Political Playbook of India: Fear, Identity, and the Vote

Let’s talk about something that cuts across national borders, democracy, and elections: The Political Playbook of India! Now, you might think, “How are Kashmir, India’s statement over Pakistan in Geneva, and Amit Shah’s comments about kicking out Bangladeshis from Jaharkand linked?” Well, buckle up. This is politics 101. Here, votes are power, and narratives are currency.

How the Political Playbook Shapes Voter Sentiment in India?

Imagine being a politician in a hyper-competitive democracy. You’ve got an election coming up, and the stakes are sky-high. What’s the first thing you do? You identify an issue that fires people up, something that divides or unites them enough to win votes. Now, look at Kashmir. Many see India’s moves, like the scrapping of Article 370, as part of a larger plan. The goal is to boost a Hindu-majority voter base. It’s not just about control over land but reshaping who votes and how. This is a key tactic in the Political Playbook of India.

Shift focus to Pakistan, and the narrative shifts too. For some Indian politicians, Pakistan is the eternal “other”—perfect for rallying nationalist sentiment. Mentioning Pakistan in speeches, whether it’s about cross-border terrorism or Kashmir, ignites a sense of patriotism that can sway voters. And let’s not forget, the bogeyman effect works both ways across the border. Again, this taps into the Political Playbook of India, which leverages nationalistic sentiment to secure votes.

Now, throw in comments like “kicking out Bangladeshi infiltrators.” This isn’t just casual rhetoric—it’s a calculated play to stir emotions around immigration, jobs, and identity. It’s a strategy to tap into fear. The aim is to consolidate votes by portraying certain groups as a threat. These groups are framed as a danger to local resources or security.

Amplifying Narratives

Democracy can be a beautiful thing, but it’s also where these narratives get amplified and complicated. Politicians don’t just talk issues—they frame them in a way that makes you want to vote. Whether it’s about Kashmir’s autonomy, tensions with Pakistan, or immigration from Bangladesh, it’s all part of the same game. The goal is to secure the majority vote by stirring the right pot at the right time. This strategy is an essential part of the Political Playbook of India.

So, how do these national trends manifest on a more local level? Jharkhand offers a prime example.

Jharkhand: A Case Study

And what’s happening in Jharkhand right now, as the BJP gears up for a fierce election battle, is a perfect example of how narratives are crafted for electoral gain.

The state of Jharkhand. It is the only state slated for polls this year where the BJP hopes to wrest control from the opposition. With bitter political stakes, the rhetoric surrounding the elections points toward an intense battle. Just last week, Home Minister Amit Shah flagged off the BJP’s “Parivartan Yatra.” He strategically visited regions like Santhal Pargana, where the party has historically struggled to win tribal votes. To tip the scales in their favor, the BJP has ramped up its narrative on “illegal infiltration” from Bangladesh. They framed it as a threat to the identity and demography of these regions. This is yet another play straight out of the Political Playbook of India.

The BJP’s Jharkhand strategy mirrors national patterns. It stirs fears about “outsiders” and targets demographic concerns. This sets the stage for a bitterly contested election. The party’s six “Parivartan Yatras” aim to cover all 81 Assembly constituencies. These yatras serve not just as campaign roadshows but as platforms to reinforce carefully curated narratives. These narratives align with the Political Playbook of India.

The Politics of Fear and Division

This rhetoric, often repeated in election rallies, isn’t just an empty threat—it’s designed to create fear and division. The BJP links the presence of Bangladeshi and Rohingya immigrants to changes in tribal population demographics. By doing this, the party hopes to stir up its base in these critical areas. Prime Minister Modi’s recent speeches support this narrative. He accused the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led government of encouraging infiltration for political gains. Modi portrayed the opposition as a threat to the very identity of tribal communities. It’s a classic case of rallying voters by stoking concerns about national security and cultural identity.

This isn’t a one-off strategy either. We’ve seen similar tactics in Kashmir. The abrogation of Article 370 was framed as a move toward “normalcy.” In reality, it aimed at reshaping the region’s demographic and electoral landscape. The revocation of Article 370 allowed for the inclusion of over 93,000 non-local voters. This tipped the scales in favor of the ruling party’s Hindu vote bank. The parallels with settler colonialism tactics are hard to miss. It’s reminiscent of Israel’s playbook in Palestine—alter the demographics, strengthen the vote, and seize control.

India’s Human Rights Violations in IIOJK: The Irony of International Propaganda and Settler Colonialism

But it’s not just about domestic politics. These narratives also play out on the international stage.

As the 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) unfolded in Geneva, glaring contradictions in India’s conduct became more apparent than ever. Under the Modi regime, India repeatedly tried to malign Pakistan at international forums. They cast baseless accusations of harboring terrorism and destabilizing the region. Yet, the irony is profound. India itself faces cases of transnational terrorism and stands accused of flagrant human rights violations. This is especially true in Indian-Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK), a region now known as one of the most militarized in the world. There is one soldier for every six civilians there.

Ironically, as India lobbies the world to focus on cross-border issues, its own actions—particularly the demographic reengineering of Kashmir—draw uncomfortable comparisons to settler colonialism.

This isn’t a one-off strategy either. We’ve seen similar tactics in Kashmir, where the abrogation of Article 370 was framed as a move toward “normalcy,” but was, in reality, aimed at reshaping the region’s demographic and electoral landscape.

Settler Colonialism 101: The Israel Playbook

India’s demographic shifts in IIOJK are drawing disturbing parallels with Israel’s tactics in Palestine. Since the revocation of Article 370, the BJP has made one brazen move after another to bring about a Hindutva-driven demographic overhaul. The recent inclusion of 93,000 new non-local voters—mostly non-Muslims—is just one example of how India is flipping the region’s demographics. And it doesn’t stop there. The shameless gerrymandering of constituencies has been geared toward strengthening the BJP’s Hindu vote bank, with the goal of installing a Hindu Chief Minister.

This isn’t just about votes—it’s about altering the region’s very identity. Under new domicile laws, outsiders can now register as voters, undermining the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination. With over 10,000 houses earmarked for non-Kashmiris, the Indian government’s intentions are clear: to erase Kashmir’s Muslim-majority status and impose a new settler colonialism the reminiscent of Israel’s playbook in Palestine—alter the demographics, strengthen the vote, and seize control.

Human Rights Violations in IIOJK & India

Kashmir’s plight has drawn international attention for years. With outdated laws like the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), Public Safety Act (PSA), Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), National Security Act (NSA), and Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), Indian forces enjoy unchecked impunity, perpetuating a culture of fear and oppression.

Women in Kashmir, Nagaland, and other resistance regions face the horrific weaponization of rape. Even Rahul Gandhi, an opposition leader in India, has acknowledged his country’s harrowing global reputation as the “World Rape Capital.” Yet, as India lobbies aggressively to discredit Pakistan, the real crisis is happening under its own governance.

India’s Human Rights Violations: The Irony of International Propaganda and Settler Colonialism

But it’s not just about domestic politics. These narratives also play out on the international stage.

As the 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) unfolded in Geneva, the glaring contradictions in India’s conduct became more apparent than ever. India, under the Modi regime, repeatedly tried to malign Pakistan at international forums, casting baseless accusations of harboring terrorism and destabilizing the region. Yet, the irony cannot be more profound: India itself faces cases of transnational terrorism and stands accused of flagrant human rights violations, especially in Indian-Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK), a region now known as one of the most militarized in the world, with a soldier for every six civilians.

Ironically, as India lobbies the world to focus on cross-border issues, its own actions—particularly the demographic reengineering of Kashmir—draw uncomfortable comparisons to settler colonialism.

Political Playbook of India: Global Silence or Complicity?

Despite the mounting evidence, India continues to ignore international norms and obligations, shrugging off condemnations from the UNHRC, Amnesty International, and other human rights watchdogs. The Modi government has perfected the art of distraction, using compliant media to propagate a false narrative of peace and progress in Kashmir. But beneath this veneer lies a region trapped in internet blackouts, media censorship, and systematic oppression.

What makes this even more concerning is the Modi regime’s open disdain for international law. The UN resolutions on Kashmir, designed to ensure the right to self-determination for Kashmiris, have been flagrantly disregarded. Instead, India has chosen to adopt an Israeli-style land-grab approach, using military occupation as a tool for demographic engineering.

India’s actions in IIOJK are more than a regional issue—they are a global one.

The illegal demographic shifts, the suppression of Kashmiri identity, and the blatant violations of human rights cannot be ignored. The international community, which has long been silent or indifferent, must finally hold India accountable. If unchecked, India’s actions may not only spell disaster for the already oppressed Kashmiris but could also destabilize the entire South Asian region.

The EU DisinfoLab Scandal: India’s Propaganda Machine

India’s hypocrisy reached new heights when the EU DisinfoLab uncovered a massive disinformation network aimed at tarnishing Pakistan’s image globally. While India accuses Pakistan of cross-border terrorism, it is simultaneously orchestrating an elaborate media campaign to mislead the world about its own illegal actions in IIOJK. From falsified narratives to propaganda blitzes, India’s state machinery seems more invested in manipulating global opinion than addressing its domestic human rights crisis.

“India Out” Movement and Regional Discontent

India’s high-handedness isn’t just confined to IIOJK. Across South Asia, the “India Out” movement is gaining momentum. Countries like Bangladesh and the Maldives are pushing back against Indian hegemony, underscoring the region’s deep desire for peace and stability. Even historically friendly neighbors like Nepal, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka have had their share of conflicts with India, revealing growing regional discontent with its aggressive foreign policies.

Ironically, at the same time Indian ministers are maligning Pakistan at the UNGA, Home Minister Amit Shah continues his divisive rhetoric at home, promising to rid India of “Bangladeshi infiltrators” and even likening migrants to “termites” earlier in 2018. These inflammatory comments come right before Bangladeshi ministers are set to meet Indian officials on the UNGA sidelines, adding another layer of complexity to India’s already fragile diplomatic relationships.

Afghans in India: A Case Study

And then there are Afghans in India! The post-August 15 Indian abandonment of Afghans and the revocation of Afghan student visas are just two alarming instances.

India’s treatment of Afghan students, refugees, and visa holders’ highlights how these issues intersect with electoral politics and national rhetoric. Reports of visa delays, harassment, and difficulties faced by Afghan students in India have been rising, drawing criticism even as the country positions itself as a humanitarian leader in the region.

For instance, Gujarat Technical University canceled admissions for 24 Afghan engineering students, citing visa issues following the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul. While the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) norms were mentioned, satisfactory explanations remain elusive. This disruption in education only deepens their distress.

Scholarship Discrepancies

The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholarship covers tuition, the hostel expenses, and provides a monthly stipend of $270-$300 based on the curriculum. In 2021, the ICCR awarded 650 Afghan students stipend-paid scholarships. However, in 2022, it turned away every Afghan candidate with a refugee visa, further illustrating the disconnect in India’s policies.

Saad Mohseni, the owner of TOLO News, voiced concerns at the 2022 Raisina Dialogue organized by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) and the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stating, ‘They are simply not issuing visas to Afghans. I don’t understand why they are punishing the entire Afghan people for no fault of theirs. This is collective punishment.’

Visa Challenges and Comparisons

While India revoked visas, Pakistan’s official data revealed that, as of 2022, over 7,000 Afghan students were enrolled in various graduate and postgraduate programs in Pakistan. Reports indicate that since August 2021, out of 60,000 Afghan visa applications, India has granted less than 300 e-visas as of 2023, primarily to Afghan Sikhs and Hindus—reflective of the BJP-led Hindutva government’s discriminatory practices.

Broader Implications

Torailay Himat, an Afghan political analyst, commented, “India claims to help Afghanistan, but instead of assisting us in agriculture, medicine, and other fields, India brought films. Eventually, Afghans succumbed to drugs and suicide. And now Afghans have started saying Ram Ram; these are all India’s gifts to Afghanistan through movies.”

For a fact, William Dalrymple in his work for the Brookings Institute, “Afghanistan, Pakistan and India: The Deadly Triangle” (2013), states that the war in Afghanistan is always about India and Pakistan, and it will continue to be so. India’s funding to the TTP and its links with ISKP are notable instances in this regard.

In October 2020, Ajit Doval in his speech at an Ashram said, “Rajya (state) can always come and go but Rashtirya (religion) will always be with us, and our war is about Rashtriya; We’ll now take this war to foreign lands.”

“We’ve never done it for selfish reasons. We’ll surely fight, on our soil and on foreign soil, but not for our personal interests. But in the interests of Amarth (spirituality),” said Doval. The Akhand Bharat mural display in Indian Parliament earlier in 2023 hints at this policy!

A Disconnect Between Rhetoric and Reality

India’s domestic and international strategies have long been marked by contradictions, where the Modi regime’s global posturing often stands in stark contrast to its actions on the ground. Whether it’s the heavy-handed approach in Kashmir, the aggressive electoral rhetoric aimed at Bangladesh and Pakistan, or the discriminatory treatment of Afghan refugees and students, the undercurrent is clear: a calculated manipulation of identity politics to serve both domestic and geopolitical ends. The consistent use of fear, division, and othering is not just an election strategy—it’s part of a broader ideological project to reshape India’s national and regional identity.

Yet, these tactics have consequences beyond borders. The ripple effects are felt not only in Kashmir, Jharkhand, or among disenfranchised Afghan students but across South Asia, where India’s policies increasingly fuel instability and resentment. From the “India Out” movement to regional diplomatic tensions, the country’s neighbors are beginning to push back against what they see as India’s hegemonic ambitions.

As India faces growing scrutiny from international bodies like the UNHRC and independent watchdogs, it becomes harder to mask the dissonance between its global narrative and its domestic realities. In the end, India’s use of settler colonial tactics, discriminatory policies, and electoral fear-mongering may secure short-term political gains, but it risks eroding the country’s democratic fabric and destabilizing the region in the long run. If the Modi regime continues down this path of deceit, denial, and demographic engineering, it risks not only losing Kashmir but also deepening the north-south divide within India, undermining its credibility on the world stage.

So, What’s the Takeaway Here?

It’s simple: elections aren’t just about policies or candidates—they’re about narratives. These narratives are often built on deeply divisive issues like immigration, national identity, and security. Whether it’s Kashmir, Bangladesh, or Pakistan, these hot-button topics are strategically used to stoke fear, mobilize voters, and win elections.

At the end of the day, it’s all part of the same strategy: create a sense of urgency, frame the other as a threat, and present yourself as the only solution. It’s not just about winning votes; it’s about reshaping the political and demographic landscape. And in this game, no narrative is too big, too controversial, or too explosive if it helps secure the win.

Ultimately, if India wants to live up to its democratic ideals, it must address its internal contradictions—because real leadership begins at home.

SAT Commentaries’ are social media threads by various authors, reproduced here for website use. Views are their own.

SAT Commentary

SAT Commentaries, a collection of insightful social media threads on current events and social issues, featuring diverse perspectives from various authors.

Related posts:

Hundreds of Migrant Workers Left Stranded at the Kakadvitta Border as India Refuses Entry

Chinese Nationals in India in Danger

Amidst the Pandemic, the Relationship Between Migrants and Development Goals Becomes Clear

Majoritarian State – How Hindu Nationalism is Changing India

Analyzing PM Imran Khan’s National Assembly Address