Jawayria Malik
During an election campaign while addressing to a rally in Azamgarh, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Chief Mayawati exposed Modi government’s policy exactly the way Pakistan is voicing since it came to power. Mayawati claimed that the Modi government could start a war with Pakistan on the issue of terrorism just to divert people’s attention from their failures ahead of the Uttar Pradesh polls early next year. Peeved over Mayawati’s outbursts, BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma termed her remarks as sign of utter frustration over the “exodus” from her party to the saffron outfit ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections early next year. No matter how true is BJP’s rejection but it is a fact that BJP is fast losing its luster under leadership of Modi. There is no denying the fact that after PM Modi’s coming to power discriminatory policies of BJP towards Indian Muslims have alarmed the international community though the world at large has turned a blind eye on India due to their own interests.. The BJP policies originate from RSS ideology of Hindutva or Hindu nationalism with an idea to form Akhand Bharat, or undivided Indian state, which is true representative of Hindu culture and religion. The BJP’s extremist actions and discriminatory policies are not new as the world witnessed India’s nuclear explosions, violence against Christians, Gujarat carnage and strengthening of Indo-Israel ties during their first tenure in government. Currently, as their second term in office, the BJP government since its election campaign has used anti-Pakistan and anti-Muslim sentiments as a tool to gain the vote bank. Moreover, India chose not to vote over the issue of Israel’s attack on Gaza in UNHCR and instead agreed over expansion of its bilateral co-operation with Israel.
Likewise, Love Jihad, Ghar Wapsi, Bahu Lao Beti Bachao programmes, compulsory education of Geeta, Maha Bharat and Hindu literature in educational institutes, ban on cow slaughter and beef in Maharashtra and killing many Muslims in the name of religion or false allegations of eating beef are the actions intended to promote cultural violence in the all segments of Indian society. Some other brutal actions intended to stimulate communal violence and religious extremism in Indian society includes ban on Pakistani movies, demand for resignation of Hamid Ansari (Vice President of India), attack on seventy year old Christian Pope in Bengal, ban on Christian missionaries, giving Indian nationality to all non-Muslim Bengalis, demand for abrogation of article 370 from the constitution and fuelling Hindu-Muslim riots in Kashmir etc.
In view of this backdrop, statement of BSP Chief gains credence. Under BJP administration, Muslims and other religious minorities are threatened as RSS and Dharm Jagran Samiti (DSJ) has a plan of ethnic cleansing of all Muslims and non-Muslims before 2021 census. Violent attacks on Muslims, low caste Hindus and Christians are meant to eliminate them from the Indian soil whereas Hindus are asked to increase their birth rates to protect Hindu religion and Hindu identity of India.
It goes without saying that growing Hindu extremism has deteriorated India’s ties with its neighbouring countries as well. After establishing, a pro-Indian government in Sri-Lanka, India is pressuring Maldives for its larger hegemonic influence in the region. Recent economic blockade with Nepal just because Nepal declared its constitution secular against BJP demand of a Hindu constitution is a clear reflection of narrow mindedness of Indian government. Likewise, Pakistan-India relations have also strained under BJP government amid hostile statements by Indian side such as Indian Army Chief’s warning of limited war in the backdrop of LOC violations and threat to attack Pakistan after 9 June attack on Myanmar. Open criticism to China-Pakistan-Economic-Corridor (CPEC) and Modi shamelessly admitting India’s pivotal role in separation of Bangladesh during his visit to Dhaka in June 2015 are clear manifestations of BJP hawkish and rigid policies towards Pakistan. Such extremist and negative policies of BJP government have adversely affected regional efforts to fight terrorism in the region in general and to operation Zarb-e-Azb in particular. Militants that have escaped and taken refuge in Afghanistan are being provided financial/ logistic support by the RSS and RAW alike. Ironically, the terrorism has increased manifolds due to growing Hindu nationalism in the region.
It is high time for the Modi administration to review its extremist’s policies and the international community to break the mum and take concrete measures to put a halt to growing Hindu extremism in the region. The UN along with other major powers of the world should pressurize India to protect rights of minorities in India and people of Kashmir as well. Modi administration must review its hardliner and hawkish policies and work to create a balanced, peaceful and co-existent environment at home and abroad. A non-discriminatory, conciliatory and tolerant approach must be adopted towards all factions of Indian society and across.
