Existential Crisis for Muslims: The New Norm in A Polarized India

Hate has become a daily occurrence in BJP-ruled India where an extremist Hindu government continues to subjugate and oppress the minorities with complete impunity. Or what would you like to call it? Authoritarian politics?

As such, the presence of an authoritarian regime that seeks to impose its extremist ideology on the masses is evident from the narratives the Indian media is trying to build. From anti-Pakistan rhetoric to talks about Hindu nationalism and Akhund bharat, the mainstream media funded by the state is on a mission to make India a Hindu state that flexes its muscles and dominates other minorities.

A small part of the media that continues to defy the state imposed agenda is often found citing reports of minorities, especially Muslims, being lynched, harassed, jailed and subjugated. Such news makes the rounds on social media and mainstream media but still fails to shake the conscience of the government that continues to instill a culture of impunity where the minorities are under constant attacks.

From anti-Pakistan movies to hate spewing venom on minorities, Bollywood is not too faraway from following the state’s agenda of oppressing minorities. Angry rants against Pakistan’s existence on talk shows and the paid trolls that build an anti-Pakistan narrative on various social media outlets only confirm the fact that the BJP government follows a policy of confrontation. The sorry state of minorities and the way they are being suppressed makes it ample clear that the BJP-led government in India seeks to usher in a new era of hatred that is bent on marginalizing the minorities and imposing their extremist brand of Hindutva ideology on others.

From the top BJP leadership to its lower ranks, there is a culture of hatred that draws on animosity for minorities especially Muslims. From Muslims being called infiltrators to terrorists, these voices are more than fringe attempts. They speak of a much larger version of Hindutva being harnessed and promoted through politics of hate. In fact, the voices are so strong that only the pro-Hindu voices make the headlines while minority voices including those of Muslims are silenced. Minorities along with Muslims are no longer treated as citizens of India but as outsiders who must be forced into adopting the Hindutva doctrine to be allowed to live peacefully in India.

The impact that the Hindutva agenda is inflicting is not just political, but it goes down in the society as an evil force that devastates the psychological well being of the victims. It exposes the minorities to an existential threat. To be a minority especially Muslims, means being watched, scrutinized and questioned as if they are already guilty of crimes. The heart break of the Muslim community is evident. Those who chose to stay behind in India instead of moving to Pakistan during the partition of the sub continent now face daily humiliation.

The current policies of the Indian government and the effect it has on the society has impacted the lives of Muslims on a daily basis. It is clear to the neutral observers that the BJP-government thrives on humiliating Muslims and through this evil means garners the attention, sympathy and support of the Hindu extremists.

The prevalent environment in India makes the Muslims question their ancestors’ move of not moving to Pakistan. Was it the right move? Or was the Muslim League justified in asking for a separate state for Muslims. The answer can be found in the politics of hatred that continues to sow chaos along religious lines or the communal lines as the Indian media reports. The Indian government has made it hard for Muslims to live in a land which their ancestors called as their own.