ISLAMABAD: In recent years, India has seen a surge in a specific political ideology since the assumption of power by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014. This ideology, often referred to as Hindutva or Hindu nationalism, has garnered attention and raised concerns both within India and internationally.
According to reports from Kashmir Media Service, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has been actively promoting Hindutva policies, particularly in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) region and throughout the country. This has led to growing apprehension, particularly among Muslim and other minority communities, about their safety and rights within India.
Critics argue that the government, especially the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)-backed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has employed coercive measures to suppress Muslims in both India and IIOJK. This includes leveraging investigative agencies and legislation to quash voices of dissent and intimidate minority groups. The result has been an alarming increase in the persecution of Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, and low-caste Hindus since the BJP assumed power.
Furthermore, there are concerns that the Modi-led government is actively working towards transforming India into a Hindu Rashtra, a state predominantly driven by Hindu ideologies. Critics point to New Delhi’s actions on August 5, 2019, as evidence of a deliberate effort to alter the demographics of IIOJK, turning its Muslim majority into a minority.
Narendra Modi’s association with the 2002 Gujarat riots, where mass murders of Muslims occurred, raises further apprehension about his ideology and its potential impact. Critics view this ideology as a substantial threat to peace and stability in South Asia.
