Editorial
India, once envisioned as a beacon of secularism and pluralism, is now teetering under the weight of rising religious intolerance, much of it attributed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s brand of Hindu nationalism. While the Indian Constitution enshrines secularism as a fundamental value, the past decade under Modi has witnessed the systematic erosion of that ideal, replaced by a majoritarian narrative that marginalizes nearly 20% of the country’s population — its minorities.
Born just months after India declared itself a secular republic, Modi’s political trajectory has tragically come to symbolize the reversal of that vision. His tenure has been marked by repeated acts — both through policy and silence — that have emboldened violent Hindu extremism. From the Gujarat riots of 2002, where Modi’s role remains deeply controversial, to the revocation of Kashmir’s special status and cow-related lynchings, the Modi era has left behind a trail of blood, fear, and polarization.
Alongside him, Home Minister Amit Shah has mirrored and magnified this divisive agenda. His incendiary speeches, links to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and laws targeting Muslim communities — like the Citizenship Amendment Act — are chilling reminders of how religion is being weaponized in India’s political discourse.
India’s secular soul is in crisis. The institutions meant to uphold its Constitution — judiciary, media, civil society — have often remained disturbingly quiet. When religion dictates governance, and hate speech goes unchecked, the very idea of India as imagined by Gandhi and Nehru is betrayed.
India was once a moral counterpoint to religious nationalism. Today, that legacy is on the brink. Unless the tide is turned, Modi’s India may be remembered not for its economic growth or digital prowess, but for burying its secular identity under a saffron shroud.
