India. What's Happening?

There was great excitement among people in India when Narendra Modi was elected Prime Minister. He preached that achhe din aane waale hain (Good days are coming). Question is…for whom?

Since his election in May 2014, Mr Modi promised several improvements, particularly, social equality. He even coined the slogan sabka saath, sabka vikaas (Together with all, development for all), leading US Secretary of State John Kerry to call it “a great vision.[1]”

Indeed, it is a great vision. Yet, almost two years into his role as India’s leader, we are witnessing a series of unfortunate events, which highlight the opposite of the slogan – rising intolerance and increasing totalitarianism.

One notable and tragic incidence occurred in September 2015 to a Muslim family. Mohammad Akhlaq was lynched in Northern India, and his son was brutally injured by a Hindu mob. Apparently, the mob was incited because Akhlaq had stored beef in his house.

This incident led to widespread outrage in India, especially among liberal groups and the media. But the Prime Minister remained silent for several days after the incident.

Recently, at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), in India’s capital New Delhi, there were student unions debating Kashmir’s right to self-determination. Apparently, there were slogans such as Kashmir ki azadi tak jung chalegi, Bharat ki barbadi tak jung chalegi (War will continue till Kashmir's freedom, war will continue till India's demolition.)[2]

The Indian government condemned these slogans vociferously, and justifiably. However, Kanhaiya Kumar, the president of Jawaharlal Nehru Students’ Union, said that the slogans misrepresented the students, and were not theirs.[3] The Indian government used sedition laws to counter what it perceived as ‘anti-national.’ Mr Kumar was arrested on sedition charges and treason on basis of a law dating back to 1860 – time of the British rule in India.

These two incidents highlight the capriciousness of the Indian government: When Akhlaq was murdered, the government was silent. However, the first sign of perceived ‘anti-nationalism,’ and a few students were arrested.

A totalitarian state does not hesitate to crush any form of criticism. These incidents show an intolerant side, which caters to the Hindu nationalists, particularly the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). This government needs to care for its citizens, such as Akhlaq, not meddle with student debates in universities.

This interference by the government in a university suggests a totalitarian side, which is terrifying in a country as diverse as India. It also implies that the right-wing government views JNU, a predominantly left-leaning university, as a threat to its reign. This is sad and most unfortunate that the Indian government fails to distinguish between a real issue, such as the lynching, and one that should not bother the leaders.

However, this is deliberate. Indeed, this is how the Indian government wants to remain in control while advancing its ideology of Hindu nationalism.

Achhe din aane waale hain, but for whom? Hindu nationalists seem to be the answer.

Photo Credit: http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/afzal-guru-protests-jnu-students-union-president-arrested-on-charges-of-sedition-1276705

[1] http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/narendra-modi-sabka-saath-sabka-vikas-john-kerry/1/374569.html

[2] http://indiatoday.intoday.in/education/story/jnu-afzal-guru/1/593077.html

[3] http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi/jnu-student-union-criticises-anti-india-slogans-attacks-abvp/story-ljIKS0uWJaydOQo43ETONI.html