Search

This essay draws a parallel between the political and social dynamics of Hindu nationalism in India under Narendra Modi and the policies of racial segregation of the Jim Crow era in the United States (from approximately 1880 to 1965). As with the marginalization of black Americans based on race during Jim Crow, Hindu nationalism aims to marginalize Muslim Indians based on religion. Methods similar to those used in the Jim Crow South—including exclusionary laws, segregation, and vigilante violence—are now being deployed in India to subdue Muslims. Such actions go against the principles of equality established by India's 1950 Constitution. As in the Jim Crow South, the judiciary in India has proven slow to play its assigned role as guarantor of liberal constitutionalism. Friends of liberal, constitutional democracy will be wise not to count on judges to salvage the situation. In the end, only the voters can decide to stop Hindu nationalism, or else underwrite its final advance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India's democratic backsliding began with the rise to power of Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2014 elections. Five years later, the party won an even bigger parliamentary majority. The BJP now runs not only the central government, but also all but ten of the 28 states, whether on its own or allied with other parties. Though India has not regressed democratically by the criteria of electoral contestation and participation, it has failed to ensure that the rights of Muslims and other minorities are respected. It has also impaired freedom of expression and freedom of association. Electoral democracy is thus coming into conflict with the broader notion of democracy, electoral as well as nonelectoral, that India's 1950 Constitution enshrines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article refers to the growth of Hindu majoritarianism and illiberal democracy after the reelection of Narendra Modi as the Indian Prime Minister in 2019 Indian general election. Topics include the ideology of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and their dominance in the Indian politics; their unpredictable win because of poor performance score to uplift unemployment distress and agricultural sector issue; and ignorance for the rise of social and religious issues caused by Hindu extremists.

The article talks about the growth, inequality and nationalism in India after India's democracy at 1970, which mention about growth rate of India in term of economics and population, and it also mention about noneconomic side of politics for the political success of political parties in India.

The article assesses the popularity of Hindu nationalist ideology in India. Topics covered include the comparison of Hindu nationalism with democracy as well as the remarkable results and highlights of the 16th general election in the country. Also mentioned is the support of over 100 million for the election and position of the urban middle class in the issue of democracy in the country.