The Great Indian balancing act : Growth up , Rights down

"The true source of rights is duty. If we all discharge our duties, rights will not be far to seek," said Mahatma Gandhi, emphasising the importance of responsibilities in ensuring citizens' rights. Modern India's reality appears to diverge significantly from this vision.?

Critics argue that India's current state would be considered sacrilegious to its founding fathers, given the pervasive discrimination against minorities and suppression of media freedom. Disturbing parallels can be drawn between established politicians' rhetoric and Nazi propaganda leading up to the Holocaust.

Recent events in Gurgaon, renamed "Gurugram" under the sentiment of "Hindufication," have set a dark precedent for minorities across India, tarnishing the country's democratic reputation. Critics claim that right-wing Hindutva groups launched pogroms against Muslim minorities, with Islamophobia at an all-time high. The violence and discrimination against the Muslim minority, numbering over 200 million, have become normalised in Indian society.

Over the past years, misinformation has fueled pogroms against Muslim minorities by right-wing Hindutva extremists, reflecting a disturbing pattern in modern-day India. This systemic discrimination is exemplified by the revocation of special status for Muslim-majority regions of Indian occupied Kashmir and discriminatory citizenship laws, highlighting the dire situation for India's largest minority.

While Narendra Modi's tenure has brought significant economic growth, catapulting India from being classified among the "fragile five" to one of the world's fastest-growing economies, this progress comes at a steep cost. These economic achievements are overshadowed by the systematic marginalisation and oppression of minorities, including Muslim, Christian, and Sikh citizens of India.

Anti-Muslim sentiment has been expressed at the highest levels of government without repercussions, fostering a climate of fear and intimidation for Muslims. This environment is reminiscent of the post-reconstruction American South, where racial violence was the norm, and parallels can be drawn to the genocidal ideologies of figures like Slobodan Milosevic complicit in the Bosnian Muslim Genocide.

Hindutva's Influence: Political Dynamics and Cultural Ramifications

The consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya (previously known as Faizabad) on January 22, 2024, presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marks a pivotal moment in the ascendancy of Hindutva ideology in India's political landscape. This event, built on the former site of the Babri Masjid mosque, is viewed by many as a symbolic fusion of executive power with Hindu religion. The roots of Hindutva, a Hindu-centric form of Indian nationalism, can be traced back to V.D. Savarkar's 1923 pamphlet "Hindutva." This ideology gained significant momentum through organisations like the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), of which Modi is reportedly a graduate. Alarmingly, founding members such as M.S. Golwalkar drew inspiration from Hitler's brownshirts, advocating for the purity of the Hindu race in India in a manner inspired and reminiscent of Aryan race ideology in Nazi Germany. The BJP's rhetoric and Modi's campaign, alongside extremist sycophants like Yogi Adityanath, have been responsible for encouraging violence and persecution against Muslims. This ideological shift represents a concerning trend in Indian politics, potentially undermining the country's secular foundations and exacerbating tensions between religious communities.

Observers note that this ideology operates behind a facade of secular democracy and purported liberal values, potentially undermining India's pluralistic foundations. India's secular ideals have faced challenges over decades, with critics pointing to various political shifts. The rise of Hindu symbolism in politics, starting in the 1980s with events like the televising of the Ramayana epic, is seen by some as a catalyst for growing Hindu nationalism.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's controversial past, particularly his role during the 2002 Gujarat massacre of thousands of Muslims , has raised concerns about the erosion of India's secular foundations and the increasing vulnerability of its minority populations. Further illustrated by the government's approach to Indian occupied Kashmir, particularly the 2019 revocation of Article 370, has drawn significant criticism. This action, which ended Jammu and Kashmir's special status, was accompanied by a severe lockdown and communication blackout as well as the usual persistent oppression in the occupation.

India's handling of dissent and minority rights has drawn scrutiny from international legal and human rights perspectives.The crackdown on Sikh activists in Punjab, mirroring actions in Kashmir, exemplifies this concern. Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau's accusation of Indian involvement in assassinating Sikh activists abroad further exposed the government's harsh tactics against dissent, particularly the Khalistan movement. These?authoritarian measures undermine civil liberties and democratic principles, highlighting India's struggle to balance security with minority rights and democratic values.Such measures are alarming for the Sikh diaspora and human rights groups, recalling the 1984 state-sponsored violence and week long massacre against Sikhs.

The 2024 Indian General Election: A Turning Point

The 2024 Indian general election results have delivered an unexpected setback to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Despite a confident campaign with the slogan "Ab ki baar, 400 paar" (This time, more than 400 seats) and predictions of a sweeping victory, the BJP and its allies fell short of expectations, securing only 292 seats in the 543-seat parliament. This marks a significant decline from their 2019 performance, with the BJP alone dropping from 303 to 240 seats, below the 272 needed for an outright majority.

The substantial gain of opposition parties in contrast to the BJP's unexpected losses, particularly in its stronghold of Uttar Pradesh (UP), conveys growing economic discontent among rural and disadvantaged populations. Despite India's impressive 8% annual growth rate, over 600 million citizens still struggle with poverty, surviving on $3.65 or less per day. Voters, especially in rural areas, prioritised economic issues such as job creation and development over the BJP's nationalist and religious messaging.

Despite the country's impressive economic growth under Modi's leadership, a Citigroup report highlights persistent employment challenges that may have eroded the party's support, especially in rural areas. The report suggests that even with a robust 7% growth rate, India is likely to fall short of creating the estimated 12 million jobs needed annually over the next decade, managing only 8-9 million. Moreover, concerns about job quality persist, with a high proportion of the workforce still in agriculture and a decline in formal sector employment since the pandemic.

The election results highlight a notable gap between India's headline economic growth and the real-life challenges faced by many citizens, particularly regarding job opportunities and quality. This outcome shows that while Modi and the BJP remain influential in Indian politics, they are still vulnerable to economic dissatisfaction when it affects voters' everyday lives and future prospects.

The shocking change in electoral results caused change in both political and financial spheres, challenging the BJP's dominance and forcing a reevaluation of Modi's governance. The unexpected setback saw Indian stock indexes plummet to their worst performance in four years, reflecting investor concerns about the future of Modi's economic agenda. Now reliant on coalition partners for the first time since 2014, the Prime Minister faces the delicate task of balancing diverse political interests while addressing the economic grievances that fueled this electoral shift. Exposed vulnerabilities in the BJP's strategy, despite maintaining its overall vote share of around 37%, will now be a great concern for the leading party. While making minor gains in southern and eastern regions, the party suffered significant losses in crucial areas like Uttar Pradesh, potentially due to a combination of economic concerns and caste-related issues. Voters' anxieties about inflation, unemployment, and potential changes to affirmative-action policies seem to have outweighed the BJP's nationalist rhetoric. As the BJP seeks to form a stable government, it will likely need to negotiate with regional allies like Telugu Desam and Janata Dal (United), whose leaders may leverage their positions for political concessions.

The election results have raised significant questions about the future of governance and policy direction under a potentially weakened BJP-led coalition. Prime Minister Modi, known for his strongman executive style, may now need to adapt to a more collaborative approach, negotiating with coalition partners and making policy compromises. This could impact the implementation of key reforms in labour and manufacturing sectors, while potentially leading to a greater focus on immediate welfare schemes to address the concerns of voter groups that swung away from the BJP.

BJP’s Wake Up Call

The electoral setback has shattered the BJP's illusion of invincibility, forcing a sobering reassessment of their political strategy and reminding them that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's once-unassailable dominance is no longer the prevailing reality.This outcome has sent ripples through India's political landscape, challenging the narrative of an unstoppable march towards one-party rule that appeared to be gaining momentum since 2019. Despite the BJP's formidable political machinery and its power consolidation efforts, the electorate's verdict has forced a recalibration of the political status quo.The electoral shift has unexpectedly reinforced India's democratic foundations, curbing the BJP's unilateral authority and revitalising opposition voices. This rebalancing of political power could usher in a new era of coalition governance, potentially promoting broader collaboration on intricate national challenges and nurturing a more inclusive approach to policy formulation. The new coalition may embody earlier reform periods fostering collaborative solutions for intricate challenges such as land reform, energy sector overhaul, and agricultural policy development, all of which necessitate widespread agreement and stakeholder involvement.

Critics had long voiced concerns about the erosion of democratic norms and institutional checks and balances under Modi's leadership, pointing to tactics such as the marginalisation of opposition voices in parliament, the destabilisation of opposition-led state governments, and the alleged misuse of central agencies against political adversaries. However, the election results revealed a more complex political reality, with voters - especially in rural and economically disadvantaged areas - prioritising immediate economic concerns over nationalist hate filled rhetoric.?

The Need for Inclusive Economic Policies

While the BJP remains the largest party, its failure to secure an outright majority has necessitated a return to coalition politics for the first time since 2014. This shift may potentially temper some of the more authoritarian tendencies observed in recent years, reinvigorating democratic processes and institutional safeguards. As Modi embarks on his third term, he faces the delicate task of balancing coalition demands with the need for economic reforms while addressing the underlying issues that contributed to this electoral setback.

The electorate's prioritisation of economic concerns over nationalist rhetoric, particularly evident in rural and disadvantaged areas, may compel the BJP to pivot towards more inclusive economic policies and inequality reduction measures. This shift could potentially moderate some of the party's more controversial initiatives. On the global stage, a BJP-led coalition government might present a more predictable and cautious India as a foreign partner.

The BJP's unexpected electoral setback in 2024 highlights India's democratic resilience and the electorate's power to redirect the nation's course. This shift towards coalition governance, driven by economic discontent and civil tensions, offers a chance to recalibrate towards inclusivity and address the democratic deficit caused by the BJP's authoritarian and fascist tendencies. However, the erosion of India's secular fabric under Hindutva ideology threatens both growth and social cohesion. For India's diverse populace, a return to liberal democracy and secularism is crucial. Continued marginalisation and persecution of minorities risks inflaming sectarian divides, fueling separatism, and hindering economic potential. Embracing pluralism, as envisioned by India's founders, is thus both a moral and practical imperative for the nation's unity, prosperity, and global standing. Time will tell which path the nation takes in these unprecedented times, as India stands at a crossroads of its democratic journey.