Moditva wins at the expense of an identity crisis

India, a state that is demographically explosive, religiously inflammable, ethnically diverse, politically strengthened but democratically perplexed, and economically it is the most unequal state in the world. Currently, India is going through a severe identity crisis, the BJP is practicing politics on the fault lines of identity and it is deeply affecting the pluralistic nature of Indian society. Every segment of society, except Hindu fundamentalists, is confused and bemused when it comes to their social as well as political recognition.

Indian culture was the amalgam of numerous distinct cultures after Indian independence it became an identity for Muslims, Christians, Parsis, Buddhists, and multiple other ethnic and religious minorities.  India which was once considered as the largest democracy in the world, and known as secular, inclusive, and home to hundreds of different ethnicities. This sort of religio-cultural and ethnic diversity provided strength and resistance in the initial years of nationhood. However, in the contemporary scenario, India is losing its sources of strength one after another.  The state is under the rule of a strong, populist, and religiously hyperactive man whose ideology is staunchly socked in the Hindu fundamentalism, the Hindutva which has now become Moditva; a cult following.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is, nowadays, flexing his arms to grab his third tenure and he left no stone unturned to achieve political victory in the ongoing elections. He is pushing the state towards the brink of an identity crisis due to which there are a lot of ethnic and religious minorities, for instance, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, and Adivasis, suffering and are compelled to redefine their identities. The religious and ethnic minorities are discouraged to celebrate their religious and cultural commemorations, they are restricted and bound to follow what the majority, Particularly the BJP government, would decide for them. The BJP government has harassed, detained, surveilled, and persecuted several rights activists, lawyers, and journalists along with multiple religious and ethnic rights activists. As Meenakshi Ganguly, who is director at Human Rights Watch in South Asia, stated “The government has not only failed to protect Muslims and other minorities from attacks but is providing political patronage and cover for bigotry.” The BJP government has promoted violence, extremism, and fundamentalism at the state level. They not only tried to alter the mode of politics but also redefined the Hindu religions and forcefully Saffronized the Hinduism.

BJP is making India a Hindu-religious state but the version of their religion is mixed with materialist-corrupt ideas and practices which instead of creating peace and love it is spreading hatred against each other and becoming a severe threat to the identities of the Indians who have been living there for thousands of years. BJP, claims to be a party that is staunchly based on Hindu values but the political and social conduct of the Party is extremely destructive. It is segregating the people, promoting violence and anti-pluralism, supporting religious extremism and caste chauvinism. They categorized Hinduism based on the political affiliations of the People. Indians are living in very unusual times where a political party is altering and tailoring a religion that has been practiced there since the birth of Hinduism.

Apart from this, the crux of Hinduism is ‘Dharma’ which is generally designated as the right way of living and a path of rightness. It also includes universal moral laws, love and respect for humanity along with justice at social level to fulfill the rights and duties of fellow citizens. Saffronization is engulfing Indianization which would be fatal for the existence of the state comprising approximately 1.5 billion people. In addition to that, the Modi regime is not only playing with the religion but also amending the Constitution of the state to follow their extremist agendas.

The growing foundations of Moditva are destabilizing the existing foundations of Indian secularism. The Indian constitution, which was once considered as the custodian of Indian secularism, political inclusivity, freedom, liberty, and guaranteed the protection of the minority rights and their existence. After the rise of Moditva, the Indian Constitution has become a tool in the hands of the BJP administration and they are using it to sideline all the critical voices. BJP has violated the secular Indian Constitution multiple times and passed numerous controversial laws and Acts such as the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), the Sedition Act, the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), a hijab bans and the list is going on. All these acts and bills were enacted to snub the minorities, harass their activists, exercise more control over society, to all majority to confiscate the properties of minorities, demolish the religious heritage, and lastly shrink the horizon of social freedom. As Article 14 of the Indian constitution says “The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India.”

The current regime of the BJP is not only a threat to the non-Hindu minorities but it is also contaminating the Hindu religious beliefs, they are eager to sideline all other identities except saffronization. They are altering the constitution and making it worse for minorities. BJP has dragged India into the identity crisis and politics of hate and harassment. The ongoing Indian elections will decide the future of the state, PM Narendra Modi has a firm belief in holding the Prime ministership for the third time, He is going to create history but at the expense of the State’s pluralistic ideology, inclusive politics, secular constitution and social homogeneity. If it wins, the BJP would close all the doors for minorities which ultimately led to civil unrest and economic decline. As mentioned by Indian political economist, Parakala Prabhakar, in his recent TV interview, “there would be no constitution if Mr. Modi returned to power.”