India, who claims to be the largest democracy in the world, celebrates its Independence Day on August 15. For a sizeable portion of the population, especially the nation’s minorities, this day is nothing more than a black day. Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Dalits, and other minorities are frequently the targets of prejudice and suffering at the hands of extremist forces adhering to a divisive and fascist ideology. Human rights violations continue to occur throughout the nation. Kashmiris’ situation, who have endured serious human rights violations for decades, serves as a somber reminder of the difficulties India has in sustaining its democratic values.
A number of incidents in Kashmir have shown the horrors committed by the Indian government against our Kashmiri brethren and the enduring animosity towards them. Muslims, Christians, and other minorities, as well as their places of worship, have increasingly been the targets of physical violence and hate speech in India as a result of the BJP’s political influence. Rajeshwar Singh, an RSS pracharak and BJP leader, asserted that Muslims and Christians would be exterminated from India by December 31, 2021, just a few months after Narendra Modi took office as prime minister in 2014. At that time, his assertion was quickly discounted as the viewpoint of a fringe group. A few years later, it has been observed in India that the acts and policies of the Modi government are in line with the opinions presented in Singh’s hate speech, raising worries that this could be taken to mean that Singh’s statement is now acceptable. The Indian Parliament’s Citizenship Amendment Bill, which was passed in December 2019, forbids Muslim immigrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.
Speaking in Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and referred to criticism of India’s growing authoritarianism as “foreign destructive ideology.
Hindu, Hinduism, and Hindutva are not simply words; they refer to a large civilization, a distinctive race, and an ongoing historical process. The idea or thought of the so-called Hindu Identity is represented by Hinduism. Numerous BJP government policies have been influenced by the Hindutva philosophy. It is in favor of building the Ram temple where the Babri mosque once stood. Its primary election-related poll hoax in 1991 was this topic. The BJP is in favor of repealing Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, which gives Jammu and Kashmir more autonomy in light of the peculiar circumstances preceding its admission to the Indian Union.
Whether it be in the shape of the Babri Masjid riots, the Gujarat program of Muslims, or feelings of hatred and aggression directed against Pakistan, which is the foremost foreign monster of Hindutva, neither ever hesitates to use violence to further their Hindutva agenda. Minorities are suffering greatly as a result of the aggressive policies of the RSS and BJP. The victims of their attacks include Muslims, Sikhs, and members of lower castes. With the assistance of the RSS and Shiv Senna, the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) is the cause of the emergence of Hindu nationalism. The consumption of beef and other meats has been outlawed in several areas, and Dalits, members of the lower classes who are frequently the targets of atrocities like as being burned alive and raped, face considerable danger.
Muslims and other Indian minorities face state repression and hate crimes. Except for Hinduism, the BJP government is vehemently opposed to all other races in Hindustan. The policies and platforms of the BJP, RSS, Shiv Senna, and Hindu Senna are intertwined. They support the philosophy of Adolf Hitler. They advocate for the exclusion of all other races from the Hindu race. Hindustan’s minorities are suffering greatly as a result of their violence. The Sikh community is protesting the violation of their rights throughout the world, notably in India.
The sacredness of Sikh temples was violated by Indian soldiers, and their actions at Amritsar, Ludhiana, and Jalandhar are the best illustrations of their hegemonic designs, which damaged India’s reputation as a secular nation in the eyes of the international community. The laws and policies implemented by the Indian government under the Modi administration clearly discriminated against Muslims, Sikhs, Jains, and Dalits.
Jammu and Kashmir is guaranteed special status under Article 370 of Kashmir. Allow the state assembly to draft its own constitution, with a separate set of rules governing its people’ citizenship, property ownership, and fundamental rights, and prohibiting citizens of other states from buying land or other property within the state.
However, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi revoked Article 370 in August 2019 and declared that India would only have one constitution, one flag, one citizenship, minorities would be eligible for reservations, and Indian citizens from other states would now be able to buy property in Jammu and Kashmir. RTI would also be applicable. Due to India’s increased surveillance, suspension of internet connectivity, and varying media coverage of the situation, tensions in Kashmir continue. People in Srinagar always stay inside due to the ongoing, intense military presence. Over their homes, drones are flying, and there are soldiers stationed at every corner. According to India, these restrictions are in place to protect Kashmiris and stop terrorists from entering Pakistan. Similar to the Nazi regime during World War 2, Narendra Modi headed the government.Additionally, Modi wants to exterminate Muslims in Kashmir.
All the farmers in Punjab have been extremely restless as a result of the biased rules that the Indian government has enacted that are against their welfare. Thousands of farmers from different religious backgrounds are protesting the government’s new farm legislation. The senior political echelon of the BJP accuses the Sikh community and other religious minorities of working against India’s peace. The separatist movement in Punjab known as “Khalistan” has also come under fire from BJP followers on social media. Speaking in Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi compared all of the demonstrators to “parasites” and referred to their criticism of India’s growing authoritarianism as “foreign destructive ideology.”
Muslims were always viewed as enemies by the BJP because of their differing ideologies. Whenever there was a global outcry against Muslims and Islam, they would invariably make Islamophobic remarks about Muslims. All of these instances demonstrate unequivocally that minorities in India did not experience any relief from the BJP’s violent reign; rather, the BJP used force to strip them of their fundamental rights, in violation of the Indian Constitution.
Despite being a democratic country, India nevertheless has serious problems with respect to human rights. These issues not only damage its reputation on the international stage but also erode the hopes of its people for a society that is just, inclusive, and democratic. The Independence Day festivities serve as a sharp reminder that this day is observed by many minorities as a “black day” in which they focus on the continuous fight for equality, justice, and basic human rights.
The author frequently contributes on issues concerning national and regional security, focusing on matters having critical impact in these milieus.