On the Brink? - The Risk of Identity-Based Violence in Modi's India

A recent event hosted by Genocide Watch, “India on the Brink”,  had a stark warning for civil society and the international community focused on India. Held on the 20th anniversary of the horrific communal riots in Gujarat that killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands of Indian Muslims, its aim was “to commemorate, share, and look ahead” at the current state of religious and ethnic relations in India.  

Unfortunately, the current outlook in India is not bright. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has long relied on a far-right Hindu Nationalist platform to consolidate power, and recent violence in Kashmir, as well as the stripping of rights of Muslim minorities in states across the country has emboldened some groups of Hindu nationalists to begin attacking Muslim holy sites and even people. As Modi’s government consolidates its strength and drifts towards autocracy, India, as the name of Genocide Watch’s workshops suggest, drifts towards the brink of catastrophic identity-based violence.

A mosque that was set on fire in the Indian capital in February 2020 by Hindu mobs [Sajjad Hussain/AFP]

The targeting of Muslims in India has drawn parallels to the brutal ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya in Myanmar, and global organisations are extremely worried about how this trend might continue. There have already been several shocking examples of violence against Muslim groups, and hate speech is rampant. Much of this aggression is couched as Hindu pride, but Modi’s BJP political party have built a movement around the concept of “Hindutva”, a Hindu nationalism that has, in some circles, been weaponised as an anti-minority ideology. Modi has consistently presented his approach as “Hindus first”, and this means all minority groups are feeling threatened by the rising focus on ethnic and religious nationalism across India.

Indeed, this nationalist violence is not only aimed at Muslims. Christian schools have been attacked by mobs, and in 2019 I visited Tamil Nadu in my capacity as trustee of The Kanji Project, where I heard first hand of the difficulties that our partners, St Antony’s Foundlings and the Franciscan Sisters in Pudupalayam, had in navigating government schemes and accessing resources, in part due to their minority status. St Antony’s in particular found itself categorised as a Christian organisation that was therefore ineligible for certain government services, despite the fact that the majority of its staff and students are Hindu, and SAF remains focused on providing support to all those in need, regardless of caste, creed, gender, or religious affiliation.

What we are seeing happen in India is the erosion of the democratic rights that have made the country so great. We are seeing populist, nationalistic leaders exploit intergroup tensions for their own gain, stoking ethnic divisions to reinforce their own power. Narendra Modi’s actions are not unique. He is following the playbook of autocratic leaders the world over, most notably his friend and ally Vladimir Putin, who has benefitted from continued support from India even as he becomes increasingly isolated from the rest of the world following the criminal invasion of Ukraine.

India is one of the most diverse countries on Earth

Perhaps most telling is to revisit the Gujarati riots in 2002, ugly clashes that targeted Muslim minority groups and that were, according to many scholars, deliberately provoked by the BJP and Gujarat’s then-Chief Minister, Narendra Modi. In the aftermath of the massacre of thousands of Muslims in Gujarat, Modi was unapologetic, expressing his approval with his own handling of the situation. He was subjected to a visa-ban in the US due to his role in provoking the violence, but this was later rescinded as he rose to prominence in national politics and became Prime Minister in 2014. The man deemed too dangerous to be allowed access to the US took the leadership of the world’s largest democracy. In his hands, India stepped closer to the brink.

But India is a much larger, much brighter, and more diverse, place than Modi’s BJP would have you believe.

At the 25^th Anniversary celebrations of St Antony’s in 2019, the occasion was marked by a prayer service with representatives from Christian, Hindu, and Muslim congregations. SAF and the Rose Sisters both serve as an example of the multicultural reality of life in India. The rise in hateful rhetoric across the country is a great concern to us at The Kanji Project, but we remain hopeful when we see the reality of different groups coming together across Kanji and the surrounding villages to support each other through daily challenges as a community, and as friends. Hateful minds might have the loudest platform, but ordinary life in India remains vibrant, diverse, and full of inspiration. Ordinary people help each other, and work together to support those most vulnerable, as we have seen first-hand in supporting our partners' COVID response, as well their aid delivery in the aftermath of severe flooding in November of last year.

25th Anniversary Celebrations at St Antony's - 2019.

It is vital that organisations like the organisers of India on the Brink sound the alarm whenever the risk of identity-based violence rears its ugly head, but we should also shine a light on the incredible work of ordinary community-based groups, not just in India, but around the world, who tackle hateful rhetoric with kindness and who overcome harmful stereotypes with love and compassion.

Things are not as dark as Modi and his ilk want to portray them. We are more than our religious affiliation, our caste, our ethnicity, our gender, or anything else that those in power may try to use to divide us. At The Kanji Project we are constantly reminded of the power a small group of people who want to help can have to change lives. Ordinary people suffer the most when hateful rhetoric gains traction, but ordinary people also hold the power to see through that which divides us and build something better in its place.

The hard work of building communities is often done in the shadows, away from public view and outside of the reach of people in power. It can be difficult, but dedicated organisations are doing it every day, with little fanfare or support. When we feel overcome with the dread that Modi and others sow, we should search for those making a difference in their little corners of the world. The brightness is there if you just look for it. 

You can catch the recorded sessions from India on the Brink on their event page.

To find out more about The Kanji Project, visit our website.