Fahmida Riaz lamented “Turned out you were just like us…” A violent campaign to enforce “nationalism” in India has followed the rise of aggressive Hindu nationalism. The polarisation along religious lines and the defaming of the opposition leaders as sympathisers of the anti-national students and terrorists herald the coming state elections. The consolidation of Hindu votes is the tried and tested electoral strategy of the party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The minorities – religious as well as ideological -- are being targeted. The pockets in which the ruling BJP’s ideology failed to acquire influence have become a hunting ground for violent foot soldiers who feel assured of protection by their leaders in the Government.
A leftist university student is arrested for alleged sedition. He is beaten up by lawyers while being taken to court by the police. India’s home minister cites a fake tweet to associate this research scholar with a Pakistani terrorist. Doctored videos are telecast in order to strengthen the charge of sedition against this student. His crime was that he was present in a meeting where some unknown and untraceable persons had raised anti-India slogans! Some universities are seething with unrest because of the Government’s plan to curb dissent. There is no official move to challenge the principle of secularism. Government leaders promote majoritarianism by calling their political rivals “pseudo-secularists” and attacking them for “appeasing” Muslims.
