South Asia has been experiencing increasing instability since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in India, under PM Modi since 2024. Modi’s third term as Prime Minister of India has revived the debates over democratic values and secularism in its domestic and foreign policy. India’s proclaimed secular framework faces growing challenges since Modi and his BJP ascended to power. Indian identity, which was long celebrated for its diversity and inclusivity, is shifting to a shattering vision of societal identity.
The atmosphere has further deteriorated, followed by the Pahalgam attack, as India’s war mongering behavior, baseless allegations, violations of Pakistan’s territorial integrity, and targeting of the civilian population, stressed the already tense situation in the region. Furthermore, India unilaterally suspended the Indus Water Treaty (IWT), which has endured since 1960 despite enduring multiple wars throughout history. Pakistan rightly views this as an act of war with severe consequences, not only for bilateral relations but also for millions of people who depend on the shared water resources.
The BJP’s decision-making is heavily influenced by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The expansion and dominance of RSS and Hindutva ideology in India’s domestic, foreign and security policies increased significantly, as evidenced by India’s 2024 elections in which the BJP came to power.
The rise of Hindutva and RSS ideology under the leadership of the BJP has triggered intense debate over India’s secularism. Because India is regarded as predominantly Hindu country, Hindutva has been criticized for marginalizing minorities, particularly Muslims and Christians. During the previous tenure of the Modi government, policies and rhetoric as critics maintain associated with this ideology and are endangering India’s secular principles, as protected in its constitution.
The activities by the BJP that raise queries regarding India’s assertions as a secular state include the fundamental human rights violations and the killing of minorities, especially Sikhs, Muslims, and Christians. The killings and unrest in Manipur and the revocation of articles 370 and 35A of the Indian constitution regarding the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K), which induced the partial autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir, India’s only Muslim-majority state, and divided the territory into two parts.
The BJP government will implement the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which provides citizenship of India to all minorities, except Muslims, who migrated to India from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, before December 31, 2014. Furthermore, the planned National Register of Citizens (NRC) has raised questions regarding religious marginalization and led to an environment of terror and insecurity among various minorities.
A religion-based citizenship law, which the UN has called “fundamentally discriminatory in nature”, was passed in 2019. It was implemented ahead of the elections to galvanize support in India’s heartland. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said the action violated India’s international human rights obligations.
Prime Minister Modi and other BJP leaders promised during the election campaign to eliminate all historical Muslim influence in India. BJP is constantly looking for issues that resonate with voters. The Ram temple, which was opened on the ruins of the Babri mosque in Ayodhya a few months ago, has become a shining example of his growing communal politics. the Supreme Court of India in 2019 leagalized the destruction of the 15th-century mosque in 1992 .
PM Modi is working to make India a sectarian state, with the BJP government actively suppressing critical voices and weakening constitutional principles. The aim is to create a Hindutva state under the leadership of an all-powerful and bigoted political party. Secular and democratic values are under threat as the BJP uses hyper-nationalism and ultra-religious slogans as part of its political manifesto and electoral strategy, disproportionately targeting Muslims. Therefore, the government is advised to recognize that diversity, multiculturalism, and pluralism are essential for maintaining a united and diverse Indian state.
Cases of religious extremism and violence against Muslims show the erosion of secular values in Modi’s India. According to the Indian Hate Lab, in 2023, there were 668 incidents of religious violence against Muslims. In one case, a police officer attacked Muslims during prayers in Delhi. Moreover, hate speeches against religious minorities, especially Muslims, are on the rise in India. In the state of Uttar Pradesh, many properties of Muslims were destroyed, and during the India Day parade, the state government displayed bulldozers, with a symbol of state terrorism, to malign the image of Muslims. Political leaders who incite hatred are rewarded with positions of influence. Meanwhile, the BJP crushes the opposition by suppressing media independence, news channels act as mouthpieces of the government, and newspapers remain silent on government scandals and atrocities.
India’s inclination toward the erosion of its secular and democratic values under the BJP is obvious in its domestic and foreign policies. The systemic persecution of minority groups, the abrogation of articles 370 and 35A of the Indian constitution regarding the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K), the undermining of major agreement such as IWT, extraterritorial killings, the spread of extremist Hindutva ideology demonstrate how India’s pluralist values are declining. These developments violate its core constitutional principles, which endanger both regional stability and international peace.
This article was published in another form at https://strategicforecast.cissajk.org.pk/?p=23179
Dr Muhammadi is Associate Director Research at the Center for International Strategic Studies (CISS), Islamabad and is currently placed at CISS-KIU Research Center, Karakorum International University (KIU), Gilgit-Baltistan, Gilgit.
