close to engaging in state-sponsored ethnic cleansing. The systematic targeting of Muslims, the deterioration of democratic institutions, and the environment of impunity indicate that the country is abandoning its secular, pluralistic underpinnings in favour of majoritarian control. The international community must speak out more aggressively against these injustices and make the Indian government responsible for its conduct. If the world keeps silent, the repercussions for Indian Muslims—and democracy in general—will be devastating.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own. They do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of the South Asia Times.
Waleed Sami is a postgraduate student specializing in Strategic Studies at the Centre for International Peace and Stability (CIPS), which is housed within the esteemed National University of Science and Technology (NUST) in Islamabad. Prior to pursuing his postgraduate studies, Waleed earned his bachelor's degree in International Relations from the National Defence University Islamabad (NDU).
![Political activism of PTM was directed towards the issues faced by the people of Erstwhile FATA now KPK, due to the military checkpoints [Image Credits: Naseer Ahmed/Reuters].](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/5acc715046085-150x150.webp)
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