The claimed secular ideology, draws mileage from Hindutva and
is persuaded through Chanakya’s laid statecrafts; a unique contrast indeed.
Chanakya, praised for his political wisdom and knowledge of human nature, is
largely condemned for his ruthlessness and trickery. All Indian governments
irrespective of their political affiliations had been coercing the similar
methodologies under the garb of secularism. Yet Modi-led BJP stays indifferent
in its continued rule due to persistent tenacity to implement RSS’ethno
nationalist Hindutva ideology.
BJP’s extreme hatred for Muslims is hinged with the incursions of Turk and
Afghan Muslim rulers of 10th century and beyond. The obsession keeps BJP captive
to the past as it continuouslyendeavours to scratch 650 years of Muslim rule in
India; an era that shaped the subcontinent into a single political entity and
laid the foundation for ideology of Pakistan.India, since then, remains in a
state of paranoia. Following his party's victory in the 2019 elections, he
revoke Article 370, on August 5, 2019, that enshrined special status to Indian
Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.Dozens have been killed and thousands arrested since
then. Hundreds of politicians including top Kashmiri leadership and two ex-chief
ministers were detained in severe imprisonments and house arrests. Complete
communication blackout and unprecedented lockdown has turned the occupied valley
into a prison. The illegal unilateral action by New Delhi, disrespecting UN
resolutions, has put peace of the entire region at risk.
BJP in December 2019 also introduced the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) that
targets Muslimson the basis of religion. BJP claimsArticle 370 and CAAare
connected with India's unity and integrity, whereas, columnistTavleen Singh
describes the Act as India's first Nuremberg Law. The act triggered widespread
protests across India due to multiple reasons, resulting in thousands of arrests
and dozens of deaths. Public lynching of Muslims emerged as an RSS trend before
the country was locked down in wake of the pandemic.
Not only that Muslims were blamed for spread of coronavirus but they were also
arrested in large numbers during the lockdowns. The US Commission for
International Religious Freedom noted with concern that the Indian government is
arresting Muslims during the Covid-19 crisis. A US-based academic Khaled
Beydoun, specified Islamophobia in India as “state sponsored”. Referring to
Delhi communal riots in February 2020, he held PM Modi responsible for the
spread of this ‘pandemic violence’. Saudi scholar Abidi Zahrani proposed sending
back all ‘militant Hindus’ working in the Gulf engaged in spreading hate against
Muslims.
Growing Islamophobia is undoing years of New Delhi’s diplomatic gains in the
Middle East.The pandemic has opened fault lines that may significantly change
Indian ties with Gulf countries. After Indian social media stormed with the
trend of blaming Muslims for spread of coronavirus, tweets on social media and
reports on mainstream Print and Electronic media awash with harsh and angry
exchanges between India’s Hindu nationalists and some sections of the Gulf’s
elite– royal family members compelled UAE and Saudi figures to publicly condemn
India’s anti-Muslim policies. Tehran also has started distancing itself with
India due to the way India is bowing to the US. It also loses interest in
Chabahar. Protests in Kabul against Citizenship Amendment Act and Delhi riots
were also watched with interest by the spectators.
India constantly remains horn locked with its neighbors under PM Modi. It is
directly engaged on territorial disputes with three of its neighbors at the
moment. China-India skirmishes as part of military standoff at eastern Ladakh,
along the LAC over the development of Indian infrastructure in disputed
territory, continue since 5th May 2020. The cartographic war between India and
Nepal on New Delhi’s attempt to incorporate disputed Kalapani region into Indian
Territory in May, 2020 further exposes its expansionist designs. India’s Cease
Fire Violations across LoC in AJK, targeting innocent civil population has
become a routine affair, for furtherance of Hindutva.
In 2019 as many as 59 civilians, including women and children, were martyred and
another 281 suffered injuries in different areas along the restive LoC in AJK as
a result of ceasefire violations by Indian troops. During 2020 up to 1st week of
June only 1,229 ceasefire violations have taken place where seven civilians were
martyred and more than 90 have been injured. The phenomenon also facilitates
India to divert attention of its population from soaring internal issues.
India’s military machine too, was optimally exposed during PM Modi’s regime. The
claim of two front wars against China and Pakistan by Indian Chief of Defence
Staff, General Bipin Rawat was stripped in totality both by Pakistan and China
on two different occasions at least. Pakistan’s befitting response of shooting
down two Indian warplanes and capturing the pilot as prisoner on Quad-Pro-Quo
basis in broad daylight, reciprocating India’s misadventure at Balakot, on 27th
February 2019; proved trailer of a real horror film. Killing of 20 Indian
soldiers including a Colonel by People’s Liberation Army China after provocation
and attack by Indian army in a violent face-off on 16 Jun 2020, at Galwan is a
promo of another horror film awaiting release. The Telegraph reported that China
has also annexed 60 square kilometers of Indian Territory. Nepal’s response to
Indian attempt for incorporation of disputed Kalapani region into Indian
Territory was even more embarrassing. PM Modi’s claimed 52 inches chest
seemingly is squeezing to the size as can Indian occupied territories be, if
rhetoric of RSS ethno nationalist Hindutva continues.
Echoes of hate speech and Islamophobia now haunt Indians across the globe. India
needs to rejuvenate its domestic as well as foreign policies before it gets too
late. Mahatma Gandhi’s “Hind Swaraj” or Narendra Modi’s “Hindutva”, choice must
be clear.