After Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took oath for a third term, it was noticed that not a single Muslim minister had been included in his new government. This is a historic development as it marks the first time in Indian history that no Muslim parliamentary member has taken oath after the elections. Reports from Indian media have revealed that Modi’s new government consists of 30 federal ministers and 41 state ministers, none of whom are Muslim.
Traditionally, the council of ministers sworn in after every general election would have at least one Muslim MP in it. This absence of Muslim representation in the 18th Lok Sabha is reportedly due to the fact that no Muslim MPs from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) were elected.
Out of the 24 MPs elected to the lower house, 21 are from the INDIA bloc, and three are from All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen. The first meeting of the cabinet of the new central government of India is scheduled to take place soon, and the cabinet will request that Indian President Droupadi Murmu convene the parliamentary session.
Modi’s inability to secure a clear majority, a departure from his previous two terms, has come as a significant surprise. The recent outcome is particularly unexpected, as surveys and exit polls had predicted that the BJP would secure even more seats than in 2019, highlighting the unpredictable nature of the political landscape.
In a grand ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the president’s palace in New Delhi, President Murmu administered the oath of office to Modi. The event was attended by thousands of dignitaries, including the leaders of seven regional countries, Bollywood stars, and industrialists.
Modi, who began as a publicist of the Hindu nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and is only the second person after independence leader Jawaharlal Nehru to serve a third straight term as prime minister, has adopted a more conciliatory tone since the election results. Despite winning the majority, Modi has acknowledged the importance of unanimity in running the country and pledged to strive for it, instilling a sense of hope and reassurance for the future of the country.
